Term

Summer 2009

Instructor

Dr. Stephen Burnett
phone: 678-466-4774
fax: 678-466-4797
e-mail: sburnett@clayton.edu
internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/burnett/

Office: 

Faculty Hall, room A26A**

Office hours: 

Mondays and Wednesdays 1:05-2:35, some lab times, and by appointment.

During office hours, I will be in one of three locations:  A26A (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 UC331 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday.

Required textbook information:

Campbell, Reece, Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, and Jackson. Biology, Eighth Edition.  The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.  Package includes Current Issues 4 and 5 and Inquiry in Action: Interpreting Scientific Papers, Buskirk and Gillen.

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

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOUR OWN SCANTRONS FOR EXAMS - Scantrons can be purchased at the bookstore.  Students who fail to bring a scantron on the day of the exam will receive a zero for any sections of the test that required the scantron.

Evaluation and grading:

Original distribution of points:

Item	Points
3 exams (50 pts each)	150
Class Assignments*	130
Appropriate Behavior**	20
final examination, comprehensive	100
TOTAL	400

Modified distribution of points (updated 7/19/09)

Item	Points
2 exams (50 pts each)	100
Third exam	60
Class Assignments*	80
Appropriate Behavior**	20
final examination, comprehensive	140
TOTAL	400

*Many class assignments will be completed in class, using WebCT.  Absence from class on those days will result in the loss of the points for those assignments.  You cannot make up an in class assignment, but if you have an excused absence from that class period, those points will not count in your total.

**Appropriate behavior applies primarily to the use of unauthorized electronic devices during class time.  Use of cell phones, IPods, pagers, PDA's, etc. by any student during lecture will result in a loss of these points for ALL students in the class.  Specifically, any student using such devices during class (e.g., texting during lecture) will cost the ENTIRE class 2 points.  If any such device plays its ringtone or makes any other noise during class, the ENTIRE class loses 5 points.  At the beginning of each class, your instructor will remind you about this policy.  Students who routinely violate this policy may have additional points removed from their individual scores.

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Grade	Points
A	360+ (90-100%)
B	320-359 (80-89%)
C	280-319 (70-79%)
D	240-279 (60-69%)
F	Below 240 points

The mid-term grade in this course which will be issued by June 22nd, 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 withdraw from the course using the DUCK or fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, by mid-term, which occurs on June 26th.

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

Changes or additions to this syllabus, including readings, exam dates, grading, and course policies can be made at the discretion of the instructor at any time.  If such changes are made, they will be posted on the announcements section of the instructor's web page.

General data from this course may be used by the instructor for research on improved methods of teaching, leading to presentation or publication.  Data that would be used for this purpose would consist of anonymous data, with no identifying information from particular students (e.g., the overall average for the course, NOT grades from particular students).  If you do not wish for your instructor to include your data in such studies, fill out the withdrawal of consent form and bring it to your instructor.

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.

Grades will not be communicated by phone or email - graded materials can only be picked up by the individual to whom they belong.

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.  Cheating includes, but is not limited to: falsifying any information submitted on course assignments, copying the work of another person, allowing another person to do your assignment, allowing another student to copy your work, 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.  Misconduct in any form will result in a zero on the assignment for all involved students and academic misconduct forms may be filed with the Office of Student Conduct for any violation.  Judicial procedures are described on the webpage of the Office of Student Conduct.

Disruption of the Learning Environment

Behavior which disrupts the teaching–learning process during class activities will not tolerated. This includes belligerent, abusive, profane, and/or threatening behavior. A student who fails to respond to reasonable faculty direction regarding classroom behavior and/or behavior while participating in classroom activities may be dismissed from class.

    Examples of disruptive behavior:

    Common examples of behaviors that may be disruptive include, but are not limited to:

• Refusal to comply with faculty direction
• Monopolizing classroom discussions
• Talking when the instructor or others are speaking
• Failing to respect the rights of other students to express their viewpoints
• Constant questions or interruptions that interfere with the instructor’s presentation
• Creating excessive noise
• Use of electronic devices (pagers, iPods, MP3 players, or cell phones) in the classroom without the instructor’s approval
• Overt inattentiveness (e.g., sleeping or reading the paper in class)
• Inordinate or inappropriate demands for time or attention
• Routinely entering the class late or leaving early without instructor permission.
• Leaving and re-entering the class during lecture.
• Verbally abusing an instructor or student (i.e. cursing or extremely loud talking directed at a particular person)
• Threatening to physically harm an instructor or student through verbal or body gestures.
• Intimidating through body gestures and/or posture.

Students exhibiting these types of behaviors can expect a warning from the instructor or dismissal for the class period in which the behavior occurred.  Failure to correct such behaviors can result in dismissal from the course.

     More extreme examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Use of profanity or pejorative language
• Intoxication
• Verbal abuse (e.g., taunting, badgering, intimidation)
• Harassment
• Threats to harm oneself or others
• Physical violence

A student who is dismissed from a course for unacceptable and/or disruptive behavior is entitled to due process and will be afforded such rights within 3 class days following dismissal. If found in violation after the review process, the student’s dismissal will be upheld and a grade of WF may be issued for the course.

Conditions attributed to physical or psychological disabilities are not considered as a legitimate excuse for disruptive behavior.

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.  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.

NOTE: Excuses for graded assignments can only be applied if you were NOT present.  If you take the exam/quiz/assignment, you cannot come to me and ask not to count that assignment in your grade after the fact.  In such situations, you will receive the score you earned on the assignment.  If you know of an extenuating circumstance, it is in your best interest to discuss it with your instructor ASAP.

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.  If the absence was from an exam, 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.

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

Electronic devices

Students are REQUIRED to turn off all unnecessary electronic devices during class.  Unauthorized use of cell phones, MP3 players, etc. during class will result in the loss of "Appropriate Behavior" points from all students in the class.  In addition, the offending student is subject to confiscation of the device and loss of additional points for that particular individual, at the discretion of the instructor.  All electronic devices including cell phones, palm pilots, pagers, calculators, MP3 players, etc. are not allowed during exams or quizzes, unless specifically permitted by the instructor.  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, and may result in a charge for academic misconduct. 

If a cell phone or other electronic device makes noise (by ringing, buzzing, etc.) and disrupts the testing environment, the instructor will penalize the responsible student(s) by taking points from their exam score.

Late assignments

Unless otherwise stated by your instructor, assignments that are to be completed outside of class are due in class on the assigned days.  Assignments that are not turned in during class lose 20% of their points.  They lose an additional 20% per school day.  Electronic submission of assignments is only allowed if the instructor specifically permits it.  If it was not permitted, electronic submissions will not be accepted and your work will be considered late, losing points until I receive a printed copy of the assignment.  Printing problems are not an acceptable excuse for submitting work late.  Under NO circumstances will assignments be accepted more than one week after they are due or after I have returned the graded work to the class, whichever is sooner. Turn in all parts of your assignment together. No supplemental materials may be added once you have turned in the assignment.

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 usually be posted on the web page for this class.

Communication from personal email accounts (e.g., Yahoo, gmail, etc.) is acceptable, as long as the following requirements are met:

1. You clearly identify yourself in the body of the email
2. You clearly identify which class you are writing to me about
3. The subject line of your email is suitably descriptive that I can tell it isn't Spam or a virus (e.g., do not send emails with a subject of "Hello", etc.)
4. You do not ask me specific questions concerning grades, as they cannot be discussed by email.

Emails that do not meet these requirements will not receive a response.

WebCT

Each student must activate his/her WebCT account at Clayton State University. This account will be used for completing various assignments in and out of class.  These assignments will generally have very specific time limits, and if they are not completed on time, they will not be possible to complete as late assignments.  More information on these assignments will be provided as the semester progresses.

This page last updated July 28, 2009