SYLLABUS CONTENTS

Professor Information

Course Materials

Course Description

Course Objectives

Evaluation Procedures and Policies

Attendance Policies

Grading Policies

Other General Policies and Information

Topical Outline of the Course 

I. PROFESSOR

 

A. Professor: [Footnote 1] [Footnote 2]

<> Jerome (Jerry) A. Montvilo, Ph.D.

B. Office:

<> Fogarty Life Science Building, FLS 235

C. Office Hours:

<> Monday, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
<> Tuesday, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
<> Wednesday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.
<> Thursday, 4:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
<> Just before or after lecture. (I may be setting up equipment if I am not in my office.)
<> By appointment.
<> Just drop by to see if I am in.

D. Telephone/Mail:

<> Please note that messages left anywhere other than these places may not reach me.
<> Office Phone: 401-456-1981
<> Mailbox/Messages: Biology Department Office, FLS 251/401-456-8010
<> Internet/E-mail: jmontvilo@ric.edu

 

Footnote 1: College Professor--someone who talks in other people's sleep. -- Bergen Evan (or W. H. Auden) [Return]

Footnote 2: For every person wishing to teach there are thirty not wanting to be taught. -- W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman [Return]

II. COURSE MATERIALS

A. Comment:

Make sure you put your name and section in the books. Many textbooks seem to “disappear” just before exams, or they are left in the classroom or elsewhere accidentally. It is easier to return them if the owner is known.

B. Textbook (Required): [Footnote 3]

<> Campbell, N. A., Reece, J. B., Taylor, M. R., Simon, E. J., and Dickey, J. L. 2009. Biology:Concepts and Connections (sixth edition). Pearson/Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company.

C. Lecture Outlines (Required):

<> Available on the World Wide Web as links from the following URL: http://www.ric.edu/faculty/jmontvilo/109.htm (The outline for the lecture being given must be brought to class so that taking notes in class is easier.)

D. Laboratory Manual (Required):

<> RIC Biology Department. 2009-2010. Biology 109 Laboratory Manual. (Available in the bookstore. A new, unused copy must be obtained. Additional handouts will be provided as needed.)

E. Calculator (Strongly Suggested for lab work)

Footnote 3: Books cannot always please, however good; minds are not ever craving for their food. -- George Crabbe [Return]

III. COURSE DESCRIPTION

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES

V. EVALUATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Footnote 4: Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level. -- Joyce Brothers [Return]

Footnote 5: Even if we fail, we’ll learn. -- Hachiro Shimanuki [Return]

Footnote 6: He who remembers from day to day what he has yet to learn, and from month to month what he has learned already, may be said to have a love of learning. -- Confucius, 500 BC [Return]

Footnote 7: The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. -- Mark Twain [Return]

VI. ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Material covered on examinations will be derived from lecture materials as well as the textbook. Attendance at each scheduled lecture is therefore necessary if a good grade is to be obtained. [Footnote 8] [Footnote 9]

B. Lecture Attendance:

Attendance at lectures is required during the first two weeks of class. (During the summer, attendance is required during the first week--usually four days--of classes.) If you do not attend all these classes you may be dropped from the course. (This is to make room for students who wish to add the class.) After the first two weeks, attendance is taken at irregular intervals throughout the semester. While attendance is not used in the calculation of the final grade, it does give an indication of the seriousness with which the class was approached.

C. Lab Attendance:

Attendance at all scheduled laboratory session is required. (See Biology Department Laboratory Attendance Policy, below.) In general, laboratory work cannot be made up because equipment is only set up for the labs for that week. (While it may be possible to attend another laboratory session during the week, this should be avoided if possible. Be sure to ask permission of the instructor before doing this.)

D. Biology Department Laboratory Attendance Policy:

“A fundamental goal of any laboratory science course is to help students gain appreciation for and familiarity with the scientific enterprise. The Rhode Island College Biology Department believes that a proper understanding of the process of science is best approached by participation in laboratory activities. Therefore, it is a departmental policy that the grade earned in laboratory will determine a significant portion of the overall course grade and that any missed or incomplete laboratory exercises will be reflected in this grade. Students missing more than two scheduled laboratory sessions are subject to failing the course.” (As of December 2006)

Footnote 8: So far this year I have a perfect attendance record. Lucky for me they don’t have the technology perfected to measure mental attendance. -- Jeff MacNelly (in the comic strip Shoe) [Return]

Footnote 9: Eighty percent of success is showing up. -- Woody Allen [Return]

VII. GRADING POLICIES

A. Course Grade:

The final course grade (100%) will incorporate both the lecture grade (70%) and the laboratory grade (30%).

B. Lecture Grade:

The lecture grade will be based on all examinations, quizzes, and any other graded assignments made. The numerical grade, converted to a number out of 70, will be computed by adding up all the points obtained throughout the course, dividing by all the points that could have been obtained, multiplying by 100, rounding the result, and multiplying by 0.70.

C. Laboratory Grade:

The laboratory grade (determined by the lab instructor), converted to a number out of 30, will be added to the lecture grade (for a total grade out of 100).

D. Bonus Point and Grade Calculation:

One point will be added to the total grade (to avoid the “I just missed a[n] _ by one point!” syndrome).

The numerical grade will then be converted to a letter grade using the information on the following chart:

93 - 100 --> A
90 -  92 --> A-
87 -  89 --> B+
83 -  86 --> B
80 -  82 --> B-
77 -  79 --> C+
73 -  76 --> C
70 -  72 --> C-
67 -  69 --> D+
63 -  66 --> D
60 -  62 --> D-
 0 -  59 --> F

E. Grade Scaling and Curving:

Please be aware that grades generally are not otherwise “scaled” or “curved” to obtain a letter grade. This allows you to determine your approximate standing in the class at any time during the semester by converting your known grade to a rounded percentage and referring to the chart above. (NOTE: At the discretion of the instructor the grades may be modified either for the whole class or for individuals.)

F. Final Grades:

The final course grade will be posted on RIConnect as soon as possible ater the final examination and you can find it there.

Alternately, you may e-mail me for your grade(s) (please include your name and other identifying information, such as the course) and I will reply with your grade.

Because of privacy concerns grades are not usually given out over the telephone.

VIII. OTHER GENERAL POLICIES AND INFORMATION

This course is about learning some biology and learning something about how biologists work. It is not about grades. However, the reality is that a grade will be assigned at the end of the course based on what you have learned.

Simply put, don’t worry about the grade, worry about learning the material. If you learn the material well you will get a good grade.

In order to learn the material well you will have to put in a good deal of time. Most educators feel that you need to put in about two to three hours of time for each hour of lecture. That means that in this course you will need to spend a minimum of six to nine hours of time outside of class per week to learn the material and do well in the course.

And, this doesn’t count lab time.

(Yes, per week. You will learn the material better if you do it little by little instead of trying to cram it all in for an exam. That’s not learning; that’s trying to pass the exam.)

If you are not prepared to spend enough time on this course because of other commitments, then you may want to consider taking this course at another time.

B. Withdrawing from the Course:

The general procedures for withdrawing from a course are given at the following URLs:

http://www.ric.edu/recordsoffice/standards.php#faq_381

http://www.ric.edu/studentlife/services.php#faq_224

Quoting from these, and other, sources, the main points are:

“(I)f you have already pre-registered for the following semester, you need to drop those courses using RIConnect. Do not assume that if you do not attend a class the professor will automatically drop you. That is not the case. If you put yourself into a class, it is YOUR responsibility to take yourself out of a class.”

“Students may withdraw from a course during the first two weeks of a semester (or during a corresponding time for summer session courses) without having any entry made on the permanent record. After this time students receive a grade of W (Withdrawn).”

“Withdrawal from a course after midterm requires the approval of the instructor. Withdrawal must be based on evidence of extenuating circumstances other than academic difficulty in the course. Students who do not follow the official procedures, but stop attending classes, receive a grade based on the work completed as compared to the total course requirements.”

Please let me know if you are withdrawing from the course so that my records can be updated and so there are no misunderstandings at the end of the course. In general, if you do not request, in writing, that I assign a final grade of W to you after the time period in which you can do that yourself using RIConnect then it is probable that you will receive a grade of F for the course.

C. E-Mail Addresses:

All students taking courses at Rhode Island College are assigned an e-mail address. You should be aware of this address and check it regularly. Information about your e-mail account and how to access it can be found at the following URL: http://www.ric.edu/uss/nAccounts_students.php#section01

D. Biology Department Policies (as of December 2006)

On Student Evaluation of Instruction: The Biology department believes that students are able to provide valuable feedback on some important aspects of teaching performanceand that all students should have the opportunity to evaluate their instructors in every course. The departmental “Lecture Instructor Evaluation Form” is available for lecture evaluation and the “Laboratory Instructor Evaluation Form” is available for laboratory evaluation. In the event that class time is not made available for instructor evaluation, individual students may obtain copies of these forms in the Biology Department Office. Completed forms should be returned to the department office in a sealed envelope labeled with the course and section number within two weeks of the last day of the final examination period for that semester.

On Care and Use of Living Organisms: Whenever living organisms are used to illustrate biological processes in laboratory classrooms, consideration is given to the rationale for their use, including the appropriateness of the species selected and numbers used. Organisms are obtained from approved sources, such as biological supply companies. Their care and use are supervised by qualified faculty and staff who by their example inform students on principles of ethical treatment of animals. After their use, animals
are either returned to appropriate care facilities on campus or are disposed of in a humane and environ-mentally safe manner. In the case of vertebrate animals, college policies comply with the Public Health Service’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The animals are housed in a federally-approved Animal Care Facility. All personnel who work with animals have received appropriate training in procedures of handling. Protocols for all teaching and research activities must be approved by the college’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), which requires that the instructor/investigator provide a complete description of procedures used. Documents, including animal care guidelines, college policies, and protocols for teaching and research activities are available in the Biology Department Office. All inquiries or concerns regarding the care and use of living organisms in the Rhode Island College Biology Department should be directed to the department chairperson.

On Repetition of Courses: Lecture and laboratory experiences are integrated components of biology courses offered at Rhode Island College. Therefore, if a student repeats a course, he/she must repeat both components. Grades previously assigned in either lecture or laboratory will not be carried forward to a new semester.

On Laboratory Attendance: A fundamental goal of any laboratory science course is to help students gain appreciation for and familiarity with the scientific enterprise. The Rhode Island College Biology Department believes that a proper understanding of the process of science is best approached by participation in laboratory activities. Therefore, it is a departmental policy that the grade earned in laboratory will determine a significant portion of the overall course grade and that any missed or incomplete laboratory exercises will be reflected in this grade. Students missing more than two scheduled laboratory sessions are subject to failing the course.

On Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities: The Rhode Island College Biology Department is committed to making reasonable efforts to assist individuals with documented disabilities. If you are seeking reasonable classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and /or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, you are required to register with the Student Life Office. This office is located in Craig-Lee Hall, Room 127. The phone number is 456-8061. To receive academic accommodations in a biology class, students must first complete proper paperwork with the Student Life Office and then discuss appropriate accommodations with instructors at the beginning of each semester.

     E. Reminders:

This is a course in college biology. As such, it is expected that a student attending a lecture in this course will exhibit appropriate behavior. Although this should go without saying, past experience has shown that this is not the case. Please keep in mind the following reminders:

<> Food is generally not allowed in classroom areas (and is NEVER allowed in the laboratories). Please do not eat in class. This is not a meal or snack period. A drink or a snack (something like quiet candy) may be permissible.

<> Coming in late disrupts the class. Please be on time. If this problem occurs then steps will be taken to deal with it.

<> Once in class, please try to remain there. Leaving and re-entering a classroom during a lecture is disruptive. As far as possible, please take care of personal business before or after class.

<> Please try to remember to turn off cell phones and pagers.

<> Attendance and/or participation is not part of the grading process. If you do not really want to be in lecture, please do not come. If you do choose to attend the lecture try to pay attention and avoid rude, distracting, or disruptive behavior (such as coming late, leaving early, reading a newspaper, talking, passing notes, etc.). If your actions interfere with the learning process, you may be asked to leave. [Footnote 10]

<> Maintain a sense of humor. We’re all in this together, so we might as well enjoy ourselves. Have fun.

Footnote 10: Nothing is interesting if you’re not interested. -- Helen MacInness [Return]

IX. TOPICAL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE

The topics to be covered in this course are listed below. They are given in the order in which they will be covered, and are followed by the required readings (chapters or chapter sections) in the textbook concerning these topics. Wherever possible, the required readings should be done before the topic is covered in class.

In order for the lecture to run more smoothly, the text material presented for each topic is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ric.edu/faculty/jmontvilo/109.htm and should be brought to class with you to help in taking notes.

You are responsible for the materials assigned in the textbook and you will be tested on them, even though that specific material is not covered in lecture. Any sidebars in the book may also contain important information and should be read as well.

N. B. The topics and readings marked with a ¶ symbol and shown in green will not be covered in lecture. You are responsible for doing these readings on your own, and they will be covered on the examinations. [Footnote 11]

(Please note: The field of biology is a large one, and not all topics in this field can be covered here. If you are in a major that requires a standardized exam, such as the PRAXIS exam, you may need to spend some additional time studying those topics not covered here on you own.)

B. The Topics:

Q. What is biology?
A. The study of life and living things.
          [Chapter 1]

     Topic 01. Introduction
          {Sections 1.9-1.10}

Q. What is life?
A. We don’t know for sure, but…
          [Chapter 1]

     Topic 02. Unifying Principles of Biology
          {Sections 1.1-1.6}

Q. How have we learned these unifying
principles—how is biology studied?
A. Using scientific methodology.
         [Chapter 1]

     Topic 03. Biological Methodology
         {Sections 1.7-1.8}

     Topic 04. Biological Vocabulary
         [Glossary (for reference)]

Q. What are living things made from?
A. Chemicals and Cells.
         [Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 (Overview;
         just skim for now)]

     Topic 05. Molecular Genetics: DNA and RNA
         {Sections 10.1-10.5}

     Topic 06. Cells (Introduction)
         {Sections 4.1-4.5}

     Topic 07. Cells (Membranes)
         {Sections 5.1-5.2}

     Topic 08. Cells (Organelles)
         {Sections 4.6-4.23}

     [¶ Animal Form and Function: Chapter 20]

APPROXIMATELY TO HERE FOR EXAM 1
Scheduled for Thursday, October 1
(subject to change)

     Topic 09. Cells (Transport)
         {Sections 5.3-5.9}

     Topic 10. Cell Reproduction: Mitosis
         {Sections 8.1-8.11}

     Topic 11. Cell Reproduction: Meiosis
         {Sections 8.12-8.18}

Q. How many living things are there and what are
some examples?
A. There are up to 30 million species arranged
into three domains and six kingdoms.
         [Chapters 16, 17, 18]

     Topic 12. Taxonomy and Classification

     Topic 13. Nomenclature

     Topic 14. Survey of Domains
         {Section 1.5}

     Topic 15. Animalia
         [Chapter 18]

     Topic 16. Plantae
         {Sections 17.1-17.13; 31.2-31.6}

     Topic 17. Protista
         {Sections 16.11-16.21}

     Topic 18. Fungi
         {Sections 17.14-17.21}

     Topic 19. Eubacteria
         {Sections 16.1-16.5; 16.6-16.10}

     Topic 20. Archaebacteria
         {Section 16.6}

         [¶ Biosphere: Chapter 34]

APPROXIMATELY TO HERE FOR EXAM 2
Scheduled for Tuesday, November 10
(subject to change)

Q. How did there get to be so many organisms?
A. Through evolution.
         [Chapters 13, 14, 15]

     Topic 21. Evolution (Introduction)
         {Sections 1.4-1.6; 13.1-13.6}

     Topic 22. Evolution (Evidence)
         [Chapter 13]

Q. How does evolution work?
A. Through genetics.
         [Chapters 9, 14]

     Topic 23. Classical Genetics
         [Chapter 9]

     Topic 24. Evolution (Process)
         <> Chapters 13, 14, 15

Q. How does genetics work?
A. Through DNA, RNA, proteins, and
biochemical reactions.
         [Chapters 10, (11, 12)]

     Topic 25. Gene Expression
         {Sections 10.6-10.15}

     Topic 26. Gene Expression Problems
         {Sections 10.16; 8.19-8.24}

     Topic 27. Viruses
         {Sections 10.17-10.21}

     Topic 28. Biotechnology
         {Chapter 12}

     Topic 29. Stem Cells

     [¶ Conservation Biology: Chapter 38]

APPROXIMATELY TO HERE FOR EXAM 3 (FINAL)
Date to be determined by the Scheduling Office

If time allows, further material will be drawn from the following topics:

Q. What are the raw materials of biochemical
reactions?
A. Chemicals.
         [Chapters 2, 3]

     Topic 30. Inorganic Chemicals
         [Chapter 2]

     Topic 31. Organic Chemicals
         [Chapter 3]

     Topic 32. Chemical Reactions
         {Sections 2.7-2.10; 2.17}

Q. What allows the chemicals to react?
A. Energy.
         [Chapters 6, 7]

     Topic 33. Energy

     Topic 34. Photosynthesis
         [Chapter 7]

     Topic 35. Cellular Respiration
          [Chapter 6]

Q. Where do the chemicals and energy come
from?
A. Through interaction with the environment.

     Topic 36. Ecology
         [Chapters 34. 35. 36, 37, 38]

Q. How did life originate?
A. We don't know for sure, but…

     Topic 37. The Origin of Life
         {Sections 16.1-16.6}

Footnote 11: When you read, read! Too many students just half read...The art of memory is the art of understanding. -- Roscoe Pound [Return]

Page obtained from link at URL: http://www.ric.edu/faculty/jmontvilo/109.htm
Prepared by Jerome A. Montvilo, Ph.D. for the use of his students.
Copyright © by Jerome A. Montvilo. All rights reserved.
Please send questions, comments, or suggestions to jmontvilo@ric.edu.
Last updated 27 August, 2009