BI231:
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Urry et al. 2021. Campbell biology. 12th edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA. Mastering Biology Access Code for Campbell biology. 12th edition. Knisely, Karin. 2021. A student handbook for writing in biology, 6th edition. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA
Schedule for Semester:
Please note that as needed this schedule for lecture and lab are subject to changes. Like the students in the course this is a “living thing” and will change to accommodate any needed changes in pace, lab exercises, or due to unforeseen circumstances. Any changes will be announced in class and will be reflected in the course information on Blackboard.
| Week | Date | Topic | Chapter | Lab |
1 | M, Jan. 13 W. Jan. 15 F. Jan. 17 | Intro to course/Evolution Evolution Evolution of Populations | Ch. 1 Ch. 22 Ch. 23 | No Lab |
2 | M, Jan 20 W, Jan. 22 F, Jan. 24 | NO CLASS MLK Day Hardy-Weinberg Speciation |
Ch. 24 | Lab 1 Evolution of Populations |
3 | M, Jan. 27 W, Jan. 29 F, Jan. 31 | Macroevolution Phylogenetics EXAM 1 | Ch. 25 Ch. 26
| Lab 2 Building Phylogenetic trees |
4 | M, Feb. 3 W, Feb. 5 F, Feb. 7 | Bacteria, Archaea & Protists Early Plants Evolution of seed plants | Ch. 27-28 Ch. 29 Ch. 30 | Lab 3 Plagiarism and Library activity |
5 | M, Feb. 10 W, Feb. 12 F, Feb. 14 | Fungi Animal Diversity Invert Diversity | Ch. 31 Ch. 32 Ch. 33 | Lab 4 Animal Classification
|
6 | M, Feb. 17 W, Feb. 19 F, Feb. 21 | Vertebrate Evolution Plant Growth EXAM 2 | Ch. 34 Ch. 35
| Lab 5 Data Analysis and presentation exercise |
7 | M, Feb. 24 W, Feb. 26 F, Feb. 28 | Resource Transport Plant Nutrition Plant reproduction | Ch. 36 Ch. 37 Ch. 38 | Lab 6 Writing Intro & Methods |
8 | M, March 3 W, March 5 F, March 7 | Plant Hormones Animal form and function EXAM 3 | Ch. 39 Ch. 40
| Lab 7 Plant Hormones Plant Hormone peer review |
| M, March 10- 14 | NO CLASS SPRING BREAK | |||
9 | M, March 17 W, March 19 F, March 21 | Animal Nutrition Circulation and gas exchange Immune system | Ch.41 Ch. 42 Ch. 43 | Plant lab report DUE Lab 8- Cricket Bio Results/Discussion |
10 | M, March 24 W, March 26 F, March 28 | Osmoregulation Hormones EXAM 4 | Ch. 44 Ch. 45
| Lab 9 Data Analysis and presentation |
11 | M, March 31 W, April 2 F, April 4 | Animal Reproduction Animal signaling Nervous Systems | Ch. 46 Ch. 48 Ch. 49 | Nervous Systems |
12 | M, April 7 W, April 9 F, April 11 | Sensory Mechanisms Animal Behavior Intro to Ecology | Ch. 50 Ch. 51 Ch. 52 |
Cricket Biology peer review |
13 | M, April 14 W, April 16 F, April 18 | Population Ecology EXAM 5 NO CLASS GOOD FRIDAY | Ch. 53
| Cricket lab report DUE Invasive species
|
14 | M, April 21 W, April 23 F, April 25 | Community Ecology Species Interactions Ecosystems Ecology | Ch. 54
Ch. 55 | Virtual/movie lab Conservation
|
15 | M, April 28 W, April 30 F, May 2 | Materials Cycling Conservation Biology Climate Change | Ch. 56 | NO LAB
|
COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM-- TBD
Grading System:
Grades will be based on:
| 5 Exams | 100 Points each, total of 500 Points |
| Final Comprehensive Exam | 150 Points |
| Lab Reports | 100 Points |
| Participation and Engagement | 80 Points |
| Learning Exercises/Lab Assignments, etc. | 200 Points |
| Online Homework | 200 Points |
| Total Possible Points | 1230 Points |
The points earned will be added and grades will be assigned based on the scale below. Do not expect any "curving" of grades in this course. This is not a practice encouraged by Wilmington College, per the Faculty Handbook: “It is the policy of Wilmington College to strive to fairness in grading and avoid grade inflation. Faculty are encouraged to regard ‘C-‘as a satisfactory grade, which means the student is meeting College standards, and will treat it as such in talking with students. The grade of ‘A’ on the other hand, should mean outstanding achievement, with a grade of ‘B’ in between. The grade ‘D’ represents minimally acceptable achievement, and the grade ‘F’ indicates failure.”.
Letter grade and points
Meaning of grade (from WC Handbook)
| Letter Grade "A" | 1131-1230 points | Outstanding Achievement |
| Letter Grade "A-" | 1107-1130 pts | Outstanding Achievement |
| Letter Grade "B+" | 1070-1106 pts | Good achievement |
| Letter Grade "B" | 1008-1069 pts | Good achievement |
| Letter Grade "B-" | 984-1007 pts | Good achievement |
| Letter Grade "C+" | 947-983 pts | Average achievement |
| Letter Grade "C" | 885-946 pts | Average achievement |
| Letter Grade "C-" | 861-884 pts | Average achievement |
| Letter Grade "D+" | 824-860 pts | Below average achievement |
| Letter Grade "D" | 738-823 pts | Below average achievement |
| Letter Grade "F" | < 738 pts | Inadequate achievement |
Exams and Assignments:
Exams will be online during lecture and will be a mixture of multiple choice, matching, short answer and essay. Since learning science is a cumulative endeavor, exams will test on cumulative information. However, exams will mostly focus on material learned in lecture and lab since the last exam. The final exam will be comprehensive and test on all material learned in the course. Homework and quiz questions have been assigned through the textbook course page and are to be completed throughout the semester. You will have two chances to complete each question in the homework and will receive bonus points if you are able to answer the question without relying on a hint. (You will not be penalized if you do open a hint). It is your responsibility to keep track of assignment due dates and assure that your homework is submitted on time. Be certain to leave yourself extra time in case of computer or other unavoidable problems; try not to wait until a few hours before the due date to complete computer assignments. If you miss an exam, you will receive a zero on the exam; there will be no make-ups. If extreme and unavoidable circumstances occur that make you miss an exam, you must contact the professor prior to the exam by emailing the professor. You must have documented proof of these unusual circumstances. Similarly, no late assignments will be accepted except under documented extraordinary circumstances.
Online Homework:
(via textbook webpage - www.masteringbiology.com): The textbook webpage contains information from each chapter, as well as supplementary study tools. This is a very good resource when trying to understand the reading of each chapter, as well as a helpful resource when studying for exams. You should read the relevant textbook chapter prior to watching the lecture and therefore view the lecture already having a good understanding of the lecture topic for the day. The textbook webpage will be used to do online homework, which makes up 16% of your grade. Students must use a code purchased through the textbook company to access the online quizzing. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance/Absence/Behavior Policy:
Attendance at the entire lab period is mandatory. You may miss only one lab period or portion thereof in the entire semester without penalty. For each lab (or portion thereof) that you miss after one absence, 15 points will be deducted from your lab attendance points, regardless of the excuse. If you miss a lab where a presentation or assignment is due, you will receive a zero for the presentation and assignment, unless you arrange to turn in the assignment with the professor prior to your absence. Students are expected to actively participate in laboratory and lecture activities and will be graded on their level of participation and preparation for each class. Students are expected to exhibit appropriate classroom etiquette, including, but not limited to, listening attentively when the professor or another student is speaking, raising your hand before speaking, arriving to class on time and turning off cell phones. In addition, students are expected to clean their laboratory area and return laboratory materials to the appropriate location prior to leaving lab. Points will be deducted from participation points for inadequate participation or improper classroom/lab etiquette. There will be learning activities and quizzes in lecture. If you miss a class in which these unannounced activities are administered without a documented valid excuse (see below), you will not be able to make up the points and will receive a zero. Students are responsible for getting information from other students or from the professor on what material they have missed from a lecture or laboratory, whether the absence is excused or unexcused. There are only a total of three excused absences in lecture (see above policy for lab) that can occur in the semester without penalty. All excused absences must be documented.
The College accepts these four categories of excused absences:
1. Activities in which the student serves as an official representative of the College (e.g., musical performances, athletic contests, field trips)
2. Personal illness, with documentation by the College nurse or a physician, if possible. Students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or in quarantine due to exposure to COVID- 19 are also excused and will not be penalized for not attending physical classes.
3. Family or personal emergencies
4. When severe weather makes travel to campus dangerous
Should any student feel ill at any time during the semester it is important to contact the college nurse (wchealthcenter@wilmington.edu , 937-481-2217) immediately. They will determine if testing, isolation or quarantine are necessary. If the nurse, or some other health authority, indicates the need to isolate or quarantine, your faculty will be notified through the Office of Academic Affairs of the dates of excused absences, once confirmed by the school nurse. It is, however, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact your professor immediately in order to determine how best to maintain engagement with course content and assignments during your absence. You should not attend any in-person class if you are displaying symptoms of a cold, flu or COVID19 and should be cleared by the college nurse before leaving any isolation or quarantine.
Field Trips:
If conditions permit, there will be one or more field trips. Please dress appropriately for field trips (shoes for hiking, appropriate clothing, hat, etc.). Sunscreen and water are recommended on hot days. Field trips will only be cancelled in the event of extreme weather conditions; we will go out in rain and unpleasant weather. Please arrive at lab at least 5 minutes before, as we will be leaving promptly. If you miss a ride, it will count as an absence from the lab. Every effort will be made to return by the end of the lab period, within the constraints of traffic, weather, etc. It is highly recommended that you avoid scheduling anything on your lab day immediately after class in case of unavoidable lateness.
Important Dates
Last Day to Add/Drop for full semester (without a “W” on transcript) – Friday, January 17th.
Spring Break – Mon- Fri. March 10th to 14th
Last Day to Drop Full Semester classes (with a “W” on transcript) – Wednesday, March 26th.
NO CLASSES/Service Day - Thursday, April 24th
Last Day of Classes – Friday, May 2nd
FINAL EXAM – TBD (I will update this once I have it)
BACCALAUREATE – Friday May 9th
COMMENCEMENT – Saturday May 10th All other class related schedule, see below.
General Information
Important course announcements will be made in class and posted on course page. It is expected that you will check your emails daily to stay up to date. A minimum of three hours of student work per week is expected for each credit hour awarded for the class. This means that students enrolled in a 4-credit hour course over a full semester should anticipate spending at least 12 hours of work each week outside of scheduled class time to complete the requirements of the course.
Blackboard course page: Lecture notes will generally be posted on the course webpage prior to the lecture. You should print out these notes or have access to them during class for notetaking during lecture. The notes are not meant to replace your attendance, nor your notetaking during lecture. Many times, there are important concepts and examples covered in class that are not detailed in the notes and textbook; therefore, it is important you take careful notes during class. Doing and learning science requires time outside of specified class time. For this course, you will be performing scientific experiments. It is imperative that you properly plan for experiments and projects, which may require commitment during weekend and evening times. If a project fails due to inadequate planning or improper care, you will receive a zero for any related assignments. Please contact the professor as soon as any issues arise to assure success in your experiments. You absolutely must take an active role in your learning to be successful in this course. The professor will be available by appointment during office hours and other times, through email, by phone and through the course page to answer any questions you have concerning assignments, course content and your progress. There is one guarantee for this course; if you start off with a true commitment to do well, question the professor at every opportunity, be prepared, plan ahead, meet deadlines, and study hard, you will pass this course with no trouble.
Wilmington College Mission Statement
The purpose of Wilmington College is to educate, inspire, and prepare each student for a life of success and service. To fulfill that purpose, Wilmington College provides a high quality undergraduate and graduate education shaped by the traditions of the liberal arts, career preparation, and the distinctive values of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). By offering academic programs, practical experience, and co-curricular activities in a variety of settings to students from diverse backgrounds, the College leads students to gain an awareness of the world, to acquire knowledge of career and vocation, and to seek truth and social justice. In keeping with the rich heritage of the liberal arts, the College seeks to educate the whole person-intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual-in ways that foster critical thinking, reflection, the free exchange of ideas, open inquiry, tolerance, and a desire for lifelong learning. The liberal arts are integrated with career preparation to help students develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in a career or further education. As an academic community, Wilmington College is rooted in historic Quaker values that include integrity, service, simplicity, equality, peace and social justice, and respect for all persons. These values motivate those who learn and work at Wilmington College to make positive contributions to their professions and their communities.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Academic Misconduct - Examples [10/24]
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
This policy is directly related to the first Testimony, which is part of the Student Code of Conduct. “I will practice personal and academic integrity.” The initial responsibility for dealing with academic misconduct lies with the individual faculty member in whose classroom or course of study the offense occurs. The responsibility includes determination of the consequences for the offense. The goal is for faculty to confront cheating and plagiarism, to teach ethical behavior, and to provide an appropriate consequence based on the nature of the incident. Faculty are encouraged to explicitly address academic misconduct and its consequences in the course syllabus.
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
A. Examination offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.Taking unauthorized materials into or out of the examination room.
2.Leaving the examination room without authorization before completing an examination.
3.Talking in the examination room without authorization.
4.Discussing the examination outside the examination room during the course of the examination.
5.Attempting to observe the work of another student.
6.Taking an examination for another person or permitting someone else to do so.
7.Collaborating improperly by discussion, joint research, or joint effort in any way expressly prohibited by the instructor. This includes using a cell phone or other device to access information from another source or another student.
8.Improper knowledge of contents of an examination - No student shall knowingly acquire unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination, or solicit, offer, or give information about any part of an examination.
B. Student work offenses include, but are not limited to, the following, which are expressly prohibited in the absence of prior written approval of the instructor or instructors involved:
1.Resubmission of work - Submitting work which has been previously submitted for credit.
2. Plagiarism - Submitting work done wholly or partly by another, including the unattributed copying of all or parts of a published work or internet document. Using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources to produce work (when not expressly permitted) is also a form of plagiarism. Some instances of plagiarism are the result of ignorance rather than dishonesty. When plagiarism is encountered, the instructor should be sure that the student knows proper procedures for attributing content.
3.Prohibited sources - Consulting material or persons contrary to the directions of the instructor.
4.Improper collaboration - Engaging in any discussion, joint research, or joint effort of any kind expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5.Deception - Misrepresenting the authenticity of sources, citations, or principles in any written work.
6. Sharing work – Students who share their work with others are responsible for how that work is used. For example, if a student shares a paper with another student to help him or her understand an assignment, and that student submits the work as their own, the author of the paper shares responsibility for the plagiarism committed by the other student.
D. Other misconduct - Engaging in any other improper conduct as specified by the instructor.
E. Lying – deliberately providing false information relevant to academic matters, such as misrepresenting the inability to take an examination because of illness.
F. Disruptive or disrespectful classroom behavior – causing a disturbance in the classroom, interrupting instruction, speaking rudely or threatening students or faculty.
Class Attendance Policy |
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), Wilmington College provides access through reasonable accommodations to students with documented physical and psychological disabilities.
Students who wish to access Services need to meet with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services and provide verification of their disability. To register with Accessibility and Disability Services, students submit an Application for Services. In addition, the student must provide the Disability Verification form accompanied by current disability documentation from a licensed professional. For more information, contact the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services at accessibility@wilmington.edu or 937.481.2444, 114 Robinson Communcation Center.