Dr. Brad Kincaid
Phone:	480.461.7103 480.461.7115 (secretary)
E-mail:	kincaid@mail.mc.maricopa.edu
Office:	N 171 -- South end of Nursing Building -- inside department office
Office Hours:	By appointment, but you may stop by anytime to see if I am available.
Required Books:	BioInquiry Making Connections in Biology, 2nd Edition, 2002, by N.L. Pruitt, L.S. Underwood, and W. Surver, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY. Investigating Biology, 12th Edition, 2003, by W.B. Kincaid and M.A. Johnson, Lulu.com Publishing, Morrisville, NC
	Books are available at both the campus bookstore and The Textbook Co. across Southern from campus at 1840 W. Southern Ave. You can also buy the Investigating Biology lab manual online at www.lulu.com. It is listed under Math & Science Books, Life Science Books. If you order early enough to use regular US Mail delivery, you can save yourself about three dollars ($12.89 + $2.82 shipping and handling).  Click below to buy directly from the publisher and bypass the bookstore.

GRADING

Grades will be determined from:

• 5% In-Class Assessments (A%)
• 15% Homework from Laboratory Questions (H%)
• 15 % Online Chapter Quizzes (Q%)
• 25% Concept Maps (C%)
• 40% Midterm and Final Exams (E%)

In-class Assessments will be conducted periodically to assess your progress with current topics.  These assessments will be of various types including 5 minute papers, quick concept maps, and cooperative assignments. You must be present in class to receive credit for these in-class assessments.

Homework assignments will primarily comprise Application Questions for each laboratory exercise in your lab manual. In accordance with the course objectives, homework will help you develop your understanding of scientific reasoning as well as biology concepts. No homework will be accepted for unexcused absences from a lab activity.

The online quizzes will focus more on your surface understanding of the topics and will ensure that you understand basic terminology and factual information from each chapter. These quizzes are delivered via WebCT and include primarily multiple choice questions. Online quizzes will be given for each chapter or related set of chapters. Hence, online quizzes will occur every week or every two weeks. To prepare you for these quizzes, I have lists of terms available (See Calendar page).  You should search out definitions from the text and notes before attempting the online quizzes.

Concept mapping exercises will be conducted throughout the semester to help you develop a deeper understanding of  biological theories and their interrelatedness. Concept maps will be constructed for each of the chapters covered.  The final concept map will describe the connectedness of all biology concepts and will be completed during finals week.

The midterm and final exams will test your deep conceptual understanding of the biological theories covered and will be essay exams. Three midterm exams and a final concept map are scheduled.  Each midterm will cover about one third of the course.  The final exam is comprehensive. See the course calendar for tentative midterm dates. You must take your final exam as scheduled.

Final Exam: Wednesday, May 12, 7:00 to 8:50 a.m.

No makeup exams will be given for unexcused absences (see excused absences below). If you must miss an exam because of an excused absence, you must notify me by phone or in person prior to the exam.  Only then will arrangements be made for a makeup. Makeup exams may occur during finals week.

Late assignments will be penalized at a rate of 10% of the original value per class that the assignment is late.

The percentages you earn for assessments, homework, concept maps, quizzes and exams will be weighted by the values given above to determine your overall grade:

G%=0.05A%+0.15%H%+0.15Q%+0.25C%+0.4E%.

Overall grades (G%) greater than 90% will guarantee you an A for the class, 80% B, 70% C, 60% D, and less than 60% F.

COURSE GOALS

The first objective of BIO 100 is for you to gain an understanding of a series of basic biological theories explaining the unity and diversity of life.  An equally important second objective is for you to gain an understanding of how scientists reached conclusions concerning these concepts or, in other words, how science is done. Besides satisfying natural science requirements, I hope that you will gain a better understanding of the world around you and contemplate your place in this natural world.

Thus, our course goals may be explicitly stated as:

• Students should understand the major biological theories explaining the unity and diversity of life.
• Students should understand the scientific processes that have produced the biological theories that compose our current knowledge of the living world.
• Students should increase their understanding of the natural world around them and their niche in the biosphere while developing a sense of wonder and respect for our living planet.

Lecture and laboratory are tightly integrated to achieve these course goals. You will be introduced to most of the concepts to be covered in a hands-on setting.  Then, we will elaborate on these concepts via reading, lecture, discussion, and application exercises. The Investigating Biology laboratory activities will also help you to develop your understanding of science as a process.  To accomplish this goal, you will be actively involved in scientific investigations related to the concepts covered in this course, and you will be tested on your understanding of the scientific process.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

A variety of teaching methods will be employed in this course. The methods may be different than those you are most familiar with, but have been selected to facilitate learning in a variety of ways.  No one approach is best for all students, so hopefully one of my approaches will work for you.

The focus of the course on deep understanding of biology concepts suggests that an alternate approach to science education might be successful.  This approach also promises to be more interesting for you, but it also requires active participation and cooperation by each student. The following will be required of each student:

• Reading of assigned text chapters and online lecture notes prior to class lectures.
• Mastery of the terminology of each chapter, which will be assessed with online quizzes for each chapter, prior to discussion of each chapter in class.
• Focused lectures on selected aspects of each chapter.
• Individual and group assessments of concept understanding in class.
• Concept mapping to develop deep understanding and as preparation for written demonstration of your understanding.
• Essay exams to assess deep conceptual learning..

You must take responsibility for your learning.  You must commit to being prepared and to completing assignments on time. Being prepared and caught up on assignments will allow you to get the most out of each lecture, discussion, and assignment. Beyond earning a good grade, your diligence will give you a better understanding of the world around you.

To understand our world, you not only need to understand biology.  You also need to know how to ask questions and determine the most reasonable answers to those questions. In short, you need to learn how to learn.  Questioning the causes of natural phenomena and finding the most reasonable explanations for them is central to science.  Many believe this is the most important part of your general education. This course will provide you opportunities to become a lifelong learner. 

Maintaining an effective classroom atmosphere requires cooperation from everyone in the class and that we treat each other with respect.  You should come to class on time and avoid unnecessary disruptions.  During discussions, I will generally ask a specific person to respond. Therefore, please do not shout out answers, and please give the person a chance to respond.  If you are asked to respond, it is OK if you don't know the answer. Make your best attempt and I will respect your efforts as will everyone else in the class. I also will not allow one person to dominate discussion or disrupt the class.  If we can agree to cooperate in this way, I will help you as much as I can to succeed in this course and promise treat you fairly in every aspect of this course.

Computer use will be integrated throughout the course. You must setup an MCC e-mail account. You will have access to on-campus computers, or you can use your home computer if you have the proper hardware and Internet connection.  You may be expected to participate in online discussions and to write and submit homework electronically. You do not need to be a computer expert to do these things, as you will be provided with instructions and support to develop the required computer skills. You should always plan for potential technical problems when doing computer activities. Thus, you should not wait until the last minute to attempt any computer activities, as a technical problem may unexpectedly interrupt your work.

GENERAL COURSE POLICIES

1. You must be registered for and attend a lab section designated for your lecture section so that you have the same instructor for lecture and laboratory.  See the class schedule for a list of corresponding lecture and lab sections.
2. Attendance is required and will be recorded. As indicated in the class schedule, you must attend the first meeting to ensure your position in the course. 

"Students must attend the first class meeting to ensure their position in the class. Students who miss the first lecture or lab may be dropped and the seat reassigned to waiting students."

3. Please plan to arrive for class on time and plan to stay for the entire duration.  Occasionally, we will complete the class early, but you should never plan to be somewhere else prior to the scheduled end of class.
4. Withdrawal policy:
• All faculty in the Life Science Department are required to withdraw students (W) who stop attending before the 45th day.
• When students stop coming to class, faculty in the Life Science Department must withdraw them and give them a W (withdrawn passing) or a Y (withdrawn failing; equivalent to an F when calculating GPA) depending on the circumstances.
• Students who get too far behind in the class are also subject to withdrawal. 
5. Dates for the last day for a student-initiated withdrawals and for instructor-mediated withdrawals are published in the Class Schedule. It is your responsibility to initiate the required paperwork or request that I do it if you wish to withdraw.
6. Excused absences include serious illness, work requirements, or other reasonable situations. For purposes of exams, proof that it was necessary for you to miss class will be required (e.g., doctors note). Even if the absence is excused, you are responsible for all material covered during your absence.
7. No makeup exams will be given for unexcused absences (see excused absences above). If you must miss an exam because of an excused absence, you must notify your instructor by e-mail or phone or in person before the exam. Only then will arrangements be made for a makeup.  Makeups may be given during the final exam week.
8. Assignments will be accepted after the due date, but they will be assessed a penalty equal to 10% of the original total value of the assignment for every class period that they are late.  Thus, the maximum value of an assignment will be zero if it is 10 class periods late.  The last class period of the semester is the last date for acceptance of late assignments unless otherwise informed by the instructor.
9. As a college student, you are expected to write at the college level on any assignments. I will not specifically penalize you for spelling and/or grammatical errors, but I will grade you based on your ability to communicate in written form. I suggest that you proofread your work clarity and/or consult the Writing Center, which is staffed by English instructors who are available to help you edit your writing.
10. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. A first offense will result in a zero for the assignment/paper/quiz/exam and/or a report to the Department Chair and/or the Dean of Students.  A second offense will result in failure of the course with a report to the Department Chair and/or the Dean of Students. For your protection, please avoid even the appearance of academic dishonesty.
11. Telephones located in classrooms and labs are for staff use and medical/safety emergencies only. (NO personal calls)
12. Cell phones and pagers must be turned off upon entry into the classroom.
13. Food and drinks are NOT permitted in the classrooms or laboratories. However, you may bring a resealable water bottle and make use of break times to consume a snack.
14. Disruptive behavior in class will not be tolerated.  Students who misbehave or disrupt class will be contacted by the instructor and given a verbal warning.  Any subsequent misbehavior may result in the student being suspended from the class and/or sent to the Department Chair and/or Dean of Students and/or withdrawal from the course. Changing the setup on the computers or otherwise tampering with them will be considered vandalism and subject to the student code of conduct. (see student handbook)
15. Student access to lab prep areas is prohibited unless authorized by an instructor.
16. The MCC Special Services staff can provide assistance to students with special needs such as physical disabilities, learning disabilities, language difficulties, students in developmental studies, and reentry students.  We will make reasonable accommodations for any professionally diagnosed disability. Contact the Disability Resources and Services to discuss your eligibility and needs at 461-7447
17. Visitors including children of students are not allowed in lecture or laboratory classes.  The Maricopa County Community College District insures students enrolled in classes while they are in class, but this does not cover visitors. Therefore, only currently enrolled students are permitted in classes while class is in progress.

SPECIAL LABORATORY POLICIES

1. Most laboratory activities will follow a common outline. After introductory remarks, you will explore some new biological phenomenon in small groups.  Your lab manual will guide you through this exploration.  Class discussion will follow with the participation of all students expected. Your instructor will then introduce terms to describe the concepts just explored.   You should take notes, as you will be responsible for this material. Finally, you will be led to apply the concept just learned in new situations.  This application may occur in lab with some additional activity or in a subsequent lecture.  Most often, application will occur in a homework assignment from the lab manual that will be turned in the following class period.
2. Group work is fundamental to the Investigating Biology Laboratory. Most lab activities will be done in small groups of 2-5. In addition, you may complete lab homework as a group.  Hence, you are encouraged to form an effective group as soon as possible by exchanging names and phone numbers. You are also encouraged to use this group as a general study group. However, you must keep our Academic Dishonesty Policy in mind. For example, simply copying someone else's homework will be considered plagiarism and will be dealt with as described above.
3. Our laboratories are used almost continuously for biology classes. Please help us meet this demand by cleaning up after yourself as much as possible.  Return any equipment or supplies that you use to their proper place in good condition.  Wash any glassware used, dry it thoroughly, and replace it where you got it.
4. We make every effort to ensure your safety while participating in our classes. Occasionally, we will use some mildly toxic chemicals (e.g., acetone, weak acids/bases, bromthymol blue, etc.)  To maximize safety for everyone, please follow directions. You must also read and follow the safety procedures listed in the lab manual. However, if you are an immuno-compromised individual (e.g., if you are on chemotherapy, taking corticosteroids, are pregnant, have leukemia, are HIV positive, etc.), your risk may be higher than that of the average person.  Please consult your physician for advice regarding any additional precautions that you should take.