BISC411

                                EXPERIMENTAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL

Course Policies

Respect

Everyone associated with this course should be treated with respect and give respect in return.

Determination of Final Grade

The final grade is determined by the grading criteria described. Please take note that there is no
extra credit work allowed!

The final grade will be calculated as follows:

First lysozyme review paper:                5%
2 long laboratory reports:                     20% each 
1 shorter laboratory report:                  10%
1 oral presentation with summary:       10%
2 exams                                                15% each
 Professionalism:                                  5%
 

Each group will present one oral presentations with writen summary as part of the requirements for the final course grade. The oral presentation should take 20 minutes and can be presented using visual aids such as powerpoint or overhead projector slides. This, however, is not required. A written summary of the presentation must also be submitted. It is not a research paper but is an outline of the major facts and conclusions from the presentation. The presentation/summary is worth 10% towards the course grade. 70% of this will come from the oral presentation and 30% from the written summary.

Presentation topic:  Each group should select a research paper published within the last 5 years that contains procedures using expression plasmids to study protein structure or function, similar to what we will be doing this semester.

A list of research journals is published on-line by the University Library and is a good place to start looking for your paper.

                                                     Professionalism

5% of the final course grade is awarded for Professionalism. This reflects the attitudes and behaviors that each of you display throughout the course. I assume that everyone will get 100% for this component. The % will lower if I observe the following:

A.   Tardiness. Coming to class late; leaving early.
B.   Lack of Cooperativity. Not fulfilling your part of the group responsibilities.
C.   Disrespect. Taking phone calls and text messaging during class time. Bringing food or beverages into the laboratory room. Any other disruptive or inappropriate behaviors that inhibit the class from learning.

You are not only learning the factual and practical aspects of science in this course but also the expectations of the scientific culture. Therefore we expect that you will display integrity, maturity, and a sense of responsibility.

                                                 Exams

Since the emphasis of the course is on the writing about, speaking about, analysis and performance of sciencetific processes in the laboratory,  there are only two exams. Each will consist of objective questions or very short answers related to the procedures you have performed and any other discussions we have had. Each exam contributes 15% towards the course grade.

                                              Laboratory Reports

The 3 laboratory reports you will write will contribute a total of 50% of the course grade. They are to be individually written. You must construct your own graphs, data tables, etc. Do not share your work with your group members. Of course, the data generated that is used in the reports is obtained as a group and is shared data. Consult the link on the course website for more details about the reports. Also, we will spend considerable time as a class reviewing what should be included in each report and analyzing the results of the procedures before you actually write your report.

Attendance

Attendance is required. Due to the intensive laboratory preparations required for this course, there will not be any opportunity to make up a missed class. You will be working in groups and can help each other out if an emergency or unexpected illness arises.

Academic Honesty

We will enforce the University standard regulating student academic honesty. Read this section closely in your
undergraduate student handbook. Remember that any piece of individual work to be handed in must be your own even
if the data upon which it is based comes from a group effort.

Other Items

Cell phones are NOT ALLOWED in class!! You will be asked to leave if a cell phone rings during class.

Chewing gum, smoking, and eating (anything!!) is not allowed in the laboratory.

Suitable eye covering is required when we do procedures in the laboratory. This is a University requirement.