Syllabus Review
BIO220 – Introductory Microbiology
A Little Perspective
2011-2012 Grades
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
2005-2012 Grades
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Assessment and Grades
650 Points Total
Final Grade is determined as a percentage of the
total grade. The total number of points may be
changed, with notice, for pedagogic or
andragogic reasons.
300 Points for
Exams
There are four exams, your best three grades
count for the final grade. While you are not
required to take all four exams, please look on
these as a way to deal with life’s little
inconveniences, rather than as a way of
compensating for a lack of studying.
100 Points for
Presentation
Each student will give an 8-10 minute PowerPoint
(or equivalent) presentation about an assigned
microbe. The microbes will be assigned at
random and the presentation assignment will be
laddered through the semester.
50 Points for Lab
Notebook
The lab is run on a notebook model. The
notebooks will be collected five (5) times during
the term and evaluated for completeness,
accuracy and participation.
100 Points for Lab
Skills
Microbiology is ultimately a very practical
discipline so through out the term there are
various practical assessments of your lab skills to
judge your ability to perform the techniques
learned.
100 Points for Lab
Unknown
The lab unknown is the practical final for the lab.
The project will involve the integration of skills
learned in the lab to identify an unknown sample
of bacteria.
Grade Scale
4.0 = 100% - 93.0%
3.5 = 92.9% - 86.0%
3.0 = 85.9% - 80.0%
2.5 = 79.9% - 75.0%
2.0 = 74.9% - 70.0%
1.5 = 69.9% - 65.0%
1.0 = 60.0% - 64.9%
0.5 = 50.0% - 59.9%
Course Policies
Extra Credit and Make Up
Work
There is none. Plain and simple, any deviations from this are at my
discretion.
Attendance Policy for the
Course
You will be dropped from the course (or failed after the last drop date)
if you fail to complete two (2) exams or attend three (3) or more labs.
Incomplete Requests
This is the single most misunderstood policy
in any of my courses. As such, here are the
minimum requirements for an incomplete.
Significant and
Extenuating
Circumstance
Incompletes are not because a student fails to
attend or isn’t happy with their performance, but
rather for life’s experiences that cannot be
circumvented.
Passing Grade at
the time of the
Request
When you get an Incomplete your grades to that
point carry over to the Incomplete, so you must
be passing in order to get an Incomplete.
Regular
Attendance
Incompletes are not meant for students that do
not attend class.
90% of the
assessments
complete
The Incomplete is meant for students with
extenuating circumstances where the very end of
a course cannot be completed.
Office Hours and Contact
Email:
irelandjohn@jccmi.edu
Expect a response from me within 48 hours, but I reserve the right to
not reply within twelve hours of a test or assessment.
Phone:
Don’t bother…
I hate phones… no seriously, I hate them. Besides, I prefer to have
conversations in person or in writing so that they are not subject to
interpretation.
Office:
136A McDivitt
Office
Lab
Office Hours:
T/W/R: 10:30-12:00
W/R: 2:30-3:30
I’ll be around other times, these are just the hours I guarantee I’ll be
here.
Website:
http://docireland.org/JCC
JetNet and I have a distinct dislike for each other, so I run everything
off my blog. Nothing here is required, but it helps.
Final Thoughts
Some people think of me like
this…
Honestly, I am a little more
like this…
But in the end, I want you all
to succeed…
The question is do YOU want
to put in the effort?