Dr. Ray L. Winstead and Dr. N. Bharathan

General Biology I - Summer 2008


LECTURE PROFESSOR: Dr. R. L. Winstead, Office Room 5, Phone (724) 357-2912
                                                (Biology Office (724) 357-2352)

LAB PROFESSORS: Dr. Winstead section A02; Dr. N. Bharathan sections A03, A04
                                     Dr. Bharathan: Office Room 213A, Phone (724) 357-2584

LECTURE TEXT: Biology: Ninth Edition, 2007 by Sylvia S. Mader  (ISBN: 0-07-246463-1)
                               (with Student Study Guide ISBN: 0-07-297671-3)

LAB MANUAL: General Biology Laboratory Manual by IUP General Biology Faculty.
                Purchase at PRO-PACKET at University Square next to Domino's Pizza.

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL READING: Our Stolen Future, 1997 (ISBN 0-452-27414-1)
                by Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski, and John Myers.               

NOTE: Information and handouts for this course (plus other information) are also available on the Internet at http://raywinstead.com

GRADING: Three tests will be given on lecture material. Each will contribute twenty-five percent (25%) to your course grade and all lecture tests will be curved. Your laboratory grade also will contribute twenty-five percent (25%) to your course grade. You will have thirteen labs and your lab professor will explain the lab grading policy in lab.  Especially note that the lab grade will not be curved.  The Supplemental Reading Assignment will be a part of the lab score.  Your final course grade will be on the basis of total points. Lecture tests will consist of multiple choice questions, true-false questions, matching, and/or similar questions. Lecture tests will probably have about 60 one-point questions, but the recorded scores for each test will be the percent score. For example: 

                                        Test I       Test II       Test III       Lab       Total
Highest possible score     100           100             100           100         400
  for Grade A

Lowest possible score        87*           93*             90*           90#       360
  for grade A
* These values will probably be different and reflect the "curve" for that test.

# The "grade cut-offs" for the lab will not be curved and will be 90, 80, 70, 60 for each grade.

In this example, a student must have accumulated at least 360 points to earn the course grade of A. Grades of B, C, D, and F will be determined in the same manner. Notice how this gives the student an advantage: If a student misses a certain grade on one test by only a few points, those points can be earned on another test or in lab beyond the cut-offs, so that the end result would be the same as if the student had earned the higher grade initially. Letter grades on each test just give you an indication of how you are doing in the course at that time. The final course grade is determined by total points accumulated. Any make-up test will be an essay-type test. Bring your ID Card to all three lecture tests.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: You are expected to attend all classes. There is no direct grade penalty for missing class, however I offer you a friendly but strong warning that from past experience the indirect penalty for missing a class is usually severe. Based upon the percentage of material missed, the student who misses a class should not be surprised to score AT LEAST a full letter grade lower on a test than originally expected for each class missed. This adverse effect is observed even if lecture notes are obtained from someone else in the class.

CHEATING: Be aware that any form of cheating in this course (lecture or lab) will result in failure for the course.  (Be aware that this penalty has been officially implemented in this course in the recent past.)

COURTESY: Please respect your classmates by not disturbing them.  For example, please turn off all sound on phones and other electronic devices while in class.  The college dean has also established the policy of no food or drinks in this lecture room.  Thank you for your cooperation.

General Biology I Schedule - Summer 2008

Note that lectures meet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but not on Friday.

Note that labs meet Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

		LECTURE			             LAB

M June 2	INTRODUCTION		
T June 3			
W June 4	ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES	             W Trophic Levels (Outside)
R June 5	        		             R Population Biology I (Outside)

M June 9	         		             M Population Biology II (Outside)
T June 10	  (This lecture on Test II)
W June 11	TEST I                               W Taxonomy (Outside) 
R June 12	CELLULAR REPRODUCTION	             R Stream Ecology (Outside)

M June 16				             M Variation
T June 17	GENETICS
W June 18				             W Genetics I
R June 19	MOLECULAR GENETICS	             R Genetics II

M June 23        (This lecture on Test III)          M Cell Biology
T June 24	TEST II 
W June 25	ORIGIN OF LIFE		             W "The Evolution Game"
R June 26	EVOLUTION		             R Fermentation

M June 30       CELL BIOLOGY	                     M Supplemental Reading Report
T July 1	  Transport of Materials
W July 2	                                     W Classification / Evolution
					               Lab grade based on work in lab
R July 3	TEST III

Note: The lab schedule is subject to change based on the weather,
however plan to attend lab whatever the weather.

Readings

Test I:   Introduction and Ecology - Chapters 1, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50.
Test II:  Cellular Reproduction. Chapters 9, 10.
              Genetics - Chapters 11, 12.
              Chromosome Variations and Molecular Genetics.  
                  p. 50 -51 in Chapter 3, p. 193 - 195 in Chapter 11, p. 212 - 220 in Chapter 12, Chapter 13.
                          Also read Chapters 14, 15, 16 for background only (no test questions will come 
                          from these chapters, however the information will be useful for a better understanding
                          of the concepts that are on the test).
Test III: Origin of Life and Evolution - Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20.
               Cell Biology - Chapters 4, 5.
                          Also read Chapters 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 for background only (no test questions will come 
                          from these chapters, however the information will be useful for a better understanding
                          of the concepts that are on the test). 
Front Page Contact Info Office / Teaching Acad. Background IUP Links
General Biology I General Biology II Biometry Ornithology WWW Links

Dr. Winstead's Biology Careers and Job Searches Starting Point
Dr. Winstead's Current Local and World Standard Percentage Metric Time Clock
Dr. Winstead's Nintendo DS Battery Indicator Light Solution for Color Blind (Color Deficient) Users

Dr. Ray L. Winstead
 Direct e-mail Link: RWinstea@iup.edu