BIOL 1107
Lecture Information

IF A STUDENT ACCUMULATES MORE THAN THREE (3) UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, THAT STUDENT WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE COURSE. REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED AND NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN THE CLASS.

Extensive Tardiness will not be tolerated. Each three late arrivals will be the equivalent of one unexcused absence.

Your FINAL GRADE in this course will be determined by a weighted average of your lecture grade and your laboratory grade.

To pass this course requires that you MUST PASS BOTH THE LECTURE AND LAB PORTIONS of the course.

In the LECTURE portion of the course, you will have FOUR (4) examinations consisting primarily of multiple choice questions and a final exam. Each of the four examinations has an equal weight in determining your lecture grade. The exam dates will be indicated on your lecture outline.

The following alphanumeric equivalences will be in effect:

Electronic Communication devices should be deactivated or left elsewhere. We do not wish to be disturbed during lab or lecture unless you can show a documentable reason. This means pagers, beepers or cell phones or any other devices that go beep in the night or day. Text messageing during class time is both rude and could be construed as cheating. Electronic devices with photographic capabilities may not be used without the expressed written consent of the instructor. Failure to adhere to this rule is grounds for removable from class with a grade of WF.

There are no grade quotas, stated or unstated, for this course.

DISABILITY STATEMENT:

Biology courses frequently use equipment of procedures requiring manual or physical dexterity, microscopes, various dyes and other chemicals as well as hot plates. Some courses require field laboratory components. Any student with a disability which might preclude participation in any course activity should notify the instructor no later than the second course meeting.

Textbooks:

Your textbook represents only one source of information about biological principles, concepts, facts, and ideas. By its very nature, it is a summary of what the authors feel are the most important points to emphasize. It is designed to answer questions you have about the subject, but more importantly, it is designed to stimulate questions.

To be effective your textbook must be read. This means more than simply looking at each word. Each word is part of a sentence which expresses a thought or idea. Each sentence forms a small portion of an even larger or broader concept or principle. To see only the words without recognizing the idea or thought is like seeing individual trees and missing the forest.

Some Final Points to Ponder:

The boundaries of a science, like the boundaries of a forest, are often vague and undefinable because they are always expanding and because they often blend into other subjects or areas. It is unrealistic to believe that a person will see the entire picture of what we call biology in a single semester or even several semesters. But we can and will begin the journey into the science of life with the realization that science, and biology in particular, has an impact on every part of our lives and probably always will. If we are to remain intelligent, rational citizens in our rapidly changing world, we must have the knowledge to be aware of and able to choose among various alternatives, before we make a final judgement.

Finally, for those dark hours which inevitably come to all of us, when we wonder if it’s worth it, when we wonder why we are here, the words of William Feather may give some thoughts to ponder: