Laboratory Policies in Biology 1102
Lab Meeting Times and TA Contact Information
Attendance: Because lab seating space is limited by the University Fire Code, you must attend your regularly scheduled lab section. If you have legitimate documentation for an absence you can recieve a makeup assignment with your TA's permission (Permission form) If you have missed a lab, you have no more than one week to petition your TA for a makeup assignment. After one week, you will receive a zero for the missed assignment (homework and quiz). All makeup assignments must be returned to YOUR TA within one week. If you miss lab one week, you are still responsible for the quiz you would have taken at the beginning of the lab you missed.
If you wish to change lab sections, you must do it through the PeopleSoft Add/Drop system; your instructor and TAs have no control over the availability of seats in lab. If you need to find a different section to enroll in, check the peoplesoft computer system frequently to see if a space opens up.
The laboratory portion of this course counts for 1/3 (33.3%) of your final Bio 1102 course grade.Your grade in lab will be based on criteria described below. Because of the significance of the laboratory experience to the General Education Requirements, you cannot pass this course without passing the laboratory portion. You cannot miss more than 3 labs, excused or not, or you will fail Bio 1102. You must earn at least 60% of the points in lab in order to pass the course. Your TAs will determine when the laboratory exercises are finished. You are expected to complete the entire assigned exercise. If you leave the lab before your TA determines that you are finished, you will be counted as absent for that day.
Grading:
Lab grades will be posted to your HuskyCT accounts on a weekly basis. You have one week to contest any grading discrepancies with your TA. After that time, all grades stand, and will not be changed.The total of all lab assignments is worth 250 points. Your goal is to get as many of those 250 points as possible. The criteria for determining laboratory grades is as follows:
Quizzes
(12)Homework (12)
Last Lab
(in class work)
Lab Essays (3)
Lab Total
(Semester)
Item Pts. Criteria Quizzes A 10-point quiz covering the material from the previous lab will be given at the beginning of every lab period except the first. These quizzes also include one or two questions about the lab you will be doing that day. Be sure to read ahead before coming to lab. You cannot take a quiz if you are more than 5 minutes late for class so be sure to arrive on time. Homework Assignments
Every lab period except the last will have 5-point homework assignment associated with it. Homework assignments must be turned in at the beginning of lab period to YOUR TA and cannot be left in a mailbox or given to another TA. If assignments are turned in late, there is a grade penalty of 10% off per day late (excluding Saturday and Sunday). A late assignment must be given to YOUR Biology 1102 laboratory TA to be accepted. No assignments will be accepted more than one week after their due date.
Lab Essays Three lab periods will have a 20-point Lab Essay assignment. Please see the Lab essay Guidelines for complete instructions. Essay Guidelines must be followed exactly to receive credit. You must complete all essays on your own, in your own words, and include citations for references you used. Last Lab There are in-class assignments due during the last lab, don't miss it. Total
An Optional Comprehensive Lab Quiz (OCLQ) may be taken to improve your laboratory score. This will be worth 15 points and will be taken from material covered on lab quizzes, homework assignments, and the laboratory manual. The score from the OCLQ may be used to replace your lowest lab score from a single lab topic.The OCLQ is given during the last week of scheduled labs and cannot be taken after that time.
In the event of an emergency closing and canceled lab, see the course webpage or contact your TA within 24 hours for instructions regarding lab makeup activities. Failure to do this could result in a zero grade for that lab.