Required Course Materials

                                  Text        BIOLOGY, 7^th edition, by Campbell and Reece

                                   Lab        Biology II Lab Manual, by Smith and Etheredge (SPC Publication)

                 Lab Review CD        For at home review of lab materials & specimens

         Exam Answer Sheets        Five (5) to be given to instructor before first exam

MySPC

This will be the primary source for all course information.  Students need to access MySPC at least once a week. To login to the system, you will need your SPC username and password.  Course information available includes PowerPoint lectures, chapter review sheets, handouts for assignments, reminders about quizzes, hardcopies of quizzes, current grade and a link to podcasts of lectures.  Handouts are also available from the instructor on request.

SPC Email

Each student has an SPC email account and should check it occasionally.  Instructors and the administration will use this email address to contact the student.  See the MySPC homepage for information on how to access.

Attendance

Punctual and regular class attendance is required.  The instructor maintains an “open door” policy – students who are late to class are encouraged to open the door and come in for the remainder of the class.  Fire codes require that doors be kept closed.

      Students are expected to be attentive during lectures and working during lab sessions.  Students studying for other classes, sleeping during class or leaving class early will be considered absent for the entire class period. Students with more than 6 absences (for any reason) or absent every class period for two weeks will be administratively withdrawn from the class by the instructor with a grade of U, X or F. See the SPC General Catalog or Student Handbook for complete policy on class attendance.

      Students should make an effort to attend all classes.  Absences in both lectures and lab sessions will be noted and recorded separately.  Excessive, continued absences and/or tardiness are not tolerated.  Students are responsible for all material covered during any absence.  Available podcasts and PowerPoints of lectures are suggested to get material missed due to an absence.  Lab materials remain available between exams for review.

Course Grade

The grade for this course will be based on five (5) major exams given at regular intervals during the semester (100 pts. possible on each), 100 points semester quiz average, and 100 points from literacy assignments.  Total points possible for the semester are 700.  The grading scale will be as follows:

*Course Average:  Calculated by total number of points accumulated by student divided by the total number of points possible. If a student's final average is less than one-half a percentage point away from the next higher letter grade, the instructor will consider giving the higher letter grade. The deciding factors will include the letter grades of all exams and class attendance.  There are NO curves or extra credit in this course.

Exams

Each major exam will cover material from BOTH lecture and lab. Lecture material will be approximately 60% of each exam and lab material will be about 40%.  The exam format will include multiple-choice questions, short answer essay questions, definitions and lab practical questions (identify structures, label diagrams, name the organism, classification questions, etc.).  Each exam score is recorded as a percent score (number correct out of the total possible) with 100% being the maximum score.  The last ("final") exam will be given during final exam week but is NOT comprehensive.

            In order to maintain Academic Integrity, no electronic devices, PDAs, cell phones, etc. will be allowed out during any testing session.  Students will be asked to remove hats and caps during exams and may be assigned seating during an exam.  Anyone caught cheating will receive a permanent 0 for that grade and may be dropped with an F from the course. 

Missed Exams

Students should NOT miss exams!  Any student who misses an exam will have a 0 score entered for that exam and must take a Comprehensive Make-up Exam at the end of the semester to replace the 0.  The comprehensive make-up will be 125 to 150 questions (over both lecture and lab material) and will be scheduled with the instructor after the fourth exam. 

Quizzes

Quizzes will be given throughout the semester and will be announced one class period prior to the quiz.  Quiz dates and topics will also be announced on MySPC.  Quizzes are given at the beginning of class; students who are late do not get the opportunity to answer any questions that were missed. Quizzes CANNOT be made up if missed for any reason.  Missed quizzes are recorded as a "0" score.  Students who leave class immediately following a quiz will receive a zero for that quiz.  The lowest quiz grade will be dropped before the quiz average is calculated.  Quiz average is 100 points toward the course grade.

Cell Phone Policy

All cell phones and other electronic devices MUST be turned off during class (both lecture and lab).  Cell phones should not be in view (including in the cubbyhole of the lab desks!) anytime class is in session).  A warning will be issued the first time a phone rings or a student is observed with a device (i.e. texting) during either lecture or lab.  Each subsequent time this occurs, the student will receive a penalty of 5% points being deducted from the quiz average for the semester! 

Literacy Assignments 

The goal of the literacy assignments in this course is the completion of a short research paper over a student-selected topic in biology.  This is a continuation of the literacy assignments from Biology I.  A total of 100 points will include several assignments during the semester and a grade for the paper submitted at the end of the semester.  A separate handout concerning the literacy assignments will be provided.  All assignments are to be completed individually; students who wish to work together must use separate topics and materials.

Dropping

An official drop initiated by the student before the Last Day to Drop will result in a either a W or U on your transcript. Any drop initiated by the instructor for excessive absences will result in either an F, X or U on the transcript.  See the school policy on drops and an explanation of the Unexcused drop (U).

Academic Integrity (from SPC General Catalog)

It is the aim of the faculty of South Plains College to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of any student to present as his or her own any work which he or she has not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offense and renders the offender liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension.

1.   Cheating: Dishonesty of any kind on examinations or on written assignments, illegal possession of examinations, the use of unauthorized notes during an examination, obtaining information during an examination from the textbook or from the examination paper of another student, assisting others to cheat, alteration of grade records, illegal entry or unauthorized presence in an office are examples of cheating. Complete honesty is required of the student in the presentation of any and all phases of course work. This applies to quizzes of whatever length, as well as to final examinations, to daily reports and to term papers.

2.   Plagiarism: Offering the work of another as one's own, without proper acknowledgment, is plagiarism; therefore, any student who fails to give credit for quotations or essentially identical expression of material taken from books, encyclopedias, magazines and other reference works, or from the themes, reports or other writings of a fellow student, is guilty of plagiarism.

Student Conduct

Student conduct during lectures should respect the academic situation and be considerate of others in the classroom. Late arrivals should seat themselves quietly and without disruption to the lecture. During lecture, students should refrain from talking, eating or any other behavior that will disturb others. Students should be alert, taking notes and paying attention during lecture, films and discussions.  Cell phone use is prohibited – see penalty policy above.

Lab Safety

Student conduct should reflect a respect for their own safety and the safety of others in a laboratory situation. Lab tables should be cleaned, lab materials put away and all trash disposed of properly before the student leaves the classroom. Any items broken or in need of repair should be brought to the attention of the instructor.  Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available in S191 (down the hall from the lab). These data sheets contain information on hazardous materials and should be consulted in case of contact with or spillage of hazard substances.

Special Needs

Students with disabilities, including but not limited to physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in this class should notify the Special Services Office early in the semester so that the appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide acceptable documentation of his/her disability to the Special Services Coordinator.  For more information, call or visit the Special Services Office in the Student Services building, 894-9611 ext. 2529.

Diversity Statement

In this class, the teacher will establish and support an environment that values and nurtures individual and group differences and encourages engagement and interaction.  Understanding and respecting multiple experiences and perspectives will serve to challenge and stimulate all of us to learn about others, about the larger world and about ourselves.  By promoting diversity and intellectual exchange, we will not only mirror society as it is, but also model society as it should and can be.

Topic Outline by Chapter - Corresponds to BIOLOGY by Campbell & Reece, 7th edition

Ch. 25 – Phylogeny and Systematics

Ch. 26 – The Tree of Life

Ch. 27 – Prokaryotes

Ch. 28 – Protists

Ch. 31 – Fungi

Ch. 29 – Plant Diversity I

Ch. 30 – Plant Diversity II

Ch. 35 – Plant Structure & Growth

Ch. 38 – Angiosperm Reproduction

Ch. 32 – Introduction to Animal Diversity

Ch. 33 – Invertebrates

Ch. 34 – Vertebrates

Ch. 40 – Principles of Animal Form & Function

Ch. 41 – Animal Nutrition

Ch. 42 – Circulation

Ch. 42 – Gas Exchange

Ch. 44 – Osmoregulation & Excretion

Ch. 46 – Animal Reproduction

Ch. 49 – Animal Skeletons & Muscles

Ch. 43 – The Immune System

Ch. 50 – Intro. to Ecology & the Biosphere

Ch. 53 – Community Ecology

Ch. 54 – Ecosystems

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Last updated:  September 02, 2008

Copyright © 2008 -- Leanna Smith (South Plains College)

contact:  lsmith@southplainscollege.edu