General Biology I

BIOL-103-C

Fall 2007

Lecture:  MWF   1:00-1:50 LE 008  

Lab:        M    3:00-4:50 LE 212

Instructor:         Dr. Matthew D. Halfhill

Office:              Lewis Hall, 202B

Phone:              563-333-6381

Email:               halfhillmatthewd@sau.edu

Office hours:   M -   11:00-12:00

                        W -   11:00-12:00, 2:00-3:00

                         R -   1:00-2:00

                         F -   11:00-12:00

Aims:

Biology is designed to help us understand the natural world, and to come to that understanding via a methodology that can be used repeatedly to discover new facts about its operation.  As we pursue our introduction to science and biology, this course will address several broad goals and promote your development in several ways. 

The most important purpose of this course is to have you begin your development as a scientist.  You will learn about the goals of science, how science is done, and be expected to continually improve your ability to state questions as a scientist, and propose ways of finding answers to those questions.  You will come to understand the limits of scientific inquiry and acquire an ability to recognize questions that are outside the bounds of good science.   

Texts: (Used in both semesters of General Biology- BIOL 103 and BIOL 104)

Campbell, N.A., et al. 2005. Biology, Seventh Edition. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. Redwood City, CA.

Taylor, M.R. 2005. Student Study Guide for Campbell's Biology, Seventh Edition. Pearson/ Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. Redwood City, CA.

Helms, D.R., et al. 1998. Biology in the Laboratory, Third Edition. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.

Assessment:

Exams:   Exams will count for 70% of the final grade with four regular lecture exams and a comprehensive final exam given during the semester.  Each lecture examination is worth 11.7% of the final grade and will cover only the material that has been covered in class since the preceding examination.

You should recognize that retention and mastery of concepts and knowledge from early in the course is essential to understanding the later topics covered in the semester as well as throughout your career as a biologist. Examinations will require you to problem solve, create connections between concepts that you have learned and analyze novel situations. Some questions will test your mastery over basic facts and vocabulary of Biology.  Most importantly, you will be tested over your ability to act as a scientist, to think logically and clearly, to make appropriate deductions from evidence, and to offer useful explanations based upon the principles that you have learned.  The lecture examinations may be taken individually or in a group of up to three persons.  I will give you more information about the nature of these examinations as we approach the first exam. 

Additionally, there will be a comprehensive final administered during final examination week at semester's end and is worth 23.2% of the final grade.  The final examination is taken individually.  Attendance at each exam is mandatory, and no scheduled make-up exams will be given. 

Over the course of the semester, objectives for each chapter will be posted on the class website. You should use these objectives as a guide in studying for examinations. Your Study Guide and Class Notes also provide excellent means of preparing for these examinations.  It should be clear that material which is not covered directly in lecture but which is treated in the textual materials of the course is also subject to examination, particularly if that material has been pointed to by posted course objectives. However, you may assume that class coverage highlights the most important concepts in the course.

Labs:  The lab portion of the class will count for 30% of the final grade, and there will be several contributions to your laboratory grade.  Every student must complete two major group experimental projects and their associated lab writing assignments.  You will be assigned to groups for both. Should your group wish assistance, I will work with your individual group to develop a project of interest for these experiments.  Both lab projects will be weighted equally in the determination of your lab grade, and each lab project will be worth 9% of the final grade.   The remaining percentage of your lab grade will be determined by an evaluation of your performance on laboratory quizzes that examine your mastery of objectives specified above.  There will be two lab quizzes and each quiz will be worth 6% of the final grade.  Additionally, I reserve the right to raise or lower any student's lab grade by one-half letter grade (5%) for exemplary or deficient performance, respectively.

Writing assignments will consist of sections from typical Lab Reports and are to follow the general outline for reports described in Appendix II of your lab textbook, with exceptions to this format noted in handouts that will be provided to you at the time of the assignment.  Reports are to be prepared using a word processor.   Text should be double spaced, figures or graphs should be placed on separate pages and referenced in the text, and papers should be submitted in duplicate.

A current running total of your grades will be available on the Blackboard website for this class.  

Grading Scale:

A         90-100%

B+       85-89%

B          80-84%

C+       75-79%

C         70-74%

D         60-69%

F          59% and below           

Class Objectives:

        Exam 1 Objectives:  Chapter 1

                                               Chapters 16, 17, 12, 13, 14

        Exam 2 Objectives:  Chapters 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

        Exam 3 Objectives:  Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5

        Exam 4 Objectives:  Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Attendance:  This course is challenging, and active participation in class discussions will greatly add to the understanding of the material.  Success in this class will require almost 100% attendance.  Attendance will be recorded daily and regular attendance and participation will be noticed and appreciated.  Each student is allowed three absences, and all subsequent absences will result in a 1% deduction from the student’s final grade.  Also if your percentage lands near a grade borderline, attendance and participation will be considered as important factors.

Honor Policy:  All members of the St. Ambrose community are called upon to uphold the standards of academic integrity.  Academic dishonesty in any form (cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, multiple use, falsification or fabrication, complicity, and/or abuse of academic materials) is not tolerated and will be dealt with according to university policies.

In General Biology, all intellectual dishonesty is strictly forbidden.  Cheating will be handled swiftly, with a zero score given for the dishonest action.  If you have any questions in regards to a specific action, please contact me.

Students with Disabilities Statement:  Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at 333-6275 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Student Success Center:  The Student Success Center offers academic and tutorial support to all St. Ambrose students in a low pressure setting at no cost.  Peer tutoring is available for most 100- and 200-level courses, and tutors are certified by the College of Reading and Learning Center Association.  Please use this important resource, and call 333-6331 with any questions about the services available to you (Ambrose Hall, room 243).

Tentative Lecture Schedule:

Lab Report Grading:

Visit the sites Writing Lab Reports and General Helpful Suggestions for Writing Reports for a brief description of how written reports will be evaluated. You will be pointed to additional resources to guide your writing at the time that assignments are made.

Special Lab Comments:

Lab is an extension of our classroom and as such, your attention to standards of normal classroom behavior is expected.  Be on time as lab periods are short for the allotted work, and thus our time is precious.   Don't be shy about staying past the end of class or coming into the lab outside of class hours to work on your experimental projects.  Doing good science takes time!   In addition, there are several other considerations that you should keep in mind.  Usually, you will be working with colleagues in groups--this is typical in doing science at all levels.  As such, you have responsibilities to all of your group's members.   Be certain to come prepared, and always carry a fair share of the workload in your group.  Even though you will be working in a group, be sure that you understand everything that is being done, and help other members of your group come to that same level of understanding.  When you submit group work, be certain that all of the group's members not only have had a hand in its production but that all have had an opportunity to review the final work.

Lab is a place where we frequently will have an opportunity to teach one another.  I consider my own role to be that of an organizer and facilitator for your learning.  My goal is that you will each become not only excellent practitioners of science who are able to formulate and answer good scientific questions, but self-sufficient and independent practitioners as well.  At times, I am sure that my reluctance to give you a direct answer will be frustrating to you (I know that you'll often think, "why don't you just tell us the answer?!); be assured that my behavior is always directed towards the goal of developing your independence.

Attendance in lab is mandatory.  There are no excused absences from lab save those necessitated by extreme hardship, i.e., personal or family emergencies.  Other than for situations with extreme extenuating circumstances, a lab absence will count as two absences from class in calculation of any attendance penalties to be deducted from your overall grade.  You are allowed one lateness to lab.  Failure to be prepared to work at the beginning of lab will be counted as one-half absence.  Please do not ask to change lab sections nor ask for excuses from lab for ordinary activities such as participation in extracurricular events.   The rest of the class, and especially the other members of the group to which you have been assigned, depend upon your presence and contributions.  I reserve the right to substantially reduce your grade for failing to attend lab.

Tentative Laboratory Schedule: