Note:  Labs will begin the second week of classes.  Further online material can be found at http://ecourses.wku.edu.  Login using the instructions found on that page.  There is no lab manual to purchase (the lab manual is virtual and can be accessed through the links in the schedule below).

Bio 114 Labs are held in Thompson Complex North Wing, Room 210.

BIO 114 Course Description - 1-hr. credit. This laboratory course for non-science majors illustrates the processes, concepts, and principles discussed in Biology 113 through investigative activities that emphasize examples from everyday life.

Bio 114 Tentative Lab and Assignment Schedule 
Always check with your instructor regarding each week's assignment!

Grading scheme: 

Course Objectives - This course will illustrate the biological processes, concepts, and theories as discussed in Biology 113 with a focus on experimentation and data collection. The goals will be: To explore and develop one’s understanding of the biological processes found in everyday life. 

As these processes are studied, the student should

• learn to think analytically about life processes 
• be able to analyze and focus on the best way of determining an appropriate procedure to answer a question
• gather and interpret data, follow -up on meaningful data, and draw conclusions based on the data.
• communicate in ways appropriate to the biological sciences, about the processes studied and results obtained 
• become familiar with the use of computers to gather and analyze data 

General Education Course Content and Goals

This course fulfills the D.1. (Science/Mathematics) general education requirement. It will help you attain this general education goal and its corresponding objectives:

An understanding of the scientific method and a knowledge of natural science and its relevance in our lives, specifically:

• A basic understanding of the scientific method.
• Demonstration of knowledge in Biology, including theories, concepts, and principles that explain observations and make predictions.

Introduction - Lab exercises include "hands-on" and virtual exercises focused on collecting and analyzing data.

Safety: Safety is of utmost concern in Bio 114 labs. Click this link for Bio 114 Safety Information. [These are PowerPoint Slides. If you do not have power point on your computer, you can get a free viewer from Microsoft by clicking on the link below. The link will take your computer to the Microsoft web site. Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer. If you cannot view them on your own computer, use one on campus. (When printing PowerPoint slides, you might want to select to "Print 6 slides per page" in order to save paper.)] You must sign a Student Safety Contract in order to take the course. Your instructor will discuss safety and present you with the form on the first day of lab.

Course Requirements: 

This is a non-majors Biology course and has no prerequisites. There is no book for this class. All the material you need is Online. You will also need to purchase one 1 1/2-inch three-ring notebook to record assignments. Requirements for this class include either prior knowledge of how to use a typical web site, or a willingness to learn on your own during the first week of class. This is because course announcements, lessons, all reading assignments, most quizzes, and details explaining the policies for this course are found on the Internet. 

Computer-based learning: 

Owning your own computer is not required for successful completion of this course. There are several computer labs located throughout the campus: at the Library, DUC, TCCW, etc. Click here for a link to WKU's computer lab locations and hours of operation: WKU Computer Labs. However, most students find that it is more convenient to have his/her own computer with access to the Internet (located in his/her own room). Since a computer can be the most valuable tool you can have while in college, it is strongly suggested that you purchase one. The computer that you use must have the following FREE software installed: Either Browser (e.g. Netscape or Internet Explorer) version 4.0 or higher and the plug-ins listed on the Bio 113 Intro Page . The course looks, and works, much better with InterNet Explorer. 

To receive the full benefit of our website, you need 4 FREE "Plug-ins" (e.g. Flash, Quicktime, and Real Player). Plug-ins are little programs that work with your browser, expanding its capabilities, so that you can view motion and sound over the Internet. The computers at DUC, the Libray and Grise already have the plugins installed. Again, these Plug-ins are FREE; you do not need to order or pay for the Plug-ins. See the Bio 113 Intro Page for a list of the plugins. 

Need Help? 

If you find the course incomprehensible or need extra help, be sure to contact your Instructor/Teaching Assistant- see "Staff Information" in Blackboard. His/her contact info will also be posted on the lab door, 210 TCNW. I coordinate the Bio 114 labs, so please feel free to also call, e-mail, or come to my office or schedule an appointment with me:  Dr. H. Johnson . 

Contact one of us BEFORE the due date, exam date, etc.  We will be more than happy to help. Do not wait until afterwards or until the last second (i.e. the night before). 

Study Strategies: Click on this link for study strategies, such as a method called SQ5R, Notetaking, and Concept Mapping. These strategies will help you study for any class.

The Learning Center: If you need tutoring in this class (highly recommended for those with averages below 75% at this point, but available for ANYONE, no matter how high your grade is - check your grades online to determine your present average, or see me) you can just drop in at The Learning Center (A330 DUC) or make an appointment to better suit your schedule. The Learning Center is available for help not only in this class, but for all your classes. 

Check out their website at: www.wku.edu/tlc or e-mail them at tlc@wku.edu or call them at 745-6254. 

According to The Learning Center: "If anyone needs to meet with a tutor outside of those hours, all they need to do is ask! We will try our best to accomodate each student's schedule!" There are NO EXCUSES for turning down READILY ACCESSIBLE FREE HELP! Don't wait until it is mathematically impossible to succeed in a class before getting help. 

Link to info on MANY other free tutoring resources at WKU: http://www.wku.edu/teaching/tutoringhandout.html

Methods - Each lab period, you will participate in the scheduled lab exercise or experimental activity for that day: Many of the exercises take place over the course of several lab periods. In order to benefit maximally from the lab activities, you need to plan to spend the required time working on each lab, and not attempt to rush to finish early. Any part of an experiment that is not finished one week must eventually be completed. 

Before the lab period, you should prepare for class by reading and thinking about the information provided on the Bio 114 web site. While in lab, you should take the time to observe closely, be thorough in your work, and perhaps take notes. This should give you better data, and allow you to better absorb and learn the material, thereby improving your ability to perform well on quizzes. You might prepare and maintain a laboratory notebook into which you can put all information and handouts as well as your own data and analyses. 

After you have completed a laboratory exercise, you are expected to spend time analyzing what you did and the significance of your results. Answers to questions may need to be included with lab data to hand-in. Frequently, you may also have to prepare materials for next week's lab before you leave, or perform a virtual lab at your convenience prior to the next lab meeting. For a number of lab exercises, you will be expected to hand-in data collected during the current, or previous lab. 

In-Class Labs: Each week you will perform experiments in the lab, most of which you have had practice with from the online homework assignment link(s) from the previous session. Note that In-Class Labs CANNOT be made up for any reason. The labs are prepared by the Lab Coordinator on a set schedule that cannot be altered. Also, you will not be allowed to attend other lab sections, as this would create too much chaos for the other lab instructors and students and would potentially violate safety rules for having too many students in one lab.

Homework Assignments: You must PRINT and BRING TO CLASS all work to be graded! Unlike the lecture, your lab instructor cannot access your submissions on the web (this is in progress, but we are not there yet). Attempt to answer all the questions in the virtual lab manual to the best of one's ability. Direct questions to the instructor or the teaching assistant if help is needed, however, the student should not expect them to carry out his/her work. Note that the answers to some of the questions result from the subsequent analysis of the experimental data obtained in class or virtual lab. Also, note that you will be able to type in some of your answers on the computer and others you will have to write on the printout.

Quizzes: There will be a quiz worth 20 pts. Each and every lab period. Quizzes are given on paper during the first fifteen minutes of the lab period. If you are late, you will miss the quiz. Your instructor reserves the right to not allow quizzes to be made up. Grades will not be adjusted for any labs that you miss --“I wasn’t there” is not a reason for not learning the material, or not taking the quiz and then expecting credit.  The material covered by each quiz is stated on the syllabus/schedule.

Notebook Checks: You should takes notes from each week's pre-lab lecture and note what your homework assignment is for the following week. Your notebook check grade will be based on the presence and quality of these notes as well as the presence of graded assignments that have been returned to you by your instructor. Your instructor will advise you on how to organize your notebook. The graded contents of your notebook will be taken up and the end of the semester by your instructor for the final notebook check.

Final Lab Exam:  The Final Lab Exam is cumulative, worth 50 pts., and will be given on the last lab meeting (see schedule below). It will consist of "results analysis" of all of the labs, so you must know how to interpret results of the experiments.

Grades:

Grades will be determined based on the total of the points from the quizzes, in-class labs, homework assignments, notebook checks, and lab final exam. Each week, the in-class lab assignment and the homework assignment will be graded for a combination of 20 pts.

Only the top 10 quizzes and only the top 12 in-class/homework assignments will count, therefore, you will get to drop your lowest quiz and your lowest in-class/homework assignment.

If you are absent for one lab period ANY reason, it will count as a dropped grade. If you are absent for more than one lab for ANY reason, zeros will be substituted for grades for missed quizzes and assignments, unless other arrangements have been made with your lab instructor (other arrangements are made at the discretion of the lab instructor). In-class labs cannot be made up for any reason. Note that the grade for the Scientific Method Gen. Ed. Assignment CANNOT be dropped. This is a required assignment.

The grading categories will be listed in the Check Grade section of Tools in Blackboard.

Note that the lab is different from lecture in that YOU MUST PRINT AND BRING TO CLASS ALL WORK TO BE GRADED (i.e., don't just press "Submit" because your instructor is not able to receive assignments this way via the web, unlike the lecture. Your final grade will be awarded based on your percentage of the total points possible.

To Get a Good Grade in This Course:  

1. COME TO EVERY LAB

2. PAY ATTENTION

3. TAKE GOOD NOTES

4. IF YOU ARE EVER ABSENT:

You should plan to set aside a couple of hours to go over the material missed in class, since each class lasts for two hours, plus another hour or two or more to study the material and pick out the important information for EACH TIME YOU MISS CLASS.  Remember that your instructor probably has 1-2 more college degrees than most of you, and that it is his/her job to present the material to you in such a way that the important points are emphasized (i.e., things that you are most likely to be tested on) and difficult material is explained in such a way that you understand it.  In our experience, if you choose to take these tasks on and attempt to teach yourself, you will end up achieving at least a letter grade lower than if you had let your instructor do his/her job. Also, you should contact your instructor immediately regarding your absence. Remember that in-class labs cannot be made up and that your instructor may or may not allow makeup quizzes and/or homework.

Grading for Assignments:

Introduction (1) Assignment (20 pts.): Controls and Variables (2.5 pts.) + Graphing (7.5 pts.) + Introduction (10 pts.)

Spectroscopy (2) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Spectroscopy Lab (10 pts.) + Spectroscopy Lab in class (10 pts.)

Osmosis/Diffusion (3) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Osmosis/Diffusion Lab (10 pts.) + Osmosis/Diffusion Lab in class (10 pts.)

Enzyme (4) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Enzyme Lab (10 pts.) + Enzyme Lab in class (10 pts.)

Animal Behavior (5) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Animal Behavior Lab (20 pts.)

Photosynthesis (6) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Photosynthesis Lab (10 pts.) + Photosynthesis Lab in class (10 pts.)

Microbiology (7) Assignment (20 pts.): Microbiology II (8 pts.) + Microbiology III (12 pts.)

Respiration (8) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Respiration Lab (10 pts.) + Respiration Lab in class (10 pts.)

Mitosis (9) Assignment (20 pts.): Mitosis Lab in class (20 pts.)

Genetics (10) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Corn Genetics Lab (5 pts.) + Corn Genetics Lab in class (10 pts.) + Human Genetics Lab in class (5 pts.)

Foraging Lab (11) Assignment (20 pts.): Virtual Foraging Lab (20 pts.)

Taxonomy Lab (12) Assignment (20 pts.): Taxonomy Lab in class (20 pts.)

Anatomy Lab (13) Assignment (20 pts.): Anatomy Lab I (10 pts.) and Virtual Anatomy Lab II (10 pts.)

Only the top 11 Assignment grades count. The lowest 2 will be dropped.

Scientific Method Assignment (20 pts.) - required (cannot be dropped).

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: 

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA ), if you are 18 years old or older, I cannot discuss your grades, etc. with your parents. 

Academic Misconduct: 

Dishonesty on quizzes, exams, or written assignments (see WKU's plagiarism statement below) will result in a failing grade for the class. Computers are wonderful things. Each time you send me an assignment the computer tells me where you are and when you sent it (and more if I wish). This means I can tell when two people take the same quiz or assignment from the same computer within a short period of time. If the assignment is for credit then this is cheating and it will not be tolerated. 

WKU's Plagiarism Definition: "To represent written work taken from another source as one's own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of a student must be his/her own. Once must give any author credit for source material borrowed from him/her. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage without reference to the source after having changed a few words is also plagiarism." 

Withdrawals and Section Changes: 

If you wish to withdraw from the course you should do so by the dates mandated by the University. Be sure you are aware of these dates because credit for the course will not be changed to an audit after the university designated time. You also cannot drop the class or change to Audit or Withdraw after the designated time. Be aware that IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DROP THE CLASS. Do not assume that I will do this for you. University policy states, "Students who, without previous arrangement with the instructor or department, fail to attend the first two class meetings of a course meeting multiple times per week or the first meeting of a class that meets one time per week MAY be dropped from the course; however, students are responsible for officially dropping any course for which they have enrolled." 

*You should also make any changes to the lab section in which you would like to be on Topnet, by the university-designated date. Any excuses later in the semester regarding your performance in the lab in relation to the time of day for which you signed up or the instructor you have will NOT be valid or accepted.*

Disabilities: "In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in Downing University Center. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services."

If you need extra time on assignments or quizzes, you must make arrangements with your instructor PRIOR TO THE DUE DATE of the assignment or quiz. Accommodations cannot be made retroactively.