BIOLOGY BL -A106, Principles of biology II, COURSE INFORMATION
Lecture section 1: Monday - Wednesday - Friday, 9:00 - 9:50 am
Lecture Hall 3 (Kelley Auditorium) Spring Semester, 2003
PROFESSOR: Dr. Stark, OFFICE: Macelwane 111
OFFICE HOURS: 10 am to 11:30 am Monday and Wednesday or by appointment
PHONE: 977-7151. Please DO NOT call me at home. E-MAIL: StarkWS@SLU.EDU
COURSE WEB SITE: http://starklab.slu.edu/Bio2000/Bio1062000syllabus.htm

TEXT: BIOLOGY (sixth edition - 2002) Campbell and Reece. It is assumed that most students enrolled for Bio 106 Spring 2003 were in Bio 104 Fall 2002 with Dr. Aspinwall, Leverich, or Stark who covered most of the first half of the book. The remainder of the same book will be covered this semester, namely Chapters 28 - 55. If your previous biology had different coverage or text, it may be very useful to familiarize yourself with Chaps. 1-27.

TESTS: There are 3 in-class hourly exams and a final. The dates and times are respectively:
FIRST IN-CLASS EXAM - Friday, February 14, 9 am
SECOND IN-CLASS EXAM - Wednesday, March 26, 9 am
THIRD IN-CLASS EXAM - Friday May 2, 9 am
FINAL EXAM - Monday, May 5, 8-9:50 am
Final exams for all courses are organized on a campus-wide basis. The schedule was available when you registered and you must adhere to that schedule. I cannot change the time or offer makeups. Each in-class hourly exam will be 35 multiple choice questions covering only the material in the immediately previous 13 lectures (after the previous hourly exam). You must bring a sharpened #2 pencil with an erasor, an ink pen and your student ID to the exams. Your lowest score (normalized to that exam's curve) will not be included into your final grade. This means that you can afford to miss (or do poorly on) one hourly exam. However there will be ABSOLUTELY NO MAKEUPS. If you miss more than one test, a zero will be entered for the second or third tests missed. I strongly urge you to take all tests. If you take all 3 hourly tests, then I will discount your poorest test, and you will benefit. The Final will be 50 multiple choice questions, and it will be "cumulative," that is covering the entire semester. Your midterm grade will be your grade on the first hourly exam. Keep in mind that you may not have any more formal grade informtion than this midterm grade by the last date to drop.

POSTING OF TEST RESULTS: Answers will be posted on the web soon after each test. You will be keeping your test booklet (which is a useful study aid), so if you mark it accurately with the answers you marked on your answer sheet, you can get immediate feedback. Scores, so that you can verify that you and I agree about how you did, and approximate grades, will be posted as soon as they are available (usually within 1 day after the test). Bring your test booklet if you want to discuss any discrepencies; since I retain the answer sheets, I can hand correct any computer scanning errors.

GRADING: The in-class and final lecture tests determine 75% of your course grade (with the lab counting 25%) since this is a four credit, three hour lecture course with a 3 hr lab. By simple arithmetic, each of the 2 in-class hourly exams which will count determine 22% of your final grade; the final counts 31%.

CURVE: Each exam will be evaluated on a curve to result in approximately 15 - 20% A's, 20 - 30% B's, 30 - 40% C's, 5 - 15% D's and 0 - 10% F's. Typically you cannot pass this course without earning half of the possible exam points. Obviously, dropping the lowest test will result in a slightly more generous course grade curve. Every attempt will be made to achieve a final curve which is consistent with all other Bio 104-106 sections in the 2002-2003 academic year.

STUDYING TIPS: Tests will be based on lecture. Class attendance is the only strategic way to approach this course. Take thorough notes during lecture. Do not just copy what is put on the board or projected on slides, transparencies and the web. At home, carefully correlate your text assignments with your notes. Friends' notes or web material (these are only outlines, not notes) can be useful study aids, but cannot substitute for your personal knowledge through attendance and note taking. As for your first semester, second semester lecture material is paced at about 4 times that of high school courses. The best way to justify your tuition expense and the commitment of some of the best years of your life is to share the professor's emphasis, interpretation and enthusiasm. The archive of information in the book can be difficult without help. By visiting with the material in lectures, notes and reading you can make the material inviting and get the maximum benefit.

There is a hyperlink for further studying tips.

There is a hyperlink to the academic honesty policy of the College. All suspicious incidents are reported to the Dean's office.

If you have special needs, these must be documented with the disabilities office, and I ask you to see me in the first two weeks of class to be certain I know what accomodations to make.

Good luck and best wishes for a productive semester!

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this page was last updated 1/10/03