PLANT SCIENCE ABIO 103
Maymester 2012
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
email:
Dr. Andrew Dyer
SBDG 101E
(803) 641-3443
andyd@usca.edu
Lecture:
Credits:
MTWThF 8:30-4:30
4
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The course will provide students with a greater appreciation of the myriad
ways plants have influenced human culture and societies. Topics will include the basic biology and
physiology of plants, phylogenetic relationships, reproduction, and chemistry in addition to human uses
for plants as food, medicine, and materials.
METHODS OF PRESENTATION AND EVALUATION: In a Maymester course, time is short and
days are long. The lecture style will be in a discussion format and active interaction from students is
expected. Students will need to come to class prepared to discuss written assignments.
The final grade will be based on a number of small in-class assignment, lab projects, short research
papers, quizzes, and a final exam. Students will be expected to participate in all class activities, including
short field trips. There will be assignments due every day and usually every morning.
GRADING SCALE: A (90-100%), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), F (0-59).
The grades in this course and its components will not be curved.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Students are expected to adhere to the University Attendance Policy as
stated in the Student Handbook. The instructor may impose a penalty for absences in excess of two (2)
regularly scheduled class meetings (days) by assigning an “F” in the course. Absences, neither excused
nor unexcused, absolve the student from meeting class assignments. If there is an illness or emergency,
you are expected to contact the instructor immediately. Be prepared to show documentation (e.g.,
doctor’s excuse). Failure to contact the instructor within 24 hours will forfeit any chance of making up
missed assignments.
CHANGES: The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the lecture or laboratory schedule, the
number of quizzes and exams given, and the contents of each exam as deemed necessary.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Plan to be out of touch and to have your cell phone stored out of sight
during lecture and lab time. This includes leaving the room to answer silent rings or using the phone for
text messages. If you have reason to need to be in cell phone contact, let the instructor know. Otherwise,
if you are seen using an electronic device during class, you will be asked to leave for the day and that will
be counted as a full absence.
PLAGIARISM: Any and all work turned in for credit is assumed to be your work and the product of
your brain and your brain alone. Work can be considered plagiarism even if it is not exact copying; if you
rephrase someone else’s work or merely change a few words, it is still plagiarism. If you and a partner
work together and turn in work that is substantially the same, it is plagiarism. If the instructor cannot tell
who produced a piece of work, no credit will be assigned. If information is not correctly linked to a
source, that is plagiarism.
If the instructor finds any work that is too similar to other work, either in the class or out of the
class, the student(s) involved will be summoned to his office, a zero will be given to the assignment, and
a formal letter will be sent to the student and to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
documenting the situation. If the student(s) wishes to appeal, there is a process detailed in the USCA
Student Handbook. There is no latitude given because there is no excuse for plagiarism.
Parenthetical documentation [MLA 6]
»» All sources cited in the text should be listed in the Works Cited.
»» The author’s name may be included in the text and only the page numbers in parentheses.
“As Allison asserts (97), the....” Many instructors prefer this method.
»» Alternatively, use the first part of your citation for parenthetical documentation. Usually, that
will be the author or authors’ last names. Follow with the page number. (Brown and
Proper 17).
»» Use as little information as possible while making a unique identification. If there are two
books by the same author, you must include part of the title. (Allison, Whatever 97).
»» When you are quoting person A in who was quoted in person B’s essay, your parenthetical
reference should acknowledge that: Allison believes such and such (qtd. in Brown and Proper
256).
»» If you have no page numbers, it usually flows better to include an indirect reference in the text.
COMPUTER USE AND EMAIL: All laboratory reports will require the use of a computer. You must
be able to log on to the USCA computer system in order to accomplish these laboratory exercises. If you
do not know how to sign on to the USCA computer system, you should contact the CSD HELP desk as
soon as possible.
All official email communications, including class announcements, are made to USCA email accounts.
Students should check their USCA email account on a regular basis and use this account for
communication with the instructor. In order to protect the privacy of the student, the instructor will not
reply to emails sent from non-USCA accounts (e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). Also, because of federal law,
no grades or scores can be communicated by phone or email; you must come to the instructor’s office.
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.
Tentative Schedule for ABIO 103, Maymester 2008
Day
1
Date
May 7
2
May 8
3
May 9
4
May 10
5
May 11
6
May 14
7
May 15
8
May 16
9
10
May 17
May 18
11
May 21
12
13
May 22
May 23
Topic
Introduction to plants
Secondary compounds
Components of food
Classifying
Cells, Plants, and Physiology
Chapter
1
(Cold Creek)
Flowers
Fruits
Seeds
Genetics
Taxonomy
(Grocery store botany)
Plant sellers and buyers
(Park Seed Co.)
5, 6
Human nutrition
Vitamins
Origins of Agriculture
Grasses
Legumes
Belowground
(Woodlanders Nursery)
2, 3, 4
7, 8
9
10
11,12,13
14,15
(Clemson Gardens)
Beverages
Herbs
Spices
Additional topics
Final exam
16,17
18,19, 20,21