Principles of Biology - BIO 101
Course Syllabus

Lecture Attendance and Grading Policy

It is the responsibility of the student to attend class regularly. To encourage good attendance, as well as to help review and develop important concepts, a minimum of eight unannounced quizzes will be given throughout the semester. Anyone leaving class early or otherwise missing a substantial amount of the class material will receive a zero on the quiz for that day. The quiz score average will be equal in weight to one lecture exam. No make-ups on quizzes will be allowed.

In addition to the the final quiz score average, four hour exams will be given at or near the dates specified on the lecture schedule. The total percentage points earned on the four lecture exams plus the quiz score average divided by five will make up 75% of your Biology 101 final grade. The remaining 25% will be determined by your laboratory average.

Any make up arrangements for exam should be done prior to missing the exam or in the event of a missed exam due to an emergency, the exam must be taken on the first day back in class. You need to notify your lecture instructor if you know that you will miss an exam. (office phone: 271-4379)

Your final grade will be calculated on a percentage basis as follows:

A = 90 - 100%
B = 80 - 89%
C = 70 - 79%
D = 60 - 69%
F = 59% and below

Grades will be posted throughout the semester and all assignments will be given back to you after they are graded. Please keep these returned assignments as records.

You will need a no. 2 pencil for the exams.

Disabled students with special needs should contact their lecture and lab instructors on the first day that each class meets. The Biology Department will make every effort to provide a favorable learning environment for all students.

Special Assignments

Two special assignments will count as 2 quizzes in determining the final grade. A special assignment may involve a student volunteering time at a deer check station during hunting season to help gather data for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Another example of a special assignment would be attendance at a biology-related lecture such as one covering the Human Genome project or a talk about the wildlife of Brazil. (A listing of acceptable special events is given under the Announcements link. Other special events may also be approved by the instructor.) In addition to participation in and/or attendance at the special event, the student is required to write a one-page typed summary and critique of the event and turn it in to the lecture instructor. Students who are unable to attend the special events will have an opportunity to do an Internet Topic Summary (ITS) on a topic in biology that is approved by the instructor. Every ITS must be turned in as a 1-2 page typed paper using size 12 font and single spacing. The internet addresses of at least 3 sources used in the ITS must be listed at the end of the paper. Examples of acceptable ITS topics include genetically modified crops, the human genome project of the destructive effect of the brown-headed cowbird as a social parasite, etc. If a student does a 3-5 minute presentation on their ITS to the Bio 101 lecture the score on the ITS will replace the student's lowest quiz score in addition to counting as one of the special assignments. However, this presentation must be scheduled with the instructor at least 2 weeks in advance and no ITS presentations will be scheduled during the last full week of class.

Laboratory Policies

The lab portion of Bio 101 is a very important part of the course because this is where students have an opportunity for "hands-on" involvement into scientific processes. Students are expected to complete each assigned laboratory exercise and answer all of the lab book questions. There will also be short quizzes (approximately 10 questions each) each lab session over the material covered during the previous lab session plus some material over the lab for that day. Any student leaving lab early, or without the permission of the lab instructor, will receive a zero on the quiz for that day.

The lab quiz average will count a 25% of the course grade. A lab book completed by the student is required for credit in the lab. The lab book will not be graded but will be checked and returned to the student.

Anyone caught cheating or purposely damaging equipment in the lab will be dismissed from the lab with a grade of zero. Quiz points will be deducted for failure to clean up properly before leaving the lab.

Missed labs may only be made up during the same week. This requires a permission form signed by the regular lab instructor and the alternate instructor. (Forms may be picked up in the Biology Department office.) You may, with permission, attend and participate in any lab section that has a seat available. Please remember that the privilege of changing labs is only for extreme circumstances. If school is not in session on the day your lab is scheduled, you are encouraged (but not required) to attend any other lab section during that week. Permission forms must also be used in this instance.

Required Books

Textbook: The Living World by George Johnson, Kendall-Hunt Publishing Co.

(The written study guide for this book is optional. There is a considerable amount of supplementary material available on The Living World Website.)

Lab Book: Concepts in Biology, 7th Ed., by Andresen, B., Ashley, D., Boutwell, R., Crumley, R., Eckdahl, T., Rachow, T., Robbins, D, and Rushin, J. Kendall-Hunt Publishing Co.

Unit Student Study Questions - These general questions are intended to help students focus on the important concepts and ideas in each unit. The importance of each question is indicated by the number in parentheses following each question. (The higher the number, the more important the study question is considered and, consequently, this will be reflected by greater coverage on the unit quiz and exam. Generally speaking, a student study question that is weighted 1X will have one quiz question directly related to it on the unit quiz; a 2X student study question will have two quiz questions directly related to it on the unit quiz, and so on.)

Course Grade
Lecture = 75%
Lab = 25%