Library Course Assessment for
Geography 300 & 310
May 28, 2004
GEOG 300 | GEOG 310
GEOG 300
This is the Library’s assessment for Geography 300 Possible Worlds: the Rise of Geographical Thinking. This course will first be offered in 2006-1 and annually thereafter with an expected enrollment of 36-54 students. It is an elective course that is intended to meet the breadth requirements described in the new undergraduate curriculum policy of the university.
Monographs
There is an emphasis on the use of primary sources in this course. Several sourcebooks are listed on the course reading list, and these are all held in the SFU Library collection.
Material in the CIHM microfiche collection, accessible by searching the Library catalogue, will be a useful source of primary texts. The Library’s recently acquired Early English Books Online will also provide a rich source of early material for students in this course, also accessible directly from the Library’s catalogue. For example, searching on the subject heading “Geography, Early works to 1800” yields over 150 such documents.
The Library collection was also analyzed using Library of Congress Subject Headings for its coverage of relevant secondary sources for students in this course. The major headings and the SFU Library holdings are listed below. This does not necessarily reflect all sub-headings under each LC headings, so actual holdings may be higher.
Cartography – History 38
Classical geography 20
Early maps 45
Geography, Ancient 50
Geography – History 28
Geography, Medieval 21
Geography – Study and teaching 55
Science, Ancient 42
Science - History 277
Science – History – Bibliography 10
Science, Medieval 41
The Library is actively collecting in these areas. The Library has adequate monograph holdings to support this course.
Serials
The following serials held at the SFU Library will provide useful material for students in this course. Although not all of these titles are current subscriptions, for the purpose of this course, historical holdings are more significant.
Annales de géographie
Annals of science
Annals of the Association of American Geographers
Audubon
British journal for the history of science
The Geographical journal
History of science
Isis
Nature
Osiris
Perspectives on science: historical, philosophical, social
Proceedings (Royal Geographical Society)
Science
Scientific American
Surveying and mapping
The Library has adequate serial holdings to support this course.
Bibliographic Tools
The Library’s collection of bibliographies of the history of science, and the history of geography will provide useful finding aids for students seeking primary sources. Many of the primary sources available in EEBO and CIHM collections will also easily be found via the Library’s catalogue. Secondary material can be found using Geographical Abstracts, Historical Abstracts, and the General Science Index.
Costs: there are no new Library costs associated with this course.
GEOG 310
This is the Library’s assessment for Geography 310 Physical Geography Field Course. This course will first be offered in Spring 2006 and once a year thereafter. It takes place in the field at a camp, and assignments consist of a field report and notebook completed in the field. As such, there are no Library research requirements for this course.
Costs: there are no new Library costs associated with this course.
Note: The materials required for this course are located in the WAC Bennett Library on the Burnaby campus. This assessment is based on the assumption that the course will be offered at SFU’s Burnaby campus. If the course were to be offered at SFU Surrey or Harbour Center, or as an off-campus course, additional Library costs would be incurred.