Introduction to Forensic Science (52.105)
Course Policy: Fall 2010
Instructor:
Michael Eugene Pugh, Professor
Office:
218 HSC; Phone: 389-4144; email: mpugh@ bloomu.edu
Website: http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/mpugh
Office Hours:
218 HSC: M: 9:00 - 9:50 AM; W: 10:00 – 10:50 AM
Columbia Hall: W: 2:00-2:50 PM; Th: 10:00 – 10:50 AM; F: 11:00-11:50 AM;
and by appointment. I have an open door policy so feel free to stop by anytimeif I am not there leave a note with a phone number, or email address and I will
get back to you. You may also email questions to me (week days only: 8 – 5).
Lecture:
T: 9:30 – 10:20 AM; 262 HSC
Compressed schedule meeting time: 11:10 - 12:00 PM
Labs:
T: 2:00 - 4:50 PM; 262 HSC
Compressed schedule meeting time: 2:40 - 4:50 PM
Text:
Girard, James. (2008) Criminalistics: Forensic Science and Crime, Jones and
Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA. Please bring to class for reference
purposes –we use some of the figures in lab.
Lab Manual:
Experiments available for downloading from Bolt.
Calculator:
Bring a calculator to every class and laboratory meeting, especially for the exams
and quizzes. You do not need a fancy one but it should be able to do logs and
antilog functions. Calculators that are capable of storing alphabetic characters or
transmit information are forbidden for use on exams and quizzes.
Cell Phones,
PDAs, MP3s
Evaluation:
1
Cell phones, PDAs and MP3s are forbidden during exams. If caught using
one during an exam you will receive a zero and removed from the course.
As a courtesy to me, and others, please turn off your cell phones during class.
3 hourly exams1
4 Take Home Quizzes2
Laboratory3
Final Exam4
35.0%
15.0%
25.0%
25.0%
100.0%
The exams will be given: 9/28, 10/26, 11/30
Note- in the event of adverse weather and classes are canceled a scheduled exam will be
given the next time the class meets. If a compressed schedule is in effect on the day of
a scheduled exam it will be given the next time the class meets.
2
The Take Home quizzes will become available (due) on 9/7 (9/10); 10/5 (10/8); 10/12 (10/15);
11/9 (11/12)
Note- All take home quizzes will be due to me or in my mailbox in 216 HSC by 4PM on Friday.
You are expected to do these on your own not as a group effort. This is considered cheating
and will be dealt with as described below.
3
The laboratory portion of the course is divided into Notebook (10%) and Analysis Reports
(15%). Separate handouts will provide further information on this aspect of the course.
4
Final Exam: Wednesday 12/15 (8:00 – 10:00 AM); 262 HSC
Last day to withdraw from the course: Friday 11/5 - 4:00 PM
GRADE SCALE:
'A'
'A-'
'B+'
'B'
'B-'
'C+'
90.0
88.0
85.0
80.0
77.0
74.0
-
100.0%
89.9 %
87.0 %
84.9%
79.9%
76.9%
'C'
'C-'
'D+'
'D"
'E'
70.0 - 73.9 %
67.0 - 69.9%
62.0 - 66.9 %
58.0 - 61.9%
< 58.0 %
The instructor reserves the right to lower the bottom limit for each grade depending on the difficulty of
the examinations given. Such changes will be considered only at the end of the semester. For
borderline cases, the Final Exam will be a major deciding factor! A better than average performance
on the final will help you, and a poor performance will not help you. You should not approach the
final with the attitude of "what do I need to get grade X" - this has more often than not resulted in a
grade less than grade X! A better approach is to strive for the highest grade possible.
Cheating, plagiarism or use of a forbidden calculator, cell phone or PDA will not be tolerated! If you
are caught cheating or plagiarizing or using banned electronic devices, you will be removed from the
course and assigned an "E" for the course! Refer to The Pilot for your rights regarding this
transgression (see PRP 3512).
If you miss an exam or quiz for a legitimate documented reason, as described in the Class
Attendance Policy (PRP 3506) of the Bloomsburg University Undergraduate Catalogue, a make-up
exam or quiz, will be given at a time mutually agreed upon by the instructor and student.
Please contact me as soon as possible before a quiz or exam- think of me as your employer;
you would not blow off your boss with an after the fact excuse. Valid excuses are:
1) Personal illness or accident, or a death or critical illness of an immediate family member as
verified in writing by an appropriate authority within 48 hours after the missed quiz or exam.
2) Participation in a university-sponsored activity as outlined in the Pilot with an excuse provided
no less than 48 hours in advance of the quiz or exam.
3) Automobile breakdown or accident, or any other incident will be dealt with as merited on a
case-by-case basis. The excuse must be verified in writing by an appropriate authority within 48
hours after the missed exam or quiz.
4) Military duty with an excuse provided no less than 48 hours in advance of the exam or quiz.
5) Religious observance with missed dates provided in advance no later than two weeks before the
missed class
Read the text- you are responsible for what is in it, especially the case studies. Not everything is
covered by the PowerPoint slides. Do not get behind! If you are not doing as well as you should, be
sure to see me as soon as possible for help! Failure to do so may result in a sub-standard
performance! If you cannot make it to any of my listed office hours, please contact me in person, or
by phone, or by email to arrange for other times, so there should not be any reason for not being able
to see me for help. Always feel free to stop by my office as I pretty much have an open office door
policy. Also feel free to call or email me to have questions answered – but please note that I usually
do not check my email after leaving my office for the day (5 PM to 9AM). I do keep track of who
comes in for help and I do take that into consideration when it comes time to assign the final course
grades.
If you have a learning disability please contact Accommodative Services (Ext. 4491) to make
arrangements for alternate forms of testing, sign interpreters, note takers, etc.
I expect students to study the assigned textbook material prior to the presentation of the subject
matter in lecture. My lectures are predicated on this basic premise. This approach has manifold
benefits to both the student and the instructor.
Working the problems in each chapter will increase your understanding of the material and aid in
preparing you for the exams.
Do not ask me ask me about extra credit- there is none. My course is designed for the normal credit
listed above. If you cannot do the regular credit, what make you think that you can do extra credit?
Lecture Schedule
The following is an approximate schedule for this semester. Exams and take home quizzes will be given on
dates indicated:
Topics
Chapter
Lecture Date
Investigating the Crime Scene
1
8/30
The Microscope & Forensic Identification of Hair & Fibers
4
9/7**
The Microscope & Forensic Identification of Hair & Fibers (cont)
4
9/14
Physical Properties: Forensic Characterization of Soil
3
9/14
Forensic Analysis of Glass
5
9/21
1, 3, 5, 7
9/28
Exam 1
Fingerprints
6
10/5**
Drugs of Abuse
11
10/12**
Firearms
8
10/19
Inorganic Forensic Analysis: Metal and Gunshot Residue
9
10/19
6, 8, 9 (pt), 11
10/26
Inorganic Forensic Analysis: Metal and Gunshot Residue (cont)
9
11/2
Explosives
15
11/2
Exam 2
Last Day to Withdraw from Class
Investigating & Processing Physical Evidence
11/5 (4:00PM)
2
11/9**
Biological Fluids: Blood, Semen Saliva and an Introduction to DNA 13
11/16
Thanksgiving Break (no class)
11/23
Exam 3
Forensic DNA Typing
Final Exam
**
2, 9, 15
11/30
14
12/7
1–6, 8, 9,11, 13-15
4/27 (3:30 PM)
dates for the four take home quizzes; due by 4PM Friday
Laboratory Portion of Course
Laboratory Schedule:
Date
Check-in, Safety, Measurements, Virtual Crime Scene
Thin Layer Chromatography: inks and lipstick
Identification of Hair and Textile Fibers
Glass Analysis: density and refractive index
Fingerprinting
Drug Analysis
Firearms: Powder Residues & Bullet and Casing Tool Marks
Spot Tests for Explosives and Explosive Residues
Crime Scene Analysis
Crime Scene Analysis; DNA Isolation, PCR Amplification, Semen Analysis
Thanksgiving Break (no class)
Crime Scene Analysis; Mitochondrial DNA HVI/HVII Region-Sequence Typing
Crime Scene Analysis Wrap up
8/30
9/7
9/14 & 9/21
9/28
10/5, 10/12
10/12, 10/19
10/26
11/2
11/9
11/16
11/23
11/30
12/7
Laboratory Evaluation:
Notebook evaluation
Laboratory Analysis Reports
10 % of course grade
15 % of course grade
Laboratory reports will be due one week following the completion of the lab analysis. The last lab report
will be due on the day of the final