BIOL4201-Genetics
Course Syllabus-Summer, 2008

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Administration Building room # 23, 678-466-5445, disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.

Course description:

Number and title: BIOL 4201 (CRN 53225), Genetics (3-0-3)

Credit hours: 3.0 semester credit hours

Catalog description: A study of Mendelian principles, molecular genetics, and population genetics.  The cellular and molecular mechanisms of inheritance, gene expression, and influences on evolution are included.

Course prerequisites: BIOL1108 and BIOL1108L, Principles of Biology II and its laboratory. 

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 (Internet Explorer preferred), and Microsoft Excel

In class use of Student Notebook Computers

Student computers will be used to communicate with the instructor and access notes and assignments for this class.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Biology outcomes:

BIOL4201 supports outcomes 1, 4, 5, and 7 of the biology major:

• Outcome 1.  Knowledge of the basic principles of major fields of biology.
• Outcome 4.  Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear concise manner.
• Outcome 5.  Ability to collect, evaluate, and interpret scientific data, and employ critical thinking skills to solve problems in biological science and supporting fields.
• Outcome7.  Appreciation for the impact of biological and physical science on the environment and society

Course learning outcomes:

• Course outcome 1: To understand concepts in molecular genetics including but not limited to DNA structure, DNA replication and repair, transcription, RNA modification, translation, control of gene expression in eukaryotes, and recombinant DNA technology.
• Course outcome 2: To understand concepts in Mendelian genetics including but not limited to vocabulary and problem solving.
• Course outcome 3: To understand concepts in chromosomal genetics including but not limited to chromosomal inheritance, sex linkage, mapping, chromosomal mutation.
• Course outcome 4: To understand concepts that do not obey Mendelian rules.
• Course outcome 5: To understand concepts of population and quantitative genetics.
• Course outcome 6: To apply the information learned in class to genetic applications and problems.

Instructor information:

Instructor:

Dr. Fran Norflus
Office: Arts and Sciences Building, Room G110G
Phone: (678) 466-4852
email: FrancineNorflus@clayton.edu
Internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/fnorflus/
Summer Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 – 2:00 in room C28 or G-110G.  Other office hours may be made by appointment.

Class meetings: Classes will meet in the University Center, room U416 from 10:30 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Textbook information:

Required texts: 
1. Concepts of Genetics by Klug, Cummings and Spencer, Prentice Hall, 2006, 9^th edition

Text coverage: Chapters 2-4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17 & 18

This book should come packaged with a supplement entitled Reading Primary Literature by Christopher Gillen

2. Writing papers in the biological sciences, 4th edition, Victoria E. McMillan.  2006.  Bedford/St. Martin's.  New York.

Optional Study Guide: 

Student handbook and solutions manual for Concepts of Genetics, 9^th edition

Evaluation and grading:

Evaluation:

In this class, there will be 3 in class exams, a final exam and a project where you will need to make a poster and write a paper.  The description for the paper and poster can be found here: 

To determine your final grade, you need to add up all the points that you earned and divide this number by 500.

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Mid-term Progress Report

The mid-term grade in this course will be issued prior to June 27, 2008 and will be based only on the first exam.  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 or from the Registrar's webpage, on or before the mid-term, which occurs on June 27, 2008.  If the withdrawal is submitted after June 27, 2007, the grade will be a 'WF', which is equivalent to an F in the calculation of a student's GPA.

Please go to this link to find the course schedule.

Important Dates

The chapters covered on the exam may change due to the progress of the class.

Format of class and resources used

This class will be taught by a mixture of lecturing and completing problem sets.  Exam questions will come from the lecture material and problem sets.  These problem sets will NOT be graded but you will need to know how to do the problems for the exams.  On occasion, there may be in class or take home assignments which will count as a small part of the following exam grade.

For example, there may be a 10 point take home assignment.  Therefore, the following exam will be worth only 90 points and the assignment will make up the other 10 points.

Missed work

·         There will be NO make up exams. Instead your final exam grade will count twice.  However, you must have a valid excuse. Missing more than one of the scheduled, regular hour exams is considered excessive.   You will be asked to withdraw from the course or to apply for a hardship withdrawal (after the midterm only) if you miss more than one exam. 

·        If you need to miss the final exam for an extraordinary circumstance, a makeup examination will be given but only if you contact me in advance of the exam.

·         You MUST present a valid excuse written by some authority (doctor or judge) in order to get an excused absence.  If there is a death in your family, you will need to bring me official documentation to validate your excuse.

·         You will only have 48 hours to notify me of your excuse in order to get credit for the missed assignment.  If you do not contact me within 48 hours, then you will receive a grade of 0 regardless of your excuse.  I regularly check my e-mail so if you have an excuse and you cannot return to class, then you may e-mail me your excuse and will then have to provide the documentation IMMEDIATELY upon your return.  If you do not provide your documentation when returning to class, you will be given a grade of 0.

·       Routine doctor visits (i.e., annual eye exam, cleaning of teeth, etc.) should not be scheduled during class or exam time; they will not be considered excused.

 

·       Problems with your car and getting stuck in traffic is not considered a valid excuse.  You will be given a grade of 0 if that is your reason for not attending class.  If you are in an accident on the way to school, you will need to present me with a police report within 48 hours of the accident inorder to get an excused absence.

·        All other extraordinary circumstances will be handled by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.  However, you should contact me in advance or as soon after the extraordinary circumstance as possible.

 

Turning in late papers and presenting posters:  I will deduct 10 points for each day that your paper is late unless you have a documented excuse. No papers will be accepted after 3 days past the due date.  Your paper will be due at the beginning of the class period.  If you come in late and hand your paper in late, I will deduct 10 points from your grade.  If you do have a documented excuse, you will need to hand your official excuse in when returning to class or you will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment. You will also need to hand your paper in at that time.

All posters will need to be presented during the scheduled time slot. You will need to arrive on time for the poster presentations or 10 points will be deducted from your grade.  If you have a documented excuse, you will need to arrange with the instructor another time to present your poster.  Since this will disrupt the other lesson plans for the test, if your excuse is NOT valid, you will not be allowed to present the poster and you will be given a grade of 0 for this assignment.

Taking exams:  All electronic devices including cell phones, palm pilots, pagers, calculators, etc. are not allowed during exams or other in class graded assignments.  Possession and/or use of these items during an exam or other graded assignment will result in a zero on the graded activity.

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/do not use your CCSU account, it is your responsibility to send me an alternate e-mail address.  You are responsible for all e-mails sent to the class list.

Course Policies:

Students must read course policies as stated below on first day of class.

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

No disruptive behavior of any kind will be tolerated. 

Disruption of the Learning Environment

Behavior which disrupts the teaching–learning process during class activities will not tolerated.  While a variety of behaviors can be disruptive in a classroom setting, more serious examples include 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.  A student who is dismissed is entitled to due process and will be afforded such rights as soon as possible following dismissal.  If found in violation, a student may be administratively withdrawn and may receive a grade of WF.

A more detailed description of examples of disruptive behavior and appeal procedures is provided at: 

http://a-s.clayton.edu/DisruptiveClassroomBehavior.htm

University Attendance Policy 

Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through the course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of the course, determine what effect excused and unexcused absences have in determining grades and upon students’ ability to remain enrolled in their courses. The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades.

Course Attendance policy

Attendance is expected for all class periods so that you do well in the class.  However, I will not take attendance in this class.  Attendance is required for examinations.  Any absence must be accompanied by a written excuse from a doctor or other competent authority. 

·        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, copying or closely paraphrasing a source written by another person, using anything but your brainpower on an exam, assignment, 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.  Judicial procedures are described at http://adminservices.clayton.edu/judicial/

 

Other Policies

·        All examinations are closed book.  NO student produced study sheets, note cards, notes from class, electronic information,etc. may be used on exams.  During exams you may have only pencil(s) and an eraser (or pen) at your desk.  You may not work with another person on exams.   

·        No calculators will be allowed during examinations unless the instructor states so prior to the examination.

·        Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering the classroom.  No electronic devices may be out or in use during exams, other graded assignments or lectures. 

·      The temperature will be hot outside when you are inside for this class.  However, the temperature will be cold inside.  You must come to class appropriately attired.  If you are not, the instructor will have to discuss with you what appropriately attired means.

·       Visitors, including children, are not allowed in the classroom.

·        No smoking, other use of tobacco, eating, or drinking is permitted at any time in the classroom.