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Instructor: Dr. Steven J. Wolf Lectures: MWF 9:00 - 9:50 p.m. in C-245. Announcements: Consult the announcements page often for important, up to the minute information. Text: Evolution 101, by Moore and Moore. I also highly recommend Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scientism, and the Nature of Science, a very readable and entertaining paperback by Massimo Pigliucci. Biology Majors: Note this class does not fulfill your G.E. requirement. Laptops: If you use a laptop computer in class it must be used only for purposes relevant to the course and you must sit in the first row. A first time violation will result in a 20 point deduction from your grade. A second violation will result in 50 points deducted from your grade and you will no longer be allowed to use a laptop in the class. Audio\Video Recording: Recording of lectures is permitted only for those registered with the DRS program and obtain approval via the appropriate consent form. No classes on the following days:
Student Learning Goals:
Homework due 9:00 a.m. April 16: Watch Intelligent Design trial video and hand in question worksheet worth 10 pts. Pages must be stapled together or they will not be graded. Requires free Acrobat Reader. Questions on this material will appear on the following exam. Exams: There will be four (4) exams, each worth 80 points. Exams may consist of multiple choice, matching, short answers, and short or long essays. Exam questions come directly from the notes, videos, and references from the announcements page. There are several important terms, noted here, that you must know the exact definition. Always bring a #2 pencil and Scantron form 883-E (or ES) to the exams. If you change an answer on the scantron be sure to completely erase the previous one. You have until the next class period, after the exam is returned, to challenge its accuracy. Changing a scantron answer after the exam is handed back is cheating and you will receive an F in the course.
Exam Procedures: on exam days fill all seats beginning with the front row. Exams will not begin if there are any unfilled seats, and you will have less time for the exam. Grades: A = 100-90%, B = 89.9-80%, C = 79.9-70%, D = 69.9-60%, F <60%, CR > 69.9%, NC < 70%. Keep track of your grades, including the iClicker questions. Do not ask your instructor to calculate your grades for you. Grading Option: May 2, 9:00 am is the last day your instructor will sign add/drop forms to change grading options. It is your responsibility to turn this form into Admissions and Records by 5 pm that day. Your instructor will strictly follow the grading option indicated on the final grade sheet supplied by Admissions and Records. Consult with your advisor before making your decision. Grades will not be changed once they have been submitted. Student Conduct: In such a large lass it is essential that students respect the rights of others. Therefore, those who disrupt the class by talking or any other means will be asked to leave. Repeat offenders may have points deducted from their final grade and/or be turned over to the appropriate student disciplinary committee. Turn off your cell phones during class. Cheating: There is a zero tolerance policy. Any cheating whatsoever will result in an automatic F in the class and the matter will be turned over to the appropriate student disciplinary committee. Submitting a quiz for another student or helping another student cheat is also considered cheating. Keep your exams covered. Taking out a cell phone during an exam is considered cheating, your exam will be confiscated, and you will receive a grade of F for the course. Evolution is the unifying theme of biology and it will be the central theme of this course. If you have an open mind, which is what college is all about, and you understand the first lecture, you should not be threatened by it, regardless of your religious beliefs. Please remember that your beliefs are but one of dozens. If you wish to argue for them or you feel the instructor has disrespected them then please see him personally. Important Date: February 22 is the last day to drop the course. Teaching philosophy: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" - Confucius. Your instructor is here to teach you to fish, i.e. think. As upper division students you are expected to participate in your learning. You are expected to read your text and lecture notes prior to each lecture, study regularly, and to consult your text and notes when you have a question. Your instructor will be happy to answer questions once you have made an honest effort to do so on your own. A question may sometimes be answered with a question, or your fellow classmates may be called upon to help answer it. This is to lead you to the answer, not embarrass you. You are only asked to make an honest effort to answer the question. However, if you are not keeping up with the material then you may indeed be embarrassed. Class Participation: This is an upper division class and it is expected that students be on time, sit toward the front of the room, and fully participate in classroom discussions. Those who do not may have points deducted from their final grade. The instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes if it becomes apparent that students are not keeping up with the material and/or there are an unacceptable number of absences or tardy students. If you happen to be absent or late that day you will receive a grade of 0 for that quiz. Study skills: This course is designed to introduce you to the basic principles and processes of evolution. Please note that your text is quite short and concise. Therefore, it will be supplemented by additional materials from many other sources. These may include instructor provided lecture notes and activities, assigned readings, and topics posted on the class announcements page. To gain the most from lectures, it is best to read relevant text material and lecture notes beforehand and make a few notes or prepare questions for especially difficult material. Do not be overly concerned if you do not immediately grasp the material, if it were that easy we would not need lectures. During class pay attention and take complete and orderly notes. Do not assume you will remember things because they are easy or obvious; later when you are preparing for an exam they may not seem so easy or obvious. Pay particular attention to diagrams, lists and terms as well as anything the instructor clearly emphasizes by tone of voice. During lecture do not hesitate to ask questions, make constructive comments or contribute if you have expertise on a particular subject. The only "dumb question" is an un-asked one! Very soon after class you should re-read the text material along with your notes. You may find you missed something in lecture or the text, and very frequently you may find misspellings in your notes. Make frequent use of your text and notes for further explanations on a subject you still don't understand. At the beginning of the next lecture period (or at his office) ask the instructor to clear up any problems you may still have. This will help both the instructor and the other students. The instructor needs your feedback in order to know if the class is encountering any problems.
The above schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||