Instructor: Dr. Eric S. McCloud Office: SC 65

Phone: X1228 email: emccloud@deepcnet.usi.edu

Lecture Text: Biology of Animals, 7th Ed. Hickman et al. Office Hours MWF 10-11; Th 9-10

Laboratory Text: General Zoology Laboratory Guide, 12th Ed. Lytle

Course Description and Philosophy This course is designed as an introduction to the animals - their evolution, ecology, and diversity. This course may also be viewed as an introduction to general principles in biology as seen through the lens of animal examples and systems. The depth of coverage alloted to topics will vary; some topics will be covered extensively while others will be covered intensively. The goals of this course are to provide you with 1) a basic knowledge of the workings of fundamental biological processes in animal systems and 2) basic knowledge in animal biology that you will use as a starting point for more advanced courses in biology.

This course satisfies 4 credit hours in the University Core Curriculum (UCC) category C3 - Science.

1) Plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in dismissal from the University.

2) Students are expected to arrive on time for class and maintain proper classroom decorum at all times.

3) Read labs before coming to lab and read applicable portions of the text before coming to class. In the former case, this will allow you to organize your time in lab more effectively and in the latter case, you will be better prepared to participate in lecture classes.

4) Do not treat your participation in lecture classes as a passive exercise. In lecture, your goal is to reinforce, reorganize, and clarify your mental picture of topics that you should have already read about. In this way, you will be able to take notes effectively during lecture as well as thinking and asking questions during lecture. Effective note-taking is a skill that does not simply come naturally to many people. To take notes effectively, you should seek to think over and organize the topics as they are being discussed. Your notes should reflect the relationships and relative importance of topics rather than simply being a loose transcription of the lecture. Do not attempt to write down all that is said!

5) This class is your "job". Approach your job with professionalism. In part, what I mean by this is that you must be organized, dedicated, and willing to make this class a high priority. I also mean that you really need to take some responsibility for your own learning. I can be a guide but you must also take initiative. In other words, you should be able to answer the question, what are you going to do to learn about botany and cellular biology? with an answer that is more extensive than "I will come to class and take notes".

6) Practice, practice, practice! After class, re-write and/or annotate your notes. Use this time to fill in gaps in your notes, make notes to yourself about things that you need to look at harder, make page references in your notes to your textbook, and highlight particularly important portions of your notes. This technique works well because it provides you with both repetition of topics and a way to study the same thing in different ways. First, you read the material in the text next, you attend class and participate by listening, thinking, taking notes, and asking questions (see number 4) then third, you rewrite and annotate your notes after class.

Lecture Exams (3) 300

Final Exam 140

Quizes 35

Lab Exams (2) 200

Photosynthesis Project / Report 50

Lab Quizes 25

750

There are 750 total points in this course. Your grade will be derived from the percentage of the total points that you earn. I reserve the right to lower the A, B, C, D grade cutoffs from the traditional 90, 80, 70, 60 % levels at the end of the semester. The grade cutoffs will not be raised.

Course attendance is your responsibility and you are expected to attend every class/lab. No makeup exams can be given and there are no makeup laboratories. If you must miss an exam, you must obtain permission of the instructor and provide written documentation of an acceptable excuse (serious illness, death in the immediate family). In such a case, grades will be prorated. A grade of zero will be assigned for exams missed without the instructor's permission.

I have read and understand the syllabus for Biology 152, Fall 2000.

Signed____________________________ Date____________

Print Name_________________________

Yr in School/Number of Credits email address

What would you like to be called?

What courses/life experience have you had that might prepare you for this course?

Where did you grow up/where have you lived?

What topics in biology that we might cover this semester most interest you?

Do you have any special concerns regarding your learning environment that you'd like me to know about?