Biol 102 General Biology [BSCI] [B] 4 credits - Lecture
Fall 2014
Lecture. Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 09:10 – 10:00, Undergraduate Building (VUB) 121
Instructor. Dr. Michael Berger
Office hours: VSCI 230Q (Monday 13:30 – 14:30 and Wednesday 10:00 – 11:00 & by appointment)
Contact information: Email, msberger@vancouver.wsu.edu
Teaching Assistant. Rachel Glaeser
Office hours: VSCI 102 (Wed. 13:00 – 14:00 and by appointment)
Contact information: Email, rachel.glaeser@gmail.com
Required Textbook. Reece et al. 2015. Campbell Biology: Concepts and Connections, 8th edition.
Pearson. Available at the WSU Vancouver Bookie.
Required Laboratory manual: Berger, M.S. 2013. General Biology Laboratory Manual. XanEdu
Press. Available at the WSU Vancouver Bookie.
Additional required item. iClicker+. Available at the WSU Vancouver Bookie.
Pre-requisites. None
Course description. This introductory level general biology course for non-majors will provide a
foundation in molecular, cellular, organismal, and ecosystem level biology. We will explore how
living organisms function and interact in an evolutionary context and ecological framework. The
material we cover in lecture will be integrated into practical hands-on approach in the laboratory.
Additionally, you will learn how to critically read and understand scientific papers. By the end of the
course, I hope you will understand basic biological principles and relate those principles to the world
you live in.
WSU Learning Goals. This course ties into WSU’s learning goals and specifically addresses:
Critical and
creative
thinking
At the end of this course,
students should be able to:
Define, analyze, and solve
problems.
Quantitative Draw appropriate
conclusions from
reasoning
quantitative analysis of
data.
Information Access and incorporate
information from popular
literacy
media and peer-reviewed
literature.
Course topics that address
this learning outcome:
In-class discussions on
fisheries, genetically
modified crops, invasive
species, and global climate
change.
Genetics; biodiversity;
statistics.
This objective will be
evaluated primarily by:
Exams; in-class
discussions; lab reports
Presentation on finding peer
reviewed literature; In-class
discussions on papers in the
primary literature.
References used in
writing assignment.
Exams; lab reports
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Grading: Evaluation of course material will consist of three midterm exams (125 pts. each), four
discussion quizzes and in-class assignments, one writing assignment (see writing assignment handout
on Angel), an oral presentation (see oral presentation handout on Angel), lecture participation, and a
cumulative final exam. Your lowest midterm exam score will be dropped. The lab portion will
consist of 230 points (see lab syllabus). You will not be graded on a “curve”, which means that your
grade will reflect individual performance and not relative performance. You must take all exams
during the scheduled time. No make-up midterm exams will be offered. If you miss a midterm
exam, it will be counted as your lowest exam score. The final exam must be taken during the
scheduled time and can not be made up. If you do not hand in an assignment at the time it is due,
your assignment will be marked down 10 % for each day past the due date. Specific evaluations are:
Evaluation
Midterm exams (best 2 of 3)
Final exam
In-class discussion (4 @ 10 pts)
Take home quizzes (4 @ 20 pts)
Oral presentation
Lecture participation
Writing assignment
Total Lecture Points
Total Lab Points
Points
250
200
40
80
50
35
55
710
230
Total course Points
940
Estimated final points and letter grades
842-869 A- 870-940 A
748-775 B- 776-813 B 814-841 B+
654-681 C- 682-719 C 720-747 C+
< 560 F
560-625 D 626-653 D+
Attendance: Attendance in class is expected and exam questions will reflect material covered in
class. Lecture participation points will not be awarded if you do not attend lecture. You are required
to attend lab. If you miss more than three labs, you will fail the lab portion of Biol 102 and
consequently receive a failing grade for the overall course.
Group discussions: We will have four group discussions during regular lecture times. Our goal will
be to discuss current topics in a critical context. You are expected to read the papers prior to lecture.
For each paper, you will be required to complete a take-home quiz (20 points) available on Angel
(http://lms.wsu.edu) prior to the discussion, contribute during the discussion, and complete an inclass exercise (10 points). Attendance is required to receive credit for each in-class exercise.
iClickers: You are required to purchase an iClicker for in-class participation and responsible for
bringing the iClicker to all lectures. You are expected to attend and participate during lecture.
Lecture participation points will not be awarded if you do not have your iClicker; no
exceptions. Your iClicker must be registered to receive credit for in-class participation. Please
follow registration instructions on the iClicker handout available on Angel. A few loaner iClickers
are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Using more than one iClicker is considered
cheating, which is a violation of academic integrity.
Exam taking policy: Time limits for exams will be enforced. Assigned seats may be used during all
exams. Once the exam starts, you will not be allowed to leave the classroom for any reason;
including use of the washroom. If you arrive late, you may not be allowed to take the exam. During
the exam the following are not allowed and are considered forms of academic dishonesty (see
Academic Integrity section): talking, any electronic device, or looking at other exams. All written
material must be out of sight and all bags closed. Your student picture ID must be shown upon
completion of the exam.
2
Grade dispute policy: Please submit in writing your requested correction, a valid reason for that
correction, and a copy of the disputed material. You have up to one week after you received your
evaluation (e.g., exam grade) to submit requests in writing. After one week has passed, requests will
not be accepted. I will also not accept any requests verbally and requests via email will not receive a
reply. All written requests submitted within the one week time frame will be examined and you will
receive a prompt reply. Material graded by your teaching assistant should be addressed with your
teaching assistant.
Academic Integrity: All students should be familiar with the WSU’s Policy on Student Conduct
(http://studentaffairs.vancouver.wsu.edu/student-affairs/student-conduct). You are expected to do
your own work. Cheating, plagiarism, and collusion will not be tolerated! Any student found in
violation of the academic integrity policy will receive a zero for that assignment, have 235 points (25
% of total course points) deducted from your total points, and the Office of Student Conduct will be
notified. For additional information about WSU’s Academic Integrity policy/procedures please
contact (360) 546-9781.
Access to course material: Course material and quizzes will be posted in a timely manner on Angel
(http://lms.wsu.edu). Please take the “syllabus acknowledgement and academic integrity quiz” on
Angel. An academic integrity guideline handout is available on Angel. You are required to
acknowledge that you have read the syllabus and pass the quiz. This will show me that you can
access Angel and understand what constitutes a violation of academic integrity.
Copyright Policy: WSU requires all users of campus services to comply with all state and federal
laws including copyright laws. For more information, see: (http://publishing.wsu.edu/copyright/).
Disability Accommodation: Accommodations may be available if you need them in order to fully
participate in this class because of a disability. Accommodations may take some time to implement,
so it is critical that you contact the Access Center as soon as possible. All accommodations must be
approved through the Access Center, located in the lower level of the Multimedia Classroom
Building (360) 546-9238 (http://studentaffairs.vancouver.wsu.edu/access-center).
Emergency Notification System: WSU has made an emergency notification system available for
faculty, students, and staff. Please register at Zzusis (http://zzusis.wsu.edu) with emergency contact
information. You may have been prompted to complete emergency contact information when
registering for classes on Zzusis. In the event of a Building Evacuation, a map at each classroom
entrance shows the evacuation point for each building; please refer to it. In case of campus-wide
class cancellation, please check local media, the WSUV web page, and http://www.flashalert.net/.
Individual class cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each individual is
expected to make the best decision for their personal circumstances, taking safety into account. A
safety plan can be viewed at http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/safety-plan.
Important University dates and deadlines: You are encouraged to refer to the academic calendar
often to be aware of critical University deadlines throughout the semester. The academic calendar
can be found at http://www.registrar.wsu.edu/Registrar/Apps/AcadCal.ASPX. Questions regarding
the academic calendar can be directed to the Office of Student Affairs in VSSC 100 (360-546-9559).
Additional important information: As a courtesy to the instructor and your fellow students, please
turn off your cell phone during lecture. Texting during lecture is not allowed. If computers are
used for non-course related activities, the instructor reserves the right to limit computer use. Please
arrive on time and avoid disturbing other students by talking or eating during lecture.
Syllabus modification: Dr. Berger reserves the right to modify this syllabus, including lecture and
lab schedule, to improve the quality of this course. You are responsible for being aware of any
changes, which will be clearly announced.
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Date
Topic
M 25 Aug Introduction
W 27 Aug Molecular biology
F
29 Aug Molecular biology
M 01 Sept LABOR DAY – no class
W 03 Sept Molecular biology
F
05 Sept Writing in science
M 08 Sept Molecular biology
W 10 Sept Cellular biology
F
12 Sept Cellular biology
M 15 Sept Cell function
W 17 Sept Cell function
F
19 Sept Cellular respiration
M 22 Sept Exam 1
W 24 Sept Discussion – Fisheries management
F
26 Sept Fisheries video – “Empty oceans, empty nets”
M 29 Sept Cellular respiration
W 01 Oct
Photosynthesis
F
03 Oct
Cellular reproduction
M 06 Oct
Cellular reproduction
W 08 Oct
Heredity
F
10 Oct
Heredity
M 13 Oct
Heredity
W 15 Oct
Discussion – Genetically modified crops
F
17 Oct
Exam 2
M 20 Oct
DNA structure and function
W 22 Oct
DNA structure and function
F
24 Oct
Gene expression
M 27 Oct
Evolution
W 29 Oct
Evolution
F
31 Oct
Evolution and Speciation
M 03 Nov Speciation and Evolutionary history
W 05 Nov Discussion – Invasive species
F
07 Nov Evolution of prokaryotes and protists
M 10 Nov Evolution of plants and fungi
W 12 Nov Evolution of plants and fungi
F
14 Nov Exam 3
M 17 Nov Veterans Day – no class
W 19 Nov Evolution of animals
F
21 Nov Evolution of animals
MWF 24 – 28 Nov Thanksgiving break – no class
M 01 Dec Population ecology
W 03 Dec Community ecology and ecosystems
F
05 Dec Discussion – Global climate change
M 08 Dec Biosphere
W 10 Dec Biosphere
F
12 Dec Biosphere
TBA
Final Exam
Reading
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
Ch. 2 & Ch. 3
Ch. 3
Mack 1986
Ch. 3
Ch. 4
Ch. 4
Ch. 5
Ch. 5
Ch. 6
Griffith 2008
Ch. 6
Ch. 7
Ch. 8
Ch. 8
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Marvier and Van Acker 2005
Ch. 10
Ch. 10
Ch. 10
Ch. 13
Ch. 13
Ch. 13 & Ch. 14
Ch. 14 & Ch. 15
Vila et al. 2010
Ch. 16
Ch. 17
Ch. 17
Ch. 18 & Ch. 19 (pgs. 388-399)
Ch. 18 & Ch. 19 (pgs. 388-399)
Ch. 36
Ch. 37
Nelson et al. 2013
Ch. 34
Ch. 34
Ch. 34
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Biol 102 General Biology - Lab
Fall 2014
Lab: Section 01 Tuesday 10:35 – 13:15, VSCI 101, Teaching Assistant Rachel Glaeser
Section 02 Tuesday 13:25 – 16:05, VSCI 101, Teaching Assistant Rachel Glaeser
Section 03 Tuesday 17:45 – 20:25, VSCI 101, Teaching Assistant Rachel Glaeser
Required Laboratory manual: Berger, M.S. 2013. General Biology Laboratory Manual. XanEdu
Press. Available at the WSU Vancouver Bookie
Laboratory attendance: You are required to attend and participate in all labs. There will be no
make-up labs. If you miss a lab, you will receive zero points for your lab write-up. Your lowest lab
write-up score will be dropped. The instructor reserves the right to deduct points if you arrive late or
leave early. If you miss more than three laboratory exercises, you will fail the lab portion of Biol
102 and consequently receive a failing grade for the overall course.
Laboratory etiquette: Please follow all lab safety regulations. These include no food or drink in the
lab and wearing proper attire. University and Washington State regulations require you to wear
close-toed shoes in the lab. You will be asked to leave if you wear sandals or open toed shoes in the
lab.
Grading: Evaluation of laboratory material will consist of 12 laboratory exercise assignments (15
pts. each; lowest score dropped), a take-home quiz (5 pts. each) associated with each lab, and 5 points
for overall participation. You are expected to read laboratory instructions prior to lab. The lab
take-home quiz will be available on Angel and must be submitted by 10:30 A.M. on the day of the
lab. Late quiz submissions will not be accepted and you will receive a zero. Lab exercise
assignments are due at the beginning of the next lab period. Lab assignments received after the start
of lab will be marked down 10 % for each day past the due date. Your Teaching Assistant is in
charge of the laboratory and grading laboratory assignments. Please address questions regarding
graded lab assignments with your Teaching Assistant.
Lab partner(s): Some labs may require you to work in groups. Although you and your lab
partner(s) have the same data, you are required to write-up your own lab report individually. Please
write in your own words and do not copy from your lab partner. Copying a lab report is plagiarism
and allowing a lab report to be copied is collusion. Academic dishonesty will be treated with zero
tolerance (see lecture syllabus section on Academic Integrity). All lab partners are expected to
contribute equally while collecting data.
Oral presentation: We will use two lab periods for oral presentations. Please see the oral
presentation handout on Angel for specific assignment details. Attendance during all oral
presentations is mandatory. Absence will result in a deduction of 25 points from your
presentation score.
Syllabus modification: Dr. Berger reserves the right to modify this syllabus, including lecture and
lab schedule, during the semester as considered necessary to improve the quality of this course. Any
changes to the syllabus or schedule will be clearly announced. You are responsible for being
aware of any changes.
5
Lab schedule (subject to change as the course progresses)
Date
Tu 26 Aug
Topic
Lab safety and scientific method
Tu
02 Sept
Microscopy
Tu
09 Sept
Cells
Tu
16 Sept
Plant diversity*
Tu
23 Sept
Natural selection*
Tu
30 Sept
Cellular respiration
Tu
07 Oct
Photosynthesis and leaf structure
Tu
14 Oct
Cellular reproduction & oral presentation lecture
Tu
21 Oct
Phylogenetics
Tu
28 Oct
Oral presentations
Tu
04 Nov
Oral presentations
Tu
11 Nov
VETERANS DAY – no laboratory
Tu
18 Nov
Forensic genetics
Tu
25 Nov
Thanksgiving break - no laboratory
Tu
02 Dec
Invertebrates and animal behavior
Tu
09 Dec
Animal reproduction and development
* Majority of lab will occur outside. Dress appropriately for weather conditions.
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