Instructor: Dr. Paul Wanda
Classroom: SL 0209; 10:00-10:50 am
Office: SL 3318
SL - (618)650-2336

Email: pwanda@siue.edu
URL (Web Page): http://www.siue.edu/~pwanda/
Office Hours : Any changes or additions will be posted in the 'Weekly Objectives'. Usual Office Hours will be : Tuesday : 11:00-noon and Friday : 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
or by appointment.
Office hours are subject to change due to the Fall Advisement period or unpredictable meetings

Text: Biology-Concepts and Connections by Campbell, et al.

Course Objectives

1) One primary course objective is for you, the student, to be better able to comprehend current and future newspaper/magazine articles or news reports on biological topics based on your new learning. Knowledge objective.

2) In the second course objective , you will learn the process of scientific inquiry used in biology. Process objective.

Course Description:

Welcome to a fascinating subject - Biology. In this course, you will gain an understanding of the basis of a diverse range of biological topics, most of which are in the news everyday. Lecture material will explain the basis behind the topics and their 2005 status. Quiz material will come from the reading (text & handouts) and lectures ( including videos ), therefore your attendance and note taking will be essential for success in this course. 'WEEKLY OBJECTIVES' (usually available on this Web page on Sunday before a new week begins ), will include details on the text reading assignment, video dates, guest lecturers, and any changes in the syllabus, quiz dates, extra credit announcements.

Vocabulary:

A fact of life, much to the surprise of many students , is that a new vocabulary, often appearing to border on a new language, faces us when we take an introductory course in any discipline. It is essential to learn vocabulary. I strongly recommend an ongoing construction of a vocabulary deck (the old-fashioned 'Flash Card' concept is time honored! ). Also make use of the CD-ROM for additional help.

Topics:

In the beginning of this course you will encounter a dose of biological chemistry since this serves as the basis behind nutrition, AIDS, genetic diseases, stress, environmental changes, crop production, and the Human Genome Project.

Notes:

Attendance: Your attendance in class is required. Notetaking, receiving handouts, video viewing, and copying overheads that are not in our textbook is the responsibility of each student. Since lecture material is the primary source of information for the exams , a good set of notes will be crucial for successful grades. I assume that each student is attending class on a regular basis and is fully informed of any announcements made in class. 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.

Internet access: All SIUE students have internet access through the University. You will probably need to use it for this course (activate your student account asap!)
 

Lecture Topics*

WEEK 1 - Syllabus; Mad Cow Disease, video, Discussion (Handout)

Weeks 2 & 3 - Biomolecules and Cells; (Chapters 3 & 4)

Week 4 - Nutrition , Diets, and the Digestive System; (Handout and Chapter 21). Diabetes and Insulin Action ( pg 527)

Weeks 5 -8 - Human Genome Project; Genetic Engineering , Applications ,and the Environment. What's behind CSI? (Chapter 12 and videos)

Week 9 - What is a Virus? Living or Non-living Entities; HIV and AIDS; SARS and bird influenza. What is emerging? (Chapter 10.17 -10.22, Chapter 24.18 and videos).

Weeks 10 & 11- Normal & Abnormal Cell Growth ( Chapters 8.10, 24.14, 11.15-11.19; videos)

Week 12 - Stem Cells- Pros and Cons. (Handouts; Chapter 11.1-11.5)

Week s 13 & 14 - Use and Abuse of Drugs, Neuron functions ; Brain Functions & Malfunctions - (Chapter 28, video)

Week 15 - Solving Enviromental Problems. (Chapter 34)

* Please note that details on topics and reading assignments will be printed in the 'Weekly Objectives'. Always check the Web site each Sunday for a new schedule for the week. Sometimes the SIUE server has problems on weekends...

Quiz Dates: Each multiple choice quiz is worth 40 points.

Quiz #1 (Week 2 - Friday )
Quiz #2 (Week 4 - Friday)
Quiz #3 (Week 6 - Wednesday)
Quiz #4 (Week 9- Monday)
Quiz #5 (Week 12- Friday)
Quiz #6 (Week 15 - Friday)
The lowest quiz score will be dropped . THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS.


Quiz Format and Final Grades:

Your grade in this course will be based on five forty point quizzes. Extra credit (explained in an upcoming paragraph) handed in on time and according to the guidelines given will improve grades , but is no substitute for poor performance. Be on time for the quizzes! No quiz will be handed out after the first completed answer sheet is handed in (if you are late to an quiz , you will have less time to complete the quiz). Anyone frequently late to the quiz will be denied the opportunity to take the quiz. The quizzes have a Scantron graded component . Videos that are shown in class are considered part of the lecture material covered on quizzes - TAKE NOTES! I will keep the original Scantron answer sheet since we will reuse it, however a copy of your answer sheetwhich includes the Scantron key, and the quiz will be returned to you. Note that only answers on the answer sheet ( Scantron sheet) will be scored. Quiz questions will be multiple choice. Letter grades will be based as follows: 90- 100%, A; 80 - 89% ,B; 70- 79% ,C; 60- 69%, D; less than 60%, F. This scale applies to any quiz and final grades. Your assigned # will especially be used for posting the last quiz grade and extra credit points on the Web Site (see below). Graded quizzes will usually be returned within the next scheduled class meeting .

Students who don't attend the first week of class (missing 2 out of 3 lectures) or don't turn in the assigned number form will be dropped from the course. If you MISS the first or second quiz, you will be dropped from the course! If you stop attending class and taking the exams without discussing it with Dr. Wanda, you will get a UW. The final day to withdraw from class without receiving a grade is listed in the Announcements (Fall, 2005) . Students who withdraw after that time may receive a W or WP or WF based on work TO DATE ( grade % includes any missed quiz before the withdrawal) and must have the permission of the instructor. Incomplete grades are not given for poor grades; you must have a major verifiable familial or medical emergency, and is given at the discretion of the instructor. Final grades will not be posted, however some extra credit scores and the final quiz score will be posted on the Web site after grading is completed.

You can earn 25 'extra' points throughout the semester. Extra credit assignments will be either announced in class or listed in the 'Weekly Objectives'. it is your responsibility to be aware of these assignments. There are 'NO' make-ups or late turn-ins for these extra credit assignments. You must have your assigned # posted on the extra credit or you'll receive a deduction.

Lecture Notes & Study Skills:

Please see or email me as soon as possible if you need help in this course!

Suggestions: Rewrite lecture notes in another notebook soon after the lecture.

Compare lecture notes with a classmate.

Make an outline of the topic and supplement it with text information/drawings.

Make-up and answer 'potential' quiz questions.

Make a set of vocabulary 'flash cards'.

Study with a classmate(s) and quiz each other.
 
 
 

1.  Please do not munch on noisy snacks during lecture. Also , please do not bring children to class. We can work something out if an emergency situations arises, however discuss it with me before lecture. Do not come late to lecture ; it is disruptive. Perpetual lateness will be counted as absences.
 

EXAM Scores (example shown below)
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Assigned #*	minus (-) (number wrong)for last quiz,followed by + for the last two extra credit assignments; points were deducted for not putting a name or assigned #s, etc.,)
1	-10, +5,+5
2	-7, +4
3	-3, +5,+5
4	-5, +5,+5
5
6	-8, +4
7	-9, +5,+5
8	-8,+4
9	-8, +5,+5
10	-9,+5
11	-12,+5,+5
12	-13,+5,+5
13
14	--12,+3,+5
15	-9,+5,+5
16	-7,+5,+5
17	-6, +2,+4
18	-4,+4,+5
19
20	-6,+5,+5
21	-4,+5,+5
22	-9,+2,+5
23	-5,+5,+5
24	-7,+4,+5
25
26	-6,+5,+4
27
28	-4,+4,+4
29	-11,
30	-9,+5,+5
31
32	-9,+3,+3
33	-3,+5
34	-10,+4,+5
35	-9,+5,+5
36	-1,+5
37
38	-7,+5,+5
39	-3,+5,+5
40	-3,+5,+5
41
42	-8,+4,+5
43	-4,+5,+5
44	-4,+5,+5
45	-6,+5,+5
46	-10,+4,+3
47	-9,+3
48	-10,+5,+5
49	-3,+3,+5
50	-12,+5,+5
51	-
52
53
54	-5
55
56
57
58
59

*assigned numbers, found on exam/answer sheet

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