Biology 100/103 -
Concepts in Biology
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Lecture: TR 9:30 - 10:45 Hawkins 153-D
This course web site and the ANGEL course site for Bio 103 are formal and official means of communication for Biology 103 (Concepts in Biology). Students are expected to participate in on-line activities such as the discussion forum, and detailed instructions for assignments and bonus points can be accessed via ANGEL and the web site.
Attendance during lecture periods is expected. Lectures will cover the topics outlined in the course calendar (see below), and may contain material not covered by the textbook. Students are responsible for all material covered in lecture, as well as any announcements made during the lecture period. Test questions will be from material covered in class. Daily (T & R) quizzes will be posted on Angel following lecture and must be completed by the end of the day. Missed quizzes cannot be made up, and therefore your quiz grade will depend in part on your attendance.
Chapters and/or page numbers assigned for each lecture are indicated on the course calendar. Readings should be completed before the corresponding class period. The reading assignments are intended to illustrate, support, supplement, and expand on the lectures. All exam questions will come from material covered in the lectures. As such, the text will provide invaluable aids to studying and serve as a reference for the many terms and concepts we will cover. Please take the reading assignments seriously.
The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences hold that literacy skills, including reading and writing, are integral to our students’ education. Therefore, each course in this Department will include a required supplemental reading assignment.
The supplemental reading assignment for this course is The Hot Zone. Completion of the assigned readings will be assessed via student participation in the on-line Discussion Forum and/or group discussions during weekly reviews. Students who do not participate in this discussion forum will not be eligible for Bonus Points.
Your course grade will be based on the following (500 points total):
Exams will cover material as indicated on the calendar.
Make-up exams are available only if: 1) you notify me prior to the scheduled exam time, and schedule a make-up exam at that time, or 2) you miss an exam for a valid reason, such as a medical emergency. In all other cases, a make-up exam will automatically incur a 10 point penalty. Make-up exams must be taken within one week of the originally scheduled exam, and will differ in format (usually short-answer) from the original exam.
Term Paper: 5-10 pages, based on your research about a topic in Biology. Term papers are intended to go beyond the scope of the textbook, include research into the current scientific literature, and promote your written and oral communication skills. Plagiarizing part or entirety of your paper may result in a grade of “0” for the term paper and/or the course.
Extra Credit Policy: You can earn up to 15 bonus points for the semester by participating in the on-line assignment and discussion forum. On-line assignments are posted weekly and cannot be made up. Participation in the on-line discussion forum is a prerequisite for gaining any bonus points.
| A | 93% – 100% | B- | 80% - 82% | D+ | 67% – 69% |
| A- | 90% – 92% | C+ | 77% – 79% | D | 60% – 66% |
| B+ | 87% – 89% | C | 73% – 76% | E | < 60% |
| B | 83% – 86% | C- | 70% – 72% |
It is expected that all students enrolled in this class support the letter and the spirit of the Academic Honesty Policy as stated in the college catalog.
You will be asked to read and acknowledge the course plagiarism policy found on the course web site at http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/jose.deondarza/Bio103/Plagiarism.htm
How will Plagiarism/Academic dishonesty be dealt with?
Depending on the perceived severity of the offense (Intentional or inadvertent? How much of the course grade was affected? How much of an assignment was plagiarized? Was this a repeat offense?) the instructor may:
It is the position of the Department of Biological Sciences at Plattsburgh State that all students must learn to write in a clear and intelligent manner. We recognize that this goal cannot be achieved by depending only on the efforts of others to foster good writing. We further believe that the general quality of student writing will not improve unless we as a department are willing to state explicitly the standards we expect students to meet and to enforce those standards. Therefore, in courses taught by the Department of Biological Sciences, in addition to grading the content of written assignments, all faculty will also grade assignments for writing.
E: Unacceptable. The assignment will be returned un-graded and must be re-written.
D: The writing is not at the
minimal level generally expected for college students, but improvement appears
possible. (0 Format points and option to re-write)
C: Poorly organized or with an
excessive number of errors in grammar, spelling, or syntax, even after making
allowances for circumstances such as time available.
B: Acceptable in organization,
grammar, spelling, and syntax after making allowances for circumstances such as
time available.
A:
Clearly and correctly written.
The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences is committed to providing students with a first-rate educational experience as articulated in the Departmental Mission Statement:
“The Department of Biological Sciences strives to provide students with
the fundamental understanding of the principles and methods of the life sciences
within the context of a sound liberal arts education. Emphasis is on the development of the student’s ability to
analyze problems, apply scientific method, communicate biological information,
and interpret current advances in research.”
Student progress toward attaining the goals set forth in the Departmental Mission Statement will be assessed in part by an exam or quiz question that has been selected for this purpose by the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences.
Course help will be available to you in various ways. Please feel free to come to my office during office hours to discuss course-related questions or problems. If you cannot make it in during regular office hours, please schedule an alternate time with me. Many questions can also be addressed via email, and I encourage you to use this approach. I will attempt to answer each message I receive within a day.
Additional study hints and helps are found in your text (e.g. Appendix I: Review of Chemistry of Biological Molecules) and lab manual. I also recommend forming small study groups, perhaps with your lab partners or friends in class.
Furthermore, I strongly encourage that you make use of this website and the links it provides to other informative sites. These links include images of and information about the microorganisms which we are studying, announcements, on-line assignments (bonus points), and instructions for assignments.
This page was last edited on 12/18/09.
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