Bio 112 Lecture syllabus 2015 PDF

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Bio 112 Lecture Syllabus...

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Bio 112, Prof. Freeman Spring 2015

Biology Concepts and Methods II - Bio 112 Lecture (Course Id: 0105-112-004) Instructor: e-mail: Lecture: website: Book:

Dr. Aaren Freeman Office: SCB 120 Office phone:(516) 237-8546 [email protected] Tues/Thurs 4:30-5:45; SCB 321 Office hours: Mon: 10:30-11:30 AU Moodle Tues 10-12 S. Freeman. Biological Science, 5th ed. Thurs:11:30-1:30

Course Description Examine basic biological concepts and paradigms in developmental biology, evolution, and ecology and their effects on science and society, and learn how formulation of these paradigms illustrates scientific processes such as experimental design and hypothesis testing. Lecture and laboratory. No prerequisites. (Learning Goals:Q; Distribution Reqs:NS) Course Learning Goals:The study of biology can encompass a wide variety of interactions (within and between organisms), time scales, spatial scales, techniques and theories. By the end of the course you will be able to: 1) Describe the basic principles in developmental biology, evolution, and ecology. 2) Apply critical thinking and reasoning. 3) Demonstrate an understanding of hypothesis testing, evaluation of scientific information, interpretation of results, and effective written and oral presentation. 4) Relate the implications of biological issues in modern society. In addition to the scientific objectives of biology, this course together with its corequisite lab satisfies the general education requirement for the natural sciences, and addresses the university learning goals in the following ways: Communication (the clear, coherent interchange of ideas using written, oral, and/or electronic means)—addressed in an implicit manner through an examination of the elements of technical writing and assignments that relate to scientific writing and oral presentation of scientific information to an audience of peers. Quantitative reasoning (the ability to understand and apply numerical information) —addressed through the reading of tables and graphs, construction of tables and graphs, evaluation of numerical data, and presentation of quantitative arguments. Critical and integrative thinking (the ability to identify, evaluate, and construct arguments and proposed solutions to problems)—addressed through the generation of scientific predictions (hypotheses) and the processing, analysis and evaluation of scientific information and data. Course Schedule:

Freeman/Biology 112 Spring 2015 Syllabus Week of: 26-Jan 2-Feb 9-Feb 16-Feb 23-Feb 2-Mar 9-Mar 16-Mar 23-Mar 30-Mar 6-Apr 13-Apr 20-Apr 27-Apr 4-May 11-May

Topic Introduction/course protocol Principles of Development An Introduction to Animal Development Animal Reproduction An Introduction to Plant Development Plant Reproduction 19 Feb - Exam 1 (22, 23, 50.1-50.3, 24 & 41) Evolution by Natural Selection Evolutionary Processes (March 5=online, no class) Speciation Spring Break Phylogenies and the History of Life An Introduction to Animals April 2 - Exam 2 (25, 26, 27, 28 & 33) An Introduction to Ecology Behavioral Ecology Population Ecology (No class Apr 21) Community Ecology Ecosystems and Global Ecology Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (Wednesday May 13) Review (clickers) Cumulative Final Exam

Chapter 22 23 50.1-50.3 24 41 25 26 27 28 33 52 53 54 55 56 57

Evaluations There will be two non-cumulative exams during the course (Exam 1 & Exam 2). The semi-cumulative final exam will cover the full semester; approximately 75% of the questions will come from the final third of the semester and 25% from material covered by Exams 1 & 2. A Weekly Moodle assignment will be due every week and will be based on information in the textbook that I may not cover in lecture. Letter grades will be assigned as follows: >100%( A+), >93.3%(A), >90%(A-), >86.6%(B+), >83.3%(B), >80%(B-), etc.

Freeman/Biology 112 Spring 2015 Syllabus Course Grading: Lecture:

Points Toward Bio 112 Grade Exam 1 Exam 2 Cumulative Final Exam Weekly Moodle assignment Attendance/Participation

Laboratory Total:

130 130 220 60 60 400 1000

Examinations: Exams consist of multiple-choice questions (60-80%) and short essay questions (20-40%). Students will not be allowed to leave the room during any examination. No make-up exams will be given with the exception of a legitimate medical (e.g. a doctor’s written medical excuse) or official Adelphi event. Students seeking make-up exams must notify Dr. Freeman in advance. Attendance/Participation: Attendance is mandatory. For 2 unexcused absences you will lose 10 pts; for 3 unexcuesd absences you will lose 15 points; etc. (2 unexcused tardies = 1 unexcused absence.) At a mid-point during many lectures I will ask students to write a short, well-reasoned response to a topical question. Participation grades will be based on these responses. I will take attendance before most lectures. Students are responsible for completing course work missed through absences. Students should wait a reasonable length of time for an instructor in the event that the instructor is delayed. Extra credit: Each student can complete an extra credit assignment once per semester (worth 10 points). The extra credit will involve attending an academic, biology seminar or research presentation (30-60 minutes). To receive extra credit you must submit a half page description of the seminar on Moodle, describing the seminar in terms of “Who, Where and What”. Students with continually improving grades may be given some additional points (e.g. 10 points). Honor Code: Students enrolled in this course are expected to abide by the Adelphi University Honor Code. The purpose of the Honor Code is to protect the academic integrity of the University by encouraging consistent ethical behavior in assigned coursework by students. (There will be zero tolerance of infractions to the honor code. Students will be referred to the Provost’s office and will receive a failing grade for the exam or exercise.) Following is excerpted from the Student Honor Code: The Code of Academic Honesty The code of academic honesty prohibits behavior, which can broadly be described as lying, cheating, or stealing. Violations of the code of academic honesty will include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Fabricating data or citations 2. Collaborating in areas prohibited by the professor

Freeman/Biology 112 Spring 2015 Syllabus 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Unauthorized multiple submission of work Sabotage of others’ work, including library vandalism or manipulation Plagiarism: presenting any work as one’s own that is not one’s own The creation of unfair advantage The facilitation of dishonesty Tampering with or falsifying records, cheating on examinations through the use of written materials or giving or receiving help in any form during the exam, including talking, signals, electronic devices, etc.

Moodle: A course web site has been set up on Moodle. You can access Moodle with the same username and password that you use for E-Campus. I will post Powerpoint lectures on Moodle at least 1 hour before lecture. Class handouts, weekly assignments, demonstration videos and any additional material will also be available under Course Documents. If the University is closed for more than two days due to an emergency, log onto this course site under the MOODLE tab in eCampus each day for instructions and assignments. Student tutorials for using MOODLE can be found at http://fcpe.adelphi.edu/moodle/student/ FERPA: Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a student’s grades or academic record cannot be revealed to anyone outside of university officials without written permission of the student. Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, and are not enrolled in the Learning Disabilities Program, it is important that you contact the staff in the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office, University Center, Room 310, (516) 877-3145. [email protected]. DSS will review your concerns and determine, with you, appropriate and necessary accommodations. All information and documentation of disability is confidential. Course Evaluations: During the last two weeks of the class, you will receive notification, via email and eCampus, that the course evaluation is available for your input electronically. Availability will end at the start of the final examination period. Your feedback is valuable and I encourage you to respond. Please be assured that your responses are anonymous and the results will not be available to the instructor until after the end of the semester and therefore after course grades have been submitted. Cell Phones: ***Use of cell phones during class is strictly prohibited.*** Any use of cellphones or texting during class will result in a marked absence.

Freeman/Biology 112 Spring 2015 Syllabus Tear off and return with information required below:

STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I HAVE RECEIVED AND READ THE SYLLABUS FOR [INSERT COURSE NUMBER AND SECTION]. SIGNED: __________________________________________ PRINT NAME: _________________________________________ DATE: ___________________________

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU: Why are you taking this course?

How many biology classes have you had (ever, in high school or at the college level)?

What experiences have you had that inform your understanding of biology?

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