Course Details

Lecture Format

This class is fully in-person. So, lectures will be live. 

You will be provided with Powerpoint versions of the lecture ahead of time, so that you can use them for studying/note-taking. You may record the audio of lectures for your own use (see Other Classroom Policies for information about sharing recordings and other course materials), but will need to fill out a recording agreement form. I will provide you with these the first day. 

Lab Format

Labs are in-person and are required. We will be doing dissections in this course. If that's not for you, I recommend finding a different elective to take. Students will work in groups of 4, so some can work on dissections while others help with the lists, going through the lab manual, etc. But, you must participate in some way, and are expected to learn the material. 

Attendance is mandatory. Unexcused absences will be deducted 7 points per lab. 

Assignments, Quizzes, Exams, and Grading

Introduction Survey/Syllabus Quiz:

This is your first assignment for the semester (see Tentative Course Schedule ). It will consist of questions designed to help me get to know you a little bit better, as well as questions about the syllabus to make sure that you are familiar with it. It's an easy 10 points!

Pop Quizzes: 

A series of pop quizzes will be given throughout the semester. These will be at random and at my discretion. They are worth a total of 50 points regardless of how many you take. One quiz will be dropped from the final scores. These quizzes will cover some of the recent material that we have discussed in class, and are open note/book.  Most often, these quizzes will be used to help students who are attending lecture on that particular day. These quizzes will be conducted at any time during class and are to be taken INDIVIDUALLY (these are not group quizzes).  If you are late, you will miss out.  There are NO MAKEUPS. I will drop your ONE lowest quiz score if more than one quiz is given. 

Paper: 

There will be one research paper that you will do this semester.  This paper will be a review paper, which will allow you to further compare vertebrate anatomy between organisms.  Details will be provided separately. The final paper will be submitted through Canvas.

Lecture Exams: 

Exams will be on Canvas and consist primarily of a mix of multiple choice, short answer, matching, and essay.  Your final exam will be all multiple choice and cumulative. You will take the exam IN PERSON in our classroom. As such, you will need to bring your own device to take the exam on. If you don't have one, please let me know the first week of classes so that I can help you figure out a solution. I will give you a piece of scratch paper to use as you please during the exam. In some cases, I will print a couple of questions on the scratch paper so that you can work them out on paper first. You must write your name on the scratch paper (whether you use it or not) and turn it in at the end of the exam.

Advance notice of missed exams must be given except in the case of a documented emergency. Without notice in advance or a true emergency, you will not be permitted to make up the exam.


Exam Rules: 

Lab Practicals: 

These will be given in lab on the scheduled day of the exam. You will no longer have access to the lab or your organisms after 3 pm the day before your exam. So, make sure you study ahead of time!!! 

Grading:

Your grade will be based on the number of points you earn divided by the total points for the course.  Your final grade will be percentage based. Grade appeals can only be made on the basis of miscalculation of your average and must be made to me within at least one week of grades being posted.  There will NOT be any extra credit or curving in this course.  Whatever grade you receive on exams is the grade that you get for that assignment.  Grades are rounded (by Canvas even!) as follows: 79.5%-79.9% rounds to 80%, 79.4% -79.0% rounds to 79%, etc. 

Grades are based on the following percentage scale: