Course Syllabus for BIOL 100 – General Biology –FALL 2016
Great Basin College, Pahrump Valley Campus, 551 East Calvada Blvd, Pahrump, Nevada – 89048
Phone:(775) 727-2000 -Fax:(775) 727-2014
Instructor:Dr. Rita Bagwe
Phone:775-727-2005
Email: (the best way to contact me) / I will also be available on cranium café which is located on the webcampus .(strictly by prior appointment only)
Course title: General Biology (non majors)
Course number/ section numbers:BIOL100/1002-LEC (91884)
Course scheduled: Online course (Internet via WebCampus)
Number of credits:3 Credits
Prerequisite: Must have completed MATH 96 or higher or attained satisfactory score for placement into MATH 120 in ACT, SAT or placement tests.
Corequisite: No lab section is required for this course.
Course description:Study of the organization of the body. Major molecules of life; composition and physiology of cellular organelles; cell metabolism, reproduction and development of the body and gene function of animal cells.
Course Catalog description:Basic biological concepts, interpretation and application of scientific methods, and effects of biological advances on society. Core curriculum science course; cannot be used for credit towards field of concentration in biology.
Texts:(ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR OPTIONS)
Textbook and mastering biology (online homework) access card is mandatory.
Following options are available
1.Biology: Science for Life with Physiology, MasteringBiology with PH etext (Access) Edition: 5th
Author: Belk ,ISBN: 9780133926286, Copyright Year: 2016, Publisher: Pearson
2. Biology: Science for Life with Physiology (w/MastBiology)(LL)
Edition: 5th ,Author: Belk , ISBN: 9780133897524, Copyright Year: 2016
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company
3. Biology: Science for Life with Physiology (w/MasteringBiology) Edition: 5th
Author: Belk .ISBN: 9780321918376, Copyright Year: 2016
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company
4. Biology: Science for Life with Physiology (w/out MasteringBio) Edition: 5th
Author: Belk ,ISBN: 9780321922212, Copyright Year: 2016,Publisher: Pearson
Mastering Biology(online homework) login information (for access card)
MasteringBiology Registration Instructions
Part 1: Redeeming your MasteringBiology access code
1. Go to and click on “Students” under Register.
2. To the question, “Do you have an access code?” click on Yes if you’vealready purchased one from the bookstore. Click No if you need to purchaseaccess. Click Continue.
3. Read the License Agreement and click “I accept” if you agree to the policies.
4. If you’ve used a Pearson MyLab or Mastering product before(MasteringAandP or MyMathLab) , you can use your existing username andpassword. Otherwise, answer “No” to the question “Do you have a Pearson
Account.” Create your own username/password. Make sure to use ausername/password that you will remember.
5. Enter the Access Code that came with your new book or you’ve purchasedseparately. It will not be the following code but it will look similar to this:PSSMC-FONDA-UPEND-KANZU-CRUSH-TUNES.
6. Enter your personal information, school information (Great Basin College zipcode is 89048) and create a security question that you can answer if youforget your username/password. Click Next.
You are done with Part 1 and can click on “Log In” to enter your course.
Part 2: Enrolling in your professor’s course
1. After you have clicked “Log in Now” or returned to enter the username/password ( Username should match your name in which you have been enrolled. Don’t use nicknames, alias, fake names.) you recently created under Log In. You no longer need to register.
2. On the next page, enter the Course ID: RITABIO100FALL2016 and click“Continue.”
3. You are now enrolled in your professor’s course! Begin working on yourrequired homework and feel free to explore the other useful resourcesavailable through MasteringBiology!
Do you need help with registration? Contact Pearson:
LiveChat at
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. / Call 877-672-6877 / 24 hours
Course title:RITABIO100FALL2016
Course ID:RITABIO100FALL2016
Methods of Instruction:The student starts his or her study in this course from WebCampus, which is the platform used for online courses at Great Basin College.
Attendance Policy:It is important to log into the class frequently to stay up-to-date with reading, assignments and quizzes. There are deadlines to meet that will not be extended for any of the exams, quizzes and writing assignments.
Traditional Semester Class for Fall 2016
8/29/16 - 12/16/16 - semester
Last day to enroll - 9/2/16
100% Refund - 9/4/16
50% Refund - 9/11/16
Official drop date - 11/2/16
Grades due date - 12/20/16
Goals of this course:Students taking this course will have a general understanding of anatomy, physiology and functioning of the body systems.
Learner Outcomes / General Education Outcome(s) / MeasurementRecognize and identify Different organ systems and understand homeostasis. / Critical Thinking – Reasoning and Independent Thought / Mastering Biology, Quiz , Exam – 1, Discussion
Identifying skeletal, muscular and nervous system / Critical Thinking – Scientific Understanding , Communication Skills / Mastering Biology, Quiz , Exam 2, Discussion
Understanding the Sensory, endocrine and cardiovascular system / Critical Thinking – Reasoning and Independent Thought / Mastering Biology, Quiz , Exam 3, Discussion
Recognize and identify various organ systems. / Critical Thinking – Scientific Understanding Personal/Cultural Awareness – Appreciation of Fine Arts
Personal/Cultural Awareness – Sense of Accountability / Exams
Use of computers in this course: WebCampus: This course will make use of WebCampus. To log in, go to webcampus.gbcnv.edu. Your WebCampus ID is your Great Basin College email address ID. If you don't have a GBC email address or don't remember your address go to swami.scsr.nevada.edu or the Technology Help Desk , or 753-2167. Passwords will be sent by mail to students who register for their course(s) 5 days before the semester begins. If you register after this time or did not receive a letter by mail, contact the Help Desk as soon as possible.
Assignments and Grading:
Quizzes:Students are required to complete quizzes associated with each chapter. Quiz availability will not be extended under any circumstances. Take quizzes from a computer with a speedy and reliable internet connection. Immediately contact the GBC Helpdesk if technical problems arise. Each quiz will have a specified time frame.
Discussion Board:Students are expected to be active in the Discussion Board. It is highly recommended that students make their initial posts early in each topic, and then return several times during the thread to respond to what others have said on the discussion board.
Students should be aware of two specific aspects of this part of the course. First, the Instructor will be active in the Discussion Boards. He will read posts, and will make comments as the Class Syllabus Page 5 as discussions progress during each module. All student posts should therefore be of high quality, using good grammar, spelling, and reasoning. This means that posts should be made in complete sentences, with capital letters at the beginning of sentences. Opinions should be held to a minimum, and science reasoning the rule. The instructor will provide a few topics or directions at times. These topics or questions may be the starting point for some discussions. Students can, however, post additional topics or questions that pertain to the material being learned for the module. Again, students are encouraged to use science reasoning in these discussions rather than idle opinion.
Online homework (MASTERINGBIOLOGY):Completion of weekly online homework is required for this course. To access the online homework system for this class section follows the directions in “more on online homework” below. Assignments will be based on the topics covered in lecture and some additional topics we did not cover in lecture. You will be required to look up the information for this additional subject matter in order to complete the assignments. The first assignment is due the first week of class. You are responsible for having access to a functioning computer and for completing and turning in of the assignments on time. Late work is not accepted.
I do not have the capacity to help you with computer-technical issues this semester. You will receive much faster and more knowledgeable assistance from the GBC Help Desk for use of WebCampus. Please go to them for technical assistance.
The online homework system is provided and maintained by the textbook publisher (Pearson, Benjamin Cummings). I am only able to set up the assignments – this means that I cannot help with technical issues. You must get help from the publisher if you think that there is something wrong.
You bear the responsibility for getting the technical aspects of the course to function properly so that you can participate fully.
More on online homework:Online homework assignments will be assigned each week. The homework assignments will focus on what we have covered in lecture for the week. Some of the problems will be based on material that we have not covered in lecture. This will require you to read the textbook yourself in order to figure out those problems.
Instructions for access (for those with a brand new book): If you purchased a new book that is shrink-wrapped with an access kit (a small cardboard fold-out), follow the directions in the access kit or read the instructions listed above,
Periodic Examinations:There will be four major exams in the course. Students will have 120 minutes to complete each exam once it has been started. Exams have passcode and have to be taken on GBC or Public campuses only. If you cannot make arrangements for taking the exams on schedule dates at GBC or Public library please drop the class. I am not going to allow anyone to take the exam from their home computer. It is your responsibility to send me the name, email address and phone number of the proctor for campuses other than GBC. Schedule an appointment before taking the exam.
Evaluation & Grading:Grading will be based on the following criteria for learning the material in this course (see net two tables below). All scores (points) from each of the categories will be added together at the end of the semester, and the percentage of the total possible points will determine the grade.
Criteria / Points AvailableDiscussion Board Participation 4 @ 10 points each / 40
Quizzes 12 @ 10 points each / 120
Exams 4 @ 100 points each / 400
Masteringbiology / 185 (approx.)
Total Points / 745 – 750 (approx.)
Grade Scale
97 – 100A
94- 96.99 A
90-93.99A-
87-89.99B+
84-86.99B
80-83.99B-
77-79.99C+
74-76.99C
70-73.99C-
67-69.99D+
64-67.99D
60-63.99D-
00-59.99F
Your “up to the minute” grade for the lecture portion of the course will be posted on WebCampus in an anonymous spreadsheet. Log on to the WebCampus course and follow the instructions (filed permanently in the announcement area) to view your grade.
Plagiarismis an honor code violation and a federal crime. If you use ideas of others and do not give them credit by providing proper references to their work, you are committing plagiarism. Plagiarism is stealing someone else's ideas and presenting them as your own. This offense can follow a student into their professional life. Academic dishonesty will be reported to the appropriate Administrator(s) at GBC. Violators confirmed to have plagiarized material will be given a ―0 for the assignment and may be dropped from the class with an ―For some lesser warning, such as this infringement placed in the students file. So, bottom line is, be very careful in writing your reports. Cutting and pasting of ideas from published material can get you into a lot of hot water. And believe me, it is easy to spot!
Student Conduct Policy:Students are expected to follow the Student Conduct Policy for students in the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) outlined in the GBC Catalog. Because this is an online class, students will specifically be held accountable for behaving in a civil and respectful manner toward other students and the professor in their online communications such as e-mail messages, discussion postings, and written assignments.
The college catalog states, “Messages, attitudes, or any other form of communication deemed to be outside the bounds of common decency/civility as judged by common standards of classroom behavior (determined, as they would be in a regular classroom, by the instructor) will not be tolerated”.
Tips for Success:
- Review the chapter outlines provided in WebCampus and read each chapter carefully prior to taking quizzes.
- In order to pass this course you MUST actively participate in your education and study!
- Log in to the class website frequently to check for updates.
- Participation in Discussion Board is highly recommended and is rewarded.
- Ask questions if you are confused about content related material.
- Take quizzes from a computer with a speedy and reliable internet connection.
Additional Course Information:
- WebCampus email is the BEST way to contact your professor.
- In case your book hasn’t arrived by the start of semester, the first few chapters on the schedule are available under each respective chapter module.
- Please make every attempt to secure a book by the end of the first week of class.
- Technical problems with WebCampus need to be addressed to the GBC Helpdesk.
- Extra credit opportunities are not available and the final grade will not based on curving of scores.
Student support information:The Student Support and Retention office provides individualized coaching to students who are struggling in college, either academically or personally. The office houses both professional staff and peer mentors to help students navigate obstacles in their college experience and reach their academic goals. For more information visit or call the Retention Coordinator at 775-753-2255.
Other policies:Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and may result in a failing grade and/or reporting to GBC Administration. The students conduct policy in the current GBC catalog will be enforced. This syllabus is not a contract and is subject to change, without warning or notification, at any time.
Schedule:This is a preliminary schedule. I reserve the right to change any part of it. Exam dates will likely not change. But if they do, I will attempt to announce the change one week ahead of time in class.
Module – Date / Topics / Chapter number / Assignments1 – 08/29 -09/10 / Can Science cure the common cold? / Ch 1 / Discussion board - 1
2 – 09/11 – 09/17 / Science Fiction, Bad Science & Pseudoscience / Ch 2
3 – 09/18 – 09/24 / Is it possible to supplement your way to better health? / Ch 3
09/26,09/27,09/28 / Exam – 1 (100 points) / Ch 1 - 3 / schedule an appointment with your center/ proctor
4 – 09/25 -10/08 / Fit and Fat? / Ch 4 / Discussion board - 2
5 – 10/09- 10/15 / Life in Greenhouse / Ch 5
6 -10/16 -10/22 / Cancer / Ch 6
10/24,10/25,10/26 / Exam – 2 (100 points) / Chapter 4 – 6 / schedule an appointment with your center/ proctor
7-10/23 -11/05 / DNA Detective / Ch 8 / Discussion board - 3
8– 11/06-11/12 / Genetically modified organisms. / Ch 9
9-11/13-11/19 / Where did we come from? / Ch 10
11/21, 1/22,11/23 / Exam 3 (100 points) / Chapter 8 – 10 / schedule an appointment with your center/ proctor
10 – 11/20 -11/26 / Organ donation / Ch 17 / Discussion board - 4
11- 11/27 – 12/03 / Binge drinking / Ch 18
12- 12/04-12/10 / Vaccination / Ch 20
12/12,12/13,12/14 / Exam 4 (100 points) / Ch(17,18,20) / schedule an appointment with your center/ proctor
Summary of the Assessment of Objectives:Learning and general education objectives will be assessed with three distinct tools. Lecture exams will consist of multiple choice questions that will test three types of knowledge: recall of factual information; definitions of terminology; and conceptual and integrative thinking.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement:Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services. For more information or further assistance, please call 775.753.2271.