| Biology
107 (lecture) - Syllabus
Instructor: Prof. James Hannan, Ph.D.
Office: I 300 building, third floor, room 305
Office Hours: Tues 11:00 – 2:00pm, Thurs 11:00
– 1:00pm
Voice Mail: 619-388-2786
Lecture: Three (3) hours per week
Laboratory: Three (3) hours per week
Course Content:
An examination of living organisms and their environment. The
fundamental chemical and physical processes common to all living
things, and the interactions between organisms and their environment,
are emphasized.
Required Text:
Starr & Taggart. (latest edition). Biology – The Unity and
Diversity of Life
Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory (State of California Law). Absence from
6% (6 hours of lab and lecture) will result in your being dropped
from the class. *Note: It is the student’s responsibility to obtain
all information given in missed lectures such as changes in exam
dates or assignments. Being late 5 minutes or leaving 5 minutes
early will be counted as an absence.
Course Objectives:
The objective of the course is to introduce the student to the
fundamental process and laws that govern living things. Evolution,
genetics and the cell are stressed as central to the understanding
of the biological processes on earth. Ecology and the impact of
human beings on the biosphere are also stressed.
This section of Biology 107 has a focus on teaching and learning.
The primary content will not differ from other sections of 107,
but some class examples, activities, and assignments will emphasize
the teaching of science to K-12 students.
Class Behavior:
Pg 48 Mesa College Catalog: “All students shall have the right
to a campus learning environment free from interference or disruption”.
Pg 49, Section 3.0: This “Code of Conduct” outlines the college’s
policy on talking, reading, sleeping (looking like you are sleeping),
and other disruptive classroom activities, all of which are prohibited
because they detract from a learning environment. Other disruptive
behaviors include but are not limited to; complaining in front
of the class; loudly expressing negative attitudes about the subject;
cell phones/pagers going off; etc. All complaints must be addressed
to the professor in private, before or after class, or during
office hours. Students will be warned verbally on the first offense.
A second offense will result in 5 points being subtracted from
your cumulative lecture exam score. A third offense may involve
the Dean and/or further point deductions.
Seating:
For role taking purposes, students will be assigned to a seat
and thereafter remain in that seat. Students can be reassigned
to another seat at the instructor’s discretion.
Lecture Points & Examinations:
Your final grade will be determined by the total number of points
you have accumulated (earned) by the end of the semester. Lecture
will count as 70% of your grade and the lab will count as 30%.
In lecture there will be three or more quizzes (10 points each),
two exams (100 points each), and a final (150-200 points). Material
to be covered on an exam will be given by the instructor prior
to the exam. Quizzes may not be made up. Exams and the final may
not be made up without prior arrangement with the professor, and
then may be done so only at the discretion of the instructor.
Make up exams will be marked off 5% if more than one day late,
and they cannot be made up later than one week after the exam
was given (This is primarily because the other students want their
exams back). The student is responsible for providing a scantron
and other necessary material for each exam.
Exams can be reviewed in my office for one week after the exam
only.
Library and computer assignments may also be required. The points
involved and other specifics will be discussed at the time the
assignments are given. All assignments turned in late lose 50%
of their points the first week, and cannot be turned in after
that. Any assignment turned in without staples will lose 2 points.
Laboratory points will be discussed in a separate syllabus covering
only the lab.
Course Grade:
Your final course grade will be the percentage of the total points
in the course (both lab and lecture) that you earn on exams, lab
work, homework, etc.,. Lecture will count for 70% of the final
course points and laboratory will be 30%.
20 % of the lecture grade will be based on in-class assignments
and homework assignments. Many of these will be group assignments
and can not be made up if missed.
Grades are:
A = 90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; F = 59% or lower
Plagiarism/cheating:
“Looking” in the direction of another student’s exam paper will
result in the loss of points on that exam. Academic plagiarism
and/or cheating can result in a visit to the Dean of Students
office for appropriate action (presumable dropping the course).
Withdrawal policy:
It is the responsibility of the student to complete all necessary
forms to withdraw from the class if the student elects not to
continue enrollment in the course. Failure to officially withdraw
from the class may result in the recording of the grade of “F”
at the end of the semester.
Pop Quizzes:
The instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes
during any lecture. The quiz will be 5-10 points and will count
toward and will count toward your lecture/course grade. These
cannot be made up for any reason.
Children:
Official Mesa College policy is the no children are allowed in
the classroom at any time, for any reason. This is for insurance
reasons. |
