General Course Information
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Course Objectives
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Class Schedule
The primary class schedule can be found in the Course Syllabus in Canvas. That schedule is kept up to date with any deadline changes and is comprehensive, including ALL deadlines, assignments, exams, etc. Please check it regularly! However, I do provide a printable schedule overview for your use during the quarter. Please keep in mind that this schedule will not updated as the quarter progresses and does not show all course deadlines.
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Grading
Description of grading components: Your grade in this course will be based on three lecture exams, three lab practical exams, preparation assignments, and course participation. There will also be an optional final exam; if you choose to take the exam, your score on the final will replace the lowest of your first two exam scores. Please see the section on exam policies.
Weighting of grading components: The grade components will be weighted as follows:
Lecture exams |
40% |
Lab practicals |
40% |
Preparation |
15% |
| Participation | 5% |
Your final grade will be determined by the total weighted percentage of points you earn for the class. You can check your grade at any time during the course. Visit the "Grades" area in Canvas. Your total percentage and your grade point will be displayed in the upper right hand corner of the Grades area.
Communicating with me about your grades: I cannot legally discuss your grades with you over the telephone or via email without verifying your identity. If you email me with questions about your grade, I will probably ask that you make an appointment to come and talk to me in person, or we can use Canvas's messaging function. If you want to get in touch with me via email, please use my Shoreline email address. Please remember that you should not give out your email password to others, or leave your account open where others may gain access to it.
Policy on extra credit: The only extra credit that will be awarded in this class will be in the form of occasional one or two point extra credit questions on exams and a single extra credit participation point which will be available during the class period of my choosing (usually the last day of lecture). I will not agree to requests for extra credit to boost a grade that is lower than the student prefers.
Policy on late work: No late work is accepted. However, each student in the class is allowed to use one Late Work Immunity form per quarter. This form entitles you to a 48 hour deadline extension on any assignment. It may not be used for exams . The following important rules apply:
You must notify me that you plan to use your Late Work Immunity BEFORE the deadline for the quiz or assignment. Email, Canvas message, and telephone are all acceptable ways of notifying me (they all have a time-stamp). You may also tell me in person (face-to-face or in the Online Office).
You must complete and return the Late Work Immunity form (click the link to download the form) to me at the time you turn in your late work. The form can be printed and handed in or it can be scanned or photographed and attached to an email.
You are only allowed to use one form per quarter, so choose wisely :).
Students who add the class late may be allowed to make up work they have missed. These arrangements will be made on a case by case basis.
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Exam Policies
Rules in effect during the exams: Please read the following carefully so you aren't surprised by any of the rules below when exam day comes.
Spelling: For all exams in both lecture and laboratory, correct spelling of anatomic terms is expected. I will allow one- or two-letter errors in most cases, so long as the word, if read aloud, is easily understood (e.g. stommach instead of stomach would likely earn full credit, but auxilliary instead of axillary would not). Spelling errors more significant than than this will result in points being deducted. One-letter spelling errors that change the word into a new word will receive no credit (e.g. ileum instead of ilium).
Index cards in the lecture exams: You will be allowed to bring one handwritten 3x5 notecard into the lecture exam with you. You may use both sides of the card and write whatever you like on it, so long as it is written by hand. You will turn it in to me at the start of the exam so that I can examine it, and it will be returned to you as the exam begins. Be certain your name is on the card! No cards will be allowed during practical exams.
Make up exams: You are expected to attend every lecture exam and lab practical. Examine the course schedule carefully and note the exam dates on your calendar for future reference. In certain cases, I will offer students the opportunity to make up ONE exam per quarter.
Lecture exams: If you have a legitimate, documented conflict (see below) with one of the exam dates and you notify me at least one week prior to the scheduled exam, I may be able to offer you the opportunity to take a make up exam on a different date or time. The make up exam must be completed within three business days of the scheduled exam. If you are ill on an exam day and you notify me by email or telephone message before the start of the scheduled exam, I will offer you the same make up option. Make up lecture exams may be different in format from the exam I give to the rest of the class. If this is necessary I will notify you at the time we schedule the make up exam.
Practical exams: Because of the significant set-up required and the tight scheduling of our laboratory spaces, I will be very limited in my ability to offer you a make up practical exam. I may be able to let you take the practical exam earlier or later on the same day as everyone else, but in most cases I will not be able to reschedule it for a different day. The same notification rules described for lecture exams will apply to lab practical exams.
Legitimate conflicts: I will consider offering make up exams only in cases where the reason for your absence is out of your control. For example: court appearances, military service, funeral attendance, professional travel or training scheduled prior to the date you registered for the class, etc. I will require documentation of the reason for your absence in these cases.
If you miss an exam for any reason without prior notice, or if you must miss more than one lecture exam, you may take the optional final exam to replace the missed lecture exam. There will be no opportunity to make up a missed lab practical exam if you miss it without prior notice.
Exam debrief appointments: I encourage every student to carefully consider their performance after each test is returned. This "debrief" will help identify problem areas in a student's understanding of the material, study habits, or test-taking strategies. Correction of the problems will lead to improved exam scores. I have created an exam debrief document to help you review your exams and improve your performance.
If you'd like to meet for an exam debriefing appointment:
Earn some points back on your first lecture exam: If you score less than 100% on the first lecture exam, you can earn back some points on your test for doing an exam debrief! I will return 15% of the points you lose (minimum 1 point, maximum 5 points). For example, if you scored 35/50 or 70% on the first exam, your new score would be 74.5% -- a pretty substantial gain!
To earn back the points, you must do all of the following:
I will check your document when you arrive. If it has not been filled out properly, your appointment may be canceled and you will have to reschedule. If you have any questions or concerns about how to fill out the document, please check with me BEFORE your appointment!
You may cancel and reschedule your exam debrief appointment if you do so in advance. When you schedule the appointment online, you'll receive an email with a cancellation link. I prefer that you use this link to cancel, but I will accept verbal or email cancellations. If you miss a scheduled exam debrief appointment (that is, an appointment you've made outside of office hours) and have not canceled, you will lose the opportunity to earn back points on the exam.
Regrade requests: You will have the opportunity to submit a "regrade request" for any exam or quiz if you feel that my grading on a particular question has been unfair or that I have misunderstood your answer. Regrade requests must be submitted no later than the end of the class period following the one in which the exam was returned. This deadline is firm, even if you were absent from class on the day the test was handed back. The entire exam may be regraded to assess whether relevant information is present in another question on the test or if I have totaled points incorrectly. Regrade requests must be posed in writing, explaining why you should be given additional credit for the item in question. My decision about whether to award you extra points will be based on how well you present your views, so you should be as clear and complete as possible and include references if necessary. Successful regrade requests are typically a paragraph or two in length per question and must include the following:
Exams written fully or partially in pencil or erasable pen, with white-out on them, or showing signs of erasure will not be regraded.
If I have added your point total incorrectly, simply show me the exam in class or office hours within one week after the exam was handed back to the class and I will make the correction. If you do not pick up your test until after this deadline, you must show me any addition errors at the time I return your test (during that class period or office hour visit, for example).
Optional final exam. The final exam in this class is optional, and it has several important purposes:
This exam will be held on the last day of class, during the time scheduled for the third lecture exam. Students who choose to take the optional final will be given the same third exam as the rest of the class, and also an additional exam that covers learning objectives from the material on exams 1 and 2. The optional final may only be used to replace scores on lecture exams 1 or 2.
You should be aware of several policies concerning the optional final:
You will not be allowed to take the final exam if any of the following conditions are true:
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Laboratory
Attendance and punctuality: The laboratory portion of this class gives you an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the structures we talk about in lecture. You should plan to arrive on time and stay for the entire session. I frequently give important instructions at the beginning of the period; if you arrive late and miss them, you will be at a significant disadvantage. You may also miss pop quizzes or participation point opportunities if you are late or absent. Late arrivals and absences will also decrease your score on the required Dissection Checks (1 point per late arrival, 2 points per absence). After all, if you aren't in class, you can't participate in the dissection; if you are late and miss the instructions, you will waste your group's time when they have to explain them to you. You may make up one absence by attending open lab and completing the necessary dissection activities. Points lost due to arriving late cannot be made up.
Lab preparation: Before each lab, you should check the appropriate module in Canvas and make sure you've completed all the activities listed in the lab introduction and that you have brought all necessary materials. In addition to lists of lab learning objectives, there may be dissection instructions or other resources posted in Canvas. If you come to class prepared, you will be able to make the most of your time in lab. I may deduct Lab Prep & Safety points for failure to come to lab prepared.
Practical exams: Practical exams are the primary way you will be tested on laboratory material. Specimens (bones, models, microscopes etc.) will be set out on the tables in the laboratory and marked with numbered flags or projected on the screen at the front of the classroom. You will move from station to station answering questions about the marked specimens. Any topics listed on your lab learning objective sheets are fair game for the lab practical.
Guidelines for the practical exam:
Safety: Safety in the lab is very important. Be sure to review the Lab Safety Sheet posted in Canvas. You are expected to wear gloves and goggles and appropriate clothing and shoes whenever we are working with preserved material. If you are not wearing appropriate clothing and shoes on a day when we are dissecting, you may be dismissed from lab.
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Pop quizzes
To help you prepare for exams and to encourage you to stay up-to-date on course material, you will take frequent pop quizzes in both lecture and lab. Each quiz will be worth five points and will cover the following topics:
Material in the lecture prep assignments (readings, answers to the "Guiding Questions", videos, web activities, etc.)
Topics covered in the previous lecture that will be important foundations for the current lecture
Material on the Lab Information page listed as "Preparing for Lab" (readings, dissection instructions, videos, etc.)
The grade for this portion of the class is a little unusual. You start the quarter with 70 points. Since the pop quizzes are only worth 60 points total (12 quizzes per quarter), that means that if you attend every class and pass every pop quiz, you will end the quarter with an extra credit bonus in this category.
Pop quizzes are pass/fail. You need to score 70% or better to pass the quiz. For each quiz that you miss or do not pass, you will lose 5 points from your pop quiz total. It pays to be prepared!
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Participation
General description. Participation points are a way for you to earn credit in the class for doing things that will help you learn. Many of the activities for which you can earn credit are designed to improve your success on the lecture exams and lab practicals. That means that earning points in this category can help your grade in more than one way!
The Participation component is worth 5% of your overall course grade. You are responsible for accumulating 30 "participation points" by engaging in the activities listed below. There are far more points possible than I am asking you to accumulate, so you should have ample opportunity to earn 30 of them. About half of these points are attendance-based. That means that if you come to class and lab prepared, stay for the full period each time, and turn in your work at the end of class, you should have no problem earning 15-20 points. The remaining points can be earned through activities such as study groups, working in open lab, and visiting me during office hours.
It would be a very good idea for you to record each participation point you turn in by date and category. That way, if there are any discrepancies between my records and yours, we will know where to look to resolve it. You will also have a better idea of which categories you've "used up" and which are still available to you.
Due dates and availability of participation scores. All participation points are due before the optional final exam begins. Once that test starts, I will not accept any more participation points or any further corrections to participation point totals. I update the participation point totals weekly on Wednesdays.
Plagiarism. All participation points you turn in MUST be your own work. Review the links provided in the academic integrity section of this syllabus to make sure you understand what plagiarism is and what the consequences will be.
Required format for points turned in on index cards. Many of your participation points will be turned in on 3x5 index cards. Because I get so many index cards turned in each quarter, I ask that you take care to follow the required format. If you don't, I'll turn your card back to you to be redone. The most important things to include on your card are:
I've prepared a model of a properly formatted index card for you to have a look at. The model represents a "Study Group" meeting at which there were four people in attendance. Each participation category below will have its own unique requirements, but all of them that are turned in on index cards will have this general format.
Ways to earn participation points. If you have suggestions for activities to add to this list, feel free to let me know; please note, however, that I will not offer the option of writing a term paper or essay.
|
Title (write this in UR of card) |
Index card? |
Details |
Max Pts |
| Lab photo | N | I like to learn everyone's names as quickly as possible, so I take your photos on the first day of lab. If you haven't had your picture taken by the end of the first week, see me as soon as possible. | 1 |
| In class | some | Periodically I will ask you to write the answer to a question on an index card in class and collect them. You will get the point whether you answer right or wrong! You will also be working in small groups to solve problems on worksheets, for which I may give Participation points. | -- |
| Unit Discussion | N | After most major course content units, I will post a Discussion on Canvas. Each Discussion will be worth up to 2 points. Criteria for earning points are described in Canvas. | -- |
| Office Hour | Y | Come and see me in my office to discuss something class-related. The note card must be turned in at the time of your visit. | 3 |
| Study Group | Y | Attend a study group (two person minimum). Record each person's signature on a note card, and indicate the time and place of the meeting, how long it lasted (one hour minimum), and what you reviewed. Each student must turn in a separate note card. | 5 |
| Lab Study | Y | Study lab learning objectives during open lab (see lab door for schedule). Write down the specific lab learning objectives you worked on. One hour minimum. You must obtain the signature of the lab technician on your card before you leave. | 5 |
| Exam review | N | I hold online review sessions before each lecture exam. These sessions are recorded, so even if you're not available to attend live, you can still watch them later. Submit at least one question related to the learning objectives that you would like to be answered during the session. Questions must be submitted no later than half an hour prior to the start of the session, using the question submission form in the Resources module. Then, you may either attend the session and ask a question or follow up via email or Canvas message after you have watched the recording. In your follow-up message, demonstrate that you've watched by letting me know what I said in answer to your question. | 3 |
| APR self- test | N | The required Anatomy and Physiology Revealed (APR) resource has excellent self-tests available. Take one of the "Click to Identify" self-tests with a minimum of 10 questions, score 75% or higher, save your results, and email me the file with the subject line "BIOL 231 APR test". If you type this subject line exactly and send it to my Shoreline email address, you should get an automatic confirmation email. | 3 |
| Stump the Teacher | N | Students often ask questions in lecture that I'm not able to answer. When that happens, I'll post the question in Discussions and give you a few days to answer. For credit, answers must address the question as it was asked, must be in your own words and must be accompanied by a citation of the source you used to answer the question. No direct quotations are allowed. You MUST summarize in your own words. | 3 |
| Concept Map | N | There is information on concept mapping in Canvas and online. If you like the technique, you can turn in concept maps for participation points. You must get the topic approved with me before you turn it in, and I may ask you to revise maps that don't meet my standards (links should be accurate, arrows labeled, all important concepts represented). Points per map vary (usually one or two points). | 5 |
| Seminar | Y | Lectures, brown-bag lunches, and workshops on topics relevant to this course are frequently offered on campus and in the Seattle community. If you'd like to attend one, please check with me first to confirm that the seminar you've chosen is eligible. On the card (including the back if necessary) describe the seminar's main points and tell me what you found most interesting or most relevant to the class. | 5 |
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Email Policy & Course Web Component
Email policy: I encourage you to use email as a primary means to communicate with me. I am far more accessible by email than phone, and can sometimes reply to you in the evening and on weekends when I wouldn't normally be checking my phone messages. You can also send any member of the class an email from the Canvas site. This function can be found in the "People" section. Please do not use this tool to spam your classmates :). Keep it course-related!
When I receive email from you I will:
Your emails to me MUST:
When you send email to me, you SHOULD:
There are certain topics that I won't discuss over email:
Web component: This course is listed as "web-enhanced", and will have a significant internet-based component. Announcements, assignments, quizzes, etc. may be posted on my web site or in Canvas for the course. You should check your Shoreline email address (studentname@go.shoreline.edu) and the Canvas site regularly (i.e. every other day or so). I expect you to communicate with me (outside of class and office hours) primarily by email or Canvas message, and I will occasionally send important information via email. If you are unfamiliar with computers or the internet, I suggest you remedy the situation as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out. If you don’t have a computer at home, there are computers on campus for you to use. A major student computer lab is located in the library (building 4000). I am happy to help you get started if you come to my office during office hours or make an appointment.
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Classroom Recording
The audio portion of our lectures may be recorded. If this is a problem for you, please speak to me as soon as possible. I do not permit video recording of my lectures.
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Academic Responsibility
In order to help you make the most of your experience in this class, I am including a section that clarifies your responsibilities as a student and my responsibilities as an instructor.
It is my job to select and interpret the information covered in the course. This means that I decide what is most important for you to learn, and I present it to you in the manner I feel will best promote your understanding of it. I will make myself available to you during class and during my office hours, and after hours via email and the discussion boards on Canvas. I will offer review sessions and other supplemental exercises. I am committed to helping you master the challenging subject matter in this course.
The rest is up to you! No matter how much I try, I can't make you learn. It just isn't possible for me to take the material and forcibly incorporate it into your synapses. Your learning is YOUR responsibility. I will provide a number of resources to help you, and I am happy to provide support, to make suggestions, and to spend time with you. If you are having difficulties, however, it is ultimately up to you to solve them. You must be the one to seek me out and ask for assistance. I cannot always know what troubles are standing in your way. Please come and talk to me! I'm friendly, and I've chosen this job because I like students and I like helping them learn.
The Writing & Learning Studio (TWLS), Room 1501 TWLS provides instructional handouts and texts, a comfortable study environment, and drop-in tutoring for students in any discipline who want to work on college reading strategies, study skills, research papers, essays, or other kinds of writing assignments. Additionally, the ASC offers variable credit courses and workshops on topics such as note-taking, memory improvement, research writing, test-taking, and grammar. For more information, visit the TWLS website at http://success.shoreline.edu/twls/.
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Academic Integrity
I will show no tolerance whatsoever for academic dishonesty, whether the point values involved are large or small. Please be aware that you, the student, are responsible for understanding what academic dishonesty entails! It is strongly recommended that you read Shoreline's policy on the matter (Policy 5033). This information is also available in your college catalog in the section titled Policies for Students.
I expect everything you turn in for this class to be written in your own words. Copying even relatively short phrases and sentences is not acceptable. Copying sentences but changing a word here and there is still plagiarism. If your source says "The surface of the cerebellum is covered with finely spaced parallel grooves, in striking contrast to the broad irregular convolutions of the cerebral cortex" (from this Wikipedia article), then it is not okay for you to write "The surface of the cerebellum has finely spaced channels, in contrast to the large uneven convolutions of the cerebral cortex." An appropriate rewording might be "While the cerebral cortex has thick gyri, those of the cerebellum are thinner and more numerous."
I realize that many students struggle in learning to paraphrase what they read without plagiarizing. It is a skill like any other; it can be learned but you must practice it consciously. The best advice I can give you is to take the following steps:
Read the material you plan to paraphrase. You may need to read it more than once before you feel like you understand it sufficiently. You may need to consult the textbook glossary or other resources to help you with the vocabulary.
Give yourself a few minutes to let the material sink in, and then put the material away or cover it so you can't see it.
Write about the topic in your own words. You might even say it out loud, pretending that you are explaining the ideas to a friend. This will help you to choose your own words.
If you need to, check your work against the original material to correct errors.
In an even simpler form, follow this rule: never write anything that you are going to turn in as your own work while you have your book or notes open. If you follow this rule, you will protect yourself from almost every form of plagiarism.
Still confused? There is a helpful resource that very clearly outlines what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid plagiarizing sources that you might use in your learning. It is called "Plagiarism: A Student's Guide to Recognizing It and Avoiding It". I urge you to read the web page carefully, paying close attention to the examples the author presents.
Instances of academic dishonesty will be pursued as stringently as allowed by Shoreline policy. Please see below for a description of the consequences:
Warning
If you plagiarize and the degree of plagiarism is minimal, I will give you a warning. In this context, "minimal" means that only a small amount of text is involved and there is evidence that you were making some effort at paraphrasing. Copying several sentences or more is NOT minimal.
You will be allowed to resubmit the assignment to me within 48 hours and you must complete a short quiz on plagiarism. If the resubmission is acceptable and you pass the plagiarism quiz, you will receive credit for the quiz question or for the assignment.
I will not give warnings for cheating; all instances of cheating will be treated as described below under the headings of "First Offense" and "Second Offense".
First offense
If you plagiarize after you have been given a warning or if the plagiarism is significant, you will get an automatic zero on the assignment, quiz, or exam. This penalty will also apply if you cheat. There will be no warnings for cheating.
If you receive a zero on an exam as a result of an academic integrity issue, you will not be able to drop that exam.
At my discretion, based on the seriousness of the offense, I may file a report with the Dean of Students.
I will not approve withdrawal from the course except under specific conditions (see Withdrawal Policy).
Second offense
You will receive an automatic 0.0 for your grade in the course.
You will be reported to the Dean of Students, who may order additional disciplinary action.
In order to discourage cheating, a number of policies will be in effect during quizzes and exams. Be certain you have read and understand the exam policies before you start the quiz or exam!
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Withdrawal Policy
Please pay careful attention to the deadlines for withdrawing from the course and for changing to a P/NC option. These are listed on the Shoreline website and on the course schedule. I will adhere to these deadlines without exception. After the final withdrawal date has passed, your only option to avoid receiving a numeric grade for the course is to apply for a hardship withdrawal (Z grade). Hardship withdrawals are not given lightly. You must provide documentation of a severe, unavoidable circumstance that prevented you from completing the work required in the course.
If you commit an academic integrity violation, certain additional conditions will apply to my approval of your withdrawal from the class:
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Classroom Behavior
Please turn off your cell phones before you come into the classroom. Please do not talk while I am talking. Please do not interrupt or belittle your classmates, or disrupt the class with your speech or activities. It all comes down to respect—show me and your classmates respect, and we will show respect for you.
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Waitlists
If you are on a waitlist for this class, you MUST check in with me on the first day of class, or you will risk losing your rank on the waitlist. I will add students to the class in the order they appear on the waitlist, so long as they CHECK IN with me. Final decisions about who will be allowed into the class will be made no later than the 6th day of SCC classes (generally one week after the first day of class).
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Inclement Weather Policy
In a nutshell, if the college is open, we will have class! If the college is closed, you should consult the Canvas site for further instructions. I may still ask you to turn in work, watch lectures, etc. in an online format even if the physical campus is closed. There are a number of ways for you to find out if the college is closed. You can check the college homepage, call the college at 206-546-4101, or tune in to local media. Details about these information sources can be found at the college's web page for Suspended Operations. Be prepared!
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ADA Accommodations
It is the policy of Shoreline Community College to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to state and federal law. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Shoreline's coordinator of services for students with disabilities at 546-5832 or 546-4520 (TTY) in the FOSS Building, Room 5229, for more information or for an assessment of his or her individual needs.
I cannot offer accomodations other than those specifically communicated to me in writing by the disability services office at SCC. You MUST work with that office to receive accomodations. If you expect accomodations on an exam (extra time, quiet room, large type, etc.), you must let me know at least one week in advance of the exam so that arrangements may be made. You are responsible for making your own appointments with the Office of Student Services if you wish to take your exams in their testing rooms. I encourage you to make appointments for ALL your exams in the first week or two of the quarter; the rooms fill up quickly. Unless you get my prior permission, you may not schedule your exam for a different day than the regular exam is administered. In addition, you must schedule a time that is no earlier than two hours and no later than one hour after the regular exam starts. For example, if the rest of the class takes the exam at 10:00 am, you may schedule your exam to start no earlier than 8:00 am and no later than 11:00 am.
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