St. Petersburg College



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BSC 2010L - All Sections

Biology I Laboratory (1 credit)

Fall 2015

Course Description:

This is a laboratory experience to accompany Biology I.  Laboratory exercises related to cellular biology are studied in detail and include:  basic biochemistry, cell structure and function, molecular biology, embryology and genetics.  45 contact hours.

Corequisites:

The corequisite for this course is BSC 2010. Please note that students who withdraw from lecture or lab will be withdrawn from the appropriate corequisite course.

Recommended Prerequisites:

Although it is not formally listed as a prerequisite, it is strongly recommended that a student take Composition I and II prior to this course. The lab section requires research papers. MAC 1105 (College Algebra) is also strongly recommended.

The instructor will assist or refer students, as needed, to develop the following skill set:

• Proficiencies in MyCourse

• Proficiencies in SPC’s Library Online, located at:

• Utilization of various applications (i.e., Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, Power Point)

• Students will be required to present a journal article in a PowerPoint presentation

• Using the Internet to locate and save information

Meeting Times: Monday, Section 0109, 7:00 - 9:40 PM in CL-NM 263

Wednesday, Section 1982, 7:00 - 9:40 PM in CL-NM 263

Instructor: Mr. Barry Bowyer, MS, MSPH

Email: bowyer.barry@spcollege.edu or via MyCourse

Contact Phone Number: (727) 791-2757

Office Location: CL-NM 227

Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday 6:30 - 7:00 PM

Availability: I am available for consultation through MyCourse and during office hours. Email me anytime for assistance or to ask questions.

Email Expectations: Emails should be professional, considerate and purposeful; this will ensure the most effective response. USE CORRECT GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION, and SPELLING (e.g. capital letters, full words, periods, etc.).

Expectation for follow up: I normally respond to email on the same day if the email is sent early enough. I do not respond on weekends unless I am teaching a Saturday course. The last email and phone call check of the day is usually at or before 5:00 PM.

Link to Instructor page:

 

Academic Department: Department Chair Name: Dr. Mark Italia

Office Location: CL-NM 212

Office Number: (727) 791-2503

Natural Sciences Dean: John Chapin

Office Location: UP 337B (Seminole Campus)

Office Number: (727) 394-6995

 

Course Materials: Laboratory Manual will be provided free of charge.

ANGEL: The MyCourse class website contains your syllabus, lab schedule, and grades. It also has a discussion area where you can post questions, a calendar, an email area where you may communicate with me and with one another, and an announcement page where I will post important announcements. You can also check your grades and your current class average. Please check the MyCourse website on a daily basis.

Laboratory Schedule: The schedule will be placed in MyCourse and updated regularly.

Important Dates: August 17 Classes begin

August 21 Last day to withdraw with refund

September 7 Labor Day – NO CLASSES

October 20 College Day – NO CLASSES

October 22 Last day to withdraw with “W”

November 25 Thanksgiving Break

Laboratory Safety: Please refer to the “Laboratory Safety Rules and Procedures Agreement” for information about safety precautions specific to a laboratory class.

Grade Determination: Your grade in this course is will be based on participation, quizzes, assignments and practicals. Students should read the assignments before lab by reviewing the class schedule and printing the necessary materials from the website. You are expected to come to lab prepared to perform the experiments, with the reading already completed.

Grading: PRE-LAB QUIZZES: No make-up quizzes will be given, even for excused absences. Quizzes will cover the material for that day’s lab unless otherwise noted in class. Quizzes are multiple choice, true/false, or short answer. You should know definitions, major concepts, and procedures for the day’s lab. The quizzes will be given at the beginning of lab. If you arrive late, you will not be given extra time. If you arrive after the quiz is over, you will not be permitted to take it.

Quizzes are graded within 1-3 days of submission. If you complete a quiz but do not receive a grade or see an incorrect grade in MyCourse, contact your instructor within 2 weeks of submission. After 2 weeks, I assume all grades are correct. I will NOT change grades for any assignments at the end of the semester.

POST-LAB ASSIGNMENTS: These assignments are assigned at the completion of select topics in the laboratory manual. These assignments must be done using Microsoft Word (if you need assistance will excel, please come to my office hours or ask a librarian for support). All assignments must be turned in as a hard (printed) copy on the day it is due. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. To avoid plagiarism, ALL REFERENCES must be properly cited using the CBE format. The writing tutors in the information commons can also supply you with proper CBE format and can assist you in writing your papers. PLAGIARISM will NOT be tolerated; assignments with ANY documented plagiarism will be given a grade of “0”.

You must complete the assignment by the following laboratory meeting. Extra time WILL NOT be allowed. The assignment will be due at the BEGINNING of class on the due date. No late papers will be accepted. All papers turned in must have your name on it and must be stapled if more than one page is submitted. Failure to follow proper instructions WILL result in deduction of points from the assignment.

LAB COMPLETION AND PARTICIPATION: Completion of each lab topic is mandatory. Lab completion/participation grades will be assigned based on your participation, contribution and completion to the lab assignment. Students who regularly leave early, miss class, or “watch” as others perform lab experiments can expect a very LOW lab completion grade. This course involves the participation of each student within groups. This grade will reflect the students overall willingness to work with fellow students and participate in all laboratory assignments.

PRACTICALS: There will be a mid-term practical that covers material from the first half of the course and a final practical that covers material from the last half of the course. Practical questions will be T/F, multiple choice, short answer or fill in the blank. Students will answer questions pertaining to the concepts addressed in the laboratory, protocols utilized in the laboratory, and the results of experiments performed in the laboratory.

The following is the point distribution for this course:

|Assignment |Points |

|10 Pre-lab Quizzes (10 pts each)* |100 |

|10 Post-lab Assignments (10 pts each)** |100 |

|Midterm Practical |100 |

|Final Practical |100 |

|14 Lab Completion & Participation (5 pts each) |70 |

|Total possible points |470 |

**Post-lab assignments are assignments shown at the end of the laboratory procedure. These will be due at the beginning of the following lab period. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED (unless the student has a valid excuse which is accepted and confirmed by the instructor).

Make-up labs: You need to make sure you attend every class. Make-up labs can ONLY be attended during the week the labs are being taught. You must contact the instructor for approval prior to attending another lab section to make up a missed lab. Documentation for an excused absence will be required. Unexcused absences include: didn’t wake up in time, forgot about it, etc. If you miss lab due to an unexcused absence, you will receive a zero for any assignments associated with that lab. Late assignments will NOT be accepted unless you have DOCUMENTATION of an unavoidable circumstance. DISCUSS ANY ANTICIPATED ABSENCES WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THE ABSENCE. If you have an excused absence with proper documentation, you will need to contact your instructor as soon as possible to arrange for a make-up. (It is YOUR responsibility to inform the instructor of any potential problems with attendance). NOTE: If allowed, make-up practicals will be in essay format unless another practical section can be attended by the student.

Grading Scale: A = 89.5-100%

B = 79.5-89.4%

C = 69.5-79.4%

D = 59.5-69.4%

F = 0-59.4%

There will NOT be any available extra credit at the end of the semester.

Do NOT “request” extra points/ additional assignments at the end of the course.

No response will be given to these requests.

Academic Integrity: The college has an official policy on academic honesty and proper classroom behavior. It is the student’s responsibility to review the online Academic Honesty Policy. I take this subject very seriously and WILL NOT tolerate academic dishonesty or inappropriate/disruptive behavior in the classroom. College policy states that a first offense (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) is given a “zero” for the assignment with no possibility of replacing the score. In addition, on the first offense, a form is filed in the Assistant Provost’s office. This does not go onto the student’s transcript, but, should a second offense occur, the student is then subject to expulsion from school. You need to be very clear about this procedure and about what constitutes cheating and/or plagiarism. Since you will be writing papers, you must be VERY CAREFUL not to plagiarize. You must correctly document all resources used.

Discipline specific information can be found by following these links





Attendance: Regular class attendance is mandatory. Attendance is required to complete the laboratory assignments and therefore mandatory. Your attendance will be used to determine active participation in the course, so it is very important to attend class! If you miss a class, you are responsible for making up the material and turning it in when due.

FIRST TWO WEEKS: As per SPC policy students must attend at least ONE class in the first two weeks of the semester. Faculty verifies that students are in attendance at least once each week during the first two weeks of class. Students classified as “No Show” for both of the first two weeks will be administratively withdrawn and will still be responsible for the tuition and fees. 

Withdrawal: The college-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum (). The policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus.

NON-PAYMENT OF COURSE FEES: Students will be automatically withdrawn at the beginning of the term for non-payment of course fees.

SELF WITHDRAWAL: Instructors CAN’T withdraw students from classes. If a student wishes to withdraw from a course, it is the responsibility of the student to withdraw either online through MySPC or with the help of an advisor in the registration office.  If the withdrawal is completed by October 22, 2015, a grade of “W” will be recorded which does not impact the student’s GPA.  If the withdrawal occurs after that date, the student will receive a grade of WF (withdraw-failing). The WF grade is punitive; it has the same impact on the GPA as an “F”. Students who withdraw from all classes may be required to repay some or all of the financial aid received for the term.  Should you consider totally withdrawing from all classes before October 22, 2015 it is important that you consult the Scholarships & Student Financial Assistance office on your home campus to understand your options and the consequences of total withdrawal.

Since the lecture (2010) and the lab (2010L) are co-requisite courses, you are supposed to withdraw from the lecture if you withdraw from the lab.

Students in the third attempt of a course who withdraw will receive a WF regardless of the date of withdrawal.

Active Participation: Immediately following the 60% point of the term the instructor will verify which students are actively participating in class.

For this class, a total of 3 or more unexcused absences prior to the voluntary withdrawal deadline will result in the recording of a non-participating status being entered into PeopleSoft. Students classified as not meeting the criteria for active class participation will be administratively withdrawn with a “WF.” Students will be able to withdraw themselves at any time during the term. However, requests submitted after the 60% deadline will result in a “WF.” Students and instructors will automatically receive an email notification to their SPC email whenever a withdrawal occurs. Please come see me if you have any questions.

Excused Absences: To qualify as an excused absence, you must have a valid, written document that can be verified. If you have a VALID excuse to miss a laboratory, please contact Mr. Bowyer AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Examples of VALID excuses include: family wedding (must show wedding invitation/announcement/etc.), funerals (must show program, obituary, etc.), hospital stays (must show documentation of stay), broken down car (must show tow-truck receipt), etc. Examples of INVALID excuses include: alarm clock didn’t go off, had to give my boyfriend/girlfriend a ride, a scheduled dentist appointment, etc. If you have a VALID DOCUMENTED EXCUSE, you may be eligible to make-up the lab, contact your instructor to schedule a make-up lab. All labs must be made up in the SAME WEEK. If you do not contact your instructor within 48 hours of your absence then the absence will be considered UNEXCUSED. THREE OR MORE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES WILL RESULT IN AN “F” GRADE FOR THE SEMESTER! Tardiness will not be tolerated, and will be counted as an absence.

Course Etiquette: It is important to remember that everyone’s goal should be to learn. Behavior that impedes the learning process of others will not be tolerated. Disruptive classroom behavior is any behavior that impedes the teaching/learning process, which includes talking or text-messaging during class, leaving before class ends, etc. Students are expected to be actively engaged in the learning process.

The following guidelines should be followed:

o No alcohol or tobacco products are allowed in the class.

o All electronic devices (cellular phones, iPods, etc.) are to be turned off before the class starts.

o Be on time, it is disruptive to other students when one is late for class.

o Do not leave before all experiments have been completed.

My expectations: Your participation in this class is critical for the learning process.

You should read lab assignments before lab and come to class prepared to conduct experiments and discuss the concepts, the pre-lab assignments will give you credit for doing this.

You should treat the opinions of others with respect and tolerance.

You should practice academic honesty in all your work. This includes working independently on ALL assignments unless you are told otherwise.

All work you submit should be YOUR OWN. Unauthorized collaboration will result in a zero for the assignment, which cannot be dropped as your lowest grade.

You should come to class on time and remain for the entire class.

You should complete all assignments on time and with thoughtfulness.

Late papers or assignments will not be accepted. All papers and assignments are due at the start of class time. Electronic submission will NOT be accepted when an assignment is due IN CLASS.

For all classes cell phones should be turned off and put away.

Texting, web-browsing, working on projects for other classes, chatting with friends, entering and leaving during lab and other disruptive behaviors will NOT BE TOLERATED.

You should contact me promptly if there is a problem requiring my attention.

Tips for Success: Tips for success include:

• Read over protocols prior to coming to class.

• Be prepared to perform the experiments/lab activities when you arrive.

• Complete post-lab assignments in a timely manner.

• Perform the experiments carefully and ask questions when necessary.

• Make sure you understand what you did and why before you leave lab each week.

• DO NOT JUST MEMORIZE DEFINITIONS – UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS.

• ASK QUESTIONS!!! (During class and/or office hours.)

• Visit the tutor!

SSI: The student survey of instruction (SSI) is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement. This survey will be provided via ANGEL towards the end of the course. Please be sure to complete the survey.

Miscellaneous:

Financial Aid:

Students with disabilities:

Women on the Way (WOW):

Male Outreach Initiative:

Student Life:

Clearwater campus website:

The "Addendum to Syllabi" is an important part of your syllabus and can be accessed by using the following link. Please take the time to read this addendum.



The instructor reserves the right to make changes where necessary to the schedule and assignments. Changes will be announced in class and/or Angel. (Students need to check Angel regularly for course information and are responsible to note any changes.)

Course Goals:

1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method in the design, application and analysis of laboratory investigations.

2. The student will demonstrate an understanding of basic manipulatory skills using instruments and equipment in biological laboratory studies.

3. The student will demonstrate an understanding of cellular structure and cellular processes such as mitosis, meiosis, diffusion, osmosis.

4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of testing and investigative methods used to study the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

5. The student will demonstrate an understanding of current research techniques in biochemical, molecular, genetic and embryological research that address newly arising questions in these and other rapidly changing fields.

Course Objectives:

1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method in the design, application and analysis of laboratory investigations by:

a. correlating steps of investigation logically between observations and testing for significant data.

b. identifying biological questions and designing appropriate experiments to produce data for scientific analysis.

c. determining appropriate controls, sample sizes and reasonable goals.

2. The student will demonstrate an understanding of basic manipulatory skills using instruments and equipment in biological laboratory studies by:

a. using various types of microscopes with proficiency.

b. exhibiting correct and efficient use of data-gathering and measuring devices.

3. The student will demonstrate an understanding of cellular structure and cellular processes such as mitosis, meiosis, diffusion, osmosis by:

a. describing cell structures and their biological function.

b. comparing mitosis and meiosis and their respective purposes and locations.

c. describing the similarities and differences between diffusion and osmosis.

4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of testing and investigative methods used to study the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration by:

a. describing the cellular structures and biochemical requirements necessary for accomplishing these processes.

b. devising and executing appropriate and controlled experiments to demonstrate the occurrence of these processes; their rate of production and how individual variables influence these rates.

c. assessing, analyzing and graphing data from experiments relating to these processes.

5. The student will demonstrate and understanding of current research techniques in biochemical, molecular, genetic and embryological research that address newly arising questions in these and other rapidly changing fields by:

a. becoming proficient in current research techniques and their usage.

b. evaluating current studies and their applications in advancing future research.

c. reporting procedures, experimental data and analyzed results in appropriate form suitable for scientific publication.

SIGNATURE PAGE:

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the parameters set in this syllabus for BSC 2010L.

I understand that I must have continuous access to, and fluency with a computer and related software throughout the course.

I understand that it is my responsibility to complete all assignments in a timely manner and that my grade will suffer should my assignments not be completed by the deadlines. I will not expect time extensions for late assignments.

I promise that all work performed and submitted in this class will be my own. I understand that if any submitted assignment is determined not to be of my own work or if I am suspected of using prohibited resources while completing an assignment, then I will be subject to disciplinary measures as stated in the syllabus and the college catalog, including failing the class.

I understand that rudeness has no place in this course. I will communicate with others in a respectful, appropriate and polite manner. I also realize that failure to do so can result in my being withdrawn from the course.

I understand that excessive, unexcused absences will result in a withdrawal from the course.

Printed name:

Student signature:                                                      Date:       

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