Course Objectives:

The course has five broad objectives, to develop an understanding of the chemistry of life, the cell as the basic unit of life, genetics, the mechanisms of natural selection, and the diversity of living organisms.

Course Materials:

Required Text - Biology, 7^th Edition by Campbell and Reece

Determination of course grade:

Lecture Grade = 381 points distributed as follows

312 pts 4 lecture tests/final @ 78 points each,

45 pts paper,

21 pts class homework

3 pts office visit

Lab Grade 127 points (determined by lab instructor)

A = 90-100 grade average B = 80-89 grade average

C = 70-79 grade average D = 60-69 grade average

F = 0-59 grade average

Testing:

There will be four non-cumulative lecture tests plus a cumulative final each worth 60 points. I will drop the lowest of the test grades. I expect you to take these four tests and the final exam, if you choose to take it, during the designated time. If you fail to take a lecture test at or before the designated time, you will get a zero on that test. You can take arrangements to take a test early, but no late test makeups are allowed.

Papers

I will hand out separate guidelines for the paper. The paper can be on any topic in biology and is worth 30 points. Paper topics (5 points) are due by October 2 and completed papers (25 points) are due by November 20.

Homework:

The Purpose of homework is to get you to look at the chapter before the lecture on that chapter. There are five homework questions for each chapter except chapter 40. You start with 18 homework points and I subtract a point for each missed homework. You must turn in each homework before the lecture on that chapter. Homework questions are available under the Bio 102 lecture section of my website and on blackboard. I do not hand the homework back before the end of the semester in case there is any question about the homework grade. The questions are taken from the study guides, so keep a copy for yourself.

Office Visit

You will get 3 points if you visit me in my office during the first two weeks of classes (on or before September 6). The purpose of the visit is be make sure you know where to find me if you need help and to allow me to get to know you better.

Extra Credit

Extra credit assignments are available to all students. They are worth about 5 percent of the course grade. Extra credit points will be added to your grade only when your overall final grade is below 70 percent (below a C).

Objective packets and Lecture Review Tapes:

Biology Objective packets are available for Biology 102. They will be in the Campus Bookstore by the end of the first week of class. In addition, students can obtain copies of the Lobstein lecture review audiotapes that accompany the objectives and textbook. To obtain these tapes, the student must bring in a new or reasonably good quality audiotape to the Learning Lab, where the staff will make a copy of the lecture tapes for you. This is a free service. Please plan accordingly and be courteous to the staff. New audiotapes are available for purchase in the Campus Bookstore.

Class Attendance:

Classroom participation is vital to the learning process: therefore, it is imperative that you attend every class. Irregular attendance may result in a student being dropped with an F. More than 5 weeks of unexcused absences requires assignment of an automatic F. I will be taken attendance for the first 3 weeks of class.

Classroom Conduct:

Please keep in mind that there is an honor code at NVCC for all students. Students are encouraged to work together on class material but I expect each student to do their own work on graded material. Failure to adhere to this honor policy will result in an automatic zero for any work or tests. While in this course, I expect you to display behavior consistent with professional etiquette and accepted common practices of courtesy and respect. Disruptions and rudeness are inappropriate. Remember that students have paid to attend these lectures and talking in the class disturbs others who need to hear the lectures to get a good grade. Even several minutes of whispering can be bothersome to students. Eating and smoking within the classroom are against college and/or state policy and will not be permitted. Cell phones, pagers, etc. should be placed on vibrate or turned off during the lecture. Students who consistently are rude and disrespectful to me or other students will be asked to leave the classroom.

Special Accommodations:

Northern Virginia Community College strives to provide every student a worthwhile learning opportunity and environment. The college complies with the American with Disabilities Act, so any student needing special accommodations in order to perform well should let me know during the first week of class and contact the campus ADA representative in the Counseling Office (MH 110).

Test Schedule

Test 1 - Sept. 18 Chapters 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Test 2 - Oct. 11 Chapters 9-10-11-12-13-26-27-28

Test 3 - Nov. 6 Chapters 29-30-31-32-33-34-22-23-24-25

Test 4 - Dec. 4 Chapters 14-15-16-17-18-19-20

Final - Dec. 18 Chapters 1 to 34

Biology 101 (T – R 2:00 – 3:15) Fall 2007 Schedule

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
20	21	22 Class begins	23 Chapter 1 Chapter 2	24
27	28 Chapter 3 Chapter 4	29	30 Chapter 5	31
3 Labor Day	4 Chapter 8	5	6 Chapter 6	7
10	11 Chapter 7	12	13 Chapter 9	14
17	18 Test 1	19	20 Chapter 10	21
24	25 Chapter 11	26	27 Chapter 12	28
Oct 1	2 Chapter 26	3	4 Chapter 27 Chapter 28	5
8 No	9 Classes	10	11 Test 2	12
15	16 Chapter 29 Chapter 30	17	18 Chapter 31 Chapter 32	19
22	23 Chapter 33 Chapter 34	24	25 Chapter 22	26
29 Last day to withdraw	30 Chapter 23 Chapter 24	31	Nov 1 Chapter 25	2
5	6 Test 3	7	8 Chapter 13	9
12	13 Chapter 14	14	15 Chapter 15	16
19	20 Chapter 16	21	22 Thanks	23 giving
26	27 Chapter 17	28	29 Chapters 18-20	30
3	4 Test 4	5	6	7
10	11	12	13	14
17	18 Final (2:00)	19	20	21