BIOLOGY 1102 - FOUNDATIONS OF BIOLOGY
Spring Semester 2014
Lecture Section 015 (MWF 11:15-12:05) and Lecture Section 001 (MWF 1:25 - 2:15)
Lab Sections 15-24 and 1-11, respectively.
Professor Office & Phone Office Hours
GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES : BIOL 1102 is included in the Science and Technology content area for General Education Courses.
1) BIOL 1102 provides intellectual breadth and versatility by providing a perspective on the complexity and diversity of living organisms, and the importance of non-human organisms to the functioning of ecosystems. BIOL 1102 investigates issues of general relevance to human biology (e.g., Evolutionary, Ecological, Genetic, and Biomedical issues).
2) BIOL 1102 helps students acquire critical judgement skills . Laboratories are designed to acquaint students with the process of science--formulation and testing of hypotheses, and acquisition and interpretation of data. Lecture content integrates current topics emphasizing hypothesis generation and testing, and explanation of how to interpret media reports related to Biology.
3) BIOL 1102 will help students to acquire a working understanding of the process by which they can continue to acquire and use knowledge. By emphasizing the scientific process, both the laboratory and lectures call attention to the reality that Biology is a dynamic, not a static science---no 'fact' is necessarily immutable, and any observation can be further tested or reevaluated in the context of new data. Science, by definition, is objective and falsifiable, it can be tested by observation and experiment. Science is for everybody!
TEXT AND LAB MANUAL
Lecture: There is NO required textbook for Biology 1102 lecture so you DO NOT have to purchase a textbook.
Lab: There IS a required Lab Manual for Biology 1102 laboratory. This lab manual is available at the UConn Co-op bookstore, and is entitled Biology
1102 Laboratory Manual. Be sure to bring your lab manual to every lab and to read the assigned material before starting lab. You CANNOT use a lab manual from a previous semester or you will receive zero scores for all lab assignments.LABORATORY: You must pass the laboratory portion of the course in order to pass Biology 1102. That means you cannot miss more than two labs (excused or not) and you must earn at least 60% of the points in lab during the semester. There are no exceptions to these rules. Lab sections will meet in TLS 303/309. There are NO food or drinks allowed in the laboratory due to safety requirements mandated by University, State, and Federal laws. No sandals or open-toed shoes are allowed in labs. Your lab TAs will provide you with additional information about the laboratory.
LECTURE SCHEDULE
You must attend your registered lecture section. You CANNOT attend a different Biology 1102 lecture section. In addition, you are responsible for all information given in lecture, including lecture notes as well as course announcements or assignments, even if you miss lecture; therefore, make the effort to attend every lecture. Office hours cannot be used to repeat lectures that were missed. Note: In order to pass the course, you must pass the lecture portion of the course. This means you must earn at least 60% of the points in lecture to pass.
GRADING (70% lecture, 30% lab)
* You are required to take all lecture exams.
* There are NO extra credit assignments.
* There is NO Curve in this course. Letter grades will approximate the following total course percentages (70% lecture and 30% lab).
Use these numbers to estimate your expected (earned) letter grade in the course.A = 93-100%, A- = 90-92%
B+ = 87-89%, B = 83-86%, B- = 80-82%
C+ = 77-79%, C = 73-76%, C- = 70-72%
D+ = 67-69%, D = 63-66%, D- = 60-62%
F = 0-59%Exam Schedule: All exams are worth 100 points.
Exam 1: Friday, 7 February
Exam 2: Friday, 28 February
Exam 3: Friday, 4 April
Exam 4: Final Exam: TBAEach exam will be based entirely on lecture notes, unless I say differently, and will consist of multiple choices, matching, short answer, long answer, drawing, or any combination of these. Plan to bring a UConn picture ID and a number 2 pencil to every exam.
MAKE-UP POLICY FOR MISSED LECTURE EXAMS: You must receive permission for a make-up exam and all makeup exams must be completed on the first school day the students returns to classes or is able to take the exam. Makeup exams are available only to students who have a legitimate AND documented excuse for missing an exam, such as illness, representing the university at sanctioned events, or death in the immediate family.
In addition to the lecture exams, I reserve the right to give announced or unannounced lecture quizzes, homework assignments, and to take attendance in lecture. There are no make-ups for missed lecture quizzes, homework assignments, or attendance in lecture.
I like to give an ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION Bonus (AP bonus) at the end of ths semester, but this bonus is strictly a BONUS and is based on the fact that you were either in class to participate or were not. The AP bonus CANNOT hurt your course grade. The magnitude of the AP bonus depends on the proportion of classes you attend (See grade calculation below). Because it is strictly a bonus, I reserve the right not to use AP in the calculation of final grades and there are no makeups for the AP bonus---you are either present to participate in class or not. I also reserve the right to deny the AP bonus for any student(s) that I believe have been dishonest about attendance or any other aspect of the course, cause distractions to me during lecture (e.g., using phone, sleeping, talking, etc..), or fails to attend at least 75% of all lecture classes that are held. All final decisions regarding the attendance bonus are mine alone and my decisons are not negotiable.
Very important! Coming to class more than five minutes late or leaving early is counted as an absence and carries a distraction penalty (see below).
Optional Re-Take Lecture Exam : You may also choose take an Optional Re-Take Lecture Exam, which will allow you to re-take the lowest of your first three exams and will cover the same exam material as was covered during the original exam. Please note: the Re-Take will not be the exact same exam as the original, but will be 'similar' and derived from the same original lecture material. Expect the Re-Take exam to have the same format as the original exam (i.e., multiple choices, short/long answers and diagrams if found on the original exam). A higher Re-Take score can replace your original exam score. Note, the final exam cannot be re-taken, only one of the first three (your lowest score). The Re-Take exam is taken directly after the required Final Exam during the same two-hour time period as the final and in the same room. During the last week of classes we will have a signup so you can sign up to take the exam you want. The two hour final exam period has always been enough time for students to finish both exams if they chose to take a re-take exam as well. The Final exam must be taken before the optional exam, with no time restrictions for either exam, except both must be completed within the two hour final exam period.
FAQ:
1.What if the Re-Take exam score is lower than the original exam score? It will NOT count against you and will be discarded.
2. Do I have to pass the re-take exam. YES. If you score below 60% on the re-take, your original exam score is used and will include a five-point penalty, even if the retake score was higher; I won't replace a failing exam grade with another failing exam grade so you must score at least 60% on the retake or don't take it.To take a Re-Take Exam you must first:
1. Take all four semester exams.
2. Score at least 40 percent on all three semester exams.
3. Attend at least 75% of ALL lectures and attend at least 75% of the lectures covered for the re-take exam.Note: If you skip more than 25% of the lecture classes without valid and documented reasons, you will not receive the AP bonus at the end of the semester and you cannot take the optional re-take exam at the end of the semester. The AP bonus and Re-take exams are intended to help students who are working hard in the class. The AP bonus is NOT intended for students who are struggling because of unexcused absences, tardiness, or who are causing distractions in the class.
Example Student Grade Calculation:
Lecture Assessment Student points Earned Total points Available In-class Exam 1 In-class Exam 2 In-class Exam 3 In-class Exam 4 Lec HW & quizzes Divide points Earned by points Available X100
Lecture Attendance proportion 0.94
Lab Student points Earned Total points Available Divide points Earned by points Available Final Grade Calculation: (83.86 x 0.7) + (85.36 x 0.3) + 0.94 = 85.25 = B
Note: The number of lecture HW and quiz points available will vary among semesters and may be significantly more or less than the number (40) shown above.
MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK TO ME IF...you require extra time for exams, a note-taker, or have any other needs. Please come and speak to me sooner rather than later. Any information provided to me will remain strictly confidential. Also, if English is not your native language and you wish to discuss the possibility of extra time for exams, please see me before the first exam. In addition, if you are on academic probation, do not wait until the end of the semester to tell me and then expect that I will be able to help you. If you find yourself getting behind or not making the grade you need, then come see me immediately so we can discuss study and testing strategies that will help you succeed and avoid dismissal from the University.
DISTRACTION PENALTIES / CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: Give Respect, Get Respect
It is very important that certain rules are followed so that all students have the opportunity to attend lecture without distractions and I can teach without distractions.
Here are those rules:
Do not say or do anything in class that could offend any person in any way. Think before you speak.
Do not talk with friends during class.
Do not bring electronics (cell phones, Ipods, headphones, computers, etc.) into the classroom or use them during lecture.
Do not read the newspaper during lecture.
Do not study or do classwork for another course.
Do not leave the lab room to speak with friends in person or on your phone, unless it is an emergency (don't do it during class!)
Do not sleep during class. If you cannot stay awake, go home.
Do not come to class late or leave early. If you must leave class early or come late for a special circumstance, you must let me know before class starts to avoid penalty.IF YOU CANNOT FOLLOW THESE RULES, a distraction penalty of 1.5 points will be deducted from your final lecture point total for each time it occurs with no limits on how much you can lose for causing distractions to me or to your your classmates.
A WARNING ABOUT CHEATING IN LECTURE OR LAB: We have a zero-tolerance policy for cheating in Biology 1102. Do NOT copy any answers, or parts of answers, of any kind from any current or former Biology 1102 student. All answers on All assignments MUST be in the student’s OWN words and represent the student’s OWN work. Note: completing attendance cards for another student is also cheating and will result in a failing course grade and further University disciplinary action. REMEMBER, if it looks like cheating, we will call it cheating, and report it to the Office of Community StandardsHOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE Attend All Lectures and Labs, complete all outlines and assignments, Study early and often from a complete set of notes and you should have no trouble in this class.
1. Class Web Site. There is a link on your HuskyCT lab and lecture pages. HuskyCT pages are for reporting grades. Web site is for finding course policies, syllabus, and lab homework.
2. E-mail: is my primary method for contacting you outside of lecture class. You must check your UConn email regularly. You are expected to be aware of any course announcements I send there.
3. Office hours. My office is in TLS 308 across from the lab room. I have open office hours. If my door is open, then you can come in. If you want to schedule an appointment, you can do that too. Email me or see me before or after lecture.
4. Set reasonable goals. Aim high. If you simply must earn a B in this course to maintain honors status, get into the business school, maintain your GPA, prevent yourself from going on academic probation, etc., then do not aim for a B. Aim for an A. That way, if you make mistakes or have difficulties, you will still have some chance of getting the grade you want. It is not unusual in such a large class for a student who needs a C, to aim for a C, make mistakes, and not get the C. Better to over-prepare, than under-prepare.
5. I am here for two reasons: To Teach You the Foundations of Biology and To Help You succeed in this course, See me if you need help!
This class is for everybody, even if you think you can't do Biology. Make the effort and I will show you .