COURSE OUTLINE
SENIOR SEMINAR ABIO 490
SPRING 2013
Instructor:
Office:
Telephone:
Dr. Michele Harmon
SBDG 221A
641-3607
Office Hours:
Email:
8:00 am - noon on Wednesdays
micheleh@usca.edu
Lecture:
Seminar:
Text:
Th, 6:00-7:15PM in SBDG 327
Fri 1:00-2:15 PM in SBDG 327
None
Credit:
One Semester Hour
Co-requisites: Students must be concurrently enrolled in either ABIO 498 or ABIO 499.
Course Description: Discussion and presentation of current topics in biology and geology by students, faculty, and visiting scientists.
Emphasis is placed on effective oral and written communication and critical examination of scientific information and ideas. Students
will, critique peer writing and oral presentations, practice giving scientific presentations, and present a final formal presentation.
Course Objectives: Students will be introduced to current research in the fields of biology and geology through research seminars by
attending the Department of Biology and Geology Seminar Series. Students will learn how to prepare a research proposal, give a
formal research presentation, and critique the work of their peers in a constructive manner based on scientific principles. Students will
write a proposal outlining a potential investigation. Students will present the results of an investigation at the end of the semester in
the form of a PowerPoint presentation.
Students will be expected to:
1.
develop strategies for oral and written presentation of scientific work;
2.
critically analyze written and oral scientific presentations;
3.
attend and participate in the Department of Biology and Geology seminar series; and
4.
prepare and present an oral presentation of research.
Methods of Evaluation: Performance in this course will be evaluated for a letter grade as outlined below.
Biology senior exit exam
Writing assignment
Written peer review of writing assignment
Written exam
Practice presentations
Peer-review of practice presentations
Final oral presentation (in class practice for ABIO 499)
Seminar critiques
Seminar participation (questions for speakers)
5%
10%
10%
20%
10%
10%
15%
10%
10%
Grading Scale: A (90-100%), B (80-89%), C (70-79%), D (60-69%), F (0-59%)
Attendance Policy: The objectives of the course are best served by the observation of presentations by professionals and peers, and
by the presentation of research. Thus, attendance is the most critical component of this course. For every Friday seminar that a student
misses, 10% (one letter grade) will be deducted from the overall grade, and 5% will be deducted for missing a class. Attendance in this
class is not a passive process. The speakers we recruit travel a long distance for no compensation, and deserve your respect and
attention. To earn full points for attendance each student must ask one “good” (by the instructor’s standard) question of one of our
speakers during the course of the semester. Attendance points will be deducted for behavior that is construed by the instructor as
impolite or inattentive (including the use of cell phones for text messaging, or having a cell phone ring during the presentation).
Students also will be expected to complete a critique of the style and content of the seminar presentation, which will be discussed
during the next class period.
Disability Statement: If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability which might affect your performance in this
class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803) 641-3609, as soon as possible. The Disability Services
Office will determine appropriate accommodations based on medical documentation.
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Classroom Behavior: It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any student who disrupts or disturbs the proceeding of
the class. Disruption of the class includes but is not limited to the use of any portable electronic devices, including cell phones, MP3
players, iPods, etc. unless prior approval has been given to a student or unless required for the course. In extreme cases, the faculty
member can request assistance from University Police. If the student who has been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent
meetings of the class, he/she may be denied admittance to the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F.
Date
Jan 17 & 18
Jan 24 & 25
Jan 31 & Feb 1
Feb 7 & 8
Feb 14 & 15
Feb 21 & 22
Feb 28 & Mar 1
Mar 7 & 8
Mar 14 & 15
Mar 21 & 22
Mar 28 & 29
Apr 4 & 5
Apr 11 & 12
Apr 18 & 19
Apr 25 & 26
May 2; 8:00 pm
CLASS SCHEDULE
Topic
Introduction
Discuss expectations for seminar etiquette, questions, and
critiques
Brief discussion of the final products (presentation, poster, final
exam writeup)
Safety Training for ABIO 499
Detailed expectations for your presentations (498 and 499)
Students provide research project titles and topics
Discuss primary literature sources
ABIO 499 first practice using Powerpoint: Titles and Objectives
ABIO 499 first practice using Powerpoint: Titles and Objectives
Students provide one primary literature article for their topic.
ABIO 498 Powerpoint presentation: Titles, Objectives, Methods
Discuss figure description assignment
ABIO 498 Powerpoint presentation: Titles, Objectives, Methods
No Thursday class
Figure descriptions from articles due by 6 PM via
SafeAssignment on Blackboard
No class – Spring Break
Assign peer reviews
Senior exit exam
Final practice - complete presentation
Peer Reviews are due at the beginning of class
Final practice - complete presentation
Final practice - complete presentation
Final practice - complete presentation
Final exam - research writeup based on one figure from you work
Seminar
Regular Friday seminar Faculty Candidate
Regular Friday seminar Faculty Candidate
Regular Friday seminar Faculty Candidate
Regular Friday seminar
Regular Friday seminar
Regular Friday seminar
Regular Friday seminar
Regular Friday seminar
No seminar - Spring Break
Regular Friday seminar
Regular Friday seminar
ABIO 499 Student Seminars
ABIO 499 Student Seminars
ABIO 499 Student Seminars
ABIO 499 Student Seminars
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