Syllabus
BioSci 2018-2019 Course Syllabus
Course Requirements
1. All meetings are mandatory. If you are taking this as a course, you are allowed to miss two meeting without being penalized.
2. As part of a small group, plan, and carry out 1 event held outside of the weekly meetings that is related to biology, health science, and/or the other life sciences. The event may not have been previously done during this academic year.
3. As part of a small group, plan and carry out 1 educational lecture that is related to biology and/or the life sciences. The lecturer whom you decide to invite may not already have been invited this academic year to speak to BioSci.
4. Advertise your event and lecture to BioSci, but more importantly, to the rest of the student body (using flyers, mailing lists, overheads, and word of mouth).
5. You must participate/attend your group’s event and lecture in addition to the event and lecture of your partner group.
6. Maintain a valid e-mail address and check it on a regular basis (this is the primary means team leaders and group members use to maintain contact).
7. Participate in fundraising efforts as we do provide all our own funding.
8. Complete group member evaluations once the event and lecture are completed.
9. Presentation must be complete and presented at least one meeting before the actual lecture or event.
Grading Guide
For those of you participating in BioSci as a 1 credit course, this is the grading breakdown. The total number of points possible (not including bonus points) is 50. Any individual may earn up to an addition 10 bonus points (see bonus section). With any questions regarding the point distribution or grading procedures, please contact an officer.
Participation and Attendance
Attend your own lecture – 5 pts.
Attend another group's lecture – 5 pts.
Attend your own event – 5 pts.
Attend another group’s event – 5pts.
Advertising of your own lecture – 5pts.
Advertising of your own event – 5pts.
Total Participation Points Available: 20
Total Advertising Points Available: 10
Lecture and Event Presentations
Participate in lecture presentation – 5 pts. (Help design presentation. Speak loudly, clearly, and professionally during presentation. Presentation is appropriate and well delivered).
Participate in event presentation – 5 pts. (Help design presentation. Speak loudly, clearly, and professionally during presentation. Presentation is appropriate and well delivered).
We are no longer asking all group members to come up for the presentation. This year, we ask group leaders to split the work up among their group members; some members are responsible for creating the PowerPoints and lectures, and others are responsible for presenting them.
[Note: the maximum number of students allowed to come up is the same as the number of slides, not including the title or outro]
Total Lecture and Event Presentation Points: 10
Meeting Attendance
Attend 10 meetings. You may miss two meeting without having points deducted – 1pts.
Total Meeting Points Available: 10
Dues
Each member, regardless of position, will have to pay a $5 due to be a part of the club. To avoid receiving an incomplete in BioSci, this due must be paid before the end of the semester.
Bonus Points
BioSci realizes that all members of BioSci enter at different levels. Some small groups “hit it off” while others take time to come together and work toward goals. Additionally, participation in BioSci is a process of learning and exploration. As we work together, all of us develop organizational skills, communication skills, and new insight into biological and health related sciences. In an effort to be fair to all, BioSci has developed the following Bonus Point policy.
BioSci members who are taking BioSci as a 1-credit course may choose to participate in the following activities. Members may earn up to an additional 10 bonus points to be added directly onto their final grade point value.
Attend an extra lecture and/or an extra event – 5 point, up to a maximum of 10 pts. Take pictures of the events and lectures that you attend – 1 point/5 pictures, up to a maximum of 2 pts. (You may take up to 10 pictures of the event and lectures (no general body meetings) that you attend. Pictures should be captured on a camera and not a cell phone. Pictures of dubious quality or of uninteresting subject matter may not be accepted for credit at the decision of the BioSci Officers. Every five pictures is worth 1 additional point. Pictures should be submitted with appropriate and professionally written captions to one of the BioSci Officers, see the website for contact details)
Total Bonus Points Available: 12 (each individual may only accumulate up to 10 pts maximum towards their final grade)
Group Leader Grading:
30pts: Weekly Group Leader forms on time (3pt each)
10pt: Passing fliers and PowerPoint presentations in on time (2.5pt each)
40pt: Attendance/ advanced notice of absence. Must attend own group lecture and event. (3pt per week. 5pt per event or lecture)
10pt: Pictures of event/lecture (5pt each set)
10pt: Making sure fliers and PowerPoints are acceptable and say "Sponsored by BioSci" (2.5pt each)
In Summary:
Total points available in course: 50
Total bonus points available in course: 24 (same as member)
Dues are mandatory, barring extenuating circumstances.
Grading Cutoffs:
These grading cutoffs are maximums. The cutoffs displayed below not will be raised above those listed below but may decrease depending on the end-of-semester grading distribution.
>92=A, 87=A-, 83=B+, B=80, 77=B-, 73=C+, 70=C, 67=C-, 63=D+, 60=D, 57=D-, <50=F, No dues paid = Incomplete