HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TEACH STUDENTS TO TAKE A QUALITY STRIKE AND DIP?

One of the key skills undergraduate geology students must learn is to measure basic structural field data [strike and dip; plunge and trend]. To characterize the relationship between skill/experience level and structural measurement variability, we presented structural geology students with four oriented rock samples and one lineation with variable strikes and dips for 8 weeks and the measurements were catalogued. Oriented rock samples include polished and uneven surfaces to investigate the control of surface complexity on strike and dip measurements. Dip angle was also varied between samples to quantify the precision of measurements at steep, intermediate, and shallow dip angles. Strike direction was not considered as a potential source of uncertainty.

Preliminary data suggest that student measurements contain lesser variability in intermediate to high angle dips than low angle beds. Lesser experience is required for the standard deviation of students’ strike measurements to fall below 10° in intermediate to high angle samples compared to samples with low dip angles (<15°). Dip angle measurements display very high precision (1σ < 5°) with little instruction, while strike measurements require additional experience to achieve the same level of precision. The results of this study are the first step towards creating an instructional matrix for earth science educators that will allow instructors to efficiently delegate course time to reach the student outcomes outlined in their program.