Dr. Ray L. Winstead
IUP Professor of Biology

PROFESSOR: Dr. R. L. Winstead, Office Room 5, Phone (724) 357-2912
               (Biology Office (724) 357-2352)
               Office Hours:  Monday 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
                                        Wednesday 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
                                        Friday  9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

LECTURE TEXT: Biology: Life on Earth, Seventh Edition, 2005
                by Teresa Audesirk, Gerald Audesirk, and Bruce Byers

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: Emotional Intelligence : Why It Can Matter More
                Than IQ, 1995 by Daniel Goleman.  (1997 paperback edition.)  The assignment for the
                supplemental reading will be given by your lab professor, and the grade for that
                assignment will be a part of your lab score.

NOTE: Information and handouts for this course (plus other information) are also available on
                my website at http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/rwinstea/

GRADING: Seven tests will be given on lecture material. Recorded scores for each test will be the percentage of correct answers, since each test will have a different number of questions. Lecture tests will consist of multiple choice questions, true-false questions, matching, and/or similar questions. Your two lowest scores of the first six tests will be dropped. However, the seventh test during the exam period will NOT be dropped. The remaining five tests will each contribute fifteen percent (15%) to your course grade and individual lecture tests will NOT be curved. Your laboratory grade will contribute twenty-five percent (25%) to your course grade. Laboratory tests will be given during lab as announced by your lab professor and lab grades will not be curved. Your lab grade will consist of 60% from the eight formal labs, including the supplemental reading assignment, and 40% from the Elective Lab Program. Since different professors are teaching the labs for this section, I reserve the right to adjust your final lab grade - either up or down - based on the averages of the different lab sections.  This will insure an equitable grade for everyone in this course.  Your final course grade will be on the basis of your overall, weighted average as calculated below:

Note that this formula takes into account the different percentage weights of the lecture tests and lab part of the course. Also note that the five lecture tests in the formula include the scores from the four highest tests out of the first six plus your score for Test 7 during the exam period. Your final course letter grade will be determined by your final average. Since different people will be dropping different tests, individual tests will not be curved, however this final average may, but probably will not, be curved at the end of the course.

         SINCE TWO LECTURE TESTS ARE BEING DROPPED, NO MAKE-UP TESTS FOR MISSED LECTURE TESTS WILL BE GIVEN. This means that if you miss one of the first six tests (including arriving late after the first student has turned in a test) FOR ANY REASON, either your "fault" or "NOT your fault," (e.g., illness, accident, car trouble, other university activity, wedding, or funeral), then your score for the missed test will be a zero and no make-up test is available. Missing a test for any reason is included in and provided for by the policy of dropping two of the first six tests. You would be wise to attend class and be on time, if at all possible, to save the two dropped tests until you really need them, e.g., for illness.  (If you miss the final exam, then I will assume you intended to miss it and accept that failing grade, unless you immediately let me know otherwise.) Bring your ID Card to all lecture tests. No extra credit is available.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: You are expected to attend all classes and be on time. 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 even one class is often severe. Based upon the percentage of material missed, the student who misses a class should not be surprised to score substantially lower on a test than originally expected. This adverse effect is observed even if lecture notes are obtained from someone else in the class.  Note that the grading policy above includes a test at the beginning of the class period basically every other week.  (See the test schedule below.)  When a student misses a class, I assume that the student is a conscientious student and is, in fact, missing for a good, legitimate reason.  I do not get into judging myself whether or not I think it was a good reason or not.  Therefore, especially note the policy of the course of no make-up tests above, since I acknowledge and allow for those occasions that do occur when someone must miss a class and test. This is the purpose of dropping two test grades.  Missing more than two of the first six tests means that the person has missed too much of the course and should either seriously consider withdrawing from the course, if possible, or realize there will be adverse consequences of missing so much of the course.

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.

Test 1 Thursday February 1

Test 2 Thursday February 15

Test 3 Thursday March 1

Test 4 Thursday March 22

Test 5 Thursday April 5

Test 6 Thursday April 19

Test 7 Tuesday May 8, 12:30 PM    (This is the official, university-scheduled exam day and time for this course.  No exam will be given early, so plan ahead for this or drop the course now.)

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