Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
1
Human Biology
Biology 101G (3 credits)
Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Fall 2009
Instructors
Dr. Kathryn Hanley
Office: Foster 479
Phone: 646-4583
Email: khanley@nmsu.edu
Ms. Christine Dahlin
Office: Foster 204 (Advising Center)
Phone: 646-4863
Email: crdahlin@nmsu.edu
Lectures
MWF 11:30-12:20 Hardman 216
Office Hours
Dr. Hanley: Monday 1:00-2:30 or by appointment; Foster 479
Ms. Dahlin: Wednesday 2:00-3:00 or by appointment; Foster 204
Text
The required text is What is Life: A Guide to Biology by Jay Phelan.
It is available from the NMSU bookstore. Readings from
the book will be supplemented with readings from the scientific
literature and from websites, which will be made available on the class
website through Blackboard. I strongly encourage you to complete the
reading assigned to each class prior to that class.
Messages
We will contact you through Blackboard Mail on the Blackboard BIOL
101G site, and you may contact us using Blackboard Mail as well. This
mail is completely contained within the Blackboard site, so please check
there for replies to your messages (i.e. messages will not get sent to your
nmsu or other e-mail accounts). Also please be careful NOT to use the
“Reply All” function, as you will bombard you classmates with
messages intended only for the instructors.
Official university communication to you will often come through your
NMSU e-mail box. Please access it regularly, or forward it to your
current address; your success in college may depend on your ability to
respond quickly.
Webpage
The BIOL101G web page is available in Blackboard at
http://learn.nmsu.edu.
You will need an NMSU Global LoginID and Password to access
Blackboard. If you do not already have an NMSU Global LoginID and
password, you can obtain one online at http://learn.nmsu.edu.
Obtain your ID and password IMMEDIATELY. Course information,
supplementary readings, lecture notes, and exam keys will be posted on
this site. Log in to Blackboard and locate the page for BIOL 101G.
Posted lecture notes will contain a framework of the lecture only;
downloading the notes is not a substitute for attending lecture.
Syllabus
Supplies
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
2
5 NMSU test score sheets (available at the campus bookstore) and a No.
2 pencil are required for the exams. You will be asked to show a photo
ID when you hand in your test score sheet at each exam. Please purchase
the full-page size blue and white test score sheet with 184 question lines
(92 on each side) and which is labeled “New Mexico State University
Test Score Sheet” on the top.
An eInstruction Radio Frequency (RF) Student Response Pad (white
“clicker”, available at the campus bookstore) is REQUIRED. You will
need to REGISTER your clicker for this section of Biol 101G with
eInstruction online (see instructions at the end of this syllabus). PLEASE
NOTE: the clicker that you need is the radio frequency (RF) clicker.
Class Key
The class key for clicker registration (see below) is K52101A422
Overview
This 3-credit lecture course is designed for students who do not
plan on continuing in the sciences or the pre-nursing program. The aim is
to introduce the central principles of modern biology as well as the
philosophy and principles of science in general. By the end of this course
you will be in a position to understand current events in biology of
relevance to all people and taxpayers including such newsworthy items as
genetic fingerprinting, stem cells, cancer, biodiversity and human impacts
on the environment.
Students are not expected to have any science background prior to taking
this course. For general education credit (the “G” in Biol 101G) you must
take the laboratory section (Biol 101L) as well as the lecture section. I do
not check that you are enrolled in both, and the two courses are evaluated
and graded separately. If you have any questions, please check with me or
with an academic advisor. This course, in combination with Biol 101L, is
designed to satisfy the Basic Natural Sciences Component of NMSU’s
general education program. Please note that this course will NOT serve as
a prerequisite for more advanced biology-related courses, either in the
Biology Department itself, or in most other departments. Biology 111G
and 211G serve this role. Please make sure that you are in the right course!
This course also addresses the State of New Mexico General Education
Common Core Competencies in Area III: Laboratory Sciences. As
mandated by the State, these are as follows.
• Describe the process of scientific inquiry
• Solve problems scientifically
• Communicate scientific information
• Apply quantitative analysis to scientific problems
• Apply scientific thinking to real world problems
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
3
EVALUATION AND GRADING
Evaluation
In-class Exams: There will be 4 in-class exams, each worth 45 points.
Final Exam: There will be a final exam (Dec 9, 10:30-12:30), worth 45
points. The final exam is MANDATORY and COMPREHENSIVE.
Homeworks: There will be 3 assignments for a total of 25 possible points.
Class Participation: 25 possible points can be earned based on in-class
participation using your clicker. Participation points will begin to be
earned starting on Sep 9 (this gives you until this date to
purchase and register your clicker). The way that clicker points are earned
is described below.
Students who answer clicker questions correctly will also be entered
into raffles, with the chance to win gift certificates to local businesses.
Extra Credit: 3 in-class, extra credit exercises worth 5 points each will be
offered over the course of the semester. The points for all three exercises
will be added to your total score. These will not be announced in advance
and no make-ups will be offered (with the exception of official university
business, see below).
Grading
There are 230 possible graded points for the course, excluding the 15 extra
credit points (see above). They are broken down as follows:
• 135 points will be based on your three best in-class exams
• 45 points will be based on your final exam
• 25 points will be based on your three homeworks
• 25 points will be based on class participation (clicker points)
Grade Scale Your grade will be based on the number of points that you earn, according
to the scale below:
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Exams
Points
≥ 207
184-206.9
161-183.9
138-160.9
≤ 137.9
Remember to bring a test score sheet, a No. 2 pencil and photo ID to every
exam. Your ID, exam and score sheet will be checked and you will be
asked to initial your attendance at the exam beside your name on a class
roster when you hand in your answer sheet.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
4
Students arriving to the exam room after the first exam has been
completed and turned in will not be allowed to take the exam.
Exams are individual effortsplease keep your eyes on your own work, and keep your exam and
answers covered as much as possible as you work (please note that the
student code of conduct considers “cheating or knowingly assisting
another student in committing an act of cheating” [Section III.B.1] to be
one form of academic misconduct). All cell phones, beepers and other
electronic devices must be turned off and placed in a closed bag or under
your seat during exams. You will not need (or be allowed to consult) any
books or calculators during the exams, and you are asked to leave your
notes and books closed and under your chair during the exam. All caps
must be removed during the exams. You will be asked to leave as much
space between one another as possible during the exams, and you are
reminded to review the Student Code of Conduct
(http://www.nmsu.edu/%7Evpsa/handbook.html). In particular, please
consult section III. B and III. C of the Student Code of Conduct. Please
also see the section on Academic Honesty below. Students who are found
to be cheating on an exam will receive a minimum of an automatic zero
for that exam (as a first offence) and the Instructor reserves the right to
consider more severe penalties, especially for repeat incidences. Such
penalties include automatic failure (i.e. an automatic grade of F) of the
course, and referral to the course Dean and Student Judicial Affairs. Please
do not risk your GPA and your academic career over an exam in this
course, it is not worth it!!!
Missed In-Class Exams
You are STRONGLY encouraged to study for and take all four in-class
exams. If you take all four in-class exams, then your lowest score will be
dropped and your three highest scores will count towards the 135 possible
points from in-class exams If you miss an in-class exam for ANY reason
(with the exception of official university business, see below) then you
will earn a zero (0) for the missed exam. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP
IN-CLASS EXAMS. The zero that you earn for the missed exam will
presumably represent your lowest in-class exam score, and will be
dropped (i.e. it will not be one of the three best in-class exam scores
contributing to the 135 possible points earned on in-class exams, and your
remaining three in-class exam scores will be used to calculate the points
earned on in-class exams). If you miss ANOTHER in-class exam for
ANY reason (with the exception of official university business, see below)
then you will earn a second zero (0) for the second missed exam (please
keep in mind that there are NO MAKE-UP IN-CLASS EXAMS). Please
note that it will be very difficult to succeed in this class with two missed
in-class exams (i.e. two zeros on in-class exams), as one of your three best
in-class exam scores will be a zero (and will count towards the 135
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
5
possible points from in-class exams). Also note that it is very difficult to
anticipate every possible situation that may arise, so please contact me
immediately if an exceptional situation arises.
Official University Business and Missed Exams:
Students who must miss class to participate in an official University
function are asked to bring the documentation to Dr. Hanley at least
two weeks in advance and make the necessary arrangements to take
any exams EARLY (i.e. before your departure). Failure to schedule an
alternative (early) exam time prior to your departure will result in
your earning a ZERO for the missed exam. Similarly, waiting until the
last moment to try and schedule an alternate exam time with less than
72 hours notice will be considered equivalent to failing to schedule an
alternative exam time (and will result in a ZERO for that exam).
Failure to notify Dr. Hanley IN ADVANCE of missed attendance due
to official university business will negate the possibility to make up
extra credit points.
Final Exam
You MUST take the final exam as scheduled (i.e. the final exam is not an
optional exam, and the points earned on the final exam will contribute to
your total course points-the final exam cannot be “dropped”). If an
emergency results in your missing the final exam, you must contact Dr.
Hanley with written documentation immediately (for example physician
documentation of serious illness), and Dr. Hanley must be able to verify
the information. If you are making passing progress (i.e. an overall grade
of C (≥ 70%) or better in the course) prior to the emergency, then you will
be assigned an Incomplete (I). You will have to sign an I Grade
Information Form stating that you will take a make-up final with Dr.
Hanley in order to complete the course, and that failure to complete the
make-up final within one year will result in the assignment of a
replacement grade (i.e. to replace the I) based on the zero for the missed
final. If you are not making passing progress (i.e. do not have an overall
grade of C or better in the course) then you are not eligible for an
Incomplete and will receive a zero for the missed final, and this score will
be used to calculate your final course grade. Complete information
regarding I grades can be found in the Undergraduate Catalogue (in the
Regulations section). Please note that the final exam date and time was set
last semester by the university (before registration for the current
semester), and that travel plans, for example to return home, vacation or
start seasonal employment do NOT constitute unanticipated or
unavoidable emergencies. Please schedule (or re-schedule) any travel
plans so that you are here to take the final as scheduled by the university.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
6
Assignments Specific instructions for the 3 homeworks will be handed out later in
the class, however some universal instructions apply. All homeworks
must be TYPED or they will automatically receive a grade of 0 points.
Hard copies must be submitted on the designated day and must be
SIGNED with your name in ink; electronic submissions will not be
accepted. Each homework must be your own work; see Academic Honesty
below for further explanation.
Late penalties will be applied for any assignments handed in after 12:20
on the due date (e.g. after the end of the class period). 2 points will be
deducted for any assignments handed between 12:20 am and 5:00 pm on
the due date. 4 points will be deducted for any assignments handed in on
the following business day, 6 points for any assignments handed in on the
next (2nd) business day after the due date and so on. “Handed in” means
literally in my hands; if you leave an assignment in my box at midnight it
is not in my hands until I come to work the next day.
Participation/Clicker Points
As noted above, you can earn up to 25 points for class participation by
using your clicker to answer in-class questions. Please refer to the
Academic Honesty section below for further information regarding class
participation points. Briefly, any student(s) who allow(s) other student(s)
to earn participation points without actually being in class to earn them
themselves will be penalized by (at a minimum) a loss of all 25
participation points, as will the students who allowed their clicker to be
used by another students on their behalf. The Instructor reserves the right
to consider more severe penalties, as outlined in the Exam Policies
section.
There will be MANY in-class clicker questions during the semester. For
each question that you answer correctly, you will earn one “daily point”.
For each question that you answer incorrectly, you will earn 0.5 “daily
points”. There are no points available for unanswered questions. Thus, the
majority of the daily points that you earn are purely for participation,
rather than accuracy. However, the more questions that you answer
correctly, the more daily points that you can earn. Your final number of
clicker points (out of 25 possible) will be based on the proportion of daily
points you earn, based on the total number of questions asked during the
semester. For example, if 120 questions are asked during the semester, and
you answer 100 correctly and 10 incorrectly (and fail to answer 10), you
will earn 21.9 of the possible 25 clicker points [(100x1) + (10 x0.5)]/120]
x25 = 21.9. You are encouraged to attend all lectures and answer the
questions to the best of your ability. Not only will you maximize your
clicker points, but as many of the clicker questions may reappear (at least
in a closely related form) on in-class exams, you will get practice with
exam material.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
7
Remember that correctly answering clicker questions makes you
eligible for valuable prizes!
Important Points About the “Clickers”
 You are responsible for having and REGISTERING a clicker for this
class (registration instructions, including the class key, are posted
separately in Blackboard and will be handed out in class). The class
key number is listed earlier in this syllabus as well.
 You are responsible for knowing your “clicker number” in this class
(this can be obtained by noting your “Pad ID” when you register, from
the e-mail you will receive from eInstruction after you register, and by
logging back into your eInstruction account information)
 You are responsible for making sure that your clicker is working (by
looking for your number to turn blue as you click in your answer, by
logging back into your eInstruction account to check your results
[which are uploaded each week] or by checking with me)
 If you experience problems using your clicker, it is your responsibility
to contact eInstruction IMMEDIATELY (www.einstruction.com or
toll free 1.888.333.7532). If the problem is not resolved within two
days, please let me know so that I can also contact eInstruction.
 With the exception of Official University Business, there will be NO
CLICKER MAKEUPS (so please remember to bring your clicker to
class everyday). This is consistent with the University policy regarding
attendance, which states that “Students are expected to attend
regularly all classes for which they are registered”. However, I will
allow up to one week’s of clicker points to be effectively “dropped”
(i.e. missing up to one week will not affect your total possible clicker
points).
 Clicker points are earned by bringing and using your OWN clicker in
each class meeting.
 Having another student use your clicker while you are absent is a form
of cheating, and both/all students involved will automatically lose all
possible clicker points for the class; more severe penalties may also be
considered.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
8
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Academic Honesty
All students are required to maintain the highest standards of academic
honesty and conduct- these are the same high standards that will be
expected of you in your future academic and professional careers. The
student code of conduct outlines many of these expectations, and may be
found at (http://www.nmsu.edu/%7Evpsa/handbook.html). Cheating and
academic misconduct in any form will NOT be tolerated (see the penalties
described in the Exam Policies section above and noted at the end of this
section). The student code of conduct outlines various forms of academic
misconduct in section III.B . Cheating includes, but is not limited to
possession and/or use of unauthorized materials during exams; copying
the work of another (e.g. another student, instructor or other reference
source); using the words or ideas of another (e.g. another student,
instructor or other reference source), especially without proper
acknowledgement and citation (but keep in mind that citing a source
DOES NOT allow you to use their words and/or organization and/or
structure if these are copied directly or substantially copied); providing
another student the opportunity to copy your work on exams or
assignment, looking at the work of another student during exams and
quizzes and providing another student the opportunity to earn participation
points when they are not in class to earn them themselves (in which case
both/all students involved will be considered to have engaged in academic
dishonesty, and both/all will, at a minimum, lose all 25 participation
points).
An additional note about plagiarism:
Be aware of plagiarism. Not only must you credit your source(s) for any
ideas that are not your own, but you MUST paraphrase in YOUR OWN
WORDS. Changing the occasional word in a sentence does not constitute
expression of the idea in your own words (i.e. if you submit an assignment
in which you have merely changed a few words from a source, &/or have
retained the structure and organization of your source, then you have
submitted a plagiarized assignment, even if you have cited that source).
Again, two key points are (i) to cite your sources (for ideas) and (ii) to
paraphrase or summarize in your own words. This is particularly
important in the sciences, as we do not rely on “quotations”. If you are
unsure of anything in this regard, please come and talk to me about any
concerns. You may also find some of the following websites helpful, and I
encourage you to consult them for guidelines and examples dealing with
this issue:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/overview.html
http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/libterms.htm#P (a definition of plagiarism
from the NMSU Library website). Note that this definition addresses both
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
9
intentional and unintentional acts of plagiarism. Neither are acceptable.
http://www.nmsu.edu/~vpsa/SCOC/misconduct.html
Any act of plagiarism will result in a MINIMUM of a zero for ALL class
assignments (i.e. a loss of all 25 possible assignment points), and more
severe penalties (including automatic failure of the course) may be
considered.
Attendance Formal attendance will not be taken during lectures.
However, it is strongly recommended that you attend and participate in all
lectures, as this is your opportunity to both earn class participation points
and to get the most out of the class. Note also the University expectation
regarding attendance, found in the current Undergraduate Catalog:
“Students are expected to attend regularly all classes for which they are
registered”. You are responsible for all the material (including
announcements of schedule or other syllabus changes) presented in
lecture. If you do miss a lecture, please be sure to obtain lecture notes
from another student, review the reading assignment and then, once you
have completed this review process, contact me if you have any remaining
questions. I will not make my lecture notes available outside of the
regularly scheduled lecture.
Dropping
the
Course
Your instructor will not automatically drop students for poor performance
or attendance. It is your responsibility to do so (by completing the
necessary paperwork) prior to the OCT 14 deadline to drop
with a “W”.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
10
CONSIDERATION AND ACCOMODATION
Consideration
Please be considerate of your classmates and the general
environment while in the lecture room. This includes turning off
(or using a silent mode) cell phones and pagers. Dogs (with the
exception of aid dogs), bikes and roller blades are not allowed in
the lecture room, for safety considerations.
Please keep in mind that conversations with classmates (even
whispered ones) can interfere with the ability of others to hear and
follow the lecture. If you have a question during the lecture, please
feel free to ask me (and chances are that many of your fellow
classmates will also appreciate the clarification). If you know you
need to leave early, please try to select a seat near an exit.
Students whose behavior has a negative impact on the ability
of their classmates to learn will receive two in-class warnings,
after which the instructor will drop them from the class.
Disabilities
and
Accommodations
If you have (or believe you have) a disability and would benefit
from classroom accommodation(s), please contact the Services for
Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office located in Corbett Center,
Room 244 [Phone: 646-6840; TTY: 646-1918].
If you have a condition that may affect your ability to exit safely
from the premises in an emergency or that may cause an
emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any
concerns with the Instructor.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Register with SSD and obtain documents early in the semester
2. Deliver the completed accommodation and testing form(s) to the
instructor(s) within the first two weeks of beginning of classes (or
within one week of the date services are to commence).
3. Retrieve the signed form(s) from faculty and return to SSD
within five (5) days of receipt from faculty and at least one week
before any scheduled exam; and,
4. Contact the SSD Office if the services/accommodations
requested are not being provided, not meeting your needs, or if
additional accommodations are needed. Do not wait until you
receive a failing grade. Retroactive accommodations cannot be
considered.
Syllabus
Accommodations:
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
11
SSD Office, 646-6840 (Corbett Center, Rm. 244) Michael
Armendariz
All medical information will be treated confidentially.
Discrimination:
Feel free to call Jerry Nevarez, Director of Institutional Equity, at
575-646-3635 with any questions you may have about NMSU’s
Non-Discrimination Policy and complaints of discrimination,
including sexual harassment.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
12
STUDENT SUCCESS
Study
Strategy
This course covers a great deal of material. You are responsible for the
lecture material as well as the reading assignments. It is not always
possible for your instructor to cover every topic in great depth, thus you
will need to use the reference materials to develop your OWN thorough
understanding of the course material. Use the lectures as a guide for your
reading, and use the reference materials to help you understand the
material that we cover together in lecture.
It is highly recommended that you review your lecture notes as soon after
each lecture as possible. Use this time to supplement your lecture notes
with additional helpful information from the reference material. To be sure
that you understand the material, complete the additional review questions
posted on the course website. You will best test your understanding by
trying to do these questions as if they were actual exam questions (i.e. by
doing them with your notes and books closed). Form study groups (help
each other learn). Draw you own diagrams or flow charts, make your own
tables etc. Come to office hours to ask any questions and clarify any
information. I am happy to help!
Grading
Errors
It is your responsibility to check your scores as they are posted on the
course website. If you have a question about a particular score, notify me
in writing within one week of its posting so that any questions can be
promptly resolved. After one week, there is no guarantee that any action
can be taken.
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
13
CLASS SCHEDULE
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
Aug 24
The Scientific Method.I
Aug 26
The Scientific Method.II
Phelan 1.1 - 1.12
Phelan 1.13 - streeBio
Aug 31
DNA: the Blueprint of Life
Sep 2
Mendelian Inheritance
Sep 4
DNA Forensics
Phelan Ch. 5.1 – 5.9
Phelan Ch. 7
Phelan 5.17, 6.15
Sep 7
Sep 9
Personal Genome Sequencing:
Potential and Pitfalls
Labor Day: No Class
FRIDAY
Aug 21
Introduction to the Course
Aug 28
The Scientific Method III
Clicker Practice: Bring Clickers!
Sep 11
Cells: The building blocks of life
Phelan 3.1 – 3.17
Sep 14
Clicker Points Start
Sep 16
Chromosomes and Cell Division
Sep 18
Recombinant DNA, Stem Cells &
Cloning
EXAM I
Phelan 6.4 – 6.8; 6.10 –6.13
Phelan Ch. 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.19
Sep 23
Human Reproduction&Teratogens
Sep 25
Cancer
Phelan Ch. 6.17 – streetBio
Phelan 6.9
Homework I assigned
Sep 28
Nutrition
Sep 30
The Obesity Epidemic
Homework I due
Oct 2
Immune Systems. I
Phelan 2.8 - 2.18
“XXXL” by E. Kolbert†
Oct 5
Immune Systems. II
Pathogens, Vaccines and Allergy
Oct 7
IN CLASS EXAM II
Oct 12
Evolution II. Evidence and
Mechanisms
Oct 14
Evolution and Behavior
Phelan 9.1-9.8
Phelan Ch. 8.12-8.21
Last Day to Drop with a “W”
Sep 21
Stem Cells and Cloning:
Ethical Issues
Homework II assigned
NIH. 2003. Understanding the
Immune System*
Oct 9
Intro to Evolution and Darwin
Phelan Ch. 8.2-8.11
Oct 16
Evolution of Intelligence
“Look, no hands” & “Wasps
have a good memory for a face”*
Homework II due
Syllabus
Human Biology: BIOL 101
Page:
14
Oct 19
Evolution: Male-Female Strategies
and Sexual Selection
Oct 21
Evolution of Communication and
Dancing Birds
Oct 23
Animal-Human Interactions
Phelan 9.10-9.15
Oct 26
Origin and Diversity of Life I
Phelan 9.16-9.17
Oct 28
Origin and Diversity of Life II
Phelan 10.1-10.2, 10.14-10.17
Nov 2
Animal Diversification II
(Invertebrates and others)
Phelan 10.3-10.13
Nov 4
In Class Exam III
Phelan 11.12-11.17
Nov 9
Microbes I (Bacteria)
Nov 11
Microbes II (Viruses)
Phelan 12.1-12.8, 12.13
Nov 13
Population Ecology I
Phelan 13.1-13.13
Phelan 13.15-13.18
Phelan 14.1-14.9
Homework III assigned
Oct 30
Animal Diversification I
(Vertebrates)
Phelan 11.1-11.11
Nov 6
Plant and Fungus Diversification
Nov 16
Population Ecology II
Nov 18
Ecosystems
Last Day to Withdraw from the
University
Nov 20
Conservation and Biodiversity I
Phelan 14.10-14.15
Phelan 15.1-15.14
Phelan 16.1-16.6
Homework III due
Nov 25
Thanksgiving Break
Nov 27
Thanksgiving Break
Nov 30
Conservation and Biodiversity II
(Humans and the environment)
Dec 2
IN CLASS EXAM IV
Dec 4
Review: Bring Your Questions
Dec 7
Exam Week
Dec 9
Exam Week
Dec 11
Exam Week
Nov 23
Thanksgiving Break
FINAL EXAM
10:30-12:30
Hardman 216
* Required readings available on Blackboard
† Link available on Blackboard or type directly:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/07/20/090720crbo_books_kolbert;
Note that the cartoons are certainly not part of the assigned reading.