Biology 15 Information

Biology 115: Evolution, Behavior, and Ecology

To Contact Dr. Diggs:

Austin College Phone: (903) 813-2246, Home Phone (903) 868-1642
Office: 317 Moody Science
Mailing Address: Department of Biology, Austin College, Sherman, TX 75090
AC Suite 61564
e-mail: gdiggs@austincollege.edu
Home page: http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/diggs.html
Office Hours: 1:30-2:30 M, W; Other times by appointment.

Biology 115: Evolution, Behavior, and Ecology-- Course Information:

Course Synopsis: This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of organic evolution, ecology, and animal behavior, and as such provides a conceptual framework for further study in biology. Topics include the mechanisms and results of evolution; speciation processes; ecosystem, community, and population ecology; principles of behavior; and behavioral ecology.

Class Meetings: Lecture 11:00-11:50 a.m. MWF; Moody Science 302

Text: Biology, by Brooker, Windmaier, Graham & Stiling, 2007/2008

Course Homepage: http://artemis.austinc.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/Bio152007/Bio15.2007.html

Course Content: An introduction to the basic concepts of organic evolution, ecology, and animal behavior.

Exams: There are four non cumulative exams which will be given on 20 Sept., 18 Oct., 8 Nov., and 1 Dec. The final exam (scheduled for Tues., 11 December, 9:00-11:00 am), will be CUMULATIVE and it is an OPTIONAL exam. If you are dissatisfied with one of your regular exam scores you may drop that score and replace it with your score on the final exam. If you miss a regular exam FOR ANY UNEXCUSED REASON you will be required to take the final exam and it will take the place of the missed regular exam. If you are happy with all four of your regular exam scores, then you may IGNORE the final exam. No makeup exams will be given. If you must miss an exam for a valid reason, you may arrange to take it early.

Assignment: Biological Journal Article Review. This assignment (instructions available on-line) is DUE Wed, Oct. 10. Late papers will NOT be accepted. The assignment is worth 10 points.

Grades: Your grade will be based on four 100 point exams (either the four regular exams OR three regular exams plus the cumulative final) and a 10 point Biological Journal Article Review, with a total of 410 possible points.

Attendance policy: It has been my experience that individuals generally fail to do well in this course if they do not attend class regularly, having had a reasonable amount of sleep, and having studied the material from the previous sessions before class. Also, the older I become the more I become convinced that success at college depends largely upon developing a professional attitude to your education. Therefore, I consider class attendance to be of paramount importance and expect attendance at every class session. Seats will be assigned and role will be taken. If you miss a class session, you will be required to complete a makeup assignment. Absence for any reason will require the makeup assignment. After three absences, each additional absence that is not due to a required, conflicting campus event (e.g. athletic road trip, choir performance) will result in the loss of two percentage points off your final grade. The makeup assignment is to turn in a typed, detailed summary of the lecture you missed. You will need to borrow lecture notes from a classmate, organize the notes, and turn in a summary in your own words. The summary must be a minimum of one and one-half typewritten pages and must be turned in at class within one week of the missed session. Summaries that do not represent college level work will be returned without credit for revision. If the makeup assignment is not completed within one week of the absence, your semester grade will be reduced by one percentage point. Arriving late to class (after attendance is taken, which will typically occur during the first five minutes) will count as half an absence. Clearly, two such half absences become a full absence. Makeup assignments will be required within one week of a "full" absence. If all of this is not sufficient incentive to inspire attendance and you nevertheless miss class regularly, I will drop you from the course. I will warn you once before doing so.

Academic Integrity:
No student may unfairly advance his or her academic performance or impede the performance of other students. Any activity that unfairly gives an advantage to a student or group of students is a violation of academic ethics and will be punished to the fullest extent of College policy.
Examples of violations include: using unauthorized notes on an exam; failure to give credit to a colleague who assisted with a project; failure to give credit to an author whose work is cited; fabrication of data; removing items from the library in violation of library policy (e.g. removing journal issues from the library building); intentionally mis-shelving materials in the library such that other individuals would not be able to locate them; and removing old tests from a bulletin board thereby preventing other students from reviewing those materials. This list is not exhaustive.
Each item that you submit for a grade in this course must include the following statement along with your signature.

This work was prepared in accordance with the Austin College academic integrity
policy. _____________Signature_____________ (Name typed or printed)

Students with Disabilities: Austin College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities and complies with all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to register with and provide verification of academic accommodation needs to the Director of the Academic Skills Center (Laura Marquez, Writht Campus Center, Room 211)) as soon as possible. The student also must contact the faculty member in a timely manner to arrange for reasonable academic accommodations. For further information call (903-813-2454) or visit the Academic Skills Center. College policy prohibits instructors from accomodating learning disabilities without first having received the proper written instructions from the Director of the Academic Skills Center.

Readings: Readings are listed on the course syllabus. Assignments other than those in the text are on reserve in the Abell Library. You may be given additional reading assignments in class.

Hints for Studying for Biology 115: You should carefully read this handout designed to help you in studying for this class.