Life Sciences Bio 110 (section 5)Fall 2013
Course description
From the course catalog: “Basic concepts in the study of living systems, including human beings. Uses the study of biology to illustrate approaches of science in understanding the universe. The role of science in modern society and the impact of human civilization on other organisms considered. Designed to satisfy the general education requirements for life science. Course fulfills GE Sub-area B2.”
There will be an emphasis on cell biology, neuroscience, and how they relate to human disease in this course.Examples include obesity, infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.
Course goal
Learn essential concepts in biology through class lectures, in class problem solving, reading, writing assignments, and problem sets.
Instructor
Prof. Andrew Steele, PhD
Building 8 Room 126,Phone:x2480
Phone: (909) 869 2480
Email:
Office hours
Monday 4:30-6:00; Wednesday 3:00-5:00; Friday 1:00-2:00; and by appointment. Please email me to set up appointments.
Course times
Class Mon/Wed 8:00-9:15PM
Building 3-2317
Course Textbook
Biology Today: An Issues Approach (3rd edition)
Classes
Classes consist of lectures. Please at least skim the assignedchapter prior to class. Lectures will extend the material, review complex points, and work example problems. We will not be covering the entire textbook as it contains too much material for a quarter long course. Lecture notes will be most important for studying purposes so please plan to attend every class.
Problem Sets
Study guides, including sample exam problems, will be distributed prior to each exam. These are not to be turned in. Similar questions will appear on exams so please take the time to go through all the problems.
Exams
Each exam will last 35 minutes, followed by 40 minutes of lecture. There will be four exams, covering material from lectures. Exams will be multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions.The lowest exam score will be dropped. If you miss an exam that one will be dropped—there are no make up exams. There is no final exam.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism, cheating, copying, and the like will not be tolerated and will be reported to judicial affairs. Please review the info at the following link:
Writing assignments
There are two written assignments that must be turned in during class as a hard copy on the due dates indicated in the course schedule below. The goal of these assignments is to teach you how to convey life science research to the general public, as if you were writing for a newspaper or a magazine. There is a 2-page limit to these assignments. More information on the writing assignments, including an example, will be distributed during class and posted on blackboard.
Point distribution in the course
300Exams (100 points each; best 3 exam scores out of 4 total)
100Written assignments (2)
400Total points
Grading: >90% is an A, >80% is a B, >70% is a C, and >60% is a D, <60% is failing. Grades will be “curved” if needed. Note that I may adjust the point distribution, adding pop quizzes if attendance is poor.
Course Schedule
Date / Topic / Reading / Assignment1 / 9/30/13 / Cell biology andgenetics / Chapter 3 p. 64-71
2 / 10/2/13 / Genes / Chapter 2 p. 34-41, 47-49, 56-58
3 / 10/7/13 / Proteins / Chapter 3 p. 64-71
4 / 10/9/13 / Exam
Human genetics / Chapter 3 p. 71-72, 78-83 / Exam 1
5 / 10/14/13 / Genetic engineering / Chapter 4 p. 96-102,
6 / 10/16/13 / Evolution / Chapter 5 p. 123-141
7 / 10/21/13 / Human variation and disease / Chapter 7
8 / 10/23/13 / Social behavior / Chapter 8 / Optional draft of science in the news essay due
9 / 10/28/13 / Exam
Population growth and reproductive biology / Chapter 9 / Exam 2
10 / 10/30/13 / Nutrition / Chapter 10
11 / 11/4/13 / Cell biology and cancer / Chapter 12 / Science in the news essay due
12 / 11/6/13 / Neurobiology / Chapter 13
13 / 11/13/13 / Drugs and addiction / Chapter 14
14 / 11/18/13 / Exam
Mind and body / Chapter 15 / Exam 3
15 / 11/20/13 / Physiology: obesity and food intake / Reading TBA / Optional draft of science in the news essay due
16 / 11/25/13 / Innate and learned behaviors / Reading TBA
17 / 11/27/13 / Immunology and HIV / Chapter 16
18 / 12/2/13 / Immunology and infectious disease / Chapter 17 / Science in the news essay due
19 / 12/4/13 / Exam
Wrap up and ethics / Chapter 1 / Exam #4
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