BIOL1107L-Principles of Biology I Laboratory
Course syllabus-Spring 2006

Course description:

Number and title: BIOL 1107L (CRN 24066 (9:00am); CRN 24069 (12:00pm); CRN 24071 (3:00 pm) CRN 24073 (6:00 pm),  Principles of Biology I Laboratory; all labs meet on Tuesday.

Credit hours: 1.0 semester credit hour

Catalog description: Laboratory accompanying BIOL1107, Principles of Biology I.

Course co-requisite: BIOL1107, Principles of Biology I. Withdrawal from BIOL1107L requires withdrawal from BIOL1107 and withdrawal from BIOL1107 requires withdrawal from BIOL1107L.

Computer Requirement: Each CCSU 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 CCSU'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 (Internet Explorer preferred), and Microsoft Excel

In Class Use of Student Notebook Computers

Student computers will be used in the classroom in this course.

Students will use their computers outside of class for lab reports and to retrieve assignments.

Laboratory objectives: For specific laboratory objectives, see the first page of each Lab Topic in the Laboratory Manual.

Instructor information:

Instructors:

Dr. Nickie Cauthen
phone: 678-466-4776
fax: 678-466-4899
e-mail: ncauthen@clayton.edu
internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/Cauthen/CauthenHome1.htm

Office: Arts and Sciences Building, G105B

Office hours: Monday and Wednesday 10:30-11:30 am and M only 1:30-4:00 pm; Tuesday 3:00-4:00 pm; Thursday by appointment.

Dr. Cauthen's current schedule

Instructor:

Dr. Jacqueline Jordan 
phone: 678-466-4781
fax: 678-466-4899
e-mail: jacquelinejordan@clayton.edu
internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/jordan/

Office: Lower level of the Library Building, LIB 136

Office hours: Monday 3:30 pm – 6:30pm; Tuesday 10:30 am – 12 noon and 1:00pm – 2:50 pm ; Wednesday 1:30pm – 3:30pm ; Other days and times by appointment only

Dr. Jordan's current schedule

 

Class meetings:

Textbook information:

Required texts: Investigating Biology, Fifth Edition, Morgan/Carter, 2005

Evaluation and grading:

Tentatively, the points will be distributed as follows:

Item	Points
2 lab practical exams	50%
lab reports* and other graded work	50%
TOTAL	100%

*Click here for guidelines for your lab reports.

Click here to see a sample lab report done by a student

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Grade	Percentage range
A	90-100%
B	80-89%
C	70-79%
D	60-69%
F	Below 60%

Mid-term Progress Report

Due to the relatively small number of laboratory reports that will have been returned by mid-term, no mid-term grade will be reported for this course.  Students making unsatisfactory progress will be contacted individually by the instructor before mid-term.

Tentative course schedule:                                                     

Instructor prep-students do not have access to this link.

Lab prep-students do not have access to this link.

Course policies:

Attendance: Each student must attend the assigned laboratory weekly for 3 hours.  

• You are expected to remain in lab for 3 hours weekly, so do not schedule other appointments during this time. Attendance will be checked at each lab period. 
• Due to limited space and resources, labs CANNOT be made up. However, you may attend lab in the other lab section if you have a valid excuse and with the permission of the instructor.  If you miss lab, you must have a written excuse (that I can keep) from an authority (doctor, judge, funeral director etc.). With the written excuse, the missed points for the laboratory will not count against you. You cannot turn in a lab report, lab assignment , take a quiz, or get credit for notebook work for a lab that you did not attend. 
• If you miss lab, you are responsible for the lab material on the lab practical.  
• If you have a valid, written excuse and miss a practical exam, you should attend one of the other lab sections with the instructor's permission.  
• If you miss the lab practical altogether and have an excused absence, notify the instructor immediately by e-mail, and see the instructor upon your return to school.  Missing more than one lab practical is considered excessive.  If you have greater than one absence from a lab practical, you will be asked to withdraw from the course.
• Except under extenuating circumstances, you will be counted absent if you are more than 20 minutes late and will not be able to turn in the lab assignment, quiz, or lab report for that lab.
• Missing lab because you are taking a vacation or leaving early for a scheduled break are NOT excused absences.

Lab notebooks: For each lab you are responsible for completion of the pre-lab and post-lab objectives in your notebook.  Pre-lab objectives should be completed for that week's lab prior to coming to lab.  Post-lab  objectives should be begun during the current lab and finished at home and should be in the lab notebook by the following lab period.  Lab notebooks will be checked for completion and may be used when quizzes are given in lab.  You are responsible for printing the pre- and post-lab objectives and bringing them to lab each week.  The notebooks will be excellent study guides for the practical exams.

Late assignments: Lab reports or report sheets will be accepted late using the following chart for subtracting points. Lab reports or report sheets will NOT be accepted more than one week after they are due. Turn in all of your lab materials together. No supplemental materials may be added once you have turned in you lab report or assignment.  Late penalties begin to be charged as soon as the lab period is over in which the assignment is due, day 2 begins at midnight the next day and then charges are assessed at 24 hour intervals.

Click here for late assignment chart

E-mail: Important messages and announcements will be sent to you via your CCSU account. You must activate your account and check your e-mail regularly. If you cannot use your CCSU account, it is your responsibility to send an alternate e-mail account that can be added to the class list serve.  You are responsible for all e-mails sent to the class list.

Website: Check my web page (http://a-s.clayton.edu/Cauthen/CauthenHome1.htm) regularly for new postings. You are responsible for printing all posted items.  These items will not be available from me during lab.

General policies:

• Students must abide by policies in the Clayton College and State University Catalog, Student Handbook, and if applicable, program handbook.
• Students must follow the guidelines set forth in Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.
• Visitors, including children, are not allowed in the laboratory.
• No smoking, other use of tobacco, eating, or drinking is permitted at any time in the laboratory.
• 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:  copying the work of another person, allowing another person to do your assignment,  working in a group on a graded item, copying or closely paraphrasing sources written by another person , using anything but your brainpower on an exam, quiz, report, report sheet, etc.  Cheating in any form will result in a minimum of zero on the assignment and academic misconduct forms will be filed with the Office of Judicial Affairs for any violation. 
• You may work with your lab partners to do lab experiments, obtain data, and to discuss the data, but the answers that you turn in on lab reports or lab report sheets should be written in your own words.
• All lab practicals are closed book.  NO student produced study sheets, note cards, notes from class, etc. may be used on lab practicals.  During lab practicals you may have only pencil(s) and an eraser at your desk.  You may not work with another person on lab practicals, lab reports, quizzes, lab report sheets, etc.  You may use materials that you have compiled from the pre-lab and lab objectives on the lab quizzes. However, you may not use your lab manual or materials from others.
• Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering the classroom.  No electronic devices may be out or in use during exams or other graded assignments.  

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Administration Building, A23, 678-466-5445, disabilityservices@clayton.edu.

Last update: April 16, 2006