Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology, Biol&222 Fall 2012 LECTURE Sections A&B Building 16, Room 106; M,T, Th 8:00 – 9:20 LAB: Section A(5105): Building 15, Room 320L; Wednesday 8:00 – 10:20 Section B(5106): Building 15, Room 320L; Friday 8:00 – 10:20 Instructor Kim Harrington (you can call me Kim or Mrs. Harrington or Your Majesty Professor Harrington) Office Building 15 (The Science and Engineering Building) Room 237 Contact Information Telephone: 253-460-4305 Email: kharrington@tacomacc.edu Office Hours M 12:45-2:45 Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office) T 9:30–11:00 Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office) Th 9:30–11:00 Building 15 Rm. 237 (My office) I welcome you to see me during my office hours. I am also usually happy to see you at other times, though sometimes I will have to ask you to see me at another time. You can also make an appointment to see me. If you are not on campus, you can make an appointment via email or phone message for a time in which we can have a phone conversation. Catalog Description Introduction to the structures and functions of biological molecules; anatomy of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; cell metabolism and metabolic diversity; molecular genetics and genomics. Laboratory included. Prerequisites BIOL& 160 and CHEM& 161 Course Overview Biology is incredibly exciting because it affects every aspect of our lives! I hope this class will help you to understand how your body and the things around you work. I hope it will help you to make better decisions. I hope you will get as excited about biology as I am! Oh, and I hope that you will have the foundation information that you will need in other classes mastered so that you ace them like I hope you ace this class. Degree Learning Outcomes Core of Knowledge (COK): Demonstrate a basic knowledge of each of the distribution areas (Written Communication, Humanities, Quantitative Skills, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences; or, as applicable, specific professional/technical programs), integrate knowledge across disciplines, and apply this knowledge to academic, occupational, civic and personal endeavors. Communication (COM): Listen, speak, read, and write effectively and use nonverbal and technological means to make connections between self and others. 1 of 7 Critical Thinking & Problem Solving (CRT): Compare, analyze, and evaluate information and ideas, and use sound thinking skills to solve problems. Information & Information Technology (IIT): Locate, evaluate, retrieve, and ethically use relevant and current information of appropriate authority for both academic and personal applications. Living & Working Cooperatively/Valuing Differences (LWC): Respectfully acknowledge diverse points of view, and draw upon the knowledge and experience of others to collaborate in a multicultural and complex world. Responsibility & Ethics (RES): Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes responsible and ethical behavior toward individuals, the community, and the environment. Program Learning Outcomes Natural Sciences Upon successful completion of the Natural Sciences distribution requirements for the AAS Option A or B, or the Associate in Biology, or the Associate of Sciences degrees, students will: 1. Evaluate information scientifically in the context of his/her own life 2. Explain the importance of observation and hypothesis testing in the scientific process, and distinguish between the scientific process and other human endeavors 3. Communicate the primary principles and processes underlying at least one natural system (for example: atoms and molecules, cells and organisms, the oceans and atmosphere, the solid earth, or the cosmos) 4. Perform and effectively communicate the results of scientific investigations, and explain how research is done in science 5. Demonstrate the safe and proper use of scientific instrumentation, measuring devices, chemical reagents, media, and/or other tools of science in a laboratory or field setting relevant to specific disciplines of science Course Learning Objectives Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to: 1. Demonstrate the process of scientific inquiry. PLO: 1, 2, 3, 4 2. Differentiate between primary, peer-reviewed sources, reputable secondary sources, and questionable sources. PLO: 4 3. Create accurate, clearly communicated and properly cited summaries of scientific information. PLO: 4 4. Use scientific databases to gather biological information. PLO: 4, 5. Demonstrate laboratory and/or field skills related to the content of this course. PLO: 1, 2, 3, 4 6. Relate historically important milestones to our ongoing understanding of biological concepts and principles relevant to this course. PLO: 2, 3, 7. Integrate biological concepts across levels of organization from molecules to ecosystems. PLO: 3, 8. Interpret models used to visualize molecular, cellular, physiological and ecological phenomena. PLO: 3, 4, 9. Illustrate the structures of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. PLO: 3, 10. Correlate the structures of macromolecules to their properties and functions. PLO: 3, 11. Differentiate between noneukaryotic and eukaryotic cells in terms of their structures and functions. PLO: 3, 12. Explain the detailed cellular functions and their interactions in: signal transduction, DNA replication, the cell cycle and cell division, meiosis, Mendelian and chromosomal inheritance, gene expression, cellular respiration and photosynthesis. PLO: 3, 13. Detail the mechanisms that control the expression of genes. PLO: 3, 14. Explain the techniques of biotechnology and the contexts in which they are used. PLO: 1, 3 2 of 7 15. Apply the principles of thermodynamics and reaction kinetics to enzyme mediated processes. PLO: 3 16. Explain how comparative genomics contributes to the understanding of evolutionary relationships between organisms. PLO: 3 Instructional Methods Used This course utilizes a combination of lecture, laboratory exercises, small group discussions and activities and online assignments. Academic Assistance I am one of many resources available to help you succeed in this class. Here are some other resources. Study Group You should join or form a small study group for this class. A study group is an excellent source of help. Tutoring Center Biology tutors are available at no additional cost in the Tutoring Center on the second floor of building 7. Appointments can be made in person or by calling 253.566.6032. For more information see: http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/writingandtutoringcenter/ Counseling Center The Counseling Center staff in Building 7 can help you address personal difficulties that interfere with your studies. This includes things like test anxiety. Call 253.566.5122 to make an appointment. http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/counseling/ Laboratory All students must follow the biological science lab safety procedures and standard operating procedures established by Tacoma Community College, the Science & Engineering Department, and the instructor. Students who repeatedly or willfully violate these procedures may face sanctions, including removal from the course, a failing grade, and referral to the college for action under the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The departmental safety procedures for biological science are available at: Microbiology Safety Guidelines Textbooks & Supplemental Materials Required Textbook: Neil A. Campbell, Jane B. Reece, Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, and Robert B. Jackson. 2011. Biology ninth Edition. San Francisco, CA: The Benjamin Cummings Publishing Co., Inc. If you did not purchase your textbook at the TCC bookstore, you must also purchase the Mastering Biology access codes. A thread-bound journal that is 10”X 7 1/8” or 9 3/4” X 7 ½”. It can be either composition style or quad-ruled, whichever you are most comfortable with. Technology MasteringBiology is an online tutorial and homework program that accompanies your textbook and will be utilized in this course. 3 of 7 Evaluation Criteria & Grading Standards Grading will NOT be on a curve. You will be graded according to how well you demonstrate your understanding of the material taught in this course. This means that you are not competing against each other for a few A's. Instead, you should help each other learn the material. You are each other's best help. The final grade will be determined as follows. Homework 18 from each chapter Final Exam Exam 5 @ 70 points each (drop one) Lab notebook Primary research paper 170 points 120 280 64 66 Note: The number of assignments and points for an assignment may change. This will result in a change in the total points. The course grade will be determined from the percentage of the possible points earned using the table below. As described in the Quizzes and Exams section, the lowest quiz score is not included in the course grading. You can calculate your current grade at any time calculating your percentage earned: total po int s you have earned 100 total po int s possible so far The grade will be based on a percentage of the total points earned, using the following table: GRADE A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DE PERCENTAGE 93-100 90-92 87-89 83-86 80-82 77-79 73-76 70-72 67-69 63-66 60-62 0-59 GRADE POINTS 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.0 Exam dates are on your schedule. The lowest exam score (or one that you missed) is dropped and does not count toward the final course grade. (If an exam receives a grade penalty due to academic dishonesty it will be included in the final course grade. This exam will not be included when determining which exam scores are dropped.) Exams may include questions about the laboratory experiments. Exams may be cumulative. There are no make-up exams. A two hour final exam is given. The exam may include questions about the laboratory. The exam is cumulative. Only exams missed due to dire emergency may be made up or taken early. I must be notified before the missed exam. Travel is not a dire emergency. Do not schedule travel on exam dates. The exam date is listed on the Course Calendar. Homework 4 of 7 Mastering Biology Most of the homework is at the MasteringBiology web site. You are responsible for making sure that you leave plenty of time to allow for technical or computer difficulties and still complete your assignments on time. The due date will not be extended due to internet, portal or other technical issues. You do not lose any points for looking at hints, but you get extra points for not looking at hints. You do lose parts of points for guessing the answer and getting it wrong. You also lose 20% of the possible points per day after the due date up to 50% of the point value. Primary Research paper You will prepare a journal club presentation on your article and present it to your lab section. You will also read and prepare a brief analysis of the papers that others present. Withdrawals and Incompletes Please see the calendar of important dates. http://www.tacomacc.edu/areasofstudy/academiccalendar/ Attendance Successful completion of this course will require perfect or near-perfect attendance. Students will be responsible for all the material that is presented during lecture and laboratory sessions. A missed lab cannot be made up and all lab quizzes, exams and assignments cannot be made up. A missed exam cannot be made up. Late assignments will not be accepted without advance approval. Student Requirements Academic Dishonesty As stated in the TCC Catalog, ‘Students are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication or other forms of academic dishonesty corrupt the learning process and threaten the educational environment for all students” (pg. 31). In this course, sanctions for academic dishonesty will be as follows: No dishonorable conduct will be tolerated. Any form of academic dishonesty on quizzes / assignments will result in a 0 grade for that assignment / quiz. Other forms of dishonesty or misconduct will also result in a 0 grade. Second offenses of any type of academic dishonesty will result in an E for the course and the student is asked to not return to class. Dishonorable conduct includes: Cheating (to violate rules): Honesty is expected in all endeavors. Plagiarism (to present the ideas or words of another as one’s own or to not properly cite a source when using adapted words or ideas): Tables, figures and words should never be copied directly from a book, Internet, another student’s paper or any other works. Lying (to be untruthful or false): There is no reason to lie to an instructor. Be truthful and take responsibility for your own actions. Stealing (to take and carry away without permission): Permission is required to borrow any materials from the classroom. Other violations: A student that is in violation of any college policies or other forms of dishonesty/conduct will be asked to leave the class upon the first offense, will lose all points for that period and will be reported to the Associate Vice President for disciplinary proceedings. The complete Administrative Procedure for Academic Dishonesty is available on the TCC website at: http://www.tacomacc.edu/abouttcc/policies/administrativeprocedureforacademicdishonesty/ Accommodations Students with Special Needs: All students are responsible for all requirements of the class, but the way they meet these requirements may vary. If you need specific auxiliary aids or services due to a disability, please contact the Access Services office in Building 18 (253-566-5328). They will require you to present formal, written documentation of your disability from an appropriate professional. When this step has been completed, arrangements will be made for you 5 of 7 to receive reasonable auxiliary aids or services. The disability accommodation documentation prepared by Access Services must be given to me before the accommodation is needed so that appropriate arrangements can be made. http://www.tacomacc.edu/resourcesandservices/accessservices/ Classroom policies (as applicable) Children/visitors in Class: Only students that are enrolled in the class may attend on a regular basis. There are some instances that I will allow visitors. However, you must get permission from me at least one day before bringing a visitor into the classroom. Cell Phones and Pagers: These must be on vibrate if present in the classroom. Please remove yourself from the classroom before using such a device during breaks, before class and after class. No text messaging is allowed during class. Electronic Dictionaries/translators: These devices are not allowed in the classroom. It is your responsibility to learn the needed vocabulary and be able to apply it. English is the primary language used in this class and everyone is expected to write, speak, and understand English. A grade of ‘B’ or above in English 91 is recommended. Classroom Etiquette Students come to class to learn. It is expected that everyone will act in ways that are respectful and that promote learning for all students and will refrain from actions that interfere with learning. Specific examples include Arrive on time. If you arrive late, do your best to minimize the disruption to other students. If I will be late, I will send someone to inform you. Use the time to study. If late arrivals become a problem, I will close and lock the door ten minutes into class and not allow anyone to enter after that point. Be ready to learn when the class begins. Even quiet conversation is very disruptive during class. If you cannot hear what is said or see what is written on the board, let me know. Stay until the end of class. If you must leave early, sit near the exit and minimize the disruption to other students. Learn the names of the people you interact with in class and lab. Guests, including children, are welcome in class on an occasional basis with my prior approval. Guests must not disrupt the class in any way. You are responsible for your guests. Guests are not allowed in the lab. Turn off all alarms and ringers before class starts. Beverages are allowed in a classroom. Food should generally not be eaten in the classroom, except as necessary to maintain your health. Food and beverages are not permitted in the lab rooms. If you have a contagious illness, stay home. I can usually answer a few quick questions before and after class. However, lengthy discussions, and confidential or private discussions should take place during office hours or by special appointment. Etiquette for Classroom Dispute Resolution If you have questions or concerns about this class or me, please come to talk with me about your concerns. If we are unable to resolve your concerns, you may talk next with the Chair of the Program/Department, Rebecca Sliger, 253-460-4428. The Chair can assist with information about additional steps, if needed. 6 of 7 Caveats This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check for announcements made while you were absent. 7 of 7