SYLLABUS
BIOLOGY I (for Life Science Majors)
BIOL 1403, fall 2009

MWF, LH100                                                                                   Dr. Michael Dini, rm. 007, 742-2729
Section 001: 9:00-9:50 a.m.                                                       Office hours: M-R 11-11:30, or by appt.
Section 002: 10:00-10:50 a.m.                                                   E-mail: michael.dini@ttu.edu
Test period: Tu, 6:00-7:30                                                         Website: http://courses.ttu.edu/biol1403-mdini

Homework website: http://www.masteringbiology.com  course ID: MBDINI29410

Required Texts: Biology, 8th ed. by Campbell & Reece, and Lab Manual for Biology I, by M. Dini.  You must also have a 2-way H-iTT personal response device.

1. COURSE OVERVIEW

BIOL 1403, offered only during fall semesters, is the first part of a rigorous, writing-intensive, two-semester course designed to prepare life science majors for upper-level courses in the life sciences, as well as for qualifying exams such as the GRE (BIOL) and MCAT.  The course is meant to give you a strong foundation in the principles of biology, many of which you may not encounter again in future courses.  Course content includes treatments of cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, reproductive biology, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology.  The course also strives to introduce you to the way scientists approach and solve problems leading to the construction of new knowledge.  It is also my hope that the course will give you an important handle in your attempt to understand the place and role of humans in the world and, perhaps, your particular place in it.

2. EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING LEARNING OUTCOMES

A. Explain basic concepts of science as a way of knowing, cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, reproductive biology, developmental biology and evolutionary biology.  ASSESSED BY: scores earned on expository essays on each of the four unit tests, and by in-class discussions.
B. Demonstrate skills in scientific reasoning and experimental design.  ASSESSED BY: group discussion and subsequent reporting via "clickers," by scores earned on end-of-semester laboratory science process skills test, and by scores earned on written lab reports.
C. Demonstrate ability to write research reports, including: abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, acknowledgments, and literature cited.  ASSESSED BY:  scores on draft & final versions of written lab reports.

D. Students graduating from Texas tech University should be able to explain some of the major concepts in the Natural Sciences and demonstrate an understanding of scientific approaches to problem solving, including ethics.  ASSESSED BY: scores on expository essays on each of the four unit tests, and by end-of-semester performance on laboratory science process skills test.

3. ENROLLMENT & ATTENDANCE

Students in this course should have successfully completed at least one year of high school or college biology; therefore, this course is not an introductory biology course.  Six hours of college chemistry are recommended before enrolling in BIOL 1403.  By departmental policy, enrollment as a freshman requires a minimum SAT score of 1100, or a minimum composite ACT score of 24, or a minimum score of 3 on the AP Biology Test.  Also by Departmental policy, students who are on academic probation may not take this course.  Computer access to the Worldwide Web is important for success in this course.  The course website is not fully compatible with the Firefox/Mozilla Browser.

You should be enrolled separately in a laboratory section (501-527).  See me immediately if you have doubts about your enrollment.  You should attend the lecture section in which you are enrolled; you must attend the laboratory section in which you are officially enrolled.  Regular attendance at class meetings is crucial for the success of almost all BIOL 1403 students, for we will work on a goal in class that one cannot meet using a textbook or class notes: how to think as a biologist thinks.  Class participation will be monitored using the H-iTT devices.  I consider more than two absences during the semester to be excessive, and an abundance of data shows a strong correlation between poor attendance and poor test scores.  Class will often begin with verbal announcements that are not formally duplicated anywhere else.  You are responsible for getting missed announcements from classmates.  I am not happy to deliver all or part of a lecture to someone who has missed class.  Not only are you expected to be in class at every class meeting, and to arrive on time, but you are expected be an active participant as well.  Chatting, dozing, “texting,” reading newspapers, or listening to music during class are totally un-cool, and are not tolerated.  If your cell phone disturbs the class, you will be asked to leave.  Also important is your regular attendance in lab.  More than two unexcused absences from lab will result in the loss of ALL points connected with the laboratory portion of this course.

4. EVALUATION

Your semester letter grade will be determined from the scores you earn on four unit tests (44%), on your laboratory work (28%), on homework (11%), and on the cumulative final exam (17%).  The scores for this course are NOT curved.  Letter grades will be determined according to the following scale:

A = 801-900        B = 702-800      C = 603-701     D = 504-602     F < 504
(89-100%)           (78-88%)            (67-77%)           (56-66%)           (<56%)

It is your final point total, NOT your final percentage, which will determine your letter grade.  The four unit tests are worth 100 points each.  Homework is worth 100 points.  Late homework is not accepted.  The cumulative final exam is worth 150 points.  The distribution of the 250 points connected with your laboratory work will be explained at the first lab meeting.  Because all laboratory instructors are not equal, it may be necessary to normalize lab scores in certain lab sections at the end of the semester.

The computer-graded portion of tests will be composed of multiple-choice and matching questions.  There will also be essay questions on all tests, except the final exam.  Only those students who earn at least 40% on the original test may re-take the semester's first two tests.  These re-tests will feature completely different questions than the original tests; I will strive to make the original and the re-test equally challenging.  The re-test will be scheduled one week after the original test.  The re-test score automatically replaces the score on the original test, whether higher or lower.  The goal of this testing protocol is not for me to "give" you the highest score possible; the goal is for your score to accurately reflect your mastery of the information.  A limited number of students may opt to take the all-essay version of each unit test (consists of 5 essays); students who so desire must request this test by e-mail according to instructions that will be announced in class.

I will make an effort to design tests that challenge you to do more than regurgitate facts.  Repetitious reading of textbook and notes as a sole means of studying will get you no better than a grade of "C" because tests will ask you to apply, integrate, and evaluate information in situations which may be different from those covered in class.  They will be tests of your understanding of the principles of biology, not solely tests of your ability to memorize and recall.  Tests will include material covered in previous testing units i.e. are cumulative.  So that you can get some idea of what my tests are like, copies of old tests and sample answers to essay questions can be found in Appendix F of your lab manual, as well as at the course website.  No questions from these tests will be used on this semester's tests.  Study questions and study guides are also posted on the course website.  A Question & Answer session will be held on the Monday afternoon before each unit test.  Students are invited to create and submit multiple-choice questions for potential inclusion into all tests (I will say more about this in class).

Timed tests will be on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 sharp at sites to be announced (see schedule below for dates) and will last 90 minutes.  You must be prepared to show a photo ID at all tests; failure to do so can result in the disqualification of your test.  Also, bring two #2 pencils and two pens.  Scantron forms will be provided.  Errors in the completion of the Scantron forms or failure to follow directions may result in penalty deductions from your score.  The four unit tests will be open-note (NOT open-book) tests.  The final exam will be neither open-note nor open-book.  Anyone entering a test after someone has completed the test and left the room will not be allowed to take that test.  Cellular phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, etc. may not be used during tests or lectures.  Computers may not be used during tests.

Unprofessionally made videotapes of my lectures will be available in the P.A.S.S. Center (205 West Hall) within 24 h of each lecture.  Due to operator error or equipment breakdown, some lectures may not be videotaped.  These tapes are not meant to serve as an alternative to attending class.

Whereas tests are scheduled at a frequency of about once every three weeks, the test period (6:00-7:30) on Tuesday afternoons will usually be used for (mostly) optional activities such as discussions of current topics, enhancing study or test-taking skills, administering re-tests, lectures on related topics, working on sample test questions, etc. (see schedule below.  A mandatory diagnostic test will be administered on Tuesday, September 1 for the purposes of identifying content areas that will need special attention, and for course assessment.  This Diagnostic Test will not be used in student grading.  These activities will usually occur in LH100.

Tuesday Afternoon Activities
Sep. 1 - Mandatory Diagnostic Test
Sep. 8 - How to Succeed in BIOL 1403
Sep. 15 - Problem-Solving Session: Cell Biology
Oct. 6 - Problem-Solving Session: Biochemistry/Molecular Genetics
Nov. 3 - Problem-Solving Session: Genetics
Nov. 17 - Problem-Solving Session: Evidence of Evolution

Dec. 8 - Discussion: Religion and Evolution

In fall 2006, I took attendance at the first of these sessions, and at four of the problem-solving sessions.   See the corresponding data below:

Ignore/dismiss the above data at your own risk.

5. PROFESSOR’S PEEVES

Rude behaviors in which no member of this class should engage:

A. Arriving late and entering through the doors at the bottom of the lecture hall.

B. Arriving late and clambering over others to find a seat.

C. Failing to turn-off cell phone and consequently disturbing the class.

D. Wearing earphones after professor has begun class.

E. Chatting, dozing, “texting,” reading non-class materials after professor has begun class.

F. Using a laptop for any purpose other than taking notes; even then, the screen should be darkened so that it does not distract anyone else; sit in the back rows.

Less-than-intelligent behaviors that will probably result in loss of points:

A. Missing class for anything other than an emergency.  I have a narrow definition of “emergency.”  It does NOT include things like “I had to study for a test in another class,” or “I had to work,” or “My family went on vacation,” or “I had a doctor’s appointment.”  One should schedule such things around, not over, lecture and lab for this course.

B. Arriving at lecture or lab unprepared to participate actively (by reading ahead and reviewing class notes).

C. Failure to follow verbal or written instructions on tests.

D. Not taking prompt action to deal with academic setbacks, test anxiety, stress, and/or learning disabilities.

E. Not taking advantage of the many out-of-class opportunities to improve your understanding and test performance.

F. Not keeping up with homework and reading assignments.

6. SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION

The P.A.S.S. Center will sponsor a program in Supplemental Instruction (SI) specifically for BIOL 1403 students.  The SI leaders are Jim stickles and Brittany Embry.  Both will attend all lectures this semester and will offer free instructional SI sessions at times and places to be announced.  This is a superb opportunity to get help from a peer who is also an expert.

7. UNDERSTANDING EVALUATION

Evaluating student performance is a complex and difficult process, with many limits imposed on this process by the course's high enrollment.  Students in this course are judged on the basis of their achievements.  Effort is an important component of achievement, but I cannot accurately gauge your effort.  I am limited to measuring achievement by the number of points you earn.  Below are descriptions of typical "A" and "C" students in BIOL 1403 (modified from an article in The Teaching Professor, Aug/Sept 1993), and below this are the point distributions for last two years’ BIOL 1403 class.

The "A" Student -- An Outstanding Student

Attendance: "A" students have virtually perfect attendance.  Their commitment to the class resembles that of the professor.
Preparation: "A" students are prepared for class.  They always read the assigned pages.  Their attention to detail is such that they occasionally catch the professor in a mistake.
Curiosity: "A" students show interest in the class and in biology.  They look up or dig out what they don't understand.  They often ask interesting questions or make thoughtful comments.
Retention: "A" students have retentive minds.  They are able to connect past learning with the present.  They bring a background with them to class and they continually check new information against what they previously learned.
Attitude: "A" students have a winning attitude.  They have both the determination and the self-discipline necessary for success.  They show initiative.  They do things they have not been told to do.
Talent: "A" students have something special. It may be exceptional insight and intelligence.  It may be unusual creativity, organizational skills, commitment -- or a combination thereof.  These gifts are evident to the professor and usually to other students as well.
Results: "A" students make high grades on tests -- usually the highest in the class.  Their lab work and essays are a pleasure to read.

The "C" Student -- A Mediocre Student

Attendance: "C" students sometimes miss class.  They put other priorities ahead of academic work.  In some cases, their health, constant fatigue, or stress renders them physically unable to keep up with the demands of high-level performance.
Preparation: "C" students prepare their assignments consistently but in a perfunctory manner.  Their work may be sloppy or careless.  At times, it is incomplete.
Curiosity: "C" students' interests are limited to issues like "Do we have to know this for the test?"  They are most interested in coping or getting by.  Their goal is to spend as little time as possible in lab or studying.
Retention: "C" students only memorized things for tests in high school and have consequently forgotten this material; thus, they bring little background to the class.  They will probably take little from it because they still use the same poor study habits.
Attitude: "C" students are not visibly committed to the class.  They participate without enthusiasm.  Their body language often expresses boredom.
Talent: "C" students vary enormously in talent.  Some have exceptional ability, but show undeniable signs of poor self-management or poor attitudes.  Others are diligent, but below-average in academic ability.
Results: "C" students obtain mediocre or inconsistent results on tests.  They have some concept of what is going on, but clearly have not mastered the material.

Point Distributions for 2007 and 2008 Classes of BIOL 1403

                  FALL 2007                                FALL 2008
                   A = 7.0%                                    A = 9.8%
                   B = 31.3%                                  B = 30.7%
                   C = 36.7%                                  C = 32.7%
                   D = 17.6%                                  D = 16.2%
                   F = 7.4%                                     F = 10.6%
                   W = 23.3%*                                W = 36.2%

*NOTE: Letter-grade distributions are based on the number of students remaining at the close of the semester, whereas withdrawal distributions are based on the number of students who were enrolled on the 12th class day.

The rigor of this course makes it a high-risk course for many students, especially those who cannot devote adequate time to reflecting upon course content outside of class time, such as those who:
(a) have jobs
(b) are pledging Greek organizations
(c) have demanding family commitments
(d) party on weeknights
(e) belong to the marching band or sports teams
(f) are taking >15h or too many other rigorous courses this semester

and/or those who have poor backgrounds in biology, especially evident among those who:
(g) had a high school biology course where minimal studying was required to achieve good grades
(h) had a high school biology teacher without at least a B.S. in a life science
(i) are not used to being asked to go beyond mere recall in test situations
(j) graduated from a Texas high school with less than a recommended (college-prep) diploma

The more of these factors that apply to you, the more at risk you are.  You are encouraged to address those factors over which you have control, and to do so without delay.  Intense effort on your part may help ameliorate some of these factors (and see this website about the learning aids available to you in this course).

8. GRIEVANCES CONCERNING TESTS?

Following Re-Test #1, fifteen randomly chosen lab sections will have the opportunity to elect a representative to the Biology Advisory Committee (BAC) following brief presentations by the candidates concerning their qualifications for the position.  This committee of students will meet Wednesday afternoons from 4-5 p.m. following Test 2 and all subsequent tests in order to evaluate student comments/criticisms about non-essay test items and to forward their recommendations to the course instructor, who will take these recommendations under advisement.  The only qualifications to serve on the committee are that the candidate receive a "C" or better as the adjusted grade on Test #1, and that the student be available on Wednesdays from 4-5.

The BAC does not consider grievances about essay questions.  If you disagree with the score awarded to an essay, then type a detailed presentation of your grievance, attach it to the original essay, and submit it to the instructor for re-evaluation.  Essays done in pencil or erasable ink cannot be reconsidered.  Grievances about any portion of the test must be brought to the instructor’s attention within one week of the posting of scores (Part 1), and of the return of the essays (Part 2).

9. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE

Students who think they should drop the course should be aware that this course is offered only once a year at Texas Tech: fall semester.  One must realize that to enroll in BIOL 1404, one must complete BIOL 1403 with a “D” or better.  One must realize that earned Ds and Fs, while they can be replaced, never disappear from one’s transcript.  One must realize that not all biology courses offered at other institutions transfer here as the equivalent of BIOL 1403.  Transfer courses must (a) be designated specifically for majors (not non-majors, and not both majors and non-majors), (b) have a 3-h lab component that meets weekly, and (c) treat most of the principles listed in paragraph one of this syllabus.  To drop after Sept. 14, students go to room 103 in West Hall and complete the necessary paperwork.  If you decide to drop, it is not necessary to meet with me, though you may do so if you wish.  You should, however, inform your lab instructor of your decision.  All who drop on or before November 2 at 5:00 are guaranteed to receive a “W.”  After that date, dropping is not possible, and you will receive an actual letter grade.

10. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Dishonesty on exams, quizzes, written work, or connected with your attendance in lab or lecture will meet with serious consequences.  Students are expected to be aware of, and abide by, the University's Honor code.  Plagiarism on written lab reports or essays (copying/paraphrasing from other students or from other sources without giving due credit) will result in the loss of all points for that exercise, at the very least.

Use of tobacco products is not permitted in lecture, tests, or lab, nor is the use of cell phones, pagers, iPods, or beepers for "social networking."

Disabling conditions: Any student who, because of a disabling condition (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, ADHD, dyslexia) may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact me as soon as possible so that accommodations can be made.  Students should present appropriate verification from Disabled Student Services, Dean of Students Office.  No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of this approved University procedure.

Religious holidays: Any student who will miss test days because of recognized religious holidays should notify me as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made.

Can we talk?  We can talk about anything you'd like.  No appointment is necessary to see me during office hours -- just drop in, either singly or in groups.  If office hours are not convenient, then feel free to make an appointment.  I prefer to communicate via e-mail, and I will usually respond within 24 h.  My e-mail address is michael.dini@ttu.edu  Please type BIOL 1403 in the subject heading.

11. SCHEDULING INFORMATION

Labs begin the week of August 31.  The Cumulative Final Exam is on Tuesday, December 15th from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at a location to be announced in class.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR BIOL 1403, FALL 2009

 The last four lectures will be covered on the final exam.

^ Indicates last lecture of testing unit.