Clayton State University

BIOL3650 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
Course syllabus - Fall, 2007

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 255, 678-466-5445, disabilityservices@clayton.edu.

Course description:

Number and title: BIOL 3650 (CRN 85579), Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy

Credit hours: 3.0 semester credit hours

Catalog description: An experiment-based comparative study of selected vertebrate phyla with emphasis on gross anatomy, evolutionary history, and taxonomy.

Course prerequisite: BIOL1108 and BIOL1108L

Course co-requisite: BIOL3650L, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Laboratory. Withdrawal from BIOL3650 requires withdrawal from BIOL3650L and vice versa.

Computer Requirement: Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. Students will sign a statement attesting to such access.  For further information on CSU's Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to http://itpchoice.clayton.edu/policy.htm .

Computer skill prerequisites: You must be able to use Windows, Microsoft Word, Outlook Express (including attaching and retrieving files via e-mail), a Web browser, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Microsoft Excel.

In class use of Student Notebook Computers

Computers may be used for some in-class activities, and students will use their computers outside of class for assignments, to access the internet, and to communicate with the instructor.  Computers may only be used during class when specified by the instructor; use of a computer during any other time is forbidden and will result in a loss of points.  During times when computers are permitted, students who are found using their computer for activities not related to the course (including, but not limited to checking email, web surfing, instant messaging, etc.) will have their computer confiscated for the remainder of the class period and will NOT be allowed to use the computer in class in the future.  This same limitation applies to the use of any other electronic devices in class (including, but not limited to cell phones, personal digital assistants, etc.).

Course objectives:

Outcomes:

Term

Fall 2007

Instructor

Dr. Stephen Burnett
phone: 678-466-4774
fax: 678-466-4899
e-mail: sburnett@clayton.edu
internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/burnett/

Office: 

Arts and Sciences Building, room G110F

Office hours: 

Mondays: 4:30-6:00pm
Wednesdays: 8:30-10:00am, 1:30-3:30 pm, and 4:30-6:00 pm
Fridays: 10-11:30 am

During office hours, I will be in one of three locations:  G110F (my office), the biology labs (C23, C29, or C32) or the research labs (C60 & C62).  If I am not in my office, I will leave a note on my office door indicating where I can be found.

Class meetings: Classes will meet in the University Center room 327 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Required textbook information:

Kenneth V. Kardong.  2006.  Vertebrates: comparative anatomy, function, evolution, 4th edition.  McGraw Hill Higher Education.  New York.

Victoria E. McMillan.  Writing papers in the biological sciences, 4th edition.  Bedford/St. Martin's.  New York.

Evaluation and grading:

Tentatively, the points will be distributed as follows:

The mid-term grade in this course which will be issued by October 9th, reflects approximately 25% of the entire course grade.  Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of "W."  Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, by mid-term, which occurs on October 12th.

Course schedule

The course schedule is listed on a separate page.  Be sure to check it often to keep track of any changes in the due dates of assignments and exams during the semester.  Due dates for assignments may be changed at the instructor's discretion.  You are responsible for keeping track of due dates and turning in your work when it is required.

Please note that the schedule is tentative and the dates of the exams and the chapters that each exam will cover are tentative and subject to change. Exam dates are not set until they are announced in class. The exam date will be announced at least one week in advance.

Course policies:

General policies

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook.  Students are also expected to abide by the guidelines in the "Basic Student Responsibilities" document.  Of particular concern is any sort of disruptive behavior where a student is not showing proper respect to the instructor or other students in the class.  Such behavior will not be tolerated and a student engaged in such behavior will be required to leave the class, forfeiting any points that are associated with that day's activity.  The ability of the student to return to class is determined by the instructor, based on the severity of the disruption, and can range from missing the current class period up to administrative withdrawal from the course.  In addition, charges may be filed with the Office of Judicial Affairs.

Visitors (friends, children, etc.) are strictly prohibited from attending class without the permission of the instructor.

No smoking, eating or drinking is permitted at any time in the classroom.

Academic integrity

Cheating in any form will not be tolerated; all work that you turn in must be in your own words and must be your own work.  If your brainpower did not generate what you turn in, it is considered cheating.  The following are examples of cheating:  falsifying any information submitted on course assignments, copying the work of another person, allowing another person to do your assignment,  working in a group on a graded item that is not intended as group work, copying or closely paraphrasing referenced sources, using anything but your brainpower on an exam, etc.  Cheating in any form will result in a zero on the assignment and academic misconduct forms will be filed with the Office of Student Conduct for any violation.  Judicial procedures are described on the webpage of the Office of Student Conduct.

Attendance

Attendance is expected at all class meetings and will be checked at each class meeting with the student's signature on the class roll. Quizzes and tests will be given at the beginning of the class; if you arrive late, you may be permitted to take the quiz/exam as long as the materials have not been collected from the class.  However, you will be required to turn in the assignment at the same time as the rest of the class - NO extra time will be given.  Exceptions to this policy can be made only under extenuating circumstances and with a WRITTEN excuse or explanation for tardiness or absence.  Some class assignments may be given during class time and absence from that class period will result in a zero for that class assignment.  If you have an acceptable excuse (see below), those points will not count in your grade.

For any excuse to be "acceptable", you must provide me with a note from a competent authority (doctor, judge, etc.).  The excuse must specifically indicate the dates that are to be excused, must be presented upon the first class day that the student returns to school, and makeup arrangements must be made at that time.  The decision on whether or not to allow a makeup exam is at the discretion of the instructor and without a written excuse, no makeups will be given.  Makeups will not be permitted after the graded exams have been returned to the class (generally one week).  If you are unable to make up an exam from an excused absence, the missed examination will not count in your final course grade (which means that the remaining graded work will be responsible for a greater weight in determining your final grade).  You are only permitted one excused absence from class exams, regardless of your excuse.  If you miss more than one exam with an excuse, the second exam will automatically receive a grade of zero.  At such a time it will probably best to consider the option to take a hardship withdrawal, as the exams are the majority of the points in the course.  In addition, excuses will not be accepted for routine procedures (checkups, teeth cleanings, eye exams, etc).  Students should not schedule such appointments for class times.

NOTE: Makeup exams may not follow the same format as the exam that was missed.

Electronic devices

Turn off all unnecessary electronic devices during class.  Unauthorized use of cell phones, MP3 players, etc. during class may result confiscation of the device and loss of attendance points for that day.  All electronic devices including cell phones, palm pilots, pagers, calculators, MP3 players, etc. are not allowed during exams or quizzes.  During such activities, these devices are not permitted to be in your possession at all (which means they cannot be clipped to your belt, in your pocket, etc.).  Possession and/or use of these items during an exam or quiz will result in an automatic zero on the graded activity.

Late assignments

For assignments completed out of class, all work is due in class on the due date.  Any work that is turned in after class on the due date will be considered late and penalized 20%.  Assignments will be penalized an additional 20% for each extra day late.  Under no circumstances can an assignment be turned in more than 4 days late.

E-mail

Each student must activate his/her e-mail account at Clayton State University. The class list serve will be the only method for communicating with the class by email.  Important announcements will be sent to the class on the class list serve.  You should also check my web page regularly for new postings. Handouts given in class and other important items will be posted on the web page for this class.

This page last updated January 04, 2008