NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: Biology for Science Majors II
Course prefix, number, and section number: BIOL 1407 0400
Semester/Year of course: Fall 2024
Semester start and end dates: August 26, 2024 - December 14, 2024
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Hybrid
Class meeting location, days, and times: Mondays 1 PM-1:50 PM; Corinth Campus and Online Courses, Room 262
Lab meeting location, days, and times: Monday 2 PM-4:50 PM; Corinth Campus and Online Courses, Room 259
Semester credit hours: 4 (48 lecture hours + 32 laboratory hours)
Course Description: The diversity and classification of life will be studied, including animals,
plants, protists, fungi, and prokaryotes. Special emphasis will be given to anatomy, physiology,
ecology, and evolution of plants and animals.
Laboratory activities will reinforce study of the diversity and classification of life, including
animals, plants, protists, fungi, and prokaryotes. Special emphasis will be given to anatomy,
physiology, ecology, and evolution of plants and animals.
Course prerequisites: BIOL 1406
Required course materials:
Required Textbook/ISBN: Registration in this course gives you access to the eBook, Campbell Biology, Edition 12, by Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Orr with Access Pearson/MyLab and Mastering. As well as Exploring Biology in the Laboratory by Pendarvis through TopHat.
You do not need to purchase a separate textbook or access code. We are participating in the Inclusive Access Program where the materials are available in Canvas on the first day of class. Students are charged a discounted price for the required materials through their account after enrolling in a course using Inclusive Access textbooks. The cost for these materials will be billed directly to your student account. Information on how to access the materials or opt-out of the program will be provided to you via email. You will receive an email with additional information prior to the start of the semester at the student email address (.edu domain) that is issued by the College/University. If you wish to opt out of the Inclusive Access materials you may do so through the link in your canvas course or you can contact the bookstore at nctc@bibliu.com. You must be opted out before the "Last Day to Drop ( without grade of W)" noted on the academic calendar. If you opt-out, you will be responsible for purchasing course materials on your own at the higher opt-out price.
Details on how to access your course materials are located in your Canvas course.
Name of instructor: Emily Fruth
Office location: Corinth Campus, Room 261 / Online
Telephone number: 903-900-9093
Email address: efruth@nctc.edu
Office hours for students: Office Hours outside of the listed can be scheduled via email
Monday: 11 am - 12:30 pm Corinth Campus
Tuesday: 11 am - 12:30 pm Gainesville Campus
Wednesday: 9 am - 12pm Online
Thursday: 1 pm - 4:30 pm Online
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments:
- 60% Lecture composed of:
5% Exams (3 exams, Optional Final to replace lowest exam grade)
5% In Person quizzes (~4)
5% Access Pearson Homework (16-18)
5% Participation / Attendance (varies per chapter)
-40% Laboratory composed of.
15% Lab Practical (2)
10% Quizzes (~6-7)
5% Post Lab Worksheets (10-11))
5% Project (1)
5% Participation / Attendance (varies per laboratory)
Final grade scale:
90 – 100 A
80 – 89 B
70 – 79 C
60 – 69 D
59 – 0 F
Late work policy: Late work may be accepted after the stated due date. If the late work is accepted, a 10% subtraction of value will be applied for every DAY that is missed. After a week after the initial due date, the assignment will no longer be accepted. This policy does not include exams and quizzes.
Extra Credit Opportunities: Extra credit may be gained through the semester and is added to the lowest kept exam score.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating
-
Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test. Cellular phones, Pads, smart watches and any other electrical equipment will not be allowed so do not have them open during the quiz or tests. That is what the lockdown browser does.
-
Collaborating with another student during a test.
-
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a test.
-
Bribing another person to obtain a test from that semester or any other previous semester.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration, unless allowed by the instructor, with another person in preparing written work offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System. (See the Student Handbook)
Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:
1) A zero “0” for the assignment and/or Exam.
2) A “Scholastic Dishonesty Report Form” will be submitted regarding the incident.
Artificial Intelligence Policy: This course assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups. Students should not have another person/entity do the writing of any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and using artificial intelligence tools without the official permission from the instructor.
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken for in-person classes. Regular and punctual attendance is expected and required for all students in their registered classes. All absences are considered unauthorized unless previously communicated to the instructor OR due to participation in an approved college-sponsored activity. Students are responsible for making up assignments and materials regardless of reason for absence. Continued and unjustified absences from class time can be considered sufficient reasoning for the instructor to drop a student from class. An excess of 3 missed in person classes, may be subject to be dropped from the course.
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: November 4, 2024
Student Learning Outcomes:
Lecture Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
-
Describe modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection, population genetics, micro
and macroevolution, and speciation.
-
Describe phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes.
-
Identify the major phyla of life with an emphasis on plants and animals, including the
basis for classification, structural and physiological adaptations, evolutionary history,
and ecological significance.
-
Describe basic animal physiology and homeostasis as maintained by organ systems.
-
Compare different sexual and asexual life cycles noting their adaptive advantages.
-
Illustrate the relationship between major geologic change, extinctions, and evolutionary
trends.
Lab Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
-
Apply scientific reasoning to investigate questions and utilize scientific tools such as
microscopes and laboratory equipment to collect and analyze data.
-
Use critical thinking and scientific problem-solving to make informed decisions in the
laboratory.
-
Communicate effectively the results of scientific investigations.
-
Demonstrate knowledge of modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection,
population genetics, micro and macroevolution, and speciation.
-
Distinguish between phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes.
-
Identify the major phyla of life with an emphasis on plants and animals, including the
basis for classification, structural and physiological adaptations, evolutionary history,
and ecological significance.
-
Describe basic animal physiology and homeostasis as maintained by organ systems.
-
Compare different sexual and asexual life cycles noting their adaptive advantages.
-
Illustrate the relationship between major geologic change, extinctions, and evolutionary
trends.
Core Objectives:
Critical Thinking
Communication
Teamwork
Empirical and Quantitative Analysis
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Jaime Noles
Office location: Gainesville 408
Telephone number: 940-668-7731 ext. 4930
E-mail address: jnoles@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Mary Martinson
Office location: Gainesville 1403
Telephone number: 940.668.7731 ext. 4377
E-mail address: mmartinson@nctc.edu