FIS 40300
Forensic Biology II
Dr. Christine Picard
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology & Forensic and Investigative Sciences
Program
cpicard@iupui.edu
Office: SL 206
Phone: 278-1050
Prerequisites: FIS 40200
Textbook (REQUIRED): John M. Butler, Forensic DNA Typing: Biology, Technology, and
Genetics of STR Markers, 2nd Edition, Elsevier, Boston, MA, 2005.
Attendance Policy:
You are required to attend class each meeting.
Course Description
This course is a continuation of FIS 40200 and will go into more detail about the structure
of DNA, and the application of molecular biology techniques for the determination of
individual identity. The materials learned will encompass broader topics such as
immunology, molecular biology, genetics, population genetics and statistics.
Principles of Undergraduate Learning covered within the course
Critical Thinking - Evaluate the logic, validity, and relevance of data; Synthesize
information in order to arrive at reasoned conclusions; Analyze complex issues & make
informed decisions
Integration & Application of Knowledge - Meet professional standards and
competencies; enhance their personal lives
Course Content and Goals
Module 1: Review of FIS 40200
This module will focus on a brief review of concepts covered in FIS 40200 which
include structure and function of DNA, methods for DNA extraction and
quantitation, forensic DNA genotyping and some issues associated with forensic
casework samples.
Module 2: Population Genetics and Forensic DNA Analysis
This module will focus on the basics of genetic variation in human populations, the
population genetic structure of humans, with a special focus on Hardy Weinberg
equilibrium. This basic knowledge will then be applied to forensic DNA profiles in
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the determination of probabilities of DNA profiles and how DNA profiles should be
interpreted.
Module 3: Other uses of Forensic DNA Markers
This module will focus on the analysis of mixtures, on the uses of Y chromosome
DNA markers and mitochondrial DNA, testing for genetic relationships using
forensic DNA markers, the use of non-human DNA, and other genetic markers (SNPs
and SINEs).
Module 4: Forensic DNA and the Law
This module will focus on the legal side of forensic DNA analysis and will include
lectures on DNA databases, lab validation and quality control measures, forensic
DNA lab reports, expert testimony and aspects of the law that apply to forensic DNA
analysts.
Class procedures
1. Attendance/Pop Quizzes: Though attendance is not a requirement, there will be
pop quizzes given in the first 5 minutes of class throughout the semester. If you
miss class, a quiz cannot be re-taken. Only the best 5 quiz grades will be used to
count towards your final grade.
2. Exams: During the semester there will be three tests plus a final exam. The three
exam dates have been set and are listed on the course syllabus. You are expected to
take the exam when offered. Therefore there will be no make-up tests given. Each
test will be made up of multiple choice questions, short answer, and some essaytype questions. If a student misses a test, (s)he can make it up by scheduling an oral
examination within 1 week of missing the test to be taken in the instructors office.
All students must take the final exam, which is cumulative of the entire semester’s
work and made up of 100 questions. It will be given in the lecture room, HR 101, on
the date and time specified in the schedule below. YOU MUST TAKE THE FINAL
EXAM during the period set aside during final exam week. No make-ups will be
given for this exam
3. Paper/Presentation: Each student will be required to choose from a list of
published scientific studies in which they will present the results of the paper in 1015 minutes.
4. Lecture Material, Reading Assignments, and Activities: You are responsible to
review the section material including lecture material, reading assignments, and
activities. Some power points will be available for review. You will not be graded
on completing this material, however, you will need to learn the information and
will be tested on the material. Most of this information will be kept in the Resource
tool of OnCourse.
5. Communication: Announcements will be made on OnCourse to changes in course
content. To contact me with questions, concerns, or comments please email me
directly. I will not use the messaging tool on OnCourse. I will respond to your email
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within 24 hours, with an exception to email sent Friday evening through Sunday. I
will respond to your email on Monday.
6. Course Material: In order to read the various documents about this course, you
must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. It is a free download from
the Adobe website. I will also use Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2012. I would
suggest an upgrade to the new version from UITS website if you don’t have done so.
You will need this to access word documents and power point slides that I post
under resources.
7. Internet: YOU MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET USING A BROWSER. All of
the course materials including assignments, news and announcements, last minute
changes outlines of my lectures will be kept in an OnCourse CL file for this class. In
order to read the various documents about this course, you must have Acrobat
Reader installed on your computer.
8. Instructional Model: The instructional model will be largely lecture.
9. Extra Credit Opportunities: There may be extra credit opportunities during the
semester. These will be announced in class as well as on OnCourse. The points
available to receive for attending the event and paper will be issued on an event
basis and will be announced with the event description.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GRADE AND GRADING SCALE
3 midterm exams (15% each)
Final Exam (cumulative)
5 quizzes
Paper/Presentation
Total
%
45
35
10
10
100
Grading Scale
Your grade will be based on a strict grading scale as outlined below. There will be no
curving of final grades.
A: 100 – 93%
C: 76.9 – 73%
A-: 92.9 – 90%
C-: 72.9 – 70%
B+: 89.9 – 87%
D+: 69.9 – 67%
B: 86.9 – 83%
D: 66.9 – 63%
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B-: 82.9 – 80%
D-: 62.9 – 60%
C+: 79.9 – 77%
F: less than 60%
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Academic Misconduct
(Taken from Academic Handbook, 2001and the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct)
http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/acadhbk/acad_handbk_2001.pdf
http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code
The Academic Handbook states that faculty members have the responsibility of fostering the “intellectual
honesty as well as the intellectual development of students....The faculty member should explain clearly the
meaning of cheating and plagiarism as they apply to the course....Should the faculty member detect signs of
plagiarism or cheating, it is his or her most serious obligation to investigate these thoroughly, to take
appropriate action with respect to the grades of students, and in any event to report the matter to the Dean of
Students. The necessity to report every case of cheating, whether or not further action is desirable, arises
particularly because of the possibility that this is not the student’s first offense, or that other offenses may follow
it. Equity also demands that a uniform reporting practice be enforced; otherwise, some students will be penalized
while others guilty of the same actions will go free.” (p. 172).
Academic Misconduct: (from the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct)
1. Cheating: A student must not use or attempt to use unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study
aids in any academic exercise, including, but not limited to, the following:
a. A student must not use external assistance on any "in-class" or "take-home" examination, unless the instructor
specifically has authorized external assistance. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of tutors,
books, notes, and calculators.
b. A student must not use another person as a substitute in the taking of an examination or quiz.
c. A student must not steal examinations or other course materials.
d. A student must not allow others to conduct research or to prepare work for him or her without advance
authorization from the instructor to whom the work is being submitted. Under this prohibition, a student must
not make any unauthorized use of materials obtained from commercial term paper companies or from files of
papers prepared by other persons.
e. A student must not collaborate with other persons on a particular project and submit a copy of a written
report which is represented explicitly or implicitly as the student's individual work.
f. A student must not use any unauthorized assistance in a laboratory, at a computer terminal, or on field work.
g. A student must not submit substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than
once without permission of the instructor to whom the work is being submitted.
h. A student must not alter a grade or score in any way.
2. Fabrication: A student must not falsify or invent any information or data in an academic exercise including,
but not limited to, records or reports, laboratory results, and citations to the sources of information.
3. Plagiarism: A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without
appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge
indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
a. Quotes another person's actual words, either oral or written;
b. Paraphrases another person's words, either oral or written;
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c. Uses another person's idea, opinion, or theory; or
d. Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge.
4. Interference
a. A student must not steal, change, destroy, or impede another student's work. Impeding another student's work
includes, but is not limited to, the theft, defacement, or mutilation of resources so as to deprive others of the
information they contain.
b. A student must not give or offer a bribe, promise favors, or make threats with the intention of affecting a grade
or the evaluation of academic performance.
Faculty Action
If a faculty member has information that one of his/her students committed an act of academic misconduct, the
faculty member is required to hold an informal conference with the student. The conference should be prompt
and private. If the faculty member concludes that the student is responsible for the misconduct, then the faculty
member is authorized to impose an appropriate academic sanction (i.e., lower or failing grade on the
assignment, assessing a lower or failing grade for the course).
After reporting the information to the Dean of Students, he/she will review the information to determine if
additional sanctions should be applied.
Sanctions are outlined in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. This document appears on
the web at the following address: http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code/
Policy on Student Academic Misconduct
Faculty are required to report all incidents of academic misconduct to the Dean of Students. For information
about policies and procedures, including due process requirements, see the Code of Student Rights,
Responsibilities, and Conduct, especially part III: Student Misconduct and Part IV: Student Disciplinary
Procedures. The code is accessible on the internet at http://www.life.iupui.edu/Who/Dean/Code
If you need any special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Adaptive Educational Services at
(317)-274-3241. The office is located in CA 001E.
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