Introduction to Forensic Science (52.105)
Course Policy: Spring 2011
Instructor:Michael Eugene Pugh, Professor
Office:218 HSC; Phone: 389-4144; email: mpugh@ bloomu.edu
Website:
Office Hours:218 HSC: M: 1:00 - 1:50 PM; W: 9:00 – 9:50 AM; F: 10:00-10:50 AM
Columbia Hall: M:11:00 - 11:50 AM; Th: 11:00 – 11:50 AM; and by appointment. I have an open door policy so feel free to stop by anytime- if I am not there leave a note with a phone number, or email address and I will get back to you. You may also email questions to me week days: 8 AM – 5 PM only.
Lecture:T: 11:00 – 11:50 AM; 262 HSC
Compressed schedule meeting time: 12:20 - 1:10 PM
Labs:T: 2:00 - 4:50 PM; 262 HSC
Compressed schedule meeting time: 2:40 - 4:50 PM
Text:Girard, James. (2008) Criminalistics: Forensic Science and Crime, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA. Please bring to class for reference purposes –we use some of the figures in lab.
Lab Manual:Experiments available for downloading from Bolt.
Calculator: Bring a calculator to every class and laboratory meeting, especially for the exams. You do not need a fancy one but it should be able to do logs and antilog functions. Calculators that are capable of storing alphabetic characters or transmit information are forbidden for use on exams.
Cell Phones,Cell phones, PDAs and MP3s are forbidden during exams. If caught using PDAs, MP3s one during an exam you will receive a zero and removed from the course. As a courtesy to me, and others, please turn off your cell phones during class.
Evaluation:3 hourly exams1 35.0%
5 Take Home Quizzes2 15.0%
Laboratory3 25.0%
Final Exam425.0%
100.0%
1The exams will be given: 2/15, 3/22, 4/19
Note- in the event of adverse weather and classes are canceled a scheduled exam will be given the next time the class meets. If a compressed schedule is in effect on the day of a scheduled exam it will be given the next time the class meets.
2The Take Home quizzes will cover both lecture and laboratory material. They will be handed out in the lecture on 1/25; 2/8;3/1;3/29; 4/12
Note- You must be present in lecture to obtain the quiz; failure to do so will result in a zero for that quiz unless a legitimate documented absence as described below can be provided. Take home quizzes will be due to me or in my mailbox in 218 HSC by 4PM on Friday following the distribution of the quiz.Late submissions will not be accepted. You are expected to do the quizzes on your own and not as a group effort. This is considered cheating and will be dealt with as described below. If a class is canceled the quiz will be given out the following class meeting.
3The laboratory portion of the course is divided into Notebook (10%) and Analysis Reports (15%). Separate handouts will provide further information on this aspect of the course.
4Final Exam: Wednesday 5/3 (10:15 AM – 12:15 PM); 262 HSC
Last day to withdraw from the course:Friday4/1 - 4:00 PM
GRADE SCALE:'A' 90.0 - 100.0%'C'70.0 - 73.9 %
'A-' 88.0 - 89.9 %'C-'67.0 - 69.9%
'B+' 85.0 - 87.0 %'D+'62.0 - 66.9 %
'B' 80.0 - 84.9%'D"58.0 - 61.9%
'B-' 77.0 - 79.9%'E'< 58.0 %
'C+' 74.0 - 76.9%
The instructor reserves the right to lower the bottom limit for each grade depending on the difficulty of the examinations given. Such changes will be considered only at the end of the semester. For borderline cases, the Final Exam will be a major deciding factor! A better than average performance on the final will help you, and a poor performance will not help you. You should not approach the final with the attitude of "what do I need to get grade X" - this has more often than not resulted in a grade less than grade X! A better approach is to strive for the highest grade possible.
Cheating, plagiarism or use of a forbidden calculator, cell phone or PDA will not be tolerated! If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing or using banned electronic devices, you will be removed from the course and assigned an "E" for the course! Refer to The Pilot for your rights regarding this transgression (see PRP 3512).
If you miss an exam or quiz for a legitimate documented reason, as described in the Class Attendance Policy (PRP 3506) of the Bloomsburg University Undergraduate Catalogue, a make-up exam or quiz, will be given at a time mutually agreed upon by the instructor and student. Please contact me as soon as possible before a quiz or exam- think of me as your employer; you would not blow off your boss with an after the fact excuse. Valid excuses are:
1)Personal illness or accident, or a death or critical illness of an immediate family member as verified in writing by an appropriate authority within 48 hours after the missed quiz or exam.
2)Participation in a university-sponsored activity as outlined in the Pilot with an excuse provided no less than 48 hours in advance of the quiz or exam.
3)Automobile breakdown or accident, or any other incident will be dealt with as merited on a case-by-case basis. The excuse must be verified in writing by an appropriate authority within 48 hours after the missed exam or quiz.
4)Military duty with an excuse provided no less than 48 hours in advance of the exam or quiz.
5)Religious observance with missed dates provided in advance no later than two weeks before the missed class
Read the text- you are responsible for what is in it, especially the case studies. Not everything is covered by the PowerPoint slides. Do not get behind! If you are not doing as well as you should, be sureto see me as soon as possible for help! Failure to do so may result in a sub-standard performance! If you cannot make it to any of my listed office hours, please contact me in person, or by phone, or by email to arrange for other times, so there should not be any reason for not being able to see me for help. Always feel free to stop by my office as I pretty much have an open office door policy. Also feel free to call or email me to have questions answered – but please note that I usually do not check my email after leaving my office for the day (5 PM to 9AM). I do keep track of who comes in for help and I do take that into consideration when it comes time to assign the final course grades.
If you have a learning disability please contact Accommodative Services (Ext. 4491) to make arrangements for alternate forms of testing, sign interpreters, note takers, etc.
I expect students to study the assigned textbook material prior to the presentation of the subject matter in lecture. My lectures are predicated on this basic premise. This approach has manifold benefits to both the student and the instructor.
Working the problems in each chapter will increase your understanding of the material and aid in preparing you for the exams.
Do not ask me ask me about extra credit- there is none. My course is designed for the normal credit listed above. If you cannot do the regular credit, what make you think that you can do extra credit?
Lecture Schedule
The following is an approximate schedule for this semester. Exams and take home quizzes will be given on dates indicated:
TopicsChapterLecture Date
Investigating the Crime Scene11/18
The Microscope & Forensic Identification of Hair & Fibers41/25**
The Microscope & Forensic Identification of Hair & Fibers (cont)42/1
Physical Properties: Forensic Characterization of Soil32/1
Forensic Analysis of Glass52/8**
Exam 11, 3, 4, 5 2/15
Fingerprints62/22
Drugs of Abuse113/1**
SpringBreak (no class)3/8
Firearms83/15
Inorganic Forensic Analysis: Metal and Gunshot Residue93/15
Exam 26, 8, 9 (pt), 11 3/22
Inorganic Forensic Analysis: Metal and Gunshot Residue (cont)93/29**
Explosives153/29**
Last Day to Withdraw from Class4/1 (4:00PM)
Investigating & Processing Physical Evidence24/5
Biological Fluids: Blood, Semen Saliva and an Introduction to DNA134/12**
Exam 32, 9 (pt), 13, 154/19
Forensic DNA Typing144/26
Final Exam1–6, 8, 9,11, 13-155/3 (10:15 AM)
** dates for the five take home quizzes; due the following Friday by 4PM
Laboratory Portion of Course
Laboratory Schedule:Date
Check-in, Safety, Measurements, Virtual Crime Scene1/18
Thin Layer Chromatography: inks and lipstick1/25
Identification of Hair and Textile Fibers2/12/8
Glass Analysis: density and refractive index2/15
Fingerprinting2/22, 3/1
Drug Analysis3/1, 3/15
Spring Break (no class)3/8
Firearms: Powder Residues & Bullet and Casing Tool Marks3/22
Spot Tests for Explosives and Explosive Residues3/29
Crime Scene Analysis4/5
Crime Scene Analysis; DNA Isolation, PCR Amplification, Semen Analysis4/12
Crime Scene Analysis; Mitochondrial DNA HVI/HVII Region-Sequence Typing4/19
Crime Scene Analysis Wrap up4//26
Laboratory Evaluation:
Notebook evaluation10 % of course grade
Laboratory Analysis Reports15 % of course grade
Laboratory reports will be due one week following the completion of the lab analysis. The last lab report will be due on the day of the final