I. Textbooks Required for K101 Concepts of Biology I

1. Campbell's Biology = Options:

a. New (8th Ed) (recommended) or New International version = Sign up using the postcard in your book for the free web quizzes, movies, e-book. If you are a Biology Major, I recommend a New Book = you will want to keep this one!

b. Used (7th Ed or earlier) or International Version. = Save Money...but prepare for slightly different versions of figures, pages numbers, etc. If you purchased a used version without a registrationcard, plan to spend the extra $32.50 for web access - see Mastering Biology (Click on 'New Students' for more details).

c. Paperless: Reduce your Carbon Footprint and save money: just buy access to the 8th Ed e-book and website ($90 for the complete, searchable, e-Campbell AND access to all the web features of Mastering Biology (Click on 'New Students' for more details).

2. Student Study Guide for Campbell's Biology - 8^th Edition (2007) Martha R. Taylor - Required for Recitation.
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II. Course Objectives:The major objective of this course is for you to gain an understanding of the key concepts and major themes of biology, the study of life, with an emphasis on the biology of all Domains of life, including the study of  bacteria, fungi, protists, and plants.  There are three main components of the course that will help you to develop your understanding of biology: lecture, laboratory, and recitation.  A strong emphasis is placed on learning biology by inquiry, which is facilitated by the use of laboratory exercises, web-based Warm Up assignments, in-class cooperative learning exercises, and problem solving.  Discussions of the major concepts of biology (cell structure, genetics, and gene expression and plant biology) are interwoven with analysis of contemporary issues (biotechnology, stem cells) in biology.

This course addresses IUPUI's Principles of Undergraduate Learning, with a primary emphasis on Critical Thinking Skills (PUL#2: the ability to apply, analyze, evaulate and create knowledge), Core Communiucation and Quantitative Skills (PUL#1: the ability to comprehend, interpret and analyze ideas and facts) and the Integration and Application of Knowledge (PUL#3: the ability to meet professional standards and competencies). Intellectual Depth, Breadth and Adaptiveness (PUL #4), Understanding Society and Culture (PUL#5) and Values and Ethics (PUL #6) also play a role in many of our discussions, projects, and assignments.

III. Course components:

1. Lecture/Discussions:  Three lecture classes are held each week (MWF 10:30-11:20 pm), and attendance in the classroom is required.  With the exception of the first day of class, I will come to class expecting that you have read the assigned chapters and are ready to answer questions.  Each Friday, PowerPoint documents for the coming week will be posted to the Oncourse main page with figures, notes, and lecture objectives.  Please print these out before class use them to prepare for lectures. 
   
   
2. Warm Up Assignments (45 points): Warm Up assignments are short pre-lecture assignments that are submitted to me via the web (Oncourse) before class begins.  Warm Up assignments (15 total) are worth 3 points each if submitted on time. These questions are designed to get you thinking about the readings and the topic to be discussed that day, and require you to write a 2-3-sentence answer for each question.  The Warm Up assignments will be posted on Oncourse by noon each Friday, and must be submitted by 10:00 am before each Wednesday lecture.  Because they are pre-lecture assignments, they will not be accepted  late!

3. Cooperative Learning (30 points): One day each week, a 2-point Cooperative Learning assignment will be done in class, for a maximum of 30 points.  You will get credit for these in-class assignments through classroom attendance.

4. Lecture Exams (440 points): A total of 4 lecture exams (multiple choice) will be given, for a total of 440 points.  Exams 1, 2 and 3 are worth 100 points each, and Exam 4 (final exam) will be worth 140 points.  The final exam (Exam 4) is part cumulative, covering ALL the material discussed during the semester.  Please bring a calculator and a #2 pencil to each exam. Important: If you arrive late to an exam, you will forfeit 10 points. If you miss an exam, you will receive minimum deduction of 20 points to take the exam at a different time (with exception of documented medical emergencies or death in family). Please schedule your work and vacation times, and arrange reliable childcare and transportation, to ensure that you are IN CLASS before the start of every exam.

5. Laboratory (365 points): There is one 3-hour lab each week; attendance and participation is required.  Lab exercises for the coming week will be posted under the Oncourse Schedule Tab every Friday.  It is very important to read the lab exercise and answer the lab quiz question before coming to lab and to follow all safety procedures in lab.  Labs are worth 10 points each (5 point quiz + 5 point activity); the best 10 scores achieved on these 10-point labs will account for up to 100 points your K101 score.  There is one formal lab report due, on Enzymes, for a total of 25 points.  There are three 80-point lab exams (see lab syllabus).  Please do not attend any lab or recitation other than your own unless prior arrangements have been made (check with Dr. Marrs in class or via e-mail). For K101 Honors students, there will be additional oportunities to shadow research scientists at IUPUI or the IU School of Medicine or Dentistry, to extend laboratory exercises, and to interact in a small group setting with an IUPUI Professor.

6. Recitation (120 points): There is a 75-minute recitation each week; attendance and participation is required.  The recitation leaders are IUPUI science majors who have recently completed and succeeded in K101.  A variety of activities (quizzes, writing, problem solving) will be offered, with 10 points given for each recitation exercise.  Please bring your Study Guide to every recitation.  The best 10 scores achieved in Recitation will be worth up to 100 points of your K101 score.  In addition, you will do one Team Project on a topic of your choice (from a list of choices), worth up to 20 points. For K101 Honors students, there will be additional oportunities for critical analysis on one or more areas of your own personal, professional or academic development, opportunities for reading and discussing original research papers, and civic engagement on an area of local or global concern.
   
   
7. Personal Responsibility and Expectations for all K101 students:

a.  Be prepared to work hard – Learning Biology is like learning a new language and applying it simultaneously to the understanding of difficult concepts (sounds fun, doesn't it!). College-level reading and math skills are essential for success in K101...and college-level thinking skills will be learned and required for class, lab, and exams! (i.e.: application of knowledge rather than just memorization of terms). Class moves fast, and for success, you must stay ahead of the game and prepare BEFORE class:

• Print out the PowerPoints and use them to guide your reading in Campbell. The vast majority of exam questions focus on material in the powerpoints! Campbell is full of additional material if you are interested in additional reading, but make sure you focus your work on the posted slides and lecture objectives!
• Study important terms and concepts (start with the "big picture" and work in)
• Take the Chapter quizzes on Mastering Bio, in your study guide, or in your book..keep working until you are consistently getting scores you are happy with!
• Plan to spend at least 12 hours per week on this class outside of lecture, lab, and recitation (reading for class and lab, reviewing notes, doing the study guide, doing Warm Up assignments).
• There will be a K101 Resource Center (drop-in help) 6 hours each week = take advantage of this FREE service, please!!! Often, there are formal or informal study groups before exams (some with pizza - known to improve brain power) - plan to accept all the free help that comes your way!
• You will find that in K101 and other college classes, your greatest gains in learning happen outside the classroom when you are working hard to understand and process our class material by yourself (or with a small group). The purpose of lecture is to highlight what you have already read, and to clarify the more difficult aspects of the material in class.

b. Be on time - Arrive before lecture, lab and recitation begin (leave plenty of time for parking).  Many TAs will not allow you to take a quiz once lab has started, and you will lose points for arriving late to an exam (see above). Do not miss class except for an emergency.  Submit Warm Ups early to allow for breathing room.

c. Be considerate - Turn cell phones off or to 'vibrate'. Do not talk on your cell phone in class! Do not talk with others in class while lecture is going on.  It is hard for others to concentrate with lots of background noise.  If needed, I will ask you to leave class - and forfeit 10 points in the process

d. Be honest - Academic Misconduct  (cheating, plagiarism, etc)  is a serious  offense, and I will follow university procedures for handling academic dishonesty in K101, which may include failing the class, expulsion from the university, or both.  It is no 'shocker' that people cheat and cut corners to try to get ahead, or help others get ahead. The difficult part is to uphold your integrity even so.

• Ethics: A reminder that if you have worked hard - and succeeded - in getting into the professional program of your choice, you will be expected to follow a code of professional ethics. For the AMA, for instance, one of the points that YOU may be asked to uphold in the future is as follows: "A physician shall uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and strive to report physicians deficient in character or competence, or engaging in fraud or deception, to appropriate entities". Med School, Dental School, Pharmacy Schools, etc., are looking for candidades with high personal and professional ethics. Get a good start now.
• During exams: I have found that the vast majority of our IUPUI students ARE honest and act with integrity, but some guidelines for exams are necessary: NO baseball caps or hooded sweatshirts covering your lovely face, please. DO NOT sit along the back wall during the exams unless a medical condition makes it impossible for you to sit with the rest of the class. All cell phones must be OFF, and also in a bookbag, or on the floor. You may NOT listen to an iPod or MP3 player during exams.
• Honor Code:  There is an Honor Code button on the Warm Up assignments that asks you to confirm that you answered all 3 Warm Up questions, earning 3 points in the gradebook.  Do not click 'YES' unless you HAVE completed the assignment! To do otherwise IS academic misconduct and will be treated as such.

e. Be smart with your investment – Question: How much is this course costing you? (Nothing? - Thanks, mom and dad!)  Answer:  At ~$230 / credit hour, plus books and lab fees: at least $1,200 per person!  You are investing hard-earned money into college, and if you get the most out of every class, lab, and recitation session you will likely get an excellent ROI – Return on Investment.  Note also that you are investing your TIME along with your money to take K101, and time (unlike money) is a non-renewable  resource! ....Can you afford to delay your plans for Graduation, Med School, etc., to re-take this course? 

f. Be realistic: My goal for you is to SUCCEED in this course, and make K101 a good solid foundation for all your other Biology Courses at IUPUI, help you get on the right track to a stellar GPA, Dean's List distinction, and acceptance into the profession of your choice! However, I want you to be realistic with yourself. If you are in a situation where it will be difficult to succeed in K101, my advice for you would be to think carefully before proceeding. Do you have almost no High School background in Biology or Chemistry? Do you have a demanding, 60-hour per week job? Unrealiable transportation to IUPUI? Significant demands on your time caring for young children, parents, or other family members? Are you just learning to speak and read English? Are you going through a personally stressful time or a serious illness? I have known many students who work impressively hard to succeed brilliantly in K101 under these circumstances, but sadly, I have seen many others with high hopes for college success become discouraged as they tried (unrealistically) to combine too many demands in one semester. My advice: don't rush into K101 - use your common sense and all the tips (above and below) to make the best choice for YOU! Align as much of your life as possible with conditions that will help you succeed in college - and if it looks like it might be best to wait until another semester, K101 runs in Fall, Spring AND Summer I!!

g. Be focused your goals - Where do you want to be at the end of your first three years at IUPUI? ... Getting excellent recommendation letters and looking forward to that Acceptance Letter from the professional program of your choice (Med School, Pharmacy School) ...or scrambling for an expensive "second choice" option (like an additional year of studies in a Master's program)? Right now...YOU can decide on the answer to this question! (...ok, mom, we get the picture!..)

IV. Summary of Course points: Your grade will be based on a total of 1,000 points:

Lecture Exam 1 Lecture Exam 2 Lecture Exam 3 Lecture Exam 4	100 points 100 points 100 points 140 points	= 440 points
Warm-Up Exercises 1-15	3 points each x 15	= 45 points
Cooperative Learning 1-15	2 points each x 15	= 30 points
Lab Exam 1 Lab Exam 2 Lab Exam 3 Lab Practical	80 points 80 points 80 points	= 240 points
Lab Report (Enzyme Lab)	25 points	= 25 points
Lab Quiz/Exercises	10 points each; best 10	= 100 points
Recitation Exercises	10 points each; best 10	= 100 points
Group Project	20 points	= 20 points
TOTAL		= 1000 points

The grading scale for K101 is basically 90-80-70%. That means you will need close to 900 points for an A, 800 for a B, 700 for a C, and so on. There is no "curve" for grades, but usually about 15% of the class earns an 'A' grade, about 70% of the class earns either a 'B' or 'C', and about 15% of the class will receive a D or F. I post grades quickly with updates on where you stand in class, usually after each exam.