Course Syllabus for BIO 330 Evolutionary Biology
Spring Semester, 2020
Prerequisites: BIO 181 and 183. Credit is not allowed for Both BIO 330 and BIO 432.
BIO 330 Lecture/discussion: Wednesdays and Fridays 1:30-2:45 PM, 125 Riddick
Instructors
Dr. Marianne Niedzlek-Feaver
Office: 136 David Clark labs
Office Hours: After lecture or by arrangement.
Course material will be at https://www.ncsu.edu/project/evoresources/evolution/index for 330.html
Course material can also be accessed via Wolfware------Simply connect to "My Wolfware" and click on the course title.
Email Etiquette, very important!
(1) If sending an email message to one or both instructors, please include "Bio330" and your initials in the subject line. Also in the subject line (even if you are replying to a previous email message), edit the subject so that instructors will see that you have sent a new message. Otherwise, instructors may not notice the new message.
(2) If you are attaching a document to your email message, include your name in the document and use your name and course number for the file name. We will make every effort to quickly reply to your email messages, but sometimes quick replies may not be feasible.
Grading: Unless students are taking the course on a satisfactory / unsatisfactory basis, letter grading (A, B, C, D, or F with plus/minus grading) will be used.
Exams: 300 points consisting of points from two to three exams and one final. Exams cover readings, lecture materia and activities and any homework assigned. Exams can only be made up if your absence is due to a circumstance beyond your control (such as a documented illness).
Presentation topics: 20 pts. The presentation will no longer be required. Your topic of choice and the annotated bib submitted before break will count as 20 points of your final grade to reward the work you have put into this activity to date.
Lecture assignments: Homework + class work: At most 280 points or can be counted toward your grade. Most exercises will earn 20 to 30 points. I will try to assign one exercise/homework every week there are not exams. Participation in student presentations at the end of the course will also earn you class work points. So you will be given ample opportunity throughout the term to earn the 280 points of those available that can be counted toward your grade. Most of the points will be earned through homework, but some points may be assoicated with classroom activities. These cannot be made-up. However, more points will be availble to be earned than 280 to allow you to miss a classroom meeting because of a recognized university absence (such as sickness). You will not be able to count more than 280 pts. toward your grade.
I do not grade on a strict point basis. An excellent performance on homework and class discussion can for example be used as justification for assigning a higher grade than simple points dictate. One "bad" performance on an exam may be overlooked if all other work is excellent. More than 280 points may be available for homework and classroom participation to allow for a few absences. Be advised that homework and class participation however, will count for only 46% (i.e., 280/600) of your grade no matter how many homework and class participation points are available. The remainder of your grade will be earned by exams and your final presentation.
A grade of Incomplete (IN) may be assigned at the discretion of your instructors. This grade will only be considered for situations that the student could not have reasonably avoided.
Exams and quizzes should be taken at the scheduled times. Make-up examinations or quizzes for the lecture component of the course are discouraged. They will be allowed only for University-approved absences(please see https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-03 ).
Attendance is expected at all lecture meetings. If students have to be absent on the day of an exam or quiz, they must provide a written excuse with appropriate documentation. This documentation must be attached to the make-up exam. This documentation will not be returned to the student. Please bring a copy of any letters from appropriate individuals such as doctors and athletic directors. Do not email Dr. Feaver this documentation; simply bring it to the make-up exam. Provisions will be made by the teachers so that student grades do not suffer due to excused absences but no guarantees are made for quizzes or in-class homework that is missed due to unexcused absences.
All class material will be available online after March 25. Homework submitted after this date will suffice as evidence that a student is "attending" or doing his/her best to keep up with the class.
To take a make-up exam, Dr. Feaver must be contacted by email as soon as possible but not later than two days after the missed exam. I will then make arrangements to provide a place and time for the make-up exam.
Homework will only be accepted from individuals bearing proper identification and only at the beginning of lecture, unless students are asked to submit homework via the internet (moodle). Homework to be submitted via the internet will always be due immediately before lecture unless otherwise indicated. If circumstances beyond the control of the students cause them to have to leave early or arrive late, students should please enter or exit the lecture room quietly and should try to avoid disturbing classmates.
Assignment submission: Group reports may be required for some activities. These will have to be submitted by email or moodle. In the body of the report, always include full names as they appear on the university IDs and also include the names of all students involved in the group activity.
Rules of Conduct: Students who are disruptive or disrespectful of others will be asked to leave the lecture and will not receive credit for quizzes or in-class activities that occur during that lecture session. Students should not disrupt the class by packing up to leave before the class is dismissed. Students will be asked to follow and sign the N.C.S.U. honor pledge as part of exams. Also, students must use a dark colored non-erasable ink pen for exams.
Submitting homework for others or having someone sign an assignment sheet for you is a breach of the N.C.S.U. Code of Student Conduct. Offenders will be reported. Both the absentee and the individual behaving fraudulently will be reported and neither will receive any of the points assigned to the activity. For more about policies concerning student conduct, go to: https://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-11-35-01
Please mute electronic devices during lecture.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABILITIES: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. To take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services Office at Suite 2221, Student Health Center, Box 7509, 919-515-7653. For more info. on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, see Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.01)
POLICIES, RULES, AND REGULATIONS: Students are responsible for reviewing the PRRs that pertain to their course rights and responsibilities. These include: http://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-04-25-05 (Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy Statement), http://oied.ncsu.edu/oied/policies.php (Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity), http://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-11-35-01 (Code of Student Conduct), and http://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-50-03 (Grades and Grade Point Average).
SUPPORTING FELLOW STUDENTS IN DISTRESS: As members of the NC State Wolfpack community, we each share a personal responsibility to express concern for one another and to ensure that this classroom and the campus as a whole remains a safe environment for learning. Occasionally, students may come across a fellow classmate whose personal behavior concerns or worries them. When this is the case, we encourage students to report this behavior to the NC State Students of Concern website: http://studentsofconcern.ncsu.edu/. Although reports can be anonymous, it is preferred that students share contact information to facilitate follow-ups pertinent to the reports.