Biology 100 Biological Concepts Fall 2015
Dr. Brian D. Peer
Office: Waggoner 333; QC Complex 1115
E-mail: BD-Peer@wiu.edu
Office Hours: M 10:45-12:15; W 10:45-12:15; TH: 3:00-4:00 by appt
Web: https://sites.google.com/site/brianpeerlab/
Note: This syllabus is the equivalent of a contract and by enrolling in the course you have agreed
to all the policies contained herein.
Lecture: MW 9:30-10:45pm; QC Complex 1218
Lab: W 1:00-3:00; QC Complex 1218
Required Text: Simon, Dickey, Hogan, Reece. 2016. Campbell Essential Biology with
Physiology. Pearson.
Prerequisite: None
Course description: A lecture and laboratory course recommended for nonscience majors,
relating reproduction, heredity, evolution, ecology, and behavior to human life and societal
issues.
Course Objectives:
(1) To gain an understanding of basic principles of reproduction and heredity, evolution,
ecology, and behavior.
(2) To actively participate in the process of scientific investigation.
(3) To gain an appreciation of the natural world surrounding you.
Grading: Grades will be based on the following assignments. There will be a 10% point
reduction for every day an assignment is late. All assignments must be typed and all
presentations must be in Powerpoint. Grades will be based on the following assignments:
Assignment
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Writing Assignments
Lab
TOTAL:
Points
100
100
100
100
100
100
Grading Scale:
93-100% = A (558-600); 90-92% = A- (540-557)
87-89% = B+ (522-539); 83-86% = B (498-521); 80-82% = B- (480-497)
77-79% = C+ (462-479); 73-76% = C (438-461); 70-72% = C- (420-437)
67-69% = D+ (402-419); 63-66% = D (378-401); 60-62% = D- (360-377)
<60% = F (<360)
*You must pass the lab to pass the class
Due Date
9/21 M
10/14; W
11/11 W
12/16 W
TBA
TBA*
Exam Procedures: Exams will be mostly short answer, multiple choice, and some essay
questions. No portable audio or visual devices will be allowed. You will not be allowed to leave
the classroom during the exam - if you do, I will assume you are done with the exam and will
collect it. If you miss an exam do not expect that you will be allowed to make it up. I am the
sole arbiter of whether you will be allowed to make up an exam. My advice to you is to
come to the scheduled exam time!
Class Attendance: You are expected to attend all lectures and labs, and to actively participate.
You will lose 25 points for each lab period missed. Students who miss an excessive numbers
of labs or lectures may be dropped from the course.
Academic Honesty: CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! It is expected that each
student will perform honestly, and do her or his own work. Any form of academic dishonesty,
such as cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with as described on the
WIU webpage. Ignorance of these policies is not an excuse.
The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences define plagiarism as expressed by V. E.
McMillan in Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences (Bedford/St.Martin's Press, New York,
pg 16): "Plagiarism is the theft of someone else's words, work, or ideas. It includes such acts as
(1) turning in a friend's paper and saying it is yours; (2) using another person's data or ideas
without acknowledgement; (3) copying an author's exact words and putting them in your paper
without quotation marks; and (4) using wording that is very similar to that of the original source
but passing it off as entirely your own even while acknowledging the source."
This includes information in textbooks or laboratory manuals, honors and masters theses, all
writing assignments, and images. The faculty of the Department attempt to monitor student
writing assignments (essay exams, papers, laboratory reports, and other writing assignments or
exercises) for incidence of plagiarism. If plagiarism is found, the faculty will discuss the
situation with the student and indicate to the student the penalty for this academic dishonesty.
Potential penalties include those cited in the academic dishonesty section of the WIU web page
(http://www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php).
Classroom Conduct Policy: I expect you to behave in an appropriate manner in this class. If
you do not, you will be dropped from the course. I have a zero tolerance cell
phone policy. Put your phones away and turn them off. If you are
texting in class etc. you will be asked to leave and if it happens a
second time I will excuse you from the class.
Students Rights and Responsibilities: http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students.php/
Students with Disabilities: In accordance with University values and disability law, students
with disabilities may request academic accommodations where there are aspects of a course that
result in barriers to inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement. To file an official request
for disability-related accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center at 309-2982512, disability@wiu.edu or in 143 Memorial Hall. Please notify the instructor as soon as
possible to ensure that this course is accessible to you in a timely manner.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
Date
Topic
I. INTRODUCTION
Aug 24, 26
Introduction, What is biology
Chapters in Text
1
II. CELLS
Aug 31, Sep 2
Sep
7
Sep
9
Cells
LABOR DAY – NO CLASS
Working Cells
4
III. GENETICS
Sep
14, 16
Sep
21
Sep
23
Sep
28, 30
Oct
5, 7
Mitosis, Meiosis
******Exam 1******
Patterns of Inheritance
DNA Structure and Function
Gene Control, DNA Technology
8
IV. REPRODUCTION
Oct
12
Reproduction
Oct
14
******Exam 2******
5
9
10
11, 12
26
V. EVOLUTION
Oct
19, 21
Oct
26, 28
Nov 2, 4
Evolution
Evolution
Evolution
13
14
17
VI. ECOLOGY
Nov 9
Nov 11
Nov 16, 18
Nov 23, 25
Biomes, Weather Patterns
******Exam 3******
Population & Community Ecology
THANKSGIVING BREAK
18
VII. ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
Nov 30, Dec 2
Animal Behavior
Dec 7, 9
Animal Behavior
Dec 16
******Final Exam 8:00-9:50 AM*******
19, 20
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