SYLLABUS FOR ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY (Biology 111) Winter 2007
COURSE CONTENT Organismal Biology (BIO 111) is an introduction to life on the planet Earth. The course covers aspects of the anatomy, physiology, diversity, and development of representative plants, animals, fungi, protists and bacteria. Organismal Biology is intended for students who plan to concentrate in areas within the life sciences and is the first of five courses that make up the BIOLOGY CORE CURRICULUM (BIO 111, 113, 326, 327 & 328). NOTE: TCP Students: This course covers the State of Michigan Curriculum Framework Standards for : SCI. I. 1. HS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; SCI. II. 1. HS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; SCI III. 1. HS. 1, 2; SCI III. 2. HS 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. COURSE MATERIALS The following materials are available at the campus bookstore: Biology by Neil Campbell and Jane Reece, 2005 (7th edition) Animal Diversity by Cleveland Hickman, Jr., Larry Roberts & Allan Larson, 2002 (4th edition) Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual by Ernest Szuch, Nanette Kelly, Tracy Wacker and Mary Ann Cardani (4th edition, Fall 2004) Laboratory Notebook
The textbooks provide a thorough introduction to organismal biology. Reading assigned pages will reinforce information presented in lecture and laboratory. NOTE: The textbook Biology, by Campbell and Reece, is also used for BIO 113 and will be a good reference for many biology courses you may take.
COURSE STRUCTURE The course consists of two75-minute lectures and one 2-hour laboratory session per week. You should view the course as a whole and strive to integrate the information presented in lecture and laboratory.
FACULTY
Ms. Nan Kelly – Lecture and Lab, Office 370 MSB. Office Hours will be announced at a later time. Dr. Bruce Parfitt – Lab, Office 282 MSB. Office Hours will be announced at a later time.
LECTURE
Lecture periods are used to present the biological concepts, processes and facts relating to organisms. It is very important that you have a complete record of what is presented in lecture; in other words, it is critical that you take good notes. (See “Appendix E” of the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual for more information on this topic.) Lecture periods are also used to make important announcements (e.g., changes in exam dates) and hand out various materials. You are expected to attend all lectures and it is your responsibility to obtain notes from classmates if a lecture is missed, regardless of the reason for the absence. You are also expected to arrive before lecture begins and remain until lecture is finished. If you arrive late or must leave early, do NOT disturb the class and/or the instructor.
Kelly, January 2007
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LABORATORY
Laboratory sessions are „hands-on‟ exercises that provide experience with some of the topics presented in lecture and serve as an introduction to the methods of science. The laboratory exercises emphasize developing the ability to make careful observations, think critically and reach reasonable conclusions. See the „Introduction to Organismal Biology Laboratory‟ in the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual for a more detailed description of laboratory activities. Attendance in laboratory is mandatory and you must attend the section in which you are registered. If you miss your laboratory period, the only satisfactory way to complete the laboratory exercise is to attend one of the other scheduled sections, with the laboratory instructor's permission. (See the „Biology 111 Laboratory Schedule‟ posted in lab to determine the appropriate instructor to be consulted, if necessary.) There is no make-up laboratory period. COURSE COMPONENTS, EVALUATION & GRADING The total points in the course are distributed among various components, as follows: Lab Attendance Pre-Lab Assignments Lab Notebook Lecture Exams Final Exam Total Points 11 @ 5 pts. each 11 @ 5 pts. each 2 @ 45 pts. each 4 @ 80 pts. each 1 @ 80 pts. = = = = = = 55 55 90 320 80 600
GRADING SCALE
A+ A A-
97 up 93-96 90-92
B+ B B-
87-89 83-86 80-82
C+ C C-
77-79 73-76 70-72
D+ D D-
67-69 63-66 60-62
E
59 down
LABORATORY ATTENDANCE
You MUST attend the laboratory sessions to receive credit for this course. If you miss more than three sessions you will be given an E in the course regardless of your other scores in the course. You can earn up to 5 points for every laboratory session that you attend and in which you appropriately participate. Points may be deducted for any of the following reasons: arriving late and/or leaving early (i.e., before laboratory work and/or discussion is complete) not doing the exercise as instructed (e.g., not following instructions) not participating in a group activity (e.g., team discussion and/or experiment, class discussion) not cleaning up your work space or putting away equipment (e.g., microscopes) failure to follow any of the „Laboratory Rules and Regulations‟ as posted in the laboratory and given in the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual. NOTE: Although 55 points are considered full credit for laboratory attendance, you can earn 60 points if you attend and appropriately participate in all 12 laboratory exercises.
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PRE-LABORATORY ASSIGNMENTS Every laboratory exercise includes a pre-laboratory assignment that is to be turned in at the beginning of each laboratory session. Pre-laboratory assignments must … be turned in on time (assignments will NOT be accepted late) be typed, double-spaced on standard size (8.5” x 11”) white paper (hand-written assignments will NOT be accepted) use a font size of 12 one inch margins on all sides include your name, course and section number, and due date.
Pre-laboratory assignments will be graded as follows: 5 points - complete and correct 4 points - complete with 1 minor error 3 points - complete with > 1 minor error 2 points - complete with major mistake(s) 1 point - incomplete and/or entirely incorrect 0 points - no attempt to complete assignment OR submitted late OR hand-written Graded pre-laboratory assignments will be returned to you during your next scheduled laboratory session and must be stapled into your Lab Notebook (as described in “Appendix A” of the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual). NOTE: Again, although 55 points are considered full credit for pre-laboratory assignments, you can earn 60 points if you successfully complete all 12 assignments.
LABORATORY NOTEBOOK
You are required to keep a Laboratory Notebook that will include (among other items) the following: graded pre-laboratory assignments answers to the numbered questions in the Lab Exercises observations, calculations and data notes of discussions drawings, graphs and tables post-laboratory assignments. See “Appendix A” of the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual, which describes how to go about keeping a notebook. Your Laboratory Notebook will be checked twice during the semester – once for each half of the semester. During Laboratory Exercise 06 the instructor will collect your Notebook and evaluate your record of exercise 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5 and 6. During Laboratory Exercise 12, the instructor will collect your Notebook and evaluate your record of exercise 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. If you turn in your Laboratory Notebook late, a 5 point deduction will be given the first day, a 4 point deduction the second etc. up to 15 points deduction. After notebooks have been graded and returned to the class, late notebooks will not be accepted, unless accompanied by a valid excuse (to be determined by the instructor). Although 90 points are considered full credit for the Laboratory Notebook, you can earn up to 100 points if you keep an outstanding Notebook. NOTE: If you miss a laboratory exercise, you are still responsible for the material presented and the associated Laboratory Notebook record. If you must copy lab information from someone else because you missed class, be sure you state, at the beginning of the copied material, who you copied and the reason you needed to do so
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LECTURE EXAMS AND FINAL EXAM
Lecture exams are given during lecture sessions and may include questions on anything presented in lecture and laboratory. These exams will be a mixture of various formats; multiple choice, matching, short answer, fill-ins, true and false, etc. Answers to the typical objective style questions will be given on Scantron test forms, which will be provided. Bring at least two No.2 lead pencils which are required for Scantron forms. Any additional answer sheets required for exams will be provided. The final exam is comprehensive (i.e. it will cover the entire course). After each exam the correct answers will be posted in the glass case in the hall outside of the laboratory (374 MSB). Your course grade will also be posted here (if you give permission to do so). Any problems with exam grading or your course grades should be brought to the attention of the appropriate instructor.
ABSENCES
Absences from exams will be excused ONLY for extraordinary reasons that can be documented. If you miss an exam, you must phone the Biology Department Office immediately (phone 810-762-3360) within 24 hours of the exam to leave a message informing the instructor of your absence. If your absence is judged to be legitimate, your scores will be adjusted or you will be given a MAKE-UP EXAM (at the discretion of the instructors). MAKE-UP EXAMS may be of any type; essay, oral or mixed. They will be given at the end of the semester, preferably on a study day. NOTE: If you miss the final exam follow the above procedure for reporting your absence. If your absence is judged to be legitimate you may be given a grade of "I" (Incomplete), which permits you to make up the work before the end of the fifth week of the next semester in attendance. EXCEPTIONS Exceptions to the rules, regulations, policies and procedures given in this Syllabus and the Organismal Biology Laboratory Manual shall be RARE and must be approved by ALL course instructors. CHEATING It is a privilege to attend the University of Michigan, and we expect exemplary behavior from our students. Cheating, regardless of the form it takes, will simply NOT be tolerated . Penalties for cheating are determined by course instructors and may range from a verbal warning to dismissal from the university. Any act in which you claim someone else‟s work to be your own constitutes cheating. Plagerism is a form of cheating; copying a Pre-Lab Assignment from a friend, using word-for-word parts of a textbook or internet author‟s words as your own, copying a friends lab notebook, etc. The use of cheat sheets during exams, copying someone elses answers on an exam, changing Scantron answers or any other form of dishonest behavior associated with exams is cheating. Use your own brain and your own words. Please see the “Cheating” area in Blackboard.
BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT POLICY ON UNSCHEDULED SCHOOL CLOSINGS In the event the University is closed unexpectedly for snow, inclement weather, or other reason, student responsibilities are described below: If a lab or recitation is missed, students are still responsible for the material. Opportunities will be provided outside of normally scheduled time for students to make-up missed material. If a quiz or exam is missed, students should expect the quiz or exam to be given during their next regularly scheduled class period. If a lecture is missed, the instructor will either adjust the course schedule or assign missed material to students.