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BIOL 209 ANIMALS AS ORGANISMSThis course is designed as an introductory general zoology treatment
that compliments the other 4 credit hour course BIOL 208. Plants As Organisms
(general botany). These two courses are taken primarily by students following
a biology major or minor or those considering environmental science or
aquatic science concentrations in the environmental studies major. BIOL 209,
together with BIOL 208 also may be used to satisfy the 8 credit hour general
studies requirement of non-science majors who have some interest in the life
sciences. Since most students taking this course will have an extensive exposure
to several other, more specialized biology courses, BIOL 209 attempts to lay
foundation for the subsequ4ent biology curriculum. While there will be some
treatment of such topics as ecology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics
and developmental biology, the major emphases will be those of basic
biological processes exhibited by animal organisms together with treatment of
the anatomy, physiology and systematics of major animal groups. Meeting Schedule: We will adhere to the semester schedule for
our class meetings. All students are expected to be properly enrolled in the
course (both lecture and lab). All students are expected to be in
attendance for each and every lecture and lab period and to be settled in by
the time the period is scheduled to begin. If you are unavoidably late in
arriving to class, please enter the room with a minimum of fanfare. Any
student who is chronically late to class may be admonished. Text: : The current text is a customized version of Integrated
Principles of Zoology by Hickman et. al. This replaces a previous text so
please obtain the correct text. Please use this edition of the book. Previous
editions are very similar but have significant differences in the arrangement
of subject matter. I will provide a number of handouts to supplement material
presented in text readings. There is also a customized BIOL 209L Lab Manual
that should be purchased. Internet Resources: There is an increasing body of information
about the Animal Kingdom that is Internet accessible. Examples can be located
using Google or other search engines with such key words as General Zoology Office and Office Hours: My office is in Rm. 214 in the new wing
of Snyder Hall. Soon there will be posted an Office Hours schedule on the
small bulletin board next to my office door. You may expect to find me in or
around my office during those posted hours. I may be working Byrd 200 or 202. If you need to contact me outside of office hours, my campus extension
number is 876-5357 and my e-mail address is jlandolt@shepherd.edu. We are scheduled to meet formally with each other on four different
days of the week. There will usually be time just before or just after class
to consult with each other or to make special appointment arrangements. Exams and Quizzes: During the course of the semester, you will
write 4 major examinations. Each of these 4 exams will cover about 4 weeks of
course work undertaken in the lecture and lab periods preceding each exam.
Each of these exams will be primarily objective in format with most test
items presented in a multiple-choice question style (For this you will need
to provide a “Scantron” answer sheet and your own #2 lead pencil. There may
be also short essay questions or problems to solve. Each of these exams will
be weighted at 100 points. There also will be a laboratory lab grade component that will influence
your course grade. Based upon attendance, participation, lab quizzes and lab
reports, this lab component will represent a total of 150 points. Course Grade: At the end of the semester an official course
“letter” grade will be assigned to each student enrolled. This letter grade
will be determined by the sum of scores on the 4 major exams added together
along with the total points in the 150 lab component (i.e. a grand total of
550 possible points). Grades will be assigned as follows:
What if a student misses one of the four major exams? If a
student misses a scheduled, 100 point major exam, a make-up will be provided ONLY
if the student provides documented evidence that the absence was unexpected,
unavoidable and the result of serious medical or other emergency situations.
Such documentation must provide a telephone number by which the person
verifying the serious nature of the absence may be contacted. Any “make-up”
exams provided are likely to be in an “all essay” format. The following are some of the situations NOT considered legitimate
excuses for missing an exam: oversleeping, having other scheduled exams,
needing to “catch a ride” with another person, leaving early or returning
late from trips or vacations, engaging in elective activities of other
courses or elective extra-curricular experiences. What if a student misses a lab? As with exams, only with documented
evidence that the absence was unexpected, unavoidable and the result of
serious medical or other emergency situations may make-up work be considered.
The instructor will take roll periodically. All students are expected
to be in class (lecture and lab) for every meeting. All students are expected
to pay attention, follow directions, complete reading assignments and take
detailed notes about the material being covered. There is no substitute for
being in class. There is no really effective way to “make-up” for material
missed during regular class meetings. The instructor will provide copies of
distributed handouts to absentees, if requested. Each student is responsible
for finding out about missed material. Students should not expect the
instructor to solicit reasons for students missing class. The student must
initiate and follow through with arrangements to make-up work, without
prompting or reminder by the instructor. If a student misses any lecture or
lab, such absence may mean that a student will not answer correctly one or
more items on a subsequent exam or quiz and therefore any absence or lack of
attention may adversely affect the student’s grade in the course. One will
only know if an absence is “alright” after an exam or quiz covering the
missed material has been given and graded. I WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY STUDENT IN MY CLASS TO MISS ANY OF THEIR OTHER
CLASSES AND I EXPECT THAT NO STUDENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO MISS THIS CLASS BY
ANY OTHER COURSE INSTRUCTOR, ESPECIALLY ON A SCHEDULED EXAM DATE.
ALTERNATIVELY, YOU MAY ASK ANY OTHER INSTRUCTOR TO EXCUSE YOU FROM ANY
ACTIVITY WHICH CONFLICTS WITH THE SCHEDULED CLASS MEETINGS OF THIS COURSE. Academic Honesty: Unless specifically told otherwise, all
students must write each exam and quiz independently of any other student or
reference source. The use of notes or text materials, communication with
other students, written or oral while taking any exam or quiz in this course
is forbidden and if done by any student, will constitute “cheating”. Any such
“cheating” will result in the assignment of a grade of “zero” on the affected
exam or quiz. Other Policies:
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