Biology 1114 FAQ

Question:	Are there any old exams we can study from?
Answer:	Yes - you will find them by following the STUDY GUIDES > Sample Tests link on the BIOL 1114 main page. You can print these out if you wish. If your friends offer you exams from BIOL courses PRIOR to Fall 1998, don't waster your time with these - the course was completely changed since then.

Question:

Hey, how do I find out what page we are on in the text?

Answer:

This is fairly simple. Here are some of the ways you can find out the page number:

1) Check the Lecture Study Guide for the Scenario we are investigating. All the pages are listed. Read it online or print it.

2) Run the lecture scenario software in the LRC and click the [P] on the button bar at the bottom. The page numbers will appear on the screen.

3) Use the index in your text to find the pages that discuss relevant terms or concepts that you wrote down in lecture.

Question:

Why do we work in groups?

Answer:

Working in groups helps you try out your ideas on group members before turning in an assignment. Here are some of the benefits:

It gives you the benefit of other's thoughts or hands (in lab).
It gives you the benefit of someone else's memory when your forget a fact.
It gives you someone on which to practice your answers.
It gives you partners in taking notes.

Over time we have found that most students really like working in groups.

Question:

What do I do if I miss an Exam?

Answer:

Four exams are scheduled: 3 throughout the course before final exam week and 1 during finals week. The dates are noted on the attached schedule. We are very concerned about students who due to circumstances miss an exam; students who miss an exam are typically under stress (e.g. personal or family tragedy, unavoidable personal obligation) therefore we developed the following policy to avoid creating a stressful situation for students. If you miss one of the first three exams, the final exam will be used to determine a substitute grade for the missed exam. Please contact your professor as soon as possible if this is the case.

Question:

What do I do if I miss the Final?

Answer:

If you miss taking the final exam and you let your instructor know that you have missed it, a grade of "I" will be assigned if you are passing the course at that point. You may then remove the "I" by taking the final exam for BIOL 1114 in one of the 2 following semesters, i.e., If you miss the final in the Spring semester you must take it in the following Summer or Fall semester. If you miss the final exam and do not notify your instructor, you will be assigned an "F" for the final exam grade. Please contact your professor as soon as possible if this is the case.

Question:

What do I do if I miss a quiz?

Answer:

What do you do if you miss an in-class exercise or homework assignment?
In the lecture portion of the course, 65-70 points for in-class activities will be offered, although only 60 pts will be used in calculating your grade. We use this as a way for students to accumulate points even if they have to miss a class for ANY reason. Use every opportunity early and throughout the semester to complete these activities to be sure that you will have 60 pts. by the end of the semester.

Question:

What do I do if I miss a lab?

Answer:

We created DISASTER INSURANCE for just such circumstances. It allows students to miss a lab without worrying about it. DISASTER INSURANCE is made up of the extra-credit opportunities, such as weekly pre-lab activities and optional items that you can include in you lab reports. You use these extra-credit opportunities to bank points to be used against foreseen or unforeseen absences during the semester. If you complete these throughout the semester, you will have earned the points you might need if disaster strikes and you are forced to miss a lab or if you have not earned as many points on a lab report as you wanted. Remember - you CANNOT attend other lab sections - the ONLY way to earn points for labs you miss for ANY reason is by using your laboratory disaster insurance!

No last-minute offers of extra-credit are made in this course. Pay your premiums - use the extra-credit opportunities early in the semester!

Question:

What do you do if you miss an in-class exercise or homework assignment?

Answer:

In the lecture portion of the course, 65-70 points for in-class activities will be offered, although only 60 pts will be used in calculating your grade. We use this as a way for students to accumulate points even if they have to miss a class for ANY reason. Use every opportunity early and throughout the semester to complete these activities to be sure that you will have 60 pts. by the end of the semester.

Question:

Why don't I see a connection between the lecture and the lab?

Answer:

One possibility is that you haven't really tried to understand the lab. A common theme to all the labs is the need for students to learn how to plan and conduct experiments. Doing it well takes practice. In addition, each lab allows students to either apply concepts that have been introduced in lab or investigate some process that will be discussed in lecture. Although research and recommended best teaching practices have indicated that students should conduct the lab BEFORE the concept is taught in lecture, we are not always able to practice that because of scheduling issues. If you don't see a connection between the lecture and a particular lab, please ask your TA, lecture professor, or lab coordinator Dr. Donald French.

Question:

Why am I working 8 hours outside class if this class is only a 1000 level course worth 4 credit hours?

Answer:

Actually, that is the average number of hours you should be studying for this class to earn an average grade (which, by the way should be a "C"). So, If you think you should be working less, then your expectations are wrong. The number of hours you study for this class should reflect how well prepared you are. If you earned an A or B in your high school science classes and they properly met the PASS standards for Biology (Pages 38-43) then you should be putting in about 8 hours. The actual time students should study, varies from students to student and depends on the students preparation, skills, motivation, and desired grade. If you are putting in much more than 8 hours per week, then something is amiss and you should visit with your instructor. Of course you are welcome to meet with any of the instructors at any time to get help.

Question:

Why isn't this class worth 5 credits?

Answer:

A lot of thought went into this. The Regents stipulate that a minimum of 2 hours of lab is required for a credit. We tested the idea of offering only two hours of lab time. We found that students had lots of trouble getting together with their groups outside of class and in many cases spent far more than the one hour we expected students to take to write a weekly report. By restricting lab to only three hours, we find that students are able to complete satisfactory work without extra hardships. We can offer students three hours of lab at no additional cost. To offer 5 credits would require 4 hours of lab or a separate recitation section. It would also cost students extra tuition for a credit that many different majors do not require. Finally, 5 hours of "C" or below is a difficult grade to overcome for those who earn such a grade.

Question:

Why don't we use the textbook?

Answer:

We do!! At least the faculty do. Sadly, many students choose not to, and their grades reflect it. The concepts that we discuss in class are all discussed in the textbook. Don't be mislead by the fact that we do not ask test questions on specific "facts" or examples found only in the book This is not a high school class where you are asked specific questions just to see if you did the readings. We expect that students read the textbook so that they better understand the concepts. If you are not sure how or where to find the related textbook material, look at the answer to the question "Where do I find the textbook readings?"

Question:	My friend got an "A" last semester and never read the book. Why should I?
Answer:	Well two answers to that one. First are you exactly the same as your friend? Not really, so what might have worked for him or her might not work for you. Second, are you really sure your friend NEVER read the book. No offense to your friend, but students sometimes mislead others. Don't fall prey to the idea that you should try to find the least you can do. Read the book.

Question:	Why are we using such a confusing textbook? It never makes any sense to me.
Answer:	This is a warning sign. If you cannot understand the textbook after listening to the lecture, then you probably don't understand the concept. Make a specific note about what you don't understand (not just the topic, the specific point that seems different between lecture and the text) and visit with your instructor.

Question:

When is the LRC busy?

Answer:

Busy hours of LRC.