BIOL 102:
General Biology II
Spring 2004
Instructor:
Dr. John Weinstein
Office: Duckett 216
Phone: 953-7796 O; 762-7407 H
E-mail: john.weinstein@citadel.edu
Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00AM, T 1-3 PM (or by
appointment)
Required Texts: Biology,
Life on Earth, 6th edition (Audesirk, Audesirk, Byers)
Lecture
Outlines and PowerPoint Presentations can be accessed through WebCT at: http://webct.citadel.edu
Course Objective:
This course is a
continuation of BIOL 101 (General Biology I).
Emphasis this semester will be placed on genetic variability and
evolution, diversity and life processes in plants and animals, principles of
ecology, and animal structure and function
Expectations:
1) Attendance Policy: Attendance
in lecture is required (this policy is described in more detail in the College Catalog). In the event of an authorized absence,
students are expected to notify me prior to the absence, if at all
possible. Absences, whether
authorized or unauthorized, in excess of 20% will result in a grade of “F”.
Note: All students are expected to be in lecture
for the entire lecture period.
Attendance may be taken at the
beginning of lecture, in the middle, or at the end (or more than once during a lecture period.)
2) Make-up Policy: Make-up exams will be scheduled only in the event of an
authorized absence, and only if I am notified PRIOR to the
examination. The format of make-up
exams will be at my discretion, and may consist principally of short-answer and
essay questions rather than objective questions. The student will be notified of the format of the make-up exam in
advance, and the exam will be administered at a mutually agreeable time and
location. Make-up quizzes will be given
only if the absence is authorized, and only if I am notified PRIOR to the quiz.
3) It is recommended
that you read the text chapters that complement the lectures, in particular
those sections that correspond to topics we cover in class. Of course, it will be helpful to you if you
read the chapters in their entirety, but if nothing else, try to read at least
the chapter summaries prior to coming to the lectures. Reading ahead of the
lecture sessions will help you to understand the material better as it is
presented.
4) If you are having
trouble with the course material, see me promptly. Please do not wait until the last weeks of class! I want you to understand biology and succeed
in this course, but you must make the effort of coming to class, reading the
text, and asking lots of questions.
1) There will be 3
exams held during the lecture periods indicated in the schedule. These
exams will be worth 50 points each and will consist of multiple choice,
matching and/or short answer questions.
The hour exams will include material since the previous exam. Errors in grading must be brought to the
attention of the instructor within one week (7 days) of receiving your
grade or the grade will not be changed.
Hour
Exams (3) = 150 points
2) Throughout the
semester I will give 5 short quizzes.
These will be announced in class during the previous lecture
period. It is the student's
responsibility to be aware of the timing of these quizzes...they may be scheduled at irregular intervals. Each quiz will be given during the first 5
minutes of class and each will be worth 10 points. No extra time will be given for latecomers. These quizzes will follow the objective
format described above. The lowest
score of the 5 quizzes will be dropped.
Make-up quizzes will be given only if the absence is authorized, and
only if I am notified in advance.
Quizzes (4 of 5) = 40 points
3) On some lecture
days (those without a quiz or an exam), we will take a "time-out"
about halfway through lecture. In
groups of 2 or 3, you will be asked to discuss a question relevant to the
current lecture topic. Then, each
individual will submit their individual answer to the question. These
answers will be collected each day. I
will select about 6 names at random each day and their answers
will be graded. These individuals will
receive up to 10 points for their answer.
You will not know when your answer was graded until the end of the
semester, when the grade will be posted.
Group discussions (only 1 of about 8 graded) = 10 points
4) You will identify and react to
a recently published article on an event or issue in biology. Based on this article, you will submit a Current Events Reaction Paper, worth 50
pts. The purpose of the current events
paper is to encourage you to examine current events in the context of
biological science. More information
on this paper can be found later in the syllabus.
Current
Events Reaction Paper = 50 pts.
5) A final, comprehensive
exam will be given during Final Exam week.
The format of this exam will be the same as the hourly exams. The purpose of this comprehensive exam will
be to test your understanding of the course as a whole.
Final Exam = 100 points
6)
Participation is also expected during “visible quizzes”. During most lectures, the class will be
presented with a multiple choice or true/false question. In groups of two, you will answer the
question, and share your answer with the class.
7) Grade = [3
hour exams + 4 quizzes + 1 question + writing assignment + final ] x 100
350 total points
8) Scale: A
= 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = < 59%
Dates
Reading Assignments Topics
Jan. 15, 20 Chapter
14 Principles
of Evolution
Jan. 22, 27 Chapter
15 How
Organisms Evolve
Jan.
29, Feb. 3 Chapter 16 The Origin of Species
Feb
5 (Thursday) 1st
Exam
Feb.
10, 12 Chapter
19 Hidden
World of Microbes
Feb.
17, 19 Chapter
20 The
Fungi
Feb.
24, March 2 Chapter 21 The Plant Kingdom
Feb.
26 (Thursday) 2nd
Exam
March
4, 9 Chapter
22 The
Animal Kingdom
March
11, 16 Chapter 39 Community Interactions
March 16 (Tuesday) Article Approval Deadline
March
18, 30 Chapter 26 Organization of the Animal Body
April
13, 15 Chapter
28 Respiration
April
20, 22 Chapter
29 Nutrition
and Digestion
April 29
(Thursday) Comprehensive
Final Exam (8:00 AM)
* Lecture and Exam Schedule is subject to change...you are
responsible for any changes
announced in Lecture
Current Events
Reaction Paper
(50 pts):
You will identify and react to a recently
published article on an event, discovery or issue in the biological sciences.
The purpose of the current events papers is to encourage you to examine current
events in the context of biology. The
following are just a few sources (not an exhaustive list) that may be useful in
your examinations: Newspapers (local, regional, national), Time, Newsweek,
Science Digest, Discover Magazine, National Geographic, U.S. News and World
Report, and others. All of these
sources contain regular features on biology, nature, health, and medicine.
FORMAT:
The reaction
paper should be focused on a published article relating the account of a
particular recent discovery or issue in biology. Additional background information to help support your opinion to
the paper may be used from up to five additional bibliographic sources. The published article that forms the basis
of the paper must be no older than July 1, 2002.
The paper is to be TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED, THREE
PAGE critique of the article. Include a
cover page with your name, the date, and a descriptive title (not merely the
title of the article). Bibliographic
sources should be listed on a separate page at the end of the paper. The cover page and bibliography do not count
as part of the 3-page limit.
Questions that should be addressed in the body
of the paper include (but are not limited to):
(1) How
does this particular discovery or issue relate to the topics we have studied in
General Biology?
(2) What
is your overall reaction to what is discussed in the article?
(3) Do
you agree or disagree with what is said?
(4) What
are your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing?
(5) Are
there additional areas that should have been discussed in the article?
DUE DATES:
Approval of Topic – You must submit for approval
a one-paragraph (typed or legibly handwritten) summary of the
proposed article including (1) the title of the article, and (2)
the source of the article, and (3) a photocopy of the article no
later than 5 pm on Tuesday, March 16.
I will approve the topic, or suggest an alternative, by the following
week.
Full Length Paper – One copy of the paper and
one photocopy of the primary article should be submitted NO LATER than 5 pm,
Tuesday, April 6.
EARLY INCENTIVE:
Papers submitted prior
to 5pm, Monday, April 5th will receive an additional 5 points on
their paper.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) Articles from the Internet need to be
pre-approved prior to submission of topic on March 16. Web articles that have not gone through the
editorial process are generally NOT acceptable!
2) Topics and articles
will be approved on a first-come basis.
You will not be able to use an article that another student has approval
for. Therefore, I strongly encourage you
to submit your articles early for approval.
3) Full-length
reaction papers will not be accepted without the March 16th
approval.
4) Papers not typed
will be marked down by 5 pts.
5) I am expecting a
3-page critique of your approved article in an ESSAY format. A simple listing of your response to each
question will result in a point reduction (see criteria below).
6) Articles torn out
of magazine/newspapers will not be accepted.
Please photocopy.
7) Spelling and grammar count. Please proofread your paper BEFORE you
submit it.
8) Late papers will be marked down by half a
letter grade (5 points) per calendar day.
Papers will NOT be accepted after April 12.
GRADING
CRITERIA
How does this particular discovery or issue
relate to the topics we have studied in General Biology? (10 pts.)
What is your overall reaction to what is
discussed in the article? (10 pts.)
Do you agree or disagree with what is said? (5
pts.)
What are your reasons for agreeing or
disagreeing? (5 pts.)
Are there additional areas that should have been
discussed in the article? (5 pts.)
Spelling/Grammar/Overall Organization (10 pts.)
Focus Article and Bibliography Included (5 pts.)