L100 – Humans & the Biological World
Fall Semester, 2011
http://www.indiana.edu/~biosh/L100
Instructor / Lab Coordinator:
Dr. Susan Hengeveld
office: Morrison Hall 203
office phone: 855-5239
email: shengeve@indiana.edu
office hours: Monday 1-2pm, or by appointment
office hours may be moved on the week of exams
Course description: L100 is a non-major’s introductory biology 5-credit hour lecture/lab course. The course is a general survey course introducing general topics in biology. The course covers topics ranging from the chemical foundation of cells, genetics, natural selection/evolution, human physiology, ecology & environmental issues. Emphasis is placed on the interrelationships of organisms in the biological world. Credit is given for only one of the following: L100, L104, E112, L112, S115, or Q201.
Class Time: T&TH 9:30-10:45 -- Jordan Hall A106
Lab Time: Tuesdays: 1:25-4:25 -- Jordan Hall 122
Associate Instructors:
Sarah Shannon
smshanno@indiana.edu
Required Texts:
Textbook: Mader, S (2011) Inquiry into Life 13th edition, McGraw-Hill publishing.
Lab Manual: There is NO published lab manual for this course – you will be receiving lab exercises each week for the following week’s lab. You may want to buy a 3-ringed notebook (1½”) for keeping your labs in.
Electronic clickers: You are required to purchase an electronic clicker (Turning Technology RF LCD) from the bookstore. More information will be available in class and on the website.
LABS:
Make-ups: There will be NO MAKE-UP LABS or QUIZZES!
I realize circumstances (illness or family emergency) arise during the semester that may make it difficult for you to attend a lab or some of the lectures. However, attendance in the lab is required and regular attendance in lecture is STRONGLY encouraged!
In order to be fair to all students, I have built in a buffer that allows you to miss one lab, and do poorly on one lab quiz, and still not have it hurt your grade.
If you miss a lab for an excused (documented) absence, please contact Sarah or me immediately. If you have excused absences for two labs, you may make up the 2nd lab – or an alternative version of it (all the materials may not be available).
In-lab work: Each lab is worth 15points. You must complete the lab, doing the experiments/exercises, as well as answering questions associated with each lab. You will work with a partner during lab exercises. Everyone is expected to help with the assignment in a cooperative manner. If you do not pull your own weight, depending too heavily on your lab partner to do your work, you will lose points based on the lack of participation. You must have your lab notebook checked by Sarah or me throughout the lab, as well as, prior to leaving the lab. At the end of each lab you will be required to answer some thought questions based on the overall concepts of the lab. You may take the questions home with you to complete and turn in the following week, or complete them and turn them in before leaving the lab.
Pre-lab quizzes: Being prepared for the lab will not only make the lab go more smoothly and quickly, you will learn and retain more of the information. In order to encourage students to be prepared, there will be periodic pre-lab quizzes throughout the semester. There will be a total of four pre-lab quizzes. Your lowest pre-lab quiz will be dropped at the end of the semester. If you miss a lab, valid excuse or otherwise, with a pre-lab quiz, you will use that pre-lab quiz as your low score that is dropped.
Lab Quizzes: Quizzes will be given approximately every 4 weeks covering the last three or four labs (see lecture/lab schedule). Quizzes will be short answer format. Students will be expected to be able to explain the concepts covered in each lab and know the basic material. Remembering details on experimental outcomes will not be expected, unless explicitly stated. The lowest lab quiz will be dropped. There are no make-up for the lab quizzes, as with labs, you may make up the 2nd excused miss.
LECTURES:
Lecture Quizzes: There will be six pop lecture quizzes throughout the semester (approximately once every two weeks), worth 10 points each. The lecture quizzes will be based on previous lecture material and/or the assigned reading. The quizzes will be short answer questions, typically only one or two questions. The lowest quiz will be dropped. If you miss a quiz for ANY reason (valid or otherwise), it will count as your dropped quiz. The dropping of a quiz is designed to eliminate the need for make-up quizzes – and not as a mechanism to condone your missing class. These are not simply attendance quizzes, but instead they provide me with an additional means of testing your comprehension of the material in a written format. In the unlikely event that you have two excused absences on days of quizzes, you will be allowed to make up the 2nd one.
Lecture Exams: Lecture exams will be given during normal class times, except the final exam (see lecture/lab schedule). The exams will be ~60-70% multiple choice and 30-40% short answers (one word to several sentences, diagrams, problems). The lowest of the first three exams will be dropped automatically. The final exam, which is cumulative, cannot be dropped. The final exam will have ~90 points associated with review material and ~60 points on new material. Make-up lecture exams will only be given with valid, documented excuses. Make-up exams will likely be in essay/short-answer format. If you miss an exam, please contact me ASAP, preferably with a phone call or showing up in my office. Always make sure you have given me information about how to contact you OTHER than just email!
Classroom Clickers: We will be using electronic clickers throughout the semester. You are required to purchase a clicker and bring it with you to class EVERY DAY, except for the days of exams. While the main purpose of the clickers is to use them as a learning tool to assess your understanding during lecture and to give you feedback on how you might be tested, etc., attendance is taken with the clickers every day. If you forget your clicker you may sign up on a sheet of paper at the end of class to let me know you forgot your clicker. Students will receive bonus points based on attendance (see also, participation points below). NOTE: You may NOT bring in another students clicker for them in order ‘record’ attendance for that student when indeed he/she is not attending. ANY STUDENT CAUGHT WITH TWO CLICKERS WILL BE WRITTEN UP FOR ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT!
Participation Points: In order to encourage folks to attend lectures and bring their classroom clickers every day & participate in the lecture, you will be receiving participation points for each day we use the clickers. There will be 23 class days where we will be using the clickers (we will not use them on exam days, nor will it count the first week of class). You will receive 1 pt for each day that you bring your clicker and participate in the activities (answering the questions) in class. You can miss class three times without it impacting your grade (so not a major hardship). HOWEVER, you must remember your clicker in order to get the points associated with that class period. If you forget your clicker, you can sign in, and it will still count towards overall attendance and can help you earn bonus for attendance. Technical difficulties with the clicker will not count against you, unless you do not take the actions required by you to fix the issue. If you are having technical difficulties with the clicker, be sure to come up before or after class, so I can mark your participation point for that day, and so I can help you determine how you need to resolve the issue.
Student Code of Conduct: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Your answers to quizzes, assignments and exams must by your own, original thought in your own, original words. The first offense will result in a grade of F (zero) on the quiz, assignment or exam. The second offense will result in dismissal from the course. The guidelines described in Chapter III (Student Misconduct), Section A (Academic Misconduct) of the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibility, and Conduct will be followed. Please see http://campuslife.indiana.edu/Code/ for further details.
Grading Summary
LECTURE:
Participation Points (23 days – 1pt each) 20 points possible
Lecture Quizzes (6 - 10pts each) 50 points possible
lowest score dropped
First three exams (100 points each) 200 points possible
lowest score dropped
Cumulative Final Exam 150 points possible
final can NOT be dropped
Lecture Total: 420 points
LABS:
In-lab work: 14 labs
15 points each (lowest score dropped) 195 points possible
Pre-lab quizzes: 4 quizzes
5 points each (lowest score dropped) 15 points possible
Lab Quizzes: 4 quizzes
25 points each (lowest score dropped) 70 points possible
Lab Total: 280 points
TOTAL possible for course: 700 points
Course letter grades will be based on the following scale:
A+: 98 - 100% |
C+: 77 - 79.9% |
A: 93 – 97.9% |
C: 73 - 76.9% |
A-: 90 – 92.9% |
C-: 70 – 72.9% |
B+: 87 – 89.9% |
D+: 67 – 69.9% |
B: 83 – 86.9% |
D: 63 – 66.9% |
B-: 80 – 82.9% |
D-: 60 – 62.9% |