BIOL L101 – Biological Principles I
Basic Lecture & Lab Syllabus

Lecture Professor:  Dr. Annette Golonka
Office: Bradley 211
Phone: 803-313-7019
Email: golonkam@mailbox.sc.edu

Class Meeting Information: Varies from semester to semester (please see course listings for exact time).
Lecture: Meets twice a week for 75 minutes.
Labs: Meet once a week for 3 hours.

Required Textbooks: 
Campbell and Reece.  2005.  Biology.  7th ed.  Benjamin Cummings.  San Francisco, CA.

Morgan and Carter.  2005.  Investigating Biology Lab Manual.  5th ed.  Benjamin Cummings. San Francisco, CA. 

Blackboard Content: Some laboratory assignments (indicated on lab syllabus) and all lecture assignments WILL be available on Blackboard for printing.  These assignments will be available on Blackboard at least 1 week prior to the assigned date.  Hard copies of assignments will be handed out during class.  If you miss a class, you are responsible for printing any missed assignments.

Course Description and Objectives:  This is an introductory biology course for life-science majors.  The course will focus on the unifying concepts of biology, specifically on the cellular and molecular aspects of biology.  Topics covered in the course will include molecular and cellular organization, DNA structure, genes and heredity, metabolic pathways (respiration and photosynthesis), and evolution. 

By the end of the course, the student will have:

1. gained a knowledge base in cellular and molecular biology that can be applied to a broader perspective, such as the material in BIOL 102 or other biological areas of his or her interest; 
2. gained an awareness of the depth and breadth of molecular and cellular biology and explored an area of interest in some depth through a group project;
3. engaged in the scientific process by developing testable hypotheses, investigating hypotheses by developing experiments (through some inquiry-based activities in lab and lecture), collecting data, and applying knowledge learned in the course to assess data;
4. and enhanced communication skills through discussion in lecture and lab as well as writing projects and a group presentation at the end of the semester.

Attendance:  According to the USC Academic Bulletin, “absence from more than 10 percent of the scheduled class sessions, whether excused or unexcused, is excessive and the instructor may choose to exact a grade penalty for such absences.”  Please note that USC makes no distinction between “excused” and “unexcused” absences.  This course meets twice a week for lecture and once a week for lab.  Being more than 10 minutes late to class or leaving class early will count as an absence.  Thus, if a student misses more than 3 lectures or 1 lab, his or her final grade in the course will be dropped one letter grade.  Continual tardiness may also result in a drop in a student’s grade.

Students are responsible for any work or assignments missed during absences.  Laboratory experiments CANNOT be made up.  If a quiz is missed during lab or lecture, the student will receive a zero for that quiz.  If homework is turned in a day late or after lab or lecture begins, the final grade on that homework will be dropped one letter grade.

Classroom Behavior: Cell phones, pagers, and other similar devices are to be turned off or placed in silent mode during class; this includes lab and lecture time.  Disrespectful and disruptive behavior will NOT be tolerated in class.  Students should act as responsible citizens at all times, in lab, lecture, and outside the classroom.  Students who do not act responsibly will be asked to leave the classroom or lab.

Readings: Chapters covered during lecture are listed below in the lecture schedule.  To be successful in this course, you 1) need to purchase the textbook, lab manual, and any accompanying supplemental materials, 2) need to keep up with reading assignments, for lecture and lab, and 3) participate in discussions in lecture and lab.  You may be assigned review questions at the end of the chapters for discussion in class next period.  These questions may appear on the tests or in lab on quizzes.  Material not covered in class but assigned in readings, will be fair game for test material unless otherwise stated in class.  It is the responsibility of the student to read these assignments.  Applicable lab material is also fair game for test material. 

Exams:  There will be 4 exams (3 during the semester plus the final exam) – short essay, multiple choice, fill-in, true/false.  Exams will not be cumulative and are equally weighted (see point breakdown below).

Lecture Assignments:  There will be 5 lecture homework assignments, each due at the beginning of the class period.  Lecture assignments are worth 20% of your final grade.  Homework assignments may include short topical reports, drawings/figures, or short answer questions.  Some assignments may be done on Blackboard and some assignments may be done in groups and will be designated as such on the assignment.

Plagiarism & Cheating:  Please review USCL’s policy on plagiarism and cheating in the Student Handbook.  If a student is caught plagiarizing or cheating, at the minimum the student will receive a 0 on that assignment.  Depending on the degree of plagiarism and/or cheating, the student may receive an F in the course and possibly have to face the USC Lancaster Academic Affairs Committee and possible suspension from the university.  A handout will be given out about plagiarism, paraphrasing, and quoting.

Lab: Lab quizzes are 10% of your final grade and lab assignments are 20% of your final grade, for a total of 30%.  There will be 4 written lab assignments and 1 presentation.  Each of the written assignments is due at the beginning of class period, unless otherwise stated.

Lab Safety:  Students are required to wear eye glasses during labs where chemicals or microorganisms are used.  Students may opt to purchase a pair through the bookstore or check out a pair with your instructor.  They must remain in lab at all times.  Aprons are available upon request and you may be asked to wear them during particular labs.

Grading Scale:

Point Breakdown:

BIOL L101: Biological Principles I
Lecture Syllabus

Lecture schedule may be modified during the semester.  If changes are made, they will be announced in class.

Statement for Students with Disabilities:  Students who have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations may contact me or Disability Services.   

Tips & Comments from Previous Students:
“The homework at the end of the chapters helped a whole lot!”

“The notes (lectures) just go over the surface of the material and to really understand, you must go through the book.  TIP for STUDENTS – YOU MUST READ THE BOOK!”

“Read all notes, look at the CD that comes with the book.  Read your book.  Have 1 on 1 with the teacher.”

“Watch the CD ROM!”

This page last updated August 20, 2007 .