Biology 142
General Biology II
Spring 2006
Saint Martin’s University
Professor
Margaret Olney, Ph.D.
Office: Old Main 407
Office phone: 438-4327
molney@stmartin.edu
Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday 10-11:30am
Thursday 9:30-11:30am
or by appointment
Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Section A2: 8-9:20am in Old Main 406.
Section B2: 12:10-1:30pm in Old Main 401. You must attend the section for
which you are registered. 3 credits.
The lab is a separate 1 credit class, Bio142L, Wednesdays 12-1:50, 2-3:50, or 4-5:50pm.
Labs are held in Old Main 402 and begin tomorrow, 1/18/06.
Required Textbook: Biology: Concepts and Applications. Sixth Edition. Starr. 2006.
Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishers. ISBN 0534462243.
Course Description: This survey course is intended for prospective biology and science majors
at Saint Martin’s University. Topics include translation, control of gene expression, molecular
biology, evolution, prokaryotes, viruses, protists, plants, invertebrate animals, vertebrate animals,
and community structure and biodiversity. Bio141 (or its equivalent) is a prerequisite for this
course. Bio141 and 142 are prerequisites for all upper division biology courses at Saint Martin’s.
Student Outcomes: Specific objectives for students in this course include:
1. Understanding the basic integrating principles of biology, as related to the topics listed in
the course description above;
2. Understanding and applying the scientific method to solving problems in biological
systems;
3. Understanding biological issues and their relationship to societal issues;
4. Learning to formulate questions in a scientific framework;
5. Learning to evaluate and interpret scientific evidence; and
6. Developing critical thinking and effective communication skills.
Your instructor will work with you through classroom lectures, discussion, activities and
laboratory exercises to help you accomplish these objectives. Beyond this, the goal is to help
you appreciate the elegance of biological systems, the limits of our understanding of biology,
how experimentation has guided us to this understanding, how new insights and experimental
results over time have changed our understanding, and how we can continue this learning
process about biological systems through further experimentation.
You should also appreciate the inter-relatedness of the scientific disciplines. It is impossible to
study and understand biology without an appreciation and understanding of chemistry, physics
and mathematics. The interdependence of these disciplines is such that a degree in biology is
built on a solid knowledge base of chemistry, physics and math and it is hoped that you will
begin to see these disciplines not as obstacles on the way to a degree in biology, but as important
sources of knowledge that allow you to develop a more complete understanding of biological
systems.
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Science is an active process of investigating the natural world and not just a collection of “facts”
in a textbook. To truly understand this concept it is vital that active participation by you, the
student, takes place in the process. The laboratories in which you will be participating are
chosen specifically to further illustrate concepts in lecture and involve testing various aspects of
the models we will be studying in lecture.
Class Participation: Studies have shown that learning occurs best in an interactive and active
environment, so you should not plan on just sitting back and silently taking notes in this course.
This does not mean that you shouldn’t take notes. Instead, you should do MORE than just take
notes during class. Plan to actively and enthusiastically participate in class lectures, discussions,
projects, and activities. You will be rewarded both in your grade and in your level of learning.
In general, the more engaged you are, the more (and more deeply) you will learn. Class time
will be devoted to lectures, activities, discussions, and projects.
Evaluation of objective achievement:
Examinations: Students will take three midterm examinations and one cumulative final
examination to demonstrate their understanding of material from lectures, discussions, activities,
and assigned readings. The dates and chapters covered on each exam are noted on the class
schedule. However, in addition to the dates and pages noted on the schedule, approximately
10% of each of the second and third midterm exams will come from material covered earlier in
the semester. Because you are building a knowledge and skill base cumulatively in this course,
you will not be able to forget material covered on earlier exams. Reviewing earlier material (and
exams) not only makes studying for the final exam easier, but it also enhances your
understanding of the interconnectedness of the biological principles we will be studying.
Midterm exams will be given during lab periods, and you will have a maximum of 1 hour and 50
minutes to complete them. The final exam will be cumulative and will be on May 9 or May 11,
at the times indicated on the schedule. Exams will include multiple choice, short answer, and
essay questions. Some questions will be recall questions; others will require the synthesis and/or
application of several concepts.
Quizzes: Quizzes will be given throughout the semester. The dates of the quizzes will
be announced in advance. Your quiz with the lowest score will be dropped. The quizzes may
include multiple choice and short answer questions, and the format of the quizzes may vary.
Participation: This part of your grade includes active and enthusiastic participation in
class lectures, activities, projects, and discussions; promptness; and attendance. If you come (on
time) to every class and ask or answer a couple of questions over the course of the semester, you
can expect to earn approximately 80% of the participation grade. In order to score higher, you
will want to ask and answer questions during every class period. The more actively engaged you
are, the more you will learn.
Paper: A separate handout will describe this assignment later in the semester.
Grading
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Final Exam
15 %
15 %
15 %
20 %
Quizzes (total of 10) 15 %
Participation
5%
Paper
15 %
Total
100 %
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Grading Scale
A
exceptionally high level of competence or knowledge
B
above average competence or knowledge
C
adequate competency related to course goals
D
marginal competency but passing
F
failure to achieve minimum competency
A
AB+
B
B-
93.0 - 100 %
90.0 - 92.99 %
87.0 - 89.99 %
83.0 - 86.99 %
80.0 - 82.99 %
C+
C
CD+
D
77.0 - 79.99
73.0 – 76.99 %
70.0 – 72.99 %
67.0 – 69.99 %
63.0 – 66.99 %
Student Attendance and Late Policy: It is your responsibility to attend classes, take exams,
and hand assignments in on time, so plan ahead accordingly. You are required to attend all
lectures. If you must miss a lecture because of extraordinary circumstances, please notify your
instructor in advance and make arrangements to get copies of lecture notes from one of your
classmates.
Several quizzes will be given over the course of the semester (announced days) and will be given
at the beginning of class. If you arrive after the quizzes are handed out, you will not be able to
take the quiz and you will receive a score of zero. There will be NO make-up quizzes (remember
that your lowest quiz score will be dropped).
Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Assignments turned in up to 24
hours late will penalized 50% of the point total. Assignments turned in 1-7 days late will be
penalized 75% of the point total. Assignments more than 7 days will not be accepted for credit.
Make-up exams will NOT be given unless: 1) you were very ill at the time of the exam AND
you have a legitimate written excuse from a nurse, counselor, or physician (for reasons of
confidentiality, your written excuse only needs to say that you were unable to attend because of
illness) AND you notified you instructor BEFORE the beginning time of the exam (via phone or
email); 2) you had a family emergency AND you notified the dean’s office or counselor AND
you notified your instructor BEFORE the beginning time of the exam; or 3) you were on a
college-sponsored field trip which required your absence AND you personally notified your
instructor of your absence at least one week before the exam. If you miss an exam for any other
reason, you will receive a score of zero.
Plagiarism and Cheating Policy: All students are expected to uphold the integrity of this
academic institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, giving or receiving
unauthorized information regarding exams or assignments; copying or allowing copying of any
assignment, lab write-up, or test; or plagiarism from any written material (whether copyrighted
or not). Depending on the severity of the infringement, violators of this policy will receive a
zero on the assignment involved or a failing grade in the course, AND (under all circumstances)
will have their name and evidence of cheating submitted to the Vice President of Academic
Affairs for further action. Further information about penalties for academic dishonesty can be
found in the St. Martin’s University Student Conduct Code (see your Student Handbook).
Copying or paraphrasing another person’s lab or paper is considered cheating by both people.
Plagiarism is taking the ideas, thoughts, content, or graphics from someone else and representing
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them as your own. This includes cutting and pasting passages of another person’s work off the
internet. When you are using information from another source (whether copyrighted or not,
including your textbook, the internet, or another student’s paper), always document it within
your paper! If you are directly quoting a source, either use quotation marks (for short passages)
or indent or single-space the quote (for longer passages). In either case, you must also indicate
the source. If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, please consult your instructor. It is
very important that you complete your own original work.
Do NOT ignore the cheating policy in this (or any) course. It is a very SERIOUS matter. Your
instructors have encountered many different forms of cheating in the past and will not be shy
about turning in and failing violators. Trust me; you really don’t want to fail this course or to be
expelled from St. Martin’s for cheating or plagiarism!
Special Needs: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if
you have medical and/or safety concerns to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment to speak with your instructor
as soon as possible.
Academic Success: Understand that “INTRODUCTORY” does not mean “EASY.” When
difficult concepts and detailed information are presented, it is the student's responsibility to take
the appropriate steps to learn and understand these concepts and information.
Tips for Success in this Course: First, throw away the notion that you will learn all you
need to know during the three hours of lecture each week. Educators have estimated that for
every hour of in-class time, you should spend approximately 2 hours of time out of class,
because you are responsible for your own learning and understanding. Your instructors cannot
learn the information and understand the concepts for you, and we cannot make you learn and
understand simply through lecture. So the question becomes, how can you most profitably spend
your hours outside class? The following list summarizes some strategies:
1. Read your textbook before coming to class. Read it through once to identify the "big
ideas". Don't highlight every line. Select key concepts and definitions. Remember that
questions from the reading assigned for a particular class period will be present on a quiz if
one is given that day.
2. Review your lecture notes before and after each class. Review before class to prepare
for a possible quiz that day. Review after class to check your understanding of the
material covered. Use your textbook or its resources (CD-ROM and website) to fill in any
missed details and to answer questions that you have. If a question persists after you have
tried to answer it yourself, ask a classmate, tutor, or your instructor. Each class builds on
information in preceding classes. If a key concept is missed early on, new information will
be confusing.
3. Take the self-quiz and answer the problems or critical thinking questions at the ends
of the chapters in your textbook. There is supplemental material available on the CDROM that came with your textbook.
4. Study using the textbook and Biology Now websites. At least one of the questions from
online will appear on each of your exams. This website (see your textbook for an access
code) has many valuable resources, including basic skills; and for each chapter: a pretest
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that can lead to the development of a Personal Learning Plan, chapter summaries, minilectures, the big picture, chapter quizzes, learning objectives, chapter outlines, interactive
flashcards, web links, and a glossary. In addition, you can access online tutor from this
website.
5. Organize a study group. Ask questions of each another. Try to figure out what questions
might be asked on an exam. Analyze answers as a group and work together to arrive at
complete and accurate answers to the questions.
6. Use the tutor services available. Tutoring in biology (and many other subjects) is
available free of charge to all St. Martin’s students in the Learning Center (Old Main 214).
You are strongly encouraged to use the tutoring services.
Support Services: If you are having difficulty with the content and concepts presented in this
course, please do not hesitate to contact your instructor. Additionally, get to know the tutor in
biology and use the Learning Center (Old Main 214) throughout the semester, (not just before an
exam). Be sure to bring specific questions or concepts to the tutor for help. The more specific
you can be on what you’re having problems with, the more likely the tutor can help you.
Student Conduct: To make our time together more valuable, we are going to establish a basic
philosophy: Every student has the right to learn, as well as the responsibility not to deprive
others of their right to learn. To ensure that we observe this philosophy, I will ask you to respect
the following policies:
1. Be on time for lecture. Late arrivals are very disruptive and violate our basic philosophy.
2. Do not schedule other engagements during class time. Leaving early is equally disruptive.
3. It is not acceptable to wander in and out of the classroom during the class period.
4. If you have trouble hearing or concentrating due to distractions around you, quietly and
politely ask those responsible for the distraction to stop.
5. Please let me know if there is any problem that is preventing you from performing well in
this class. I will do my best to improve the situation.
6. Do not use cellular phones during class; this includes making sure that the ringer function
on your phone is turned off.
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Biology 142 Course Schedule Spring Semester 2006 (subject to change)
Week Dates
Lecture Topic
Reading in Starr
T 1/17 syllabus review, Central Dogma review
-1
W 1/18 Th1/19 translation
chapter 13
T 1/24 translation
chapter 13
2
W 1/25 Th1/26 genetic control-the lac operon
chapter 14
T 1/31 molecular biology
chapter15
3
W 2/1
Th 2/2 molecular biology
chapter 15
T 2/7
molecular biology
chapter 15
4
W 2/8
Th 2/9 processes of evolution
chapter 16
T 2/14 processes of evolution
chapter 16
5
W 2/15 Th2/16 evolution patterns and trends
chapter 17
T 2/21 evolution of early life
chapter 18
6
W 2/22 Th2/23 evolution of early life
chapter 18
T 2/28 prokaryotes
chapter 19
7
W 3/1
Th 3/2 prokaryotes
chapter 19
8
3/6-10 spring vacation :)
T 3/14 viruses
chapter 19
9
W 3/15 Th3/16 protists
chapter 20
T 3/21 holiday, no class
10
W 3/22 Th3/23 protists
chapter 20
T 3/28 protists
chapter 20
11
W 3/29 Th3/30 plant evolution
chapter 21
T 4/4
plant evolution
chapter 21
12
W 4/5
Th 4/6 plant evolution
chapter 21
T 4/11 animal evolution: invertebrates
chapter 22
13
W 4/12 Th4/13 animal evolution: invertebrates
chapter 22
T 4/18 animal evolution: vertebrates
chapter 23
14
W 4/19 Th4/20 animal evolution: vertebrates
chapter 23
T 4/25 honors convocation, no class
15
W 4/26 Th4/27 common challenges
chapter 24
T 5/2
community structure and biodiversity
chapter 40
16
W 5/3
Th 5/4 community structure and biodiversity
chapter 40
T 5/9
1-3pm for 12:10-1:30 B2 section
17
Th5/11 8-10am for 8-9:20 A2 section
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Lab
syllabus review
translation lab
molecular bio lab 1
molecular bio lab 2
midterm exam I
(chapters 13-16)
evolution lab
prokaryote lab
bacteria lab
protist lab
midterm exam II
(chapters 17-20)
plant lab
invertebrate lab
vertebrate lab
midterm exam III
(chapters 21-23)
lab exam
final exam
final exam
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