Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the:
Disability Services Coordinator
Student Center 214
(678) 466-5445
disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Number and Title: BIOL 3650L (CRN 24449, 24450)
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
Credit Hours: 1.0 semester credit hours
Catalog Description: Laboratory accompanying BIOL 3650
Course Prerequisite: BIOL 1108 and BIOL 1108L
Course Co-requisite: BIOL 3650, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy*
*Note: Due to the co-requisite nature of BIOL 3650 and BIOL 3650L, students dropping one of the two courses must also drop the other. Laboratory exercises are designed to supplement material and concepts covered in BIOL 3650. Students who have credit for BIOL 3650 from a prior term are accountable for the information previously covered in the course. Check the BIOL 3650 syllabus for the current semester for more information.
Notebook 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: Students enrolled in this course must possess and have proficiency with the following computer skills and be able to:
use the computer's operating system (Windows)
access and send E-mail, including attached files (Outlook Express)
use a Web browser and search engine
use a word processing program (MS Word) to produce reports and assignments
install and navigate through an anatomy program and a physiology simulation program
Additional skills may be required as the semester progresses.
In-class Use of Student Notebook Computers: Notebook computers may be used by students in the laboratory at the instructor's discretion. Computers will also be required to access course materials, complete assignments and to communicate with your instructor.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
To provide students with a critical understanding of the scientific method
To provide students with an understanding of the association between form and function in vertebrate animals through the study of model species and their morphology
To provide students with an understanding of the role of natural selection in vertebrate speciation
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students who successfully complete this course will have worked towards the following biology program outcomes:
Effectively demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of major fields of biology. This course will focus on the development of a knowledge base in vertebrate anatomy, evolution, and taxonomy
Demonstrate a mastery of a broad range of basic lab and technology skills applicable to biology.
Students will display the ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise manner. Laboratory assignments and practicals will exercise written communication skills.
Demonstrate the ability to collect, evaluate and interpret scientific data, and employ critical thinking to solve problems in biological science and supporting fields. Students will demonstrate these abilities through laboratory assignments and practicals.
Collaborate effectively on team-oriented projects. Students will demonstrate this ability through laboratory assignments.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Dr. Taglialatela (CRN 24448)
Office: Administration Building 14C
Phone: (678) 466-4794
Fax: (678) 466-4899
Email: jtaglialatela@clayton.edu
(*students in Dr. Taglialatela's classes must contact him via WebCT)
Internet: http://a-s.clayton.edu/jtaglialatela
Office hours: Tuesday 11:05 - 12:35, 14:30 - 16:00; Wednesday 11:00 - 13:00;
Thursday 11:05 - 14:05
CLASS MEETINGS
CRN 24449
Wednesday
08:00 - 10:50
Business Health Sciences (C-32)
CRN 24450
Wednesday
13:00 - 15:50
Business Health Sciences (C-32)
TEXTBOOK INFORMATION AND COURSE MATERIALS
Required Text:
Comparative Anatomy: Manual of Vertebrate Dissection 2nd edition, 2008, D. W. Fishbeck & A. Sebastiani
Recommended Materials:
BIOL 3650L DVD set - this will be available for purchase from the CSU Science Association (http://studentorg.clayton.edu/cssa). Check with your instructor for more information.
Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution, 5th edition, 2009, K. V. Kardong (required text for BIOL 3650)
EVALUATION
The following is the TENTATIVE plan for point distribution in the course. This point distribution is subject to change.
| Practicals (3 @ 50 points each) | 150 |
| Laboratory Attendance/Participation/Performance* | 50 |
| Laboratory Reports | 50 |
| TOTAL | 250 |
*Attendance/Participation/Performance points are based on each student's on-time attendance as well as the amount and quality of the work completed while in lab This does NOT include laboratory reports. Click HERE for the rubric your instructor will use to evaluate your performance in each and every laboratory meeting.
GRADING
The letter grade you earn for the course will be based on the number of points you earn:
|
2 |
A |
|
|
B |
|
|
C |
|
150-174 |
D |
|
< 150 |
F |
MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORT
Mid-term grades will be reported for this course by March 3, 2009. The last day to withdraw without academic penalty is March 6, 2009. It is each student's responsibility to keep up with their academic progress in this course. If you have any question as to whether or not you are making satisfactory progress, contact your instructor BEFORE March 1, 2009.
COURSE SCHEDULE
The general laboratory schedule is available on a separate page (http://a-s.clayton.edu/jtaglialatela/BIOL3650L_scheduleSP2009.htm).
PLEASE NOTE: this schedule is tentative and subject to change. Therefore, check back frequently, and always confirm dates and assignments with your instructor. YOU are responsible for keeping up to date with the laboratory.
COURSE POLICIES
General policies:
Students MUST abide by policies detailed in the Clayton State University Student Handbook and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities document. It is each student's responsibility to read and familiarize themselves with these policies.
Visitors (including children), are NOT allowed in the laboratory under any circumstances.
No smoking, other use of tobacco, eating, or drinking is permitted at ANY time in the laboratory.
Proper attire and footwear must be worn in the laboratory at all times. No sandals, shorts, or hanging jewelry should be worn. Long hair should be tied back.
Attendance Policy:
Students are required to attend weekly meetings of the laboratory.
Students are NOT permitted to attend any section of the laboratory other than the one that they are registered for.
If you are unable to attend a weekly laboratory meeting, written documentation of an unavoidable personal or immediate family emergency from a doctor or other competent authority MUST be presented to your instructor on the first day that you return to laboratory. This policy applies to both weekly laboratory meetings and lab practicals.
Missed Work:
There
are NO makeup practicals. If you miss a lab practical,
you MUST provide written documentation of an unavoidable
personal or immediate family emergency to your lab instructor on the first
day that you return to lab. If your instructor deems your excuse and
written documentation appropriate, the missed practical will not be factored
into your final laboratory grade. For example, if you miss lab
practical 1 and you are able to provide documentation of an unavoidable
personal or immediate family emergency, your final laboratory grade will be
based on 200 points, as opposed to 250.
If you miss a weekly laboratory meeting, you MUST provide written documentation of an unavoidable personal or immediate family emergency to your lab instructor on the first day that you return to lab. If your instructor deems your excuse and written documentation appropriate, missed assignments may be completed and turned in to your instructor as long as graded work has not been returned to other students. Attendance/participation points, and any assignments that cannot be made up will not be factored into your final laboratory grade.
Without written documentation from a doctor or other competent authority of an unavoidable personal or immediate family emergency, students will receive a "0" for attendance/participation points, graded assignments and/or laboratory practicals that are missed.
If you miss a weekly laboratory meeting (regardless of whether or not your absence is excused), you are still responsible for the lab material on the lab practical.
Academic Misconduct:
According to the Clayton State University, "Academic Misconduct: A Faculty Guide,"
Any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. The most common forms of academic misconduct are cheating and plagiarism. Examples include:
Submitting material as original when it is, in fact, copied from another person or from another source, without properly acknowledging that source.
Using information or devices that are not authorized by faculty such as formulas or data from a computer program, calculators, or unauthorized material for an out-of-class exam or project.
Obtaining or using unauthorized material such as a copy of an examination before it is given.
Fabricating information such as data for a laboratory report.
Collaborating with others on an assignment without faculty consent.
Cooperating with or helping another student to cheat.
Having another person take an examination or altering exam answers and requesting an exam be re-evaluated
Academic misconduct in ANY form will not be tolerated. All assignments and exams MUST be your own work. If what you submit to your instructor is not the result of your efforts, it is a form of academic misconduct.
Academic misconduct in any form will result in a zero on that assignment/exam. In addition, academic misconduct forms will be filed with the Office of Judicial Affairs. Judicial procedures are described at http://adminservices.clayton.edu/judicial.
Disruption of the Learning Environment:
Behavior that disrupts the teaching-learning process during class will NOT be tolerated. Whereas 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 class activities will 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 receive a grade of WF.
A detailed description and examples of disruptive classroom behavior can be found at http://a-s.clayton.edu/DisruptiveClassroomBehavior.htm.
Other Class Policies:
Changes or amendments to this syllabus may be made at any
time during the semester at the instructor's discretion. This includes
practical dates, grading, and course policies. If changes are made, these
changes will be posted to the course website.
All portable electronic devices including (but not limited to) cell phones,
blackberries, sidekicks, iPhones, etc. are not allowed to be used in class
at any time. Use of these items may result in dismissal from class and will result in a zero on
any
graded activities for that day.
Unexcused late reports/assignments are ONLY accepted in
limited circumstances and at the discretion of your instructor. It is each
student's responsibility to make the necessary preparations to submit
reports/assignments by their due dates.
Students are required to come prepared to each
and every weekly laboratory meeting. This includes reading the assigned
portion of the laboratory manual, as well as reading and reviewing any
supplemental material posted on the course website. Failure to come
prepared to lab each week will result in loss of participation points. Last
Update:
January 13, 2009