Mark A. Schneegurt, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences
Hubbard Hall 403/407
978-6883
mark.schneegurt@wichita.edu

Office Hours

Meetings will be scheduled by email at the instructor's discretion.

Website

A website for the course will be maintained at this URL:
http://webs.wichita.edu/mschneegurt/biol103.html

The website will contain rough lecture notes and images, course information and useful links. The course is also active in Blackboard. Grades will be posted on Blackboard as will other materials such as study guides and sample exam questions.

Attendance

Registered students are expected to regularly attend the lectures. Attendance will not be taken in class. However, if overall attendance is poor, the roll will begin to be taken and students regularly missing class will be identified and reported to the Dean for disciplinary action.

Text

The textbook is "Microbes and Society" by Alcamo.

Exams

Four hourly exams will be given. Each will be worth 15% of the total grade. The final exam will be cumulative and worth 15% of the total grade. The grades for the exams will be curved based on the highest scores on the exams. The high score for any exam will be considered 100% and then your score will be pro-rated based on that score.

There will be two types of written assignments. Taken together, these will represent 25% of the course grade. You will be responsible for 3 article summaries which will each be worth 3% of the course grade. You will be responsible for 2 research papers that will each be worth 8% of the course grade. Details for preparing these assignements are given in a separate file. Be sure to follow the instructions exactly in order to get credit for these assignments.

Exams = 500 points
Articles = 60 points
Papers = 106 points
Total = 666 points

To calculate your approximate letter grade use the curve given in the following chart:
A = 90% or greater
B = 80-89%
C = 65-79%
D = 50-64%
F = less than 50%

Make-up exams

Make-up exams will be given only for these reasons: illness that can be verified in writing, death in the family, or duties performed for the University. Unacceptable excuses for missing an exam will result in no credit for that exam. Travel plans do not constitute a valid excuse. Exceptions have been made in rare cases.

Late Assignments

Written assignments must be submitted by the deadlines given. Late assignments will only be accepted under extraordinary circumstances, such as a death in the family or illness required a doctor's visit.

Code of Conduct

The students and faculty involved in this course will respect and follow the University's Code of Conduct as given in the Undergraduate Catalog. Students found cheating during an exam or with an assignment (including plagerism) will be given a zero for that exam or assignment, likely given a failing grade for the course, and possible expulsion from the Unviersity.