Zeigler: Fall 2004 COURSE SYLLABUS Biology 100

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COURSE INFORMATION & POLICIES FOR BIOLOGY 100-Fall 2004:

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: An introduction to modern and classical biological concepts. Credit, 3semester hours.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students successfully completing this course should be able to demonstrate knowledge or understanding in several key areas: 1) the fundamental concepts of cellular biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution, 2) the purpose, methods, and principles of scientific inquiry, 3) a understanding of humans and our world, and 4) the effects of technology on the physical and human environment.

REQUIRED TEXT: BIOLOGY: Concepts & Connections, 4th edition, by Campbell, Reese, Mitchell & Taylor.

EXAMS: There will be 5 lecture exams plus a comprehensive final. The lowest of the first 5 exam grades will be dropped. If you should miss one of these first 5 exams for any reason whatever, that will become your dropped exam grade of zero. No make-upexams will be given for any reason. The four remaining exams, along with the final, each count 20% of the course. The lecture exams will be mostly multiple choice, matching, and fill in the blank. These grades alone will determine your course grade, except in the case of excess absences (see below) where your grade will be reduced accordingly. Individual extra credit of any kind does not exist in this course.

GRADING: Final grade assignments will be made according to the following system.
      There will be no curves on individual exams or on the final course averages.
          The last day to withdraw from the course with a "W" is October 25th.                  

There are no A+, F+, or F- grades. Other + and - grades will break out as in this example:

ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken sometime during every lecture period. If your absences exceed 6 in the semester, 3 points will be deducted from your final course average for every absence over 6. It does not matter whether absenses are "excused" or unexcused. You have 6 to work with which should be plenty for the semester. Also, if classes have not been canceled, bad weather is no excuse. You would do well to remember that you (or someone) paid for you to be here--in class. If you miss a lecture, you are responsible for any missed notes, which you must obtain from another student, NOT FROM ME.

CLOSING HOTLINE: The school does at times cancel classes for all or part of a day, usually due to bad weather. To find out if classes are running as usual, call the University Hotline at: (910) 521-6888.

EMAIL: If you should email me concerning the course, please make your subject start with BIO 100, otherwise I may delete it without opening it--due to the many virus-containing emails that have cropped up lately.

BEHAVIOR: I expect you to be in class to take notes, to ask questions (of me), etc. If you do not want to listen and engage in an academic environment, you should ask yourself why, and indeed why you are enrolled at a University. If you want to talk and visit with your classmates, do that elsewhere or simply don't come to class that day. It is not fair to distract me or your fellow students from the material we are trying to cover.

TUTORING & ACADEMIC AID: Tutoring for this course is usually available through the Student Support Services Office in the Lowery Building. They also offer a wide variety of help with study skills, note-taking, time managment, stress, etc.

CHEATING: Cheating on any exam will result in an exam grade of 0 !!

CELL PHONES: No professor appreciates cell phones ringing in class. Please turn them off or to vibration mode while in class. Off is preferable, unless you are expecting a real emergency call.

CLASS VISITORS: Please check with me beforehand if you have someone with you who you want to sit in on the class session (especially so in the case of children).

DISABILITY: Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is required to speak directly to Disablility Support Services and the instructor as early as possible, preferably within the 1st week. All discussions will remain confidential. This syllabus is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact: Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services Center, DF Lowery Building, 521-6695. mary.walker@uncp.edu