Course Syllabus

BIO 005: Biology Today (Lecture & Discussion)

Autumn 2015 Syllabus

 

LECTURE:	Biology 005 – Dr.Dulai
PLACE:	CLASSROOM 116
TIME:	MWF 11:30am - 12:20pm
TEXTBOOKS:	1.     DIGITAL ACCESS BIO 5 - $60.00.  This is the required content for your Bio 005 course.  This Digital access is required for taking this class and is available to you at a substantial discount.  Your UC Merced "MyBill" will be automatically charged $60.00 + tax for this content 14 days after the start of classes.  Unless you opt-out of the content or drop the course.  You do not need to add this to your cart.  You will receive information via email 7 days before classes start on how to access the material or from your instructor on the first day of instruction. Please check your student email for this notice.  This includes the digital textbook, access to the online testing and learning modules - InQuizitive, and SmartWork online homework. Classroom Clickers (Turning Point) are a compulsory purchase or rental* – buy these from the campus bookstore
INSTRUCTOR:	Dr. Kamal Dulai	Office:	AOA 176
Phone:	(209) 228 3076	Office Hours:	M 10:25 am -11:25 am; F 10:25 am -11:25 am; Also by appointment
Email:	kdulai@ucmerced.edu

 

TEACHING ASSISTANTS:
Name:	Debye Conte	Simranjit Grewal
Email:	dconte@ucmerced.edu	sgrewal7@ucmerced.edu
Office Hours:	R: 2pm – 4pm, AOA 166	TBD

 

 

CRN	Section				Day/Time	Location	Instructor
30099	BIO-005-02D	Biology Today	DISC	F	12:30-2:20pm	KOLLIG 396	Simranjit Grewal
30100	BIO-005-03D	Biology Today	DISC	W	5:30-7:20pm	KOLLIG 396	Simranjit Grewal
30101	BIO-005-04D	Biology Today	DISC	W	7:30-9:20pm	CLSSRM 288	Debye Conte
30638	BIO-005-05D	Biology Today	DISC	M	7:30-9:20pm	CLSSRM 276	Simranjit Grewal

 

 

COURSE SUMMARY

 

A general biology course for non-major students. Course introduces students to the relevance of biology in daily living. Fundamental biological concepts including cell biology, chemistry, genetics, evolution, and ecology are explored in the context of current issues. Students are introduced to scientific research and laboratory techniques relating to social issue and policy in order to make informed decisions as individuals and members of society.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

Upon completion of this course students are expected to be able do the following:

• Identify and explore biological hypothesis, biological theory, social policy, basic cell and human anatomy, population health and nutritional issues;
• Describe the “Properties of Living systems”, classification of species, steps of mitosis, meiosis, the cell cycle, DNA replication, RNA transcription, and gene formation and mutation;
• Identify flaws and strength of biological research described in articles of scientific research in order to make objective opinions of the research presented;
• Understand basic laboratory techniques used in environmental studies, microbiology, and DNA testing.

 

 

COURSE PREREQUISITES

 

• None

 

 

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

 

Please carefully familiarize yourself with the policies below. It shall be assumed that you have read and understood them.

 

Course Scoring:

Assignment	Point Allocation	Total Points	% of Total Points
Homework (on SmartWork)	25 points each x 4	100	10%
Midterm Exams	100 points each x 2	200	20%
Final Exam	300 points x 1	300	30%
Discussion Quizzes	15 points each x 12	180	18%
Online Learning Module	190 points x 1	220	22%
	Total	1000	100%
Attendance Bonus*		50

 

 

Letter Grades:

The final distribution of grades in BIO 005 is given below. Keep track of your own grades.

 

Course Point Score			Letter Grade
88.00%	to	100.00%	A
85.00%	to	87.99%	A-
81.00%	to	84.99%	B+
78.00%	to	80.99%	B
75.00%	to	77.99%	B-
71.00%	to	74.99%	C+
68.00%	to	70.99%	C
65.00%	to	67.99%	C-
61.00%	to	64.99%	D+
58.00%	to	60.99%	D
55.00%	to	57.99%	D-
0.00%	to	54.99%	F

 

Information on grade appeals, incompletes, etc. can be found in the UC Merced Grading Policy available from the Registrar.

 

 

GRADING

 

Mid-term Exams:

Two 50-minute mid-exams will be given during the indicated lecture periods. These shall consist of 50 multiple choice answer questions. Please bring with you a green Scantron (Form 882-E) with your name and student number correctly bubbled in, a pencil, and your student ID.

Midterm exams are cumulative. You are expected to be familiar with the material covered in previous assessments and shall be tested on it. Study guides are NOT offered – as all content is important!

 

Final Exam:

A two hour cumulative final exam will be given during finals week. The final shall consist of 100 multiple choice answer questions. NOTE: You may be asked specific questions on material covered by any component of the course; past exams, discussions, and lectures.

BEWARE: Note the time for the final and place may be different from the regular lecture times.

 

Lecture Attendance

Students should attend all lectures. Attendance shall be taken automatically at the start of each lecture, using clickers, and bonus points (1 per lecture x 40 lectures = 40 points) shall be awarded for attendance. A further 10 bonus points shall be awarded automatically should you attend 80% (@32 out of 40) of lectures for a maximum of 50 bonus points. It is YOUR responsibility to bring your clicker to class. If you forget to bring your clicker please do not ask for compensation, as it will be denied. If your clicker malfunctions, either during class or outside class, take it back to the book store immediately.  Your clicker is equivalent to a calculator – if it malfunctions or the battery expires, it is your responsibility to take corrective measures!

 

Clicker Usage Policy

Students are reminded that you may ONLY use your own clicker in class. If you are found to be carrying an unauthorized clicker belonging to someone else, you will automatically lose 50% of any attendance points you may have earned and be prevented from earning further points. If the situation warrants we may also report you to the Office of Student Life for further action.

If you ask or permit others to deploy your clicker in class (even if you are present), you will lose all your attendance points and you will also be reported to the Student First Administration for further disciplinary action.

 

Team-based Learning:

At the beginning of the term, students shall be surveyed. Based on the analysis of this data, each student shall be placed in a team, who shall sit together, discuss and work solutions, and provide consensus graded answers to select questions for the remainder of the semester. Each team shall comprise six members. It is imperative that you learn to cooperate in a positive manner with other team members. Learn to identify strengths in others and yourselves and use these to your advantage.

 

Bonus Points

During the semester occasions may arise where the teaching staff may offer the entire class an opportunity to makeup missed points on select portions of exams by completing homework assignments. These points shall be added to your examination grade scores as appropriate.

 

Independent Study Groups

Although not mandatory, students are strongly encouraged to form large (6-15) member study groups, which should meet outside official course hours and tackle course material. Based on data from previous years, these study groups have provided an 18 point advantage on average. (It should be mentioned here that for most of you this is your first year at a university, and high school study habits may not suffice). You are encouraged to meet with the lecturer early in the course and discuss your learning methodology.

 

Make-up exams will not be offered for any midterm assessments.

No make-up mid-term exams are offered under any circumstances. Students who miss a midterm will receive a zero for the entire exercise unless they provide documentation, within 7 days of their return, for one of the following acceptable excuses:

1. Incapacitating illness or accident -- requires a note from student’s physician (not a family member) or from UC Merced Health Services.
2. Death or serious illness of an immediate family member—requires proper documentation.
3. State or federally accepted religious observance or an academic activity (you will be sent to the Office of Student Life to supply proof). This also has to be acceptable to the instructor of record, and you must present your case well ahead of time.

Students with a documented excuse (only as above) shall receive a provisional grade on the midterm based on the average of their other mid-term scores. Appropriate proof must be supplied in all cases to the teaching staff, either prior to the event or in any case within 7 days upon your return.  Failure to do so will result in a zero score for that assignment.

 

Final Exam

No make-up of the final exam is permitted. MISSING THE FINAL EXAM IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. Students who miss the final exam shall receive a grade of “F” for the course. Students with an acceptable excuse (as provided in the list above), and if the student was achieving a passing grade (C- or better) in all course work up until the final exam, can arrange with the instructor for a process to remove the incomplete (I grade) from their records within the time period stated by University policy.

 

 

DISCUSSION SECTIONS

Discussion Sections:

NOTE: Discussion sections are mandatory for all students. A significant portion of the points awarded towards the final grade come from the discussion section quizzes. Missing discussion meetings may result in a failing grade (see below).

As noted in the timetable, discussion sections begin the second week of term. Each discussion period (bar none) shall begin with a quiz. Your very first discussion meeting quiz shall be based on the course syllabus and the first two lectures. Please ensure you arrive on time. Students arriving late shall not be afforded additional time on quizzes. If you miss discussion for reasons other than the acceptable excuses (see above), then you WILL be given a zero on the quiz and marked as absent. Excuses such as a death of a pet are not considered acceptable, nor are transport issues. We have very strict guidelines for accepting excuses.

Note: Students may NOT attend another discussion meeting. Space and fire regulations do not permit this. You must only attend the session for which you are registered. Leaving discussion meeting before your TA officially dismisses you is equivalent to you having not attended in the first instance, therefore your quiz shall not be scored and it will count as a missed discussion. Never leave without consent. It is also a requirement of fire regulations for obvious reasons.

 

BEWARE:  If you must miss a discussion section with an acceptable excuse as covered in this syllabus and by University policy, try to let your TA know ahead of time. If you do have an acceptable reason for missing class (and you provide appropriate documentation within 7 days of your return), you shall not be allowed to make up the quiz, rather, you will be given a quiz score equal to the average of your other quiz scores at mid-term and at the end of the semester. If you choose, you may arrange ahead of time to attend another section for review purposes only (space permitting), and may also take that quiz but your score cannot be transferred and will not be counted. For this reason you are strongly encouraged to attend your own section.

 

WARNING: If you miss more than 4 discussion meetings you shall be awarded a failing grade of ‘F’ for this entire course!

 

Discussion Quizzes:

Nearly each week of the course, a 15 point quiz will be administered at the commencement of discussion sections. The quizzes shall consist of 10 to 15 questions drawn from 1) any previous discussion; 2) any previous lectures; 3) homework assignments.

BEWARE: Students arriving late shall NOT be afforded additional time to complete the quiz. A score of zero shall be awarded for all quizzes that you fail to submit.

BEWARE: Leaving a discussion section early shall negate your quiz score, as the quiz also contains a participation requirement for the duration of the discussion section.

BEWARE: You may NOT take the quiz in another discussion section, even if your TA is instructing that section.

 

Discussion Standardization:

Since different discussion sections are graded by different teaching assistants, there is a potential for variation in the quiz scores. In an attempt to minimize such variance, the following policies shall be implemented: Quizzes for all sections shall be composed by one member of the team each week.  During the semester, the instructor shall monitor the points awarded across sections.  If necessary at the end of the course, a mathematical standardization might be applied. In this exercise a few points may be awarded to some students and not others. Do not rely on this for your grade, as it is only a means to equalize for different grading styles.

 

 

GENERAL

 

Course Participation:

Participation in this course is strongly encouraged. It helps students and teaching staff clarify material, and promotes scientific dialogue. Scientific data clearly shows that attendance and participation do benefit student understanding and do positively influence student grades. Typically, students who succeed attend lecture on a regular basis. Students are expected to attend all lectures, although it is discretionary. Note that students are responsible for any material discussed in their absence and for determining if any bonus assignments have been posted.

For students whose final scores fall right on the border of a grade change (ex. A-/B+), active engagement and participation in the course may increase your chances of receiving the higher score. This would be exclusively at the discretion of the instructor and is normally based on the recommendations made by the teaching assistants.

 

 

Course Materials and Handouts:

In addition to the textbook and class handouts, computer and internet access shall be required for this class. For students who do not otherwise have access to a computer or the internet, computers may be available at several campus locations including the main reading room in the library. Copies of the lecture PowerPoint’s will also be available in Acrobat format (.pdf files) on the BIO 005 CatCourses site after the lecture has taken place.

 

 

Homework and Revision:

Plan to devote approximately 2 hours per lecture hour, on average. This would equal 6 hours per week. This does not include classroom time.

 

 

Electronic Aids:

The use of electronic devices is prohibited during exams and assessments. The only exception shall be simple calculators, which must be declared and checked by the staff prior to use. No cell phones (or cell phone calculators), no iPads, or any other electronic devices are permitted. Leave all cell phones in your bags during examinations and tests (best not to bring them for security reasons). Turn the ringers off!  The use of electronic aids to circumvent the spirit of any assessment is a very serious violation of policy, and is not permitted.

During other periods, please prevent your electronic devices from interfering with instruction. If you must take a phone call, please have the courtesy to step out.

 

 

Regrade policy:

Regrade requests will only be accepted within one week (7 days) from the date a scored assessment is returned. For each question requiring attention, you must submit a written explanation describing why you believe your response should be reevaluated. Please know we reserve the right to regrade your entire assessment. As a result, your score could either increase or decrease.

BEWARE: A random sample of all assessments will be photocopied after initial grading. If a comparison of the photocopy to the exam submitted for regarding indicates any alteration, the case will be forwarded to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Never alter any exam, quiz, or other assessment material returned to you.

 

 

Student Services:

If any student with any form of learning disability wishes or has registered for this course they should contact the instructor as soon as possible so rapid arrangements can be made to address those needs.  UC Merced and this instructor are committed to making our courses accessible to all students, including students with limited mobility, impaired hearing or vision, and learning disabilities. Students who may need academic accommodation(s) services should visit the Disability Services web site at http://disability.ucmerced.edu/default.asp and also contact the Disability Services Coordinator at the UCM Disability Services office (228-6996) located at the Kolligan Library, Suite 107 or email disabilityservices@ucmerced.edu as early as possible in the semester so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

 

 

Tutors are regularly available to assist all students of this course with one-on-one tuition. These student tutors, who have previously passed this class, will visit the students during lectures early in the semester and make announcements about their services. Students may also make direct contact with tutoring services by contacting the Student Advising and Learning Center (http://learning.ucmerced.edu), They are located in Kolligian 172, on the first floor of the Gold Wing, email: learning@ucmerced.edu, 209-228-7252 (CAT-SALC).

 

 

Group and independent assignments in BIO 005: 

Some activities in BIO 005 involve group work and we encourage you to discuss any of the materials in the text, lectures, and/or discussion sessions with the instructors and other students, but the work you submit must be your own for all of the following:

• Quizzes
• Midterm and final assessments

That is, each student must generate their own answers written in their own words to all written questions. At the first instance of copied answers on assignments, no credit will be given to all students with duplicate answers and the assignments will be forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Affairs and the Office for Judicial Affairs. Subsequent copied assignments could lead to dismissal from course or the university (see section on Academic Integrity below). 

 

Academic integrity: 

Academic integrity is the foundation of an academic community and without it none of the educational or research goals of the university can be achieved. All members of the university community are responsible for its academic integrity. Existing policies forbid cheating on examinations, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. The current policies for UC Merced are described in the UC Merced Academic Honesty Policy and Adjudication Procedures available from your instructor. The following general guidelines are adapted from UC Merced Academic Honesty Policy (http://studentsfirst.ucmerced.edu/).

 

Examples of academic dishonesty include:

• receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on examinations
• using unauthorized materials during an examination
• plagiarism – using materials from sources without citations
• altering an exam and submitting it for re-grading
• fabricating data or references
• using false excuses to obtain extensions of time or to skip coursework

 

The ultimate success of a code of academic conduct depends largely on the degree to which the students fulfill their responsibilities supporting academic integrity.

These responsibilities include:

• Be honest at all times.
• Act fairly toward others. For example, do not disrupt or seek an unfair advantage over others by cheating, or by talking or allowing eyes to wander during exams.
• Take group as well as individual responsibility for honorable behavior. Collectively, as well as individually, make every effort to prevent and avoid academic misconduct, and report acts of misconduct that you witness.
• Do not submit the same work in more than one class. Unless otherwise specified by the instructor, all work submitted to fulfill course requirements must be work done by the student specifically for that course. This means that work submitted for one course cannot be used to satisfy requirements of another course unless the student obtains permission from the instructor.
• Unless permitted by the instructor, do not work with others on graded coursework, including in class and take-home tests, papers, or homework assignments. When an instructor specifically informs students that they may collaborate on work required for a course, the extent of the collaboration must not exceed the limits set by the instructor.
• Know what plagiarism is and take steps to avoid it. When using the words or ideas of another, even if paraphrased in your own words, you must cite your source. Students who are confused about whether a particular act constitutes plagiarism should consult the instructor who gave the assignment.
• Know the rules – ignorance is no defense. Those who violate campus rules regarding academic misconduct are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including suspension and dismissal.

 

 

Flexibility Clause:

Circumstances may arise during the course which may prevent the staff from fulfilling each and every component of this syllabus; therefore, the syllabus may be subject to small adjustments.  Students will be notified prior to any changes, if possible.  

 

 

Hearsay

Contrary to what you may have heard about this course, students have to earn their grade!  I expect you to adhere to all the above policies and put forth a real effort. Only by studying and following instructions will you leave with a good grade. This is a UC level course, I expect you to treat it as such!

 

 

Flexibility Clause:

Circumstances may arise during the course which may prevent the instructor from fulfilling each and every component of this syllabus.  Therefore, the syllabus should be viewed as a guide and is subject to change.  Students will be notified prior to any changes, when possible.  

 

 

Welcome & Great Learning!

 

          BIO 005 AUTUMN 2015 TIMETABLE:

L#	DAY	Date		Lecture Topic	Chp.	Obj*
1	W	26	Aug	Introductions & Expectations	-	-
2	F	28	Aug	Video: Origins of Life on Earth	DVD	1,2,3,4,5
				Discussion (Week 1) No Discussions
3	M	31	Aug	Video: Origins of Life on Earth (cont.)	DVD	1,2,3,4,5
4	W	2	Sep	What is Biology? What is Science?	1	1,2,3,4,5
5	F	4	Sep	How does one do Science?	1	1,2,3,4,5
				Discussion (Week 2 ) Introductions
-	M	7	Sep	Labor Day Holiday – No Lecture
6	W	9	Sep	Define Life.	2	1,3,5
7	F	11	Sep	The Chemistry of Life.	2	1,3,5
				Discussion (Week 3)  No Discussions
8	M	14	Sep	Cells: Types and Properties	3	1,3,5
9	W	16	Sep	Traversing the cell barrier	3	1,3,5
10	F	18	Sep	Capturing energy from the Sun	4	1,3,5
				Discussion (Week 4) Quiz 1
11	M	21	Sep	Life: Running on fuel	4	1,3,5
12	W	23	Sep	Cell replacement	5	1
13	F	25	Sep	Cell reproduction	5	1,3,5
				Discussion (Week 5) Quiz 2
14	M	28	Sep	Inheritance	6	1,2,6,7
15	W	30	Sep	Genetics	6	1,2,6,7
15	F	2	Oct	EXAM 1 (to Chapter 5)	-
				Discussion (Week 6) Quiz 3
16	M	5	Oct	Diseases	7	1,2,3,4,5
17	W	7	Oct	Chances of having a disease & fixing it, maybe!	7	1,2,3,4,5
18	F	9	Oct	What is DNA?	8	1,2,4,5
				Discussion (Week 7) Quiz 4
19	M	12	Oct	Manipulation of DNA	8	1,2,4,5
20	W	14	Oct	How cells make what they need	9	1,2,4,5
21	F	16	Oct	Dangerous defects	9	1,2,4,5
				Discussion (Week 8) Quiz 5)
22	M	19	Oct	Evolution – the power of change	10	1,2,4,5
23	W	21	Oct	Show me the evidence for evolution	10	1,2,4,5
24	F	23	Oct	Power of Natural Selection	11	1,2,4,5
				Discussion (Week 9) Quiz 6
25	M	26	Oct	Drug resistance and evolution	11	1,2,3,4,5
E2	W	28	Oct	New Species	12	1,2,3,4,5
26	F	30	Oct	EXAM 2 (to Chapter 11)	-	-
				Discussion (Week 10) Quiz 7
27	M	2	Nov	Barriers to speciation	12	1,2,4,5
28	W	4	Nov	Video revisited: History of Life	13	1,2,4,5
29	F	6	Nov	Diversity and unity of life	13	1,2,3
				Discussion (Week 11) Quiz 8
30	M	9	Nov	Where did we come from?	14	1,2,4,5
-	W	11	Nov	Veterans Day Holiday
31	F	13	Nov	DVD – An interconnected planet	DVD	1,2,4,5
				Discussion (Week 12) No Discussions
32	M	16	Nov	Ecology: introduction	15	1,2,3,4,5
33	W	18	Nov	Recycling chemistry	15	1,2,3,4,5
34	F	20	Nov	Population Biology	16	1,2,3,4,5
				Discussion (Week 13) Quiz 9
35	M	23	Nov	Population woes	16	2,5
-	W	25	Nov	No lecture – Non-Instructional Day		-
-	F	27	Nov	Thanksgiving Holiday
				Discussion (Week 14) No Discussions
36	M	30	Nov	Community interactions	17	2,5
37	W	2	Dec	Species interactions and consequences	17	2,5
38	F	4	Dec	Ecosystems	18	2,5
				Discussion (Week 15) Quiz 10
39	M	7	Dec	Food chains	18	5
40	W	9	Dec	Scientific process	19	7
41	F	11	Dec	Critical assessment	19	7
				Discussion (Week 16) Quizzes 11 & 12
Fin	F	18	Dec	EXAM - FINAL    9:00 am – 11:00 am in Rm C116	Morning

 

PLEASE NOTE: Exams (and sometimes quizzes) will use Scantrons. Scantrons will not be provided; please buy a pack (form 882-E Green) from the bookstore. Always bring a Scantron with you to all sessions.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students should be able to:                                                                                    

1. Recognize the relationship between structure and function at all levels: molecular, cellular, organism, and community.
2. Describe the flow of genetic information, the chromosome theory of heredity and the relationship between genetics and evolutionary theory.
3. Students will be able to explain the role of natural selection in the development of life on Earth.
4. Students will be able to identify the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the major groups of organisms.
5. Students will recognize the ecological relationships between organisms and their environment.
6. Diagram and explain the major cellular and/or systemic processes.
7. Outline and discuss the components of the scientific process.

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