Course Title: FScN 1112, Principles of Nutrition (3 cr)
Spring 2013
STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
 All information included in the syllabus and orientation
 Class Moodle schedule and announcements posted there
 Reading and responding as needed to emails from instructors
Class orientation is online either via powerpoint or mp4 file. Please:
 view this by the first day of class
 make sure that you download and read all of the documents covered in the orientation
Instructor: Linda J. Brady, PhD; Office—136E Andrew Boss Labs, St. Paul; Office Phone—612-624-9211; Email:
lbrady@umn.edu. TAs are assigned; their emails can be found on the class website. The FScN Department FAX number is:
612-625-5272. FScN mailboxes are in Room 225 FScN Building, St. Paul Campus 55108-6099.
How Can You Contact Us if You Need Help?
Most students use email for simple questions. The TAs are available by appointment to help you with study skills, as well as
questions on understanding of the chapters and powerpoints. Please contact Linda Brady for specific questions on quizzes
that you take, i.e. if you want to contest a question or answer. Our office hours are flexible: feel free to contact instructor or
TAs anytime by email, by phone, or make an in person appointment. Most students use email for simple questions. Please
also contact instructor or TAs as a way for us to get to know you; often students need contacts and references and it helps if
we know you as more than a name and number.
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
The University of Minnesota is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. Disability
Services is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable
accommodations. Students registered with Disability Services, who have a letter requesting accommodations, are
encouraged to contact the instructor early in the semester. Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g.
psychiatric, attentional, learning, vision, hearing, physical, or systemic), are invited to contact Disability Services for a
confidential discussion at 612-626-1333 (V/TTY) or at ds@umn.edu. Additional information is available at the DS website
http://ds.umn.edu. AHC students should contact Barbara Blacklock at black005@umn.edu or Sara Hegge at
hegge043@umn.edu at Disability Services if you have any questions.
“Any student who has concerns regarding a condition that s/he knows or anticipates will significantly affect the ability to
complete the required readings, written assignments or access to electronic documentation needs to speak with the
instructor at the end of the first week of class. Upon discussion of the extent to which the student’s performance in the class
may be impaired, the instructor and student will collaborate to create a plan to complete assignments in an equitable and
efficient manner.”
If you have a disability, which requires accommodation in this course, please contact instructor by Friday of the
first week of class. We will make appropriate accommodations and we will be happy to work with the Disability
Services. However, if you do not contact us by this time, we will accommodate you only from the time we receive
your documentation.
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Course Description:
What Can You Expect in this Class?
Nutrition is both a science and social science. This class involves social aspects, but mainly concerns the biochemistry and
physiology of how food is processed in the body. The chapters on carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and metabolism especially
are built on biology and physiology. Please think about this and decide if this class is really for you, given your workloads
and other responsibilities. Also please pay attention to the “how to study for quizzes” and the “quiz study guides” for each
chapter/quiz, as these will help you. This is NOT a class to take if you are looking for an easy class or one where you can
drift through without working. There is a lot of material in each chapter and you will need to spend time reading and
organizing information. Also, please consider if the online format is the best delivery system for you; some students might
do much better if they attend class and experience interactive learning.
Course topics include: 1. essential nutrients needed from the diet; 2. major functions of nutrients and physiological changes
with deficiency or excess; 3. digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients; 4.weight management; 5. scientific method
and nutrition; 6. life cycle issues; 7. food safety issues 8. nutrition for sport
Course Intended Audience: Undergraduate students of all majors and levels.
Course Web Site: Moodle 2
Student Performance Objectives:
What Will You Know at the End of the Class?
You will be able to:
 Identify the essential nutrients in the human diet (readings and quizzes)
 Describe the major functions of nutrients in the body and physiological and biochemical changes that occur with
deficiency or excess (diet questions with critical thinking and quizzes)
 Identify common and concentrated food sources of nutrients (diet questions with critical thinking and quizzes)
 Describe the physical and chemical changes that occur during digestion of food and absorption and metabolism of
nutrients (diet questions with critical thinking and quizzes)
 Design a sound program of eating (diet questions with critical thinking)
 Design a program of weight management; know the issues in weight management (diet questions and quizzes)
 Understand how diet impacts sports performance (quizzes)
 Understand the continuum from uncertainty to certainty in nutritional sciences; distinguish between solid scientific
certainty and scientific controversies (reading and quizzes)
 Identify nutrient need changes throughout the life cycle (reading and quizzes)
 Describe principles of food safety (reading and quizzes)
 Identify diverse points of view regarding food and nutrition (reading and critical thinking questions on quiz and diet
question assignments)
EMAIL is considered official communication at the U of M, so you MUST check your U of M email at least daily. Often
I will clarify questions or make announcements or corrections that are important for you to know about, so please read
emails and note the information. I will also send “Weekly Newsletter” to remind you of assignments and/or issues for the
week. I will note announcements on the class website also, so please look for announcements each time that you enter the
website. You are responsible for knowing what is in email communications and announcements on the class website.
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Course Assignments and Workload
1. Syllabus and Academic Integrity Worksheet (10 points):
This assignment is to make sure that you understand the class syllabus and various important points covered in it, as well
as understand academic integrity. It is due by Tuesday 22 January at 23:55. You need to submit this before any quizzes or
the diet analysis will be accepted.
2. Quizzes (280 points total available):
One quiz is available each week on the chapter or chapters that we cover that week. Each quiz is available online on the
class site for that week only, so you need to watch the class schedule carefully and read your email at least daily. Please be
especially sure to get the dates on your calendar. The first quiz runs from Tuesday 22 January to Tuesday 29 January at
23:55.
Quiz answers become available when the quiz expires.
We understand that students have problems that occur during the semester; thus, we have a policy to count only 10 of 14
possible quizzes toward your final grade. We don’t need to know reasons for missing quizzes or deciding not to take one,
but if your quiz is not taken by the expiration date and time, it goes into the book as 0. Reasons for 0 might include, but are
not limited to: computer failure, internet outage on your end, illness, family problems, forgetting date or time, etc. If the class
server goes out or it is our problem or general UM problem or outage, then I will inform you and give everyone a chance to
access the quiz at a later time.
Points: 14 quizzes at 20 points each = 280 points; however, the lowest 4 will be dropped so you will have 10
quizzes that count toward your final grade, total 200 points possible. I will adjust your drops after all students have
completed quiz 14.
*****We do monitor quizzes to control quality and academic integrity. If we see that any student takes any quiz from
the same IP (internet connection) and/or computer (when you login, your computer characteristics are noted by the
server) within 3 hours of another student, we will ask both students to come in and take a paper quiz in the
instructor’s office. The original quizzes will be void. This means that if you are room mates or friends, your best bet
is to take the quiz on different days in different places on different computers.******
3. Diet Questions: You will evaluate the adequacy of a dietary intake of one of our ‘test’ students. This includes
a. Assessing dietary intake entries and energy expenditure of a test student relative to current recommendations
for his/her age and gender
b. Answering critical thinking questions about his/her diet and how he/she might adjust it
These assignments are not accepted late without a valid excuse.
[Points: 90; 10 for each of 9 diet question sets].
4. Final Exam (100 points)
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All students will take the Final Exam for 100 points. This is a multiple choice, 50 question and 90 minute timed version
online. This exam is cumulative and will cover all the chapters and powerpoint material from the semester. If you need
accommodation for this exam, please contact Linda Brady by the last day of classes.
Assignment and Exam Policies:
No assignments will be accepted late.
Make-up quizzes or exams will only be offered to students who have documented medical emergencies and/or Universityapproved absences. To take a make-up, students must have a written verification for medical emergencies and/or
University-approved absences or disabilities that are documented with Disability Services. Each verification of a medical
emergency must include the physicians printed name, signature, telephone number, and date of medical care on letterhead.
Verification of University-approved absences must be on the official University form.
Grading:
Syllabus/Academic Integrity:
Diet Analysis:
Quizzes:
Final Exam:
Total:
10
90 (9 diet questions for 10 points each)
200 (200 of 280 possible points for quizzes)
100
400
Incomplete "I" grade will be given very rarely; students will need to provide evidence of circumstances beyond their control
(e.g. illness). Final grade will be determined by taking the total number of points earned as a percentage of 400. Your
mastery of the material will determine the letter grade:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
95 – 100%
90 – 94.9
87 – 89.9
84 – 86.9
80 – 83.9
77 – 79.9
74 – 76.9
70 – 73.9
65 – 69.9
60 – 64.9
< 60
Checking Grades: All students are required to check their gradebook each week to make sure that all assignments have
been received and posted or to contest any grade or submission.
Refer all questions and comments regarding grading to: lbrady@umn.edu (612-624-9211).
Since you are required to check and verify your gradebook each week, no grade changes will be made more than 1 week
after the assignment grade is posted; the posting dates are noted in the gradebook.
Grade Disputes:
If you wish to dispute a grade assigned, you must do so in writing within 2 days after the diet analysis or critical thinking
questions have been returned and the grade posted—this is why I ask you to pay attention to the gradebook and your
returned work. You must include a specific rationale for why your answer is correct. For quizzes, you must contest answers
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immediately after you take the quiz and see your score—you won’t know which ones are wrong, but you will know if you had
issues with any question. You can further refine your argument when answers become available at the quiz expiration, but it
is important to immediately communicate with me if you want to contest any answer.
Policy on Incompletes
A grade of Incomplete (I) will be given infrequently and only with a physician's or similar verification. A written and signed
agreement between the instructor and the student must be negotiated before the last day of class. This agreement should
state how and when the coursework will be completed. Coursework already completed during the semester may not be
repeated. If an incomplete agreement is not made, or if the conditions of the agreement are not met on time, the final grade
will be based on the actual points obtained when final grades are due.
Course Credits and Time Commitment— The University of Minnesota defines one conventional credit as equivalent to
three hours of learning effort per week, averaged over an appropriate time interval, necessary for an average student taking
that course to achieve an average grade in that course. Thus, 3 credits represents 9 hours of effort per week, so students
will be expected to spend 9 hours a week on reading, quizzes, and diet analysis.
University of Minnesota - University of Minnesota Senate: Definitions of Grades and Academic Work Load
Expectations
“A”-- Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.
“B”-- Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.
“C”-- Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.
“D”-- Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.
“S”-- Represents achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better.
-----------------------------------“F”-- Represents failure and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not
worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the
student that the student would be awarded an I.
“N”-- Represents no credit and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is
not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the
student that the student would be awarded an I.
Student Academic Integrity and Scholastic Dishonesty
Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses
are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair
advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own, can result in disciplinary action. The University
Student Conduct Code defines scholastic dishonesty as follows. Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on
assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test
materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in
cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement;
altering, forging , or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying data, research procedures, or data
analysis. This includes copying anything directly from any reference without attribution of that source or copying more than a
few words from the paper of any other student. Within this course, a student responsible for scholastic dishonesty can be
assigned a penalty up to and including an "F" or "N" for the course. If you have any questions regarding the expectations for
a specific assignment or exam, ask.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ---DON’T DO IT!
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Textbooks:
1. Wardlaw’s Perspectives in Nutrition, Carolyn Byrd-Bredbenner et al, McGraw-Hill, 8th Edition. This book is available
in UM Bookstore, but may be cheaper from Amazon or other source.
2. Power Point presentations on each chapter are available under READINGS “links” in the class schedule on class
website syllabus.
3. Mp4 files of the powerpoints will be available for each chapter
4. There is also a website that contains strategies for reading scientific chapters, reading difficult material, studying,
preparing for tests, etc. (http://www.studygs.net). Study strategies are described more fully in the “how to study”
posted on the website under orientation week. A UM Connect presentation on studying is also posted in the
orientation week material.
Student Mental Health Resources
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships,
increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental
health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce your ability to participate in
daily activities. University of Minnesota services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you
may be experiencing. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on
campus via www.mentalhealth.umn.edu
Classroom Expectations Guidelines-UM Policies
The Classroom Expectations Guidelines help ensure that the classroom will be “a civil, productive, and stimulating learning
environment.” Each offering of a course is required to have a syllabus. The Classroom Expectations Guidelines contain
specific recommendations on what information should be communicated to students as the course begins, usually in the
syllabus. For example, instructors must:
-clearly communicate course objectives, instructional methods, attendance and participation requirements, final
exam schedule, and office hours;
-provide timely notice of changes in course requirements; provide for prompt review by students of their exams,
meet classes as scheduled and make appropriate arrangements for necessary absences.
To fulfill their responsibilities, students must familiarize themselves with information shared by the instructor in the syllabus,
attend and be prepared for all class sessions, do their own assigned work, and meet all course requirements.
For additional provisions and more detail, see:
http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/classexpectguide.html
For assistance in syllabus preparation, consult web resources provided by the Center for Teaching and Learning:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/syllabus/index.html
Policy on Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences
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Instructors may not penalize student absences that are the result of unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Examples of
such circumstances include verified illness, participation in intercollegiate athletic events, subpoenas, jury duty, military
service, and religious observances. This policy does not extend to voting in local, state, or national elections.
Students are responsible for notifying instructors of such absences as far in advance as possible and for providing
documentation to the instructor to verify the reason for the absence. Instructors should provide reasonable opportunities for
students to make up exams or course assignments that would have an impact on the course grade if missed during
excused absences.
The full text of the policy may be found at http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/makeupexam.html
Policy on Mid-Term Alerts
Following the sixth week of class, students in 1-XXX courses who are in danger of receiving a D, F, or N grade must receive
a mid-term alert notice from the instructor. The student’s advisor also receives a copy of the alert notice. Mid-term alerts
can be given through Faculty One-Stop.
Instructors in any class can use the Midterm Alert System to notify students of course progress.
Policy and Protocol on the Evaluation of Instruction
All instructors must be subject to evaluation of their teaching to help improve instruction; to provide information for salary,
promotion, and tenure decisions; and to assist students in course selection (though the forms and questions used for these
three purposes may vary). The policy gives guidelines for academic units to provide for peer review of teaching, with details
on what information instructors should provide and what peer review should consider. The policy lists the required
questions for student evaluations and affirms that information on teaching effectiveness is confidential, to be shared only
with the instructor being reviewed and those responsible for decisions on promotion, tenure, and salary adjustments.
Instructors may respond to student rating results and may add written comments to their files.
While students may not be required to complete a student rating form for any course, instructors may require students to
participate in on-line course evaluations, including requiring them to sign in on a website for conducting evaluations, as long
as, once they are at the website, there is an opt-out provision allowing students to decline to respond to questions.
The policy provides further detail regarding student evaluation and peer review of teaching. Among other things, the policy
requires that:
-student evaluations be administered at the beginning of a class period during the last 2 weeks of class and that
instructors not be present when students complete the forms;
-the evaluation forms contain certain required questions (contained in the Policy and Protocol on the Evaluation of
Instruction) and space for additional questions generated by the instructor or the unit;
-the instructor and unit head be provided a summary of the evaluation data and the original questionnaires be
returned to the instructor;
-every instructional unit have a policy on peer review of teaching efforts by faculty and instructional staff, and a set of
requirements for all instructors to document their teaching.
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For additional provisions and more detail, see:
http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/instructionevalpolicy.html
Policy on the Use of Personal Electronic Devices in the Classroom
Every instructor has the authority to restrict or prohibit the use of personal electronic devices in his or her classroom, lab, or
any other instructional setting. It is expected that instructors will make reasonable accommodations for students with
disabilities by working with Disability Services.
The policy (quoted in full above) can be found at
http://www.fpd.finop.umn.edu/groups/senate/documents/policy/elecdevices.html
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