Topics	Chapter
Introductory Remarks, Scientific Experimentation	1
Cells and Metabolism (Biological Macromolecules, Nutrition)	2
Biological Diversity, Classification	3
Genes: Inheritance	4
Cancer and Cancer Therapy	5
DNA Technology, Genetic Engineering	6, 7
Brain Functions and Malfunctions	13
Use and Abuse of Drugs	13
Infectious Disease, Immune Responses	11, 9

Course Calendar

• Labor Day Holiday, 9/1
• First Exam, Monday, September 13 (17%)
• Second Exam, Monday, October 4 (17%)
• Report Topic Due, Friday, October 15
• Third Exam, Monday, October 25 (17%)
• Summary of In-Class Report Due, Monday, November 1
• Fourth Exam, Monday, November 15 (17%)
• Thanksgiving Break, 11/22-26
• In-Class Report, Friday, December 3 (15%)
• Fifth Exam, Thursday, 12/16 10:00-11:00 a.m. (17%)

1. YOUR CONTINUED ENROLLMENT IN THIS COURSE WILL INDICATE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED TO THE GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COURSE AS STATED IN THIS SYLLABUS.
2. INTERNET ACCESS: All university students have internet access through the university. You will need to use it for this course (activate your student account now!). You are not required to have internet access from home, but you are expected to use resources on the internet for class.
3. CELL PHONES:   All cell phones must be turned off during classes and exams, except in cases of emergencies explained to Dr. Wilson before class.
4. EXAMS: Exams will cover the material presented in class since the last test, plus videos, reading assignments, and handouts. If there are pop quizzes, they will be added to the lecture exam grade for that part of the course, with no make-ups allowed. Exam questions will be of various objective types and may include diagrams. No exams will be dropped.
5. RULES FOR EXAMS:  Sit in assigned columns/rows; don't ask to leave the room; turn off cell phones; no whispering or other communication except with Dr. Wilson or proctor; keep your eyes on your own paper; put notes etc. away inside something so that no one can see them; fill out top of answer sheet completely, use either pen or pencil, staple answer sheet on top of question sheets when you're finished; no electronic devices of any kind may be used during exams. Cheating and plagiarism will be penalized as permitted by the university.
6. MAKE-UP EXAMS: If you must miss an exam, leave a message with the biology office or send email to Dr. Wilson explaining your excuse for missing it. If your excuse is acceptable to Dr. Wilson, you may make up the exam by making an appointment with the biology office (must begin taking exams between 9 and 10 a.m. or between 1 and 2 p.m.) or Dr. Wilson to do so. Make-up exams that are not taken before the exam given to the class is returned will be essay format. Excessive use of the privilege of making up exams will be penalized. No make-up exams will be returned to students, although you may look at them in class or by appointment.
7. IN-CLASS REPORT: Consult the handout "In-Class Report Instructions" (available on line). The in-class report will be a report written in class without notes on Friday, December 3rd, on a topic of current biological importance that is of interest to you. Topics (with explanation) must be chosen and reported to Dr. Wilson no later than Friday, October 15th, and must be approved by Dr. Wilson. An brief summary (one page) plus preliminary reference list of your planned paper will be due November 1st; it will be graded and will be part of your grade for the report. You will need to do research (refer to "Doing Research on the Internet" on-line handout) on the topic ahead of time and be prepared to discuss several specific aspects of your chosen topic. Lists of references (6 minimum, NOT including your text, at least 4 from internet sources) will be due with the report. It is helpful to think of this assignment as a one-question essay exam for which you know the question ahead of time.
8. ATTENDANCE: Class attendance is required. Since the tests cover mostly lecture material, which may not be in the text, plus material in videos and handouts, a good set of lecture notes is essential. The easiest way to have a good set of lecture notes is to attend class and to have good note-taking skills. The lectures may cover material that is not in the textbooks; we will not cover all the material in the books. It is your responsibility to attend class, to obtain notes from other students if you need them, to print copies of the on-line support materials, and to obtain copies of handouts if you cannot attend class, and to inform yourself of any announcements made in class. The instructor assumes that all students are attending class regularly and on time and that they are therefore fully informed of any announcements made in class.
9. GRADING: Your grade in this course will be based on five exams and an in-class report, as given above. There will be no extra credit assignments available, except perhaps questions on individual exams.
10. FINAL COURSE GRADES: Your final grade and all test grades in this course will be assigned according to an absolute (not curved) scale as follows: 90% or higher, A; 78-89%, B; 65-77%, C; 55-64%, D; less than 55%, E. If you stop coming to class and taking exams without discussing it with Dr. Wilson, you will get a UW. If you withdraw from the class after the W date, you will get a WP only if your current average is over 50% (otherwise you will get a WE). No INC grades will be given without a major familial or medical emergency as an excuse; none will be given for poor grades alone. Dr. Wilson does not post grades, but will reply to email messages in which you ask for your grades at the end of the course.
11. VIDEOS: If videos are shown in class, they are considered part of the lecture material covered on exams--TAKE NOTES!
12. POOR GRADES/POOR NOTES: Please come and talk to me if your grades on the early exams are not those you hoped for. Sometimes I can clarify misunderstandings or suggest alternate ways of studying that may help. A complete set of notes is extremely important to successful completion of this course. Make a point of finding other students in the class with whom to compare notes so that you can fill in any points that you missed. Studying with other students can also improve your understanding of the information presented in class. If you are absent, arrange to borrow lecture notes or use the ones on my web page for the class you missed. When you are reviewing your notes, it is often helpful to do more than just read them over again and again. Some people find it helpful to recopy them, to make up objective questions based on them, to write outlines from them, to make notecards or flash cards, to write and answer essay questions based on them, and/or to have an oral question/answer session with other students or family members.
13. STUDENTS REGISTERED WITH Disability Support Services:   If any student has special needs they can contact the office of Disability Support Services for assistance.
14. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:   Academic misconduct includes cheating (using unauthorized materials, information, or study guides), plagiarism (submitting others work as if it were your own), falsification of records, unauthorized possession of examinations, intimidation, and any other action that may improperly affect the evaluation of your performance. It also includes assisting others in any such acts or attempts to engage in such acts. Penalties may range from grade penalties (including lowering a student's semester grade, failing a student for the course, or requiring a substitute exam or paper) to official disciplinary action. For more information see the Student Academic Code and the university policy on plagiarism.