Savannah State University
College of Sciences and Technology
Department of Natural Sciences
Marine Sciences Program
Syllabus1
MSCI 1810K - Marine Biology
Instructor: Dr. M. Gilligan, Rm. 103 Marine Biology, gilliganm@savannahstate.edu, 912/35904098,
office hours , 9-10, 1-3 daily barring meetings – best to make an appointment.
Credits: 4.00
Description: Introduction to the physiology, morphology, taxonomy, and ecology of marine organisms
and their role in oceanographic processes. (3-1-4)
Text: Pinet, P.R. 2006 Fourth Edition. Invitation to Oceanography. Jones and Bartlett. Subury, MA 594
pp.
Lecture: 10-10:50 MWF room 106 marine sciences
Lab: 11-12:50 F 105 marine sciences
Major Field Learning Outcomes for Marine Sciences
The Major Field Learning Outcomes (MFLOs) are what we expect and what a student should know and
do as a result of graduating with a major in marine sciences from SSU. Graduates will:
1) Be ocean literate. Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your
influence on the ocean. An ocean-literate person understands the essential principles and
fundamental concepts, can communicate about the oceans in a meaningful way, and is able to
make informed and responsible decisions regarding the oceans and its resources.
2) Demonstrate a basic knowledge in the sciences, oceanography and marine biology.
3) Demonstrate the ability to identify marine science questions and problems; use critical
thinking, research, and analytical skills to solve them; and effectively communicate the
results using research report and oral presentation formats.
4) Have marine sciences relevant and appropriate quantitative and analytical skills and tools.
Course Requirements and Grading
The final grade for the course is calculated based on the percent of points earned of the total points
offered during the quarter according to the following:
Percent
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
Grade
A
B
C
D
Questions
Field Notebook
Exams
Field trips/labs
Points (approximate)
100
50
300
100
1
<60
50
F
Definitions (vocabulary) 50
Reports
100
Total
700
Extra credit for attending seminars, lectures, meetings:
Exams: You must let the instructor know prior to the test date or as soon as possible if you are unable to
take an exam for non-academic reasons. Failure to do so will result in a grade of 0.
Attendance and grading Policy: From the catalog: "Savannah State University endeavors to provide
optimum conditions for student learning. Class attendance is, therefore, required of students to ensure
that they will be exposed to the many classes, laboratories, and related experiences provided for their
benefit. Credit may or may not be awarded for any course if the number of absences exceeds the number
of times that the class meets per week. Students who exceed the allowed number of absences in any
course may receive a grade of "F" or be administratively withdrawn."
I do not give make-up exams. If you are unable to attend to take an exam, you must notify me as soon
as possible (before the class if you know that you cannot attend) or immediately after you miss an exam
to make arrangements to take it ahead of time or as soon after the scheduled time as possible if, and only
if, you have an a letter on official letterhead from a judicial, enforcement, health, or other official stating
specifically why you could not attend class to take the exam. In the case of death or illness in the
family, the letter must be on official letterhead from doctor, hospital, clergyman, or funeral director.
Serious Misconduct: From page 41 of the Student Handbook
http://www.savstate.edu/adm/sa/shb04.pdf: Level II offenses are serious violations of the Code of
Student Ethics. Violating these standards of conduct, as a first offense, shall result in sanctions ranging
from a reprimand to permanent expulsion from the university: Academic Misconduct: Students are
subject to disciplinary action for engaging in academic misconduct, which includes, but is not limited to,
the following: Cheating or academic dishonesty is defined as the deception of others about one's own
work or about the work of another. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to: a. Submitting
another's work as one's own or allowing another to submit one's work as though it were his or hers. b.
Several people completing an assignment and turning in multiple copies, all represented either implicitly
or explicitly as individual work. c. Failure to properly acknowledge authorities quoted, cited or
consulted in the preparation of written work (plagiarism). Specific examples of plagiarism are: i.
Copying and/or presenting the words of others as one's own writing, including from Internet sources. ii.
Copying words, even if you cite the sources, unless appropriate quotation is noted. iii. Copying words
and then changing them a little, even if you give the source. iv. Expressing in your own words someone
else's ideas as your own. d. The use of a textbook or notes during an examination without permission of
the instructor. e. The receiving or giving of unauthorized help on assignments. f. Stealing a problem
solution from an instructor. g. Tampering with experimental data to obtain 'desired' results or creating
results for experiments not done ("dry labbing"). h. Tampering with or destroying the work of others.i.
Submitting substantial portions of the same academic work for credit of honors more than once without
permission of the present instructor. j. Lying about these or other academic matters. k. Falsifying college
records, forms or other documents l. Unauthorized access of computer systems or files. With regard to
plagiarism, themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other similar requirements must be the work of the
student submitting them. When direct quotation of paraphrased material are used, they must be
attributed to the source, and when the ideas of others are incorporated in the paper, they must be
2
appropriately acknowledged.
Disability Accommodations: If a student has a documented and declared disability, reasonable
accommodations will be provided if requested by the student according to the recommendations of the
office of Counseling and Disability Services (CDS) (912) 356-2285, (912) 303 1650, (912) 356-2202.
Attendance: University policy allows an instructor to administratively withdraw a student from a course
(assign a grade of W) or assign a failing grade at any time due to unexcused absences equal to the
number of credits for the course.
Writing Across the Curriculum: Each student will be required to submit written assignments for the
course. The purpose of writing assignments is to improve communication/language skills in a scientific
(technical) context and to reinforce or improve comprehension of the principles, concepts and processes
in marine sciences. The assignments will be graded and will account for a percent of the total grade for
the course. The requirements and format for each assignment follow.
1. Double spaced with at least one inch margins on standard (lined or unlined) 8 1/2 X 11 paper.
2. Correct spelling, usage, grammar, punctuation, organization, style and readability
3. Any tables or figures must be original ore re-done (not cut and pasted from the web).
4. Each assignment must be preceded by a title page including: title, author (student), date, course,
quarter, and assignment number.
5. Each assignment should be between 250 and 500 words in length.
The topics for the written assignments may include but are not necessarily restricted to:
1. Demonstrating proficiency in or mastery of unit behavioral objectives.
2. Abstracting scientific journal articles.
3. Science interpreted for the layman (popular articles about course topics).
4. Position papers or editorials about science.
5. Field and laboratory reports.
6. Original research reports.
Writing assignments consist of a technical reports and/or written discussions pertaining to questions at
the end of chapters. The total length of written material should be approximately 2,500 words. For
example if you write an average of 150 words per page you could write 17 pages of discussion on
questions or 10 pages of critical thinking essays and a 7-page technical report, or two reports of 7 to 10
pages each. Reports must use at least three sources and can be on any topic related to the course.
The student should keep a Field Notebook in which all laboratory and field activities are logged. The
notebook should also contain notes on lab and field methods, analyses, and equipment including
comments by the instructor, visiting scientist or lab guide (field trips).
Mathematics Across the Curriculum (see problems after unit outlines below)
Provisional Lecture, Lab, Field Activity Schedule Spring 2009 (see attached)
* Exact dates are not given in advance because field/boat-based and field/boat-dependent exercises are
scheduled when boats are available and when tides and weather permit and because some topics take
3
more than one class period to complete.
Unit Learning Objectives, Outlines, Questions, Critical Thinking Essays, Doing the Math (from
PINET Ch. 9,10,12,13,14,15) http://www.jbpub.com/oceanlink/4e/
General Instructional Goals
1. Present the characteristics of the marine environment and marine habitats.
2. Describe the major taxa of marine life and present an overview of their morphological, physiological,
and ecological characteristics.
3. Describe marine communities of each major marine habitat in terms of adaptations, energy flow,
species diversity, and productivity.
4. Describe ecological relationships in marine habitats in relation to human activities.
5. To introduce methods and techniques used in collecting scientific information regarding marine
habitats and environments.
6. To introduce the variety of equipment used in marine science sampling and analysis.
7. To present examples of how data are processed and used in scientific reports.
General Behavioral Objectives and Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. Keep a detailed field/laboratory notebook including a log of all course activities, lectures, laboratory
exercises, field exercises, and observations of marine life and habitats.
2. Identify all of the major taxa of marine life and be able to classify all marine life into an appropriate
taxon.
3. Describe the major morphological, physiological and ecological adaptations of twenty taxa of marine
life.
4. Discuss the major influences of humans on marine environments, ecosystems and species.
5. Set up and maintain a sea water aqauarium, collect marine life and maintain it successfully.
6. Be able to take measurements, do conversions, and record with appropriate precision, environmental
data.
7. Describe in detail the function, operation procedure, data units, and uses of at least twenty kinds of
laboratory or field instrumentation or equipment.
8. Describe in scientific terms how data and information in environmental analysis is used is to solve
regional and worldwide problems and protect the environment and to ensure equitable and prudent
use of resources.
9. Use computers to accomplish as many of the objectives of the course as possible (e.g. report writing,
equipment databases, spreadsheet conversions)
* Exact dates are not given in advance because field/boat-based and field/boat-dependent exercises are
scheduled when boats are available and when tides and weather permit and because some topics take
more than one class period to complete.
Unit Learning Objectives, Outlines, Questions, Critical Thinking Essays, Doing the Math (from
PINET Ch. 9,10,12,13,14,15) http://www.jbpub.com/oceanlink/4e/
1The
instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus.
4