Biology 221 General Zoology Spring 2007 Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Neil Buckley.
Office 444 Beaumont; phone: ext. 5165; E-mail: neil.buckley@plattsburgh.edu.
Class times: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 12.00–12.50pm, Yokum 207.
Main Text: Animal Diversity, 4th Ed. by C.P. Hickman et al..
My plan is to cover all or parts of chapters3-20 time permitting. This is subject to
reassessment.
As a supplement to the main text, we also will also read large portions of The Ancestor’s
Tale by Richard Dawkins as well as other supplemental material including original
scientific research papers, which will be distributed in class.
Office hours:
9.00-9.45 MWF
11.00-11.45 MWF
Other times by appointment, or if I am available.
Want to talk? You are always welcome to drop by my office to discuss the class and any
problems you might be having with the material. I am always available during office
hours and there is no need to make an appointment. Outside of office hours, I am happy
to meet with you, if I have time. However, I do have other commitments and occasionally
I will not be free to chat. Therefore, if you want to guarantee that I will be available to
talk with you outside of normal office hours, you should make an appointment.
Have a routine query? If you wish to get in touch with me and I am not in my office,
please use e-mail. It is definitely much more efficient than playing telephone tag. I will
respond to e-mail messages as quickly as I can, usually as soon as I receive them. A lot of
routine class material is posted on the class web page (see Class Web Page below), so if
you cannot find me, you may be able to find the answer to your question there.
Why study General Zoology? This course is an excellent way to obtain a broad
understanding of the diversity of animals. You will be introduced to all of the major
vertebrate and invertebrate phyla and become familiar with their essential characteristics
and evolutionary histories. In addition, the study of particular groups will allow us to
explore more general issues in biology and examine major ideas and transitions in the
field.
A note on spelling standards. This is a class in which we will encounter many scientific
names. As a biologist you need to be able to spell these correctly. Consequently, I will
deduct 0.1 points for each misspelled scientific name or term on exams and writing
assignments. Non-science spelling errors, while frowned upon, will not result in point
deductions.
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Class web page. There is a General Zoology class web page located on my faculty home
page. You can obtain access to the page in several ways:
1. Go to the main SUNY Plattsburgh page http://www.plattsburgh.edu and at the top of the
page click on current students. Then on the left hand side under Resources click on
Faculty web pages. Then click on my name Buckley, Neil to go to my home page. There
click on General Zoology.
2. Alternatively you can get to my home page through the Department of Biological
Sciences home page http://www2.plattsburgh.edu/biology/ From there on the left hand side
under Biological Science Programs click on Faculty and then click on my page and
follow the appropriate links.
Lecture Notes and Attendance. A large amount of material related to the class is posted
on the class web page. This material includes routine announcements, assignments, class
syllabus, lecture schedule, readings, etc. I also make lecture notes available on the web.
Notes are intended to be a supplementary aid to learning. They are provided so that you
can check the material we covered in class or, if you have missed a class, find out what
material was covered. As you are an adult and can take responsibility for your actions I
do not require you to attend class, nor do I take attendance. However, routinely missing
class and attempting to study exclusively from the posted material is a very bad idea. If
you want to understand what is going on in class you should attend lectures.
Classroom approach and teaching philosophy: It is my aim in teaching this class to be
approachable and receptive to questions. If you have a question, please ask. I am happy
to answer questions at any time in class. Remember that the only silly question is the one
you don’t ask. Also, if at any time in class you are having difficulty hearing me, or
reading something, or are having any other difficulties with how I’m teaching, please tell
me. I’m not going to get offended. It doesn’t do either of us any good if you wait until
the end of the semester to tell me in evaluations that you couldn’t read my handwriting!
Grading: The course will be graded based on the standard scale of A = 90-100%; B =
80-89.9%: C = 70-79.9%; D = 60-69.9%; E < 59.9%. Minus/plus grades will be assigned
at <3.0 and 6.9. University policy is that there are no A+ or D- grades.
Breakdown of grading.
Three midterm exams
In-class writing assignments related to readings
Comprehensive final exam
Total
2
100 points each
60 points
140 points
_________
500 points
Writing assignments relating to supplementary reading: This semester we will
read a variety of extra material. This will include book chapters and original
research papers. On six Fridays we will devote all or part of the class to
a short, graded writing assignment and a discussion of assigned material.
Midterm exams: 100 pts each. Each exam will have a mixed format that will include
short-answer, fill-in the blank and a number of essay questions.
Midterm exam dates: February 21st, March 28th, April 25th.
Comprehensive Final Exam: 140 pts. Final exam week begins Saturday May 5th. Date
and time final TBA.
Absences from exams/delay in handing in work -- I will be happy to make alternative
arrangements to provide alternative exams or accept late work if you have a legitimate
excuse. Legitimate excuses include: a documented family emergency, an illness or
accident to you, or participation in a University sponsored scheduled activity (e.g.
membership of a University team). Please inform me in advance in the event of a nonemergency excuse. In the event of an emergency, please let me know as soon as possible
thereafter.
Departmental policies
Two policies of the Department of Biological Sciences are directly relevant to this
course.
Assessment of Student Learning: Analytical skill development
and understanding of fundamental biological principles
The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences are committed to providing
students with a first-rate educational experience as articulated in the Departmental
Mission Statement:
“The Department of Biological Sciences strives to provide students with the
fundamental understanding of the principles and methods of the life sciences within the
context of a sound liberal arts education. Emphasis is on the development of the
student’s ability to analyze problems, apply scientific method, communicate biological
information, and interpret current advances in research.”
Student progress toward attaining the goals set forth in the Departmental Mission
Statement will be assessed in part by an exam or quiz question that has been selected for
this purpose by the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences.
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Writing Standards for Department of Biological Sciences
It is the position of the Department of Biological Sciences at Plattsburgh State that all
students must learn to write in a clear and intelligent manner. We recognize that this goal
cannot be achieved by depending only on the efforts of others to foster good writing. We
further believe that the general quality of student writing will not improve unless we as a
department are willing to state explicitly the standards we expect students to meet and to
enforce those standards. Therefore, in courses taught by the Department of Biological
Sciences, in addition to grading the content of written assignments, all faculty will also
grade assignments for writing.
E: Unacceptable. The student will receive a grade of zero for the assignment. The
student is advised to withdraw and take a remedial writing course before attempting
the course again.
D: The writing is not at the minimal level generally expected for college students, but
improvement appears possible.
C: Poorly organized or with an excessive number of errors in grammar, spelling, or
syntax, even after making allowances for circumstances such as time available.
B: Acceptable in organization, grammar, spelling, and syntax after making allowances
for circumstances such as time available.
A: Clearly and correctly written.
.
Summary of important dates
January 22nd
February 21st
March 11th-16th
March 22nd
March 28th
April 6th
April 25th
May 4th
May 5th-12th
May 16th
First day of class
Exam 1
No classes (Spring Break)
Midterm grades due
Exam 2
Last day for unrestricted withdrawals
Exam 3
Last class
Final Exam week
Final grades due
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Material and Associated Readings. Unspecified chapters refer to main text Hickman et
al.’s Animal Diversity.
Chapter 3 Animal Architecture. Dawkins The conceit of hindsight 1-11; The General
Prologue 12-25; 0:37-61. 38:540-542.; 39:543-558.
Chapter 4 Classification and phylogeny of animals
Dawkins 4:119-136;
Chapter 5 Protozoan Groups
Dawkins 33: 493-496.
Chapter 6 Sponges Phylum Porifera
Dawkins 31: 483-487; 32: 488-492.
Chapter 7 Radiate Animals: Cnidarians and Ctenophores.
Dawkins 28: 463-476; 29: 477-479
Chapter 8 Acoelomate bilateral animals: flatworms, ribbon worms and jaw worms
Chapter 9 Pseudocoelomate animals
Chapter 10 Molluscs
Dawkins 26: Protostomes 377-386.
Chapter 11 Segmented worms
Dawkins: The Ragworm’s Tale 386-390.
Chapter 12 Arthropods
Dawkins: The brine shrimp’s tale 390-395; The leaf-cutter’s tale 395-397; The
grasshopper’s tale 397-414; The fruit fly’s tale 414-424. Barnacle’s tale 433-436.
Chapter 13 Lesser protostomes
Dawkins: The Velvet worm’s tale 436-456.
Chapter 14 Echinoderms and Hemichordates
Dawkins 25: 372-376.
Chapter 15Vertebrate beginnings: the chordates
Dawkins 23: 362-366; 24: 367-371.
Chapter 16 Fishes
Dawkins 20: 328-348; 21: 349-353; 22: 354-361.
Chapter 17 Early tetrapods and modern amphibians
Dawkins 17: 293-319.
Chapter 18 Amniote origins and reptilian groups
Dawkins Mammal-like reptiles 247-253 16: Sauropsids 254-255.
Chapter 19 Birds
Dawkins 16: 257-292.
Chapter 20 Mammals
Dawkins 1-3: 100-118; 5-13: 137-216; 14: 223-230; 15: 231-246:
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