FIRST DAY HANDOUT
BIO 101 -- GENERAL BIOLOGY
SPRING 2015
Division:
Instructor:
Arts & Sciences
V. Beth K. Olsen, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology and Environmental Science
Office: AS 318
Phone: 410-287-6060 ext. 1962
Email: bolsen@cecil.edu
Web site: http://www.clab.cecil.edu/bolsen
Credit Hours: 3
Total Course Hours: 45
Meeting days and times:
BIO 101 – 03: Monday-Thursday lectures: 10-11:25 AM, TC 216
BIO 101 – 07: Monday-Thursday lectures: 12-1:25 PM, TC 416
Refund date: 01/06/2015
Withdrawal date: 04/06/2015
Prerequisites: C or better in EGL - 093 and MAT - 092 (Basic Algebra) or satisfactory
grades on respective placement tests
Corequisites: BIO-111 (General Biology Lab), EGL-101 (Freshman Composition) and
MAT-93. Student must have successfully completed EGL-101 and MAT-93 prior to
enrollment in BIO 101 or be presently enrolled and continue enrollment in these courses
to remain enrolled in BIO 101. It is recommended that students take BIO 111 during the
same semester as BIO 101, but students may opt to take BIO 111 the semester following
completion of BIO 101. Students must remain enrolled in BIO 101 in order to remain
enrolled in BIO 111.
Course Description: General Biology introduces the student to the basic biological
principles common to all living things, with emphasis on evolution, diversity, ecology,
physiology and genetics.
Learning Outcomes
1. The student will have a general
understanding of evolution of organisms.
Learning Indicators
The student will be able to:
1.1 Describe the current theory of evolution
and Charles Darwin's role in its
development.
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1.2 Describe five agents of evolutionary
change that may influence a population.
1.3 Describe the origin of life on earth
based on the best available scientific
evidence.
1.4 Understand and explain the theory of
biogenesis.
1.5 Define a species.
2. The student will have a general
understanding of taxonomy.
2.1 Describe the general characteristics of
the Kingdoms Archaebacteria, Eubacteria,
Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
3. The student will have a general
understanding of ecology.
3.1 Identify the components of an
ecosystem and describe at least one way in
which they influence one another.
3.2 Explain in general the flow of energy
and cycling of materials in ecosystems.
3.3 List and discuss in general several
current environmental concerns.
3.4 Discuss the interaction of population
growth and environmental resistance.
4. The student will have a general
understanding of physiology.
4.1 Define the role of the cell as the basic
biological unit.
4.2 Describe the structure of both
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and give a
function for the principle structural
components.
4.3 Demonstrate a basic understanding of
how the cell meets its energy needs and the
role of ATP in this process.
4.4 Describe the general function of
cellular respiration and the production of
ATP.
4.5 Explain the importance of
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photosynthesis and describe the function of
chloroplasts.
4.6 State the role of mitosis and meiosis in
the life cycle of plants and animals and
give an overview of the process.
4.7 List the major organ systems of the
human body and describe the life
function(s) of each.
4.8 Understand the principle of
homeostasis and the interrelationships of
the organ systems in maintaining life.
4.9 Describe in detail the functions and
processes of one of the major body
systems--reproductive, immunity, etc.
4.10 List and explain the characteristics of
life.
4.11 Recognize and give examples of some
of the chemical elements and compounds
important to life
which are important to the understanding
of the chemistry of life.
4.12 Apply chemical concepts to biology.
5. The student will have a general
understanding of genetics.
5.1 State Mendel's laws of heredity and use
Punnett Squares and the laws of probability
to predict patterns of inheritance.
5.2 Recognize at least three human genetic
disorders and the patterns of inheritance
that have caused them.
5.3 Discuss recombinant DNA theory and
biotechnology.
6. The student will be able to write
effectively.
6.1 Organize thoughts in written form
using proper grammatical, sentence and
paragraph structure.
6.2 Use a word processor to produce a
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finished written assignment.
7. The student will have a general
understanding of the scientific method.
7.1 List the basic steps of the scientific
method.
7.2 Explain how the scientific method is
used.
7.3 Discuss what problems the scientific
method can be used for and which ones it
cannot.
Grade Determination: The final grade in this course will be determined by averaging the
following:
a) Exams (100 pts. each x 6; less the lowest grade) …………. 500 pts
b) Evaluation of peer presentations …………………………… 30 pts
c) Homework assignments …………………………………… 61 pts
TOTAL Possible Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591 pts
Grade Range:
A = 532 points or greater (90 - 100%)
B = 473-531 points (80 - 89%)
C = 414-472 points (70 - 79%)
D = 355-413 points (60 - 69%)
F = 354 points or less (below 60%)
K = audit
W = withdrawn
M = A post-deadline withdrawal grade, M, is issued only to students who cannot
complete the course on schedule because of illness or other extenuating circumstances.
The student or next of kin may apply for an M grade if the student has missed the
college’s official withdrawal date, was passing at the last date of attendance (60% or
higher), and has not taken the final exam and/or completed the final course project. For
M grade consideration, the student must make the request no later than the end of the
semester directly following the course in question. No refunds will be granted for an M
grade. Details as to how to apply for an M grade can be found on the My.cecil.edu
website.
I = incomplete (This is available only if the student misses two or more of the six exams;
for all missed exams, the student has a documented (1) medical excuse (medical doctor’s
written opinion stating the student was not physically able to take the exam) or (2) death
in the family; and the student contacts the professor in writing within one business day of
the second missed exam (or within one business day of the doctor’s release from medical
restrictions that prevent the student from contacting the professor immediately) and states
his/her desire to take an incomplete grade. The student then must sign and return to the
professor an Incomplete Contract within three business days of the second missed exam.
An Incomplete grade will not be issued if the student misses only one exam, even if the
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absence is documented as stated above. If one exam is missed, that exam will be the
grade dropped when the course grade is calculated. Only missed exams with the above
stated documentation are considered when determining eligibility for an Incomplete
Contract. If multiple exams are missed and any lack documentation as stated above, the
student is not eligible for an “Incomplete” grade.
Students may calculate their grade throughout the semester by using the following
equation: (total # of earned points / total possible points) * 100 = grade calculated in
percentage
Unit Exams: Exams will test comprehension of material covered in the lectures, text,
homework, and related assignments. The first, second, third and fourth unit exams will
consist of a combination of multiple choice and essay. The essays on each unit exam will
be graded using the CC English department’s “Standards for a “C” Paper” available
online at https://my.cecil.edu/. Students are eligible to earn extra credit on the essay
section(s) of the first, second, third and fourth unit exams by including relevant concepts
above and beyond that which the professor considers adequate for an “A” standard
paper. All potential essay questions are available online within the document “Lecture
Notes and Study Guides” available at
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/BIO101_lecture_notes.htm Suggested emphasis for
study for each exam is also distributed in advance of the exam and is available online
within the document “Lecture Notes and Study Guides” at
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/BIO101_lecture_notes.htm Students will need #2
pencils (3 or 4) and a good quality eraser. Students may request the use of a periodic
table, a geologic time table, and/or evolutionary trees with labeling restricted to species
names only or as designated by the professor. Students may also request five minutes of
open book and open handwritten notes during each of these exams. Students may only
use materials they bring to class. They may not use other students’ books or notes.
The last (fifth) unit exam will be based on team effort in the form of an oral presentation
demonstrating ecological concepts. Each student will also participate in the evaluation of
their peers' presentations. Evaluation of peer presentations will be worth 30 points
toward the total points for the course grade. Specific details on the requirements for this
exam will be distributed at a later date.
A tentative schedule for all exams is available in the document “Course Outline”,
distributed on Blackboard and available online at
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/bio101.html If, on the day of an exam, the college is
closed due to inclement weather or other emergency, students should be prepared to take
the exam on the next scheduled lecture date. If the lecture immediately preceding a
scheduled exam is canceled, students should be prepared to take the exam as scheduled
when the class next meets. If changes in exam dates are made for any other reason, the
announcement will be made at least one day in advance. Students are required to take
exams on the dates scheduled. No makeup exams will be given. If a student is absent on
the day of an exam, the grade will be recorded as 0%. Each exam is worth 100 points
toward the final grade. There are a total of five unit exams scheduled.
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Final Exam: The Final exam will be comprehensive. It is designed to take most students
1-2 hours to complete. The exam will consist of 100 to 200 multiple-choice questions.
Specific suggested study materials are available in the document “Course Outline”
available online in Blackboard and at http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/bio101.html
Students will need #2 pencils (3 or 4) and a good quality eraser. Students may request
the use of a periodic table, a geologic time table, and/or evolutionary trees with labeling
restricted to species names only or as designated by the professor. Students may also
request ten minutes of open book and open handwritten notes during the final exam.
Students may only use materials they bring to class. They may not use other students’
books or notes. The final will be worth 100 points toward the course grade. The final
exam will be offered only on the date and time listed in the Course Outline. Students
missing the final will receive 0% as a grade.
Exam Grade: The lowest of the six exam grades (five unit exams and the final) will be
dropped from calculations of the final course grade, making the exams worth a total of
500 pts. A student may drop either a unit exam or the final exam. If the student
completes all unit exams and chooses to drop the final exam grade, the student is exempt
from taking the final exam.
If a student misses more than one exam and all exam absences are due to illness
documented by a doctor’s note; or due to a documented death in the family; and the
professor is contacted by the student in writing within one business day of the second
missed exam (or within one business day of the doctor’s release from medical restrictions
that prevent the student from contacting the professor immediately) and states his/her
desire to take an incomplete grade, the student may opt to receive an Incomplete Contract
in the course. The student must sign and return to the professor an Incomplete Contract
within three business days of the second missed exam. An Incomplete grade will not be
issued if the student misses only one exam, even if the absence is documented as stated
above. If one exam is missed, that exam will be the grade dropped when the course grade
is calculated. Only missed exams with the above stated documentation are considered
when determining eligibility for an Incomplete Contract. If multiple exams are missed
and one or more lack documentation as stated above, the student is not eligible for an
Incomplete Contract.
Group Study Encouraged: BIO 101 is generally a course taken by freshman students who
are new to the demands of a college level science course. Students are strongly
encouraged to make use of a biology tutor, if available, while studying for this course. In
addition, students are strongly encouraged to form study groups on their own and
approach the material collaboratively. Collaborative group study has generally been
recognized as extremely important both in college and in the business world.
Homework Assignments: Students are expected to read the chapters related to each
lecture prior to the date of the respective lecture. Students should review the chapter
within 24 hours following each lecture. Additional assignments will be given from time
to time for the purpose of increasing the understanding of concepts in an upcoming
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lecture or reinforcing concepts from a previous lecture. The assignments should be
submitted on the date and time of the appropriate lecture. Tentative due dates and
number of points each assignment is worth are listed in the documents “Homework
Outline” and “Course Outline.” Both are available online on Blackboard and at
http://www.clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/bio101.html .
Written assignments are to be typed on a computer and all parts of the assignment (i.e.
essay sections, charts, photos, etc.) are to be submitted as one document. If emailing the
assignment, send all as one pdf. If submitting a hardcopy, staple the sections together.
Your name and BIO 101 section must be included to receive credit. Essays/reports will
be graded using the CC English department’s “Standards for a “C” Paper” available
online at https://my.cecil.edu/ . All homework assignments will be combined for a total
of 61 points toward the final grade. Extra credit assignments are described in
“Homework Outline”. Assignments will not be accepted outside of the due dates.
Instructional Methods: Lecture, field study, discussion, cooperative teamwork and
audiovisual presentations will be utilized. Outdoor lectures/field studies will require
some walking in a wooded area. Outdoor sessions are identified as such in the document
“Course Outline”, available online on Blackboard and at
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/bio101.html Students should dress appropriately.
There is to be no smoking during any lecture, including those held outdoors.
Students with disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who wishes to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the ADA Coordinator in Enrollment and Student Support
Services. If you do not have a documented disability, and would like to learn more about
how to obtain documentation to receive ADA services, you can schedule an appointment
with the ADA Coordinator by calling 1-410-287-1000. The ADA Coordinator is located
in the CC Community Cultural Center on the first floor.
Electronic Devices in the classroom: The use of electronic communication devices
(headphones, cell phones, beepers/pagers, laptops, etc.) in the classroom (to include both
incoming and outgoing transmissions), is prohibited, except as such use is required by the
nature of the course itself and authorized by the instructor. A student with disabilities
may make an electronic transcript of class lectures provided that his/her case is evaluated
by the ADA Coordinator and he/she is given permission to do so. The ADA Coordinator
must inform the course instructor that the making of an electronic transcript of class
lectures is permitted under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In all such cases, the
electronic recording of the class must not include class discussions, peer/group
discussions, and any other student presentations; consequently, the electronic recording
device must be turned off during such classroom activities.
Required Text: Mader, Sylvia S. Inquiry into Life, 14th edition. 2013. McGraw-Hill
Higher Education or Mader, Sylvia S. Inquiry into Life, 13th edition. 2011.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
E-books are acceptable.
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Lecture Notes: Copies of Beth Olsen’s lecture notes, as well as other supplemental
materials, are available online at:
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/BIO101_lecture_notes.htm or use search words
“Beth Olsen Biology” to access via an Internet search engine. From “Beth Olsen’s Home
Page,” http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/ under “My Cecil College Courses,” click “BIO 101,”
http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/bio101.html Go to “Lecture Notes and Study
Guides”, http://clab.cecil.edu/bolsen/BIO/101/BIO101_lecture_notes.htm then click on
the set of lecture notes associated with the upcoming class session. Click on the exams
for the potential exam essay questions and areas of recommended study emphasis.
Online databases are available in the college library. They are also available remotely
(from your home computer) on the library’s webpage available at
http://www.cecil.edu/Library/ To access databases from home, you’ll need your CC
Library Card bar code and your user name (usually your last name). Access to the
Internet and CC online databases are available in the Computer Lab located on the 3rd
floor of the Technology Building. Copies of materials may be downloaded free of charge
in the Computer Lab. E-mail is available for personal use by students. See the Computer
Lab if you need assistance. This service is offered free of charge.
Class handouts that are not available on the Internet and audiovisual materials used in
class are available on reserve in the college library. These are available to students as an
additional study guide. The handouts may be photocopied if desired. There is a charge
for this service.
Attendance Policy: Attendance at all classes is strongly advised. Attendance on exam
dates and on particular lecture dates as noted on the Course Outline is required.
Attendance will be recorded every session for administrative purposes. A student who is
absent from a lecture is responsible for the content of that class as well as any
announcements made. Students should arrive promptly and remain until the end of the
lecture. Students should be attentive to lecture and/or class discussion. Student
interaction should at all times be focused on the lecture subject. If, in the professor's
opinion, a student's behavior adversely affects the quality of education for other students,
that student may be banned from attending lectures.
Academic Honesty:
POLICY: Cecil College adheres to the highest standards of academic honesty. Students
at Cecil College are expected to maintain that high standard by taking responsibility for
their own academic success and achievement. All forms of academic dishonesty are
serious offenses and will not be tolerated. All members of the College community share
the responsibility for the academic standards of the College. Academic honesty is a
cornerstone of the development and acquisition of knowledge and is a critical component
of continued membership in the College community.
DEFINITIONS:
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy include, but are not limited to:
1. Plagiarism
2. Cheating
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3. Fabrication
4. Other forms of academic dishonesty not specifically described here but
in violation of the intent of the Academic Honesty Policy.
Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
 The inclusion or use of someone else’s words, ideas, or data as one’s own;
 The use of an author’s exact words without acknowledging the source and
enclosing the material in quotation marks;
 The use of an author’s words, ideas, opinions, thoughts, or theories in
paraphrase or summary without acknowledging the source;
 Submitting in part or whole another person’s work as one’s own, or
permitting someone else to do academic work for oneself.
Cheating includes but is not limited to:
 The use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study
aids in an academic exercise or assignment;
 Copying any portion of another’s work and submitting it as one’s own;
 Allowing another person to copy one’s work;
 Soliciting to copy another person’s work;
 The unauthorized collaboration with any other person on any academic
exercise;
 The unauthorized use of electronic instruments, such as cell phones,
calculators, or other devices to access or share information;
 The unauthorized completion for another person of an academic work or
permitting someone else to complete an academic work for oneself.
 The use of unauthorized knowledge of the contents of test, quizzes, or
assessment instruments;
 Submitting a paper in two different classes during one semester without
permission of the faculty members;
 Submitting previously graded work without permission of the faculty
member;
 Taking an examination or writing a paper for another student;
 Inaccurately listing as a co-author of a paper or project someone who did
not contribute.
Fabrication includes but is not limited to:
 Fabricating, falsifying, or inventing any information or citation;
 Making up the data for a research project or lab experiment;
 Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact;
 Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey;
 Misrepresenting information such as data, facts, or results.
Any violation of the CC Honesty Policy will result in failure on the exam, presentation,
or failure for the course. There will be no warnings given.
Office Hours: The professor is available to assist students with their course work. A
schedule of office hours is available on Blackboard and is also posted outside her office
door. The professor may be reached at:
Office: AS 318
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Phone: 410-287-6060 ext. 1962
Email: bolsen@cecil.edu
During office hours, the professor may be found either in the office, in the lecture
room(s), in the science lab room(s), or in other areas as indicated by a note near the office
door. In case an emergency prevents the professor from holding office hours, a note will
be posted near the office door.
Telephone messages and email are checked at least once on each day the professor has
classes scheduled. When leaving an email message, include the course code, BIO 101,
in your title so that the professor will know to give your message priority. The professor
is not permitted to share information about a student’s grades via email unless the student
requests and completes a written form giving the professor permission to do so. Grades
are available on Blackboard. Written correspondence may be delivered via the “Student
Drop Box” located near the Faculty Reception Desk on the 3rd floor of the Arts and
Sciences Building. In case of emergency, please leave a message at the Dean’s Office
Reception Desk on the 2nd floor of the Arts and Sciences Building.
The professor will use BlackBoard email and announcement functions to communicate
with students. It is the student’s responsibility to register his/her correct email address on
BlackBoard. The final course grade will be received by each student via their “MyCecil”
website located at www.my.cecil.edu
Free Tutoring: Tutoring in biology and math skills is available. Contact the CC Testing
Center at 410-287-1015; or visit the Testing Center in the Engineering and Math
Building. Tutoring in writing, reading, study skills, and computer skills is available
through the Reading/Writing Lab on the 3rd floor of the Arts and Sciences Building.
Information on learning styles and the methods of study tailored to your individual
strengths can be found at www.vark-learn.com . Assistance with the use of computers is
available in the Computer Lab on the 3rd floor of the Technology Building. Assistance
with the use of the electronic databases is available in the CC Library at 410-287-1005.
All of these services are offered free of charge.
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