Introduction

Here are some notes and articles that I have written. The are used as handouts for the night classes I run for the University of Hull, Centre for Lifelong Learning. They are not meant to form a course on the web as such, but I have placed them here in the hope they will be interesting to others. The classes are run over a three-year cycle.

You are welcome to make copies for your private non-commercial use. I would welcome any comments you would like to make.

Geology for amateurs.

Geology is a science that can be undertaken by amateurs and makes a very rewarding hobby. You do not need to have expensive equipment to do it. It is based on the observation of rocks, minerals and fossils. Anyone can do it and as you get to grips with the basics you will be able to read the rocks like a detective novel. It is hands on Science. A famous geologist was once asked who the best geologist was -his reply was "the one who has seen the most rocks". Each specimen or exposure has a story to tell. In fact amateurs can make a big contribution to the study of local rocks by regular study over several years, they get to 'know' the local rocks and can spot the unusual, something that many professionals do not get the time to do.

Observation.

Make your own observations, methodically and record them in a notebook. Don't worry too much about naming the rock, mineral or fossil. The names can change. The important pieces of information that do not change are the provenance - where exactly the specimen was found. Keep as much detailed information as you can, then others can go back to the site and see for themselves. The provenance is the one piece of information that turns a pretty rock into a valuable scientific specimen.

It is very tempting to think that naming things is important, and to jump to conclusions when studying a specimen. Having established the name you then work back to find evidence to justify it… That is bad science, and you can end up looking quite stupid (I have done it several times) when you realise that your original name was wrong!

Jargon.

Scientific terminology (or jargon words) is used by scientists to communicate complex concepts quickly to each other. The use of jargon words can save a lot of time - for example when someone says 'Granite' to me I understand that they are talking about a 'coarse grained plutonic acid igneous rock containing quartz ……' . But jargon can also be used to exclude the public, either intentionally or more often unintentionally.

You can describe rocks, minerals and fossils in your own every day words. Don't be scared by Jargon Words, if you don't know the jargon word use your own words to describe your observations. Don't be tempted to use a jargon word, if you are not sure it is the right one!

Being a bit dyslexic I dislike Jargon Words because I always used to get them wrong and still do sometimes!

Safety.