BIOL 584 Section 001
Advanced Ecological Techniques/Ecological Techniques
Tentative Syllabus, Spring 2012
Instructor: Dr. Susan Romano
Course Time/Location: Arranged
Course Description/Purpose:
BIOL 584. “This course provides instruction on the applications of techniques and analytical methods to the
evaluation and restoration of terrestrial and aquatic communities, including data analysis specific to those
techniques. Includes field experience.”
(WIU Graduate Catalog).
Course Objectives: To provide experiential learning of ecological field collection techniques and
technologies.
Recommended book: Field and Laboratory Methods for General Ecology, 4th Edition, by Brower, Zar, and von
Ende.
ISBN: 9780697243584
Contact Information:
E-mail: s-romano2@wiu.edu
Cell Phone: 309-333-1568
Macomb Office: 283 Waggoner Hall
Quad Cities Office: Room 251, QC 60th Street
Office Hours:
Monday, 9:30-11:30 am Macomb, Waggoner Rm 347
Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 am Macomb, Waggoner Rm 347
Wednesday, 3:00-4:00 pm Moline, 60th Street Graduate
Center, Rm 251
or email at s-romano2@wiu.edu to arrange an appointment
Possible additional costs: Students are asked to carpool to field sites away from Nahant Marsh.
Attendance: You must attend class. Only one make-up assignment will be accepted for illness, documented
death in the family, or a pre-arranged absence with permission of the instructor. The make-up assignment will
be a 5 page paper on the type of sampling discussed on the day of absence. See instructor for details.
Academic Misconduct. If you cheat on an exam or lab, you will receive a grade of zero (0) for that exam or
lab and could receive an F in the course. You are to do your own work on lab assignments as well as the final
project. The Official University Policy Manual webpage covers University policies related to student academic
integrity, the course syllabus, grade appeals, oral English proficiency, student absences, and students
participating in university-sanctioned activities.
Student Rights and Responsibilities Website: http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students.php
Academic Integrity Policy Website: http://www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php
Students With Disabilities. In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor’s attention, as
he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students who may require
special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.) should contact the instructor as to the most
appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact Disability Support Services at 298-2512 for
additional services.
Grading Scale (Graduate)
Grading Scale (Undergraduate)
92% - 100%
A
84% - 91.99%
B
76% - 83.99%
C
68% - 75.99%
D
67.99% and below
F
99.0% - 100%+
91% - 98.99% A
90% - 90.99% A89% - 89.99% B+
81% - 88.99% B
80% - 80.99% B79% - 79.99% C+
71% - 78.99% C
70% - 70.99% C69% - 69.99% D+
61% - 68.99% D
60% - 60.99% DBelow 60% F
A+
Course Requirements and Grading
Lab Reports
Exam
Term Paper
30%
40%
30%
Lab Report Format
Text format: Typed, double spaced, submitted electronically by WesternOnline as an email attachment. All lab
reports are due electronically by WesternOnline email by 9 am, the Saturday following the lab. All late
assignments, including term papers, will result in a automatic 10% grade reduction for the assignment.
Include: Your name, lab location and date, lab topic and a detailed description of the laboratory technique and
materials used in your own words. Write in third person as if you are writing a publication for a peer-reviewed
journal (Do not use “I”). A title page, a minimum of 2 full pages for your lab report, plus another page for
referencing, are required. Include at least one example of how this sampling technique was used in a published
peer-reviewed ecological journal article (use WIU Library online database). Provide the author name(s), year
published, article title, and name of journal, journal volume number, and pages where the article is found as part
of your reference page, but also cite within the text. Citation format IS NOT APA or MLA, but according to
the Biology Department Thesis Guide located at
http://www.wiu.edu/biology/graduate/Thesis%20Guide%20%2807-22-09%29.pdf pages 20-25. We have great
libraries and librarians at WIU who can help you use online databases and find peer reviewed articles. I am also
here to help you, so please do not hesitate to ask for help.
Term Paper Format and Topic
Text format: Times New Roman, 12 point, 5 pages, double spaced, 1 inch margins (watch for default margins).
Citation format: DO NOT USE MLA OR APA!!! Follow the guidelines for in-text citations and Literature
Cited at the following link: p. 20-25. http://www.wiu.edu/biology/graduate/Thesis%20Guide%20(07-2209).pdf. Wikipedia references and websites ARE NOT acceptable, and points will be lost if you use them.
Government technical reports found on the web are acceptable. You need at least 5 peer-reviewed references.
You must write in third person.
Topic: Select a field sampling technique and write a paper
1) Describe the technique
2) Provide at least 3 examples of hypotheses using this technique found in peer-reviewed literature (with
references)
3) Explain how a) the data were analyzed, b) how results are interpreted, and c) the types of conclusions
drawn in peer-reviewed research.