GO 340 Gemstones & Gemology
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GO 340 Gemstones & Gemology
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| Course Description | Contact Information | Course Requirements |
| Course Grading | Semester Schedule | Weekly Notes |
Course Description
Gemstones and Gemology is an introduction to minerals and rocks sufficiently beautiful to be labeled as gemstones and to methods practiced by gemologists and jewelers to identify these works of nature and humankind. This course will cover the study of specific gem materials, identification and testing methods, cutting and polishing, synthetically manufactured gems, precious metals and alloys, sources and origins of gems from around the world. If you have enrolled for the 2010 spring semester course, email me now to introduce yourself; provide me with your preferred email address, current hometown/state/country, 3 major reasons for taking this course. During the semester, you will want to check the blog weekly for new additions to the course. If you are not enrolled in the course yet, there is still time to enroll by January 13, 2010. Visit www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go340 for details. I look forward to hearing from you!
For this course, Blackboard will not be utilized since students may enroll in any one of 4 sections; interaction would likewise be restricted to one of 4 different Blackboard websites. This makes full course student particiations interactions impossible and thus, lectures will be provided online with links from this syllabus webpage and assignments/tests will be emailed to you. A course Facebook will be created and you will be asked to become friends.
 Dr. Susan Aber |
620-341-5977esu.abersusie@gmail.com
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 Course FacebookBlog/Announcements Weekly Gem Tidbits www.emporia.edu/earthsci/ amber/go340/announce.htm |
Academic dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism is not tolerated in this class and penalties will result. See ESU policy at www.emporia.edu/esuclass/dishones.htm. Also...
Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability Services, http://www.emporia.edu/disability/, and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that classroom and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. All communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the professor will be strictly confidential.
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Required text: Schumann, W. (1997). Gemstones of the world. NY: Sterling Publishing Co, Inc. Obtain the newest 4th edition if possible. |
| The textbook may be purchased or ordered online at the ESU campus Virtual Bookstore. You will be advised if supplementary resources are needed during the semester, which may be found in your local library or on reserve at William Allen White Library. | |
| Letter grades from A-F with +/- subdivisions are used to evaluate your performance in this course. An incomplete grade will be considered in extremely rare cases and must be completed within the next semester or it will be converted automatically to an F. The grading scale is A 100-94%, A- 93-90%, B+ 89-87%, B 86-84%, B- 83-80%, C+ 79-74%, C 74-70%, D 69-60%, F 59-0%. | |
| Tests | Three open-book tests will be given with each test worth 15% or a total 45% of the final grade. Deductions will occur when tests are turned in after deadlines. |
| Homework | Approximately twelve assignments will be given for a total of 25% of the final grade. Deductions will occur when assignments are turned in after deadlines. |
| Presentations | One final project presentation will be expected and is worth 25% of the final grade. The presentation topic, design, and format will be your choice and specific guidelines, examples, and topic ideas are forthcoming. Deductions may occur when the final project is turned in after the deadline. |
| All students must have an e-mail account and contribute via e-mail on a weekly basis, which is worth 5% of the final grade. | |
| Honesty | Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated in this class and penalities will result. The final project for this class should be exclusive to this class and not a
project completed for another course that is recycled for this course. All assignments and tests must contain citations and references where appropriate. If you have any questions regarding effective writing, quoting, paraphrasing, obtain a copy of the following book: Harris, R.A. (2005). Using sources effectively: Strengthening your writing and avoiding plagiarism (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing. ISBN 1-884585-57-4. 115 pp., paper. |
Browse Tucson 2008! Browse
Gem Briefs, A and
Browse
Gem Briefs, B-C and
Browse
Gem Briefs, D-J
Browse Gem Briefs, K-N
Gem Briefs, O-R,
Browse Gem Briefs, S-Z,
This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. For more information contact the course instructor, S. W. Aber, e-mail: saber@emporia.edu Thanks for visiting! Webpage created: August, 1999; last update: January 27, 2010.Semester Schedule
Date
Topic
Assignment
Readings and Sites of Interest
Jan. 13
Introductions, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/gem.htm
and
Definitions, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/define.htm Introductory Fun Quiz
this quiz is for fun -
so do not turn in;
Due 1/20/10Schumann: Introduction pg. 8-13,
Description of Gemstones pg. 68-69
Jan. 20
Gem Lore, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/gemlore.htm
and
Origins and Occurrence, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/origins.htm
Due 1/27/10Schumann: Origins pg. 14-15, Deposits
and Production pg. 52-57, Symbolism of
Stones pg. 247-248
RealGems.org, A.
Jan. 27
Chemical Properties, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/chemical.htm
and
Crystal Structure, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/crystal.htm
Due 2/3/10Schumann: Structure of Gems
pg. 14-18, Description of Gems pg. 68-9
RealGems.org, B-C.
Feb. 3
Physical Properties, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/physical.htm
and
Visual Properties, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/visual.htm
Due 2/10/10Schumann: Properties of Gems
pg. 19-26, 44-51
Feb. 10
Test 1
Due 2/17/10
Lectures and readings to date
Date
Topic
Assignment
Readings and Sites of Interest
Feb. 17
Optical Properties, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/optical.htm
and
Gem Testing Instruments, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/gemtest.htm
Due 2/24/10Schumann: Optical Properties
pg. 27-43
and RealGems.org, D-J.
Feb. 24
Precious Metals,
www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/gold.htm
and
Working With Silver, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/silver.htm
Due 3/3/10
Begin thinking
about final project Schumann: Optical Properties
pg. 31-37, Gold/Silver pg. 208
and RealGems.org, K-N.
Mar. 3
Wire Wrap, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/wrap.htm
and
Gem Fashioning, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/cut.htm
Due 3/10/10 Schumann: Gold/Silver pg. 208
and RealGems.org, O-R.
Mar. 10
Gem Creation, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/create.htm
and
Gem Enhancement, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/treat.htm
Due 3/17/10 Schumann: Inclusions pg. 49-51, Cutting/
Polishing pg. 58-67, Diamond Cut
pg. 80-81, Imitations pg. 242-246
and RealGems.org, S-Z.
Mar. 17
Test 2/Spring Break!
Due on or before 3/24/10
Final Project progressLectures and readings after test 1 to date
Date
Topic
Assignment
Readings and Sites of Interest
Mar. 24
Diamonds, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/diamond.htm
and
Colored Stone Evaluation, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/evaluate.htm Final Project topic
due TODAY!Schumann: Diamonds pg. 70-81
Go to Gemlinks, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/go340/gemlinks.htm,
for external gem links!
Mar. 31
earthsci/amber/corundum.htm,
Emerald, www.emporia.edu/
earthsci/amber/beryl.htmHomework 9:
Assigned Gem Briefs
Due 4/7/10 Schumann: Corundum pg. 82-89,
Beryl pg. 90-97
Apr. 7
Topaz, .../topaz.htm,
Amber, .../ambers.htm,
Garnet, .../garnet.htm,
Tourmaline,
.../tourmali.htm,
Peridot,
.../peridot.htm,
Homework 10:
Book Report
Due 4/14/10
Final Project Draft due Schumann: Topaz pg. 102-103,
Amber pg. 228-9, Garnet pg. 104-6,
Tourmaline pg. 110-13, Peridot
pg. 158-9
Apr. 14
Amethyst, ...amethyst.htm,
Alexandrite,
...alexandr.htm,
Tanzanite, ...tanzanit.htm,
Chalcedony and Agate, .../chalcedo.htm
Due 4/21/10
See Book Reports Online! Schumann: Amethyst pg. 118-9,
Alexandrite pg. 98-9, Tanzanite
pg. 160-161, Quartz group pg. 126-149
Apr. 21
Jade, .../jade, Malachite, .../malachit.htm,
Pearl, .../pearl.htm,
Opal, .../opal.htm,
Turquoise, .../turquois.htm
Due 4/28/10 Schumann: Jade pg. 154-7, Malachite
pg. 176, Pearl pg. 230-9, Opal
pg. 150-3, Turquoise pg. 170-1
Apr. 28
Test Due 5/5/10
Final Project
Due 5/7/09 Lectures and readings to date
May 7
Online 2010 
