\ 1. Describe the difference between a hypothesis and a theory.
\ 2. Demonstrate a proficiency in the use of a computer spreadsheet program to include graphing, table generation, and formulas for simple statistics.
\ 3. Demonstrate an ability to develop hypotheses, and devise an appropriate experimental design to test scientific questions.
\ 4. Demonstrate the use of simple and parametric statistics (including Student’s t-Test and Chi-Square), and be able to apply the appropriate statistical test to accept and reject hypotheses.
\ 5. Describe the underlying principles of evolution and inclusive fitness.
\ 6. Discuss the underlying causes of genetic disease, being able to describe examples and the mechanisms of autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, sex-linked, and aneuploid genetic diseases. Be able to predict genetic disease frequencies using the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium model.
\ 7. Discuss the historic development of the Theory of Evolution, including what each of the following contributed: Darwin, Wallace, Lamarck, Malthus, Lyell, and Mendel.
\ 8. Demonstrate an understanding of the agents of evolutionary change.
\ 9. Describe the use of the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in modeling evolution.
\ 10. Identify the different definitions of species. Discuss the mechanisms of speciation.
\ 11. Discuss the evolutionary origin and history of life, and the evolution of the Primates and Homonids.
\ 12. Describe the underlying principles of ecology, including; biomes, ecosystems, abiotic and biotic factors.
\ 13. Describe the abiotic and biotic features of the major aquatic and terrestrial biomes of the earth.
\ 14. Describe the characteristics of community and population dynamics, including an understanding of; structure, logistic growth curves, carrying capacity, human population trends, mechanisms which determine growth rates in developed and developing countries, human population pyramids, r and k reproductive strategies.
\ 15. Describe interspecific and intraspecific interactions, including; mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, competition, positive, predator-prey, mimicry, coloration, defense mechanisms.
\ 16. Describe the concept of ecological succession, including; primary, secondary, climax community, disturbance.
\ 17. Describe the major nutrient cycles, including the water, carbon-dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.
\ 18. Describe aquatic and terrestrial ecological pyramids, understanding such terms as; autotroph, heterotroph, producers, consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary, etc.), decomposers, biomass, population, energy.
\ 19. Discuss animal behavior, identifying the evolutionary significance of behavior, with an understanding of proximate and ultimate causations.
\ 20. Define general ethological terms and their underlying evolutionary significance, including; fixed action pattern, sign stimulus, imprinting, taxis, kinesis, habituation, operant conditioning, cognition, problem solving, migration, optimal foraging, game theory, communication.
\ 21. Describe different reproductive strategies that organisms employ, identifying the evolutionary importance each system represents, and understand various sexual selection mechanisms. Give examples of these strategies.
\ 22. Discuss altruism and tit-for-tat behaviors and the evolutionary relationship involved in those behaviors.
\ 23. Discuss the reproductive strategies observed in mammals.
\ 24. Define taxonomy and outline its basic concepts, and understand the use of cladegrams and phenograms in describing these evolutionary relationships.
\ 25. Identify the characteristics of the three Domains of life and the major Kingdoms therein.
\ 26. Define the characteristics and taxonomy of the organisms formerly included within Protista. Understand why Protista is no longer a taxonomic category.
\ 27. Compare the animals without a coelom: Porifera, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda.
\ 28. Discuss the coelomate protostomes: Mollusca, Annelida, and Arthropoda.
\ 29. Compare the deuterostomes: Echinodermata and Chordata.
\ 30. Describe the four major tissue types found in animals
\ 31. Describe animal bioenergetics, including energy budgets, basal and standard metabolic rates, thermoregulation, the advantages and disadvantages of endothermy and ectothermy, and acclimatization.
\ 32. Describe embryonic development in animals, including; gastrulation, the blastopore, and the three embryonic tissues and the adult structures to which they give rise.
\ 33. Describe animal nutrition. Understand the function of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals, and vitamins in the mammalian diet.
\ 34. Discuss the cardiovascular systems found in Chordates, including; gas exchange mechanisms of gills, the integument, and lungs.
\ 35. Describe mammalian cardiac conduction and contraction.
\ 36. Discuss the anatomy and physiology of animal reproductive systems, with specific emphasis on mammalian structures.
\ 37. Describe oogenesis and spermatogenesis in mammals.
\ 38. Discuss the anatomy and physiology of the vertebrate nervous system. Understand the function of structures found in the mammalian brain.
\ 39. Describe the anatomy and physiology of plants, including structures of the stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds.
\ 40. Identify reproductive mechanisms which have evolved in plants.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

\ GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE: If a student is having a problem with the course policies or the instructor, he or she should first try and resolve any such problems with the instructor.  If the problem is not resolved the student may proceed to the Department of Biological Sciences Chairperson, the Division of Sciences and Engineering Chairperson, Associate Vice President of Instruction, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the College President, IN THAT ORDER.

\ SAFETY: "Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are stored in SCIE 110.
\ For any emergency contact Campus Police 371-5163

\ TELEPHONES/PAGERS: It is the policy of the Biology Department that cell phones and pagers must be turned off or in the silent mode in the classroom and the computer lab. If a student gets a phone call during class he/she will NOT answer it during class time unless prior approval by the instructor. Please be considerate to others.

\ FOOD/DRINK: Food and drink are allowed in the classroom and laboratory unless posted otherwise.

\ WITHDRAW: A grade of "W" will be given for drops or withdraws on or before the published official withdraw date.  You may not drop or withdraw after that date.

\ FINAL GRADE CHANGES: The final grade turned into the registrar office will not be changed unless approved by full time biology faculty committee. Request must be submitted in writing.

\ TEST RULES: Do nothing which would appear to involve cheating.  Failure to abide by the test rule will result in a grade of zero.  Cell phones ringing during a major exam will result in a zero, regardless if you answer it or not.  Once the exam has been started you may not leave the classroom for any reason.  Use the facilities prior to starting the exam.  When you turn your exam in, it is final.  You can not get it back to make changes. If you believe that a paper has been graded incorrectly, please return it with a written explanation which must include: 1) your name, 2) the number of the question(s) you wish to have reconsidered, and 3) a detailed explanation of the mistake and documentation for the correct answer (include page numbers and source).

\ BAD WEATHER: 
\ If classes are canceled due to inclement weather, you are responsible for reading and learning the material that would have been covered.  If an exam was scheduled and classes are canceled, the exam will be given the next class meeting. (BE PREPARED) If class is canceled the last day of class and an exam was scheduled, then the exam will be added to the Final Exam and the questions will count as the exam and as the final exam. Cancellations will be announced on the Radio by 6:30 AM or by 3:00 PM for evening classes. Also check the AC website and MyAC.

Grading Criteria

EVALUATION: Lecture and lab will count for 75 % of the course grade, and the final exam will count for 25% of the course grade.

Lecture/Laboratory Exams  - 60%
Assignments                     - 10%
Position Paper                   -  5%
Final Exam                        - 25%
                                        100%

GRADING: Grades will not be curved and NO extra credit.
89.5 - 100 = A
79.5 - 89.4 = B
69.5 - 79.4 = C
59.5 - 69.4 = D
00.0 - 59.4 = F
 

LECTURE/LABORATORY EXAMS: : 60% of the total grade for the semester.

Lecture and laboratory material will be combined into five (5) exams. Approx. 40-60 questions (multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short answer). The majority of exam material will come from the lecture and laboratory notes and assignments, but some material can come from the text book and other assigned material.  One major exam grade will be dropped.  If youMISS or COME IN LATE to an exam for any reason, a grade of zero will be assigned for that exam and that will be your drop for the semester. NO MAKE-UPS will be given for any reason on any EXAM.
 

QUIZZES AND ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS: 10% of the total grade for the semester.

There will be quizzes and additional assignments made during the semester. In-class quizzes can be either announced or unannounced and will range from 5-20 questions.  These can be given at any time during either the lecture or the laboratory. In-class quizzes will be fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, labeling, and/or short answer. If you come in late to a quiz or miss the quiz altogether, there are no make-ups and a grade of zero will be recorded for that quiz.

You will get two attempts at the online quizzes (AC Online). The best score of the two attempts will be recorded for the grade calculation. If a problem occurs during a quiz (e.g., loss of internet connection, computer lock-up, accidently open the quiz prematurely, or you fail to submit the quiz) that will count as one attempt. Your instructor will make the final decision whether or not to reset the quiz based on conditions outside the control of the student and in which AC or the instructor has some culpability. For example, the instructor may reset the quiz if AC Online is down for the few hours immediately preceding the deadline. However, the instructor will not reset the quiz if the student’s computer crashed. As a rule of thumb, though exceptions can be made, on-line quizzes will generally be due at 11:59 p.m. the night before the class meeting time. It is the student’s responsibility to check and comply with the due dates indicated on the course calendar. Most of the online quizzes will have a time limit, and they will generally be set to automatically submit when the time limit has been reached. However, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the quiz was submitted and failure to do so can result in a grade of zero for that quiz.

Homework assignments will be made prior to the due date, and the assignment will generally be indicated on the course calendar. However, the student is responsible to turn in all assignments made in the classroom even if the instructor does not place that on the course calendar. If a student misses a class, it is the student’s responsibility to find out if any assignments were made. In order to receive full credit on assignments, students must turn in the homework on or before the due date, and must submit a hard copy directly to the instructor. Homework assignments will be accepted one class day late but 20 points will be subtracted from the grade for it being late. No homework will be accepted after it is more than one class day late. The instructor will not accept an on-line or emailed submission of homework.

All scores on homework, assignments, on-line quizzes, and in-class quizzes will be collected in a single category (referred to as Homework and Quizzes from hence forth). The two lowest scores from this category will be dropped in the final grade calculation for the course. The instructor reserves the right to drop additional Homework/Quiz grades at his discretion. No make-ups will be given for any reason on any homework assignment or quiz, so do not ask.

  
POSITION PAPER ASSIGNMENT: 5% of the total grade for the semester.
Each student will be required to turn in a Position Paper in which they make an argument for or against some topic we have discussed in class, or which involves current topics that can be considered to be controversial. Topics can be political, bioethical, philosophical, etc. However, the thesis of the paper must be supported by biological principles. Papers submitted that successfully argue against a position I have taken in class will receive consideration for additional points. The body of the paper must be a minimum of four (4) pages long, 12 point Arial font, double spaced. A minimum of four (4) citations are required. Additional requirements will be provided in class. Due date for the paper is 21 days prior to the final exam.
 

FINAL EXAM: 25% of the total grade for the semester.
Comprehensive and Mandatory. It will cover everything from the beginning of the semester and some material will come from previous exams and the rest comes from the text or other notes. Ranges from 100 - 200 questions. 
 

EXTRA CREDIT READING: You may earn one (1) bonus point, added to your final course average for reading one of the books on the Extra Credit Book List. When you have completed the reading, meet with me and we will have a short discussion about the book. When I am satisfied that you have read the book, I will record the bonus point in the grade book and add the bonus to your course average at the end of the semester. Book List: Jared Diamond, “The Third Chimpanzee”; Jared Diamond, “Guns, Germs, and Steel”; Aldo Leopold, “A Sand County Almanac”; or Steven LeBlanc, “Constant Battles”. Other titles can be read for credit with the instructors approval.

Attendance

\  

\ Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement, therefore it is the responsibility of the student to attend each class.

Calendar

Additional Information

\  Matthew Craig's Web-page-  http://sites.actx.edu/mjcraig/