BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE

 Department of Biology

 

Biology 405W ‑‑ Organic Evolution

Fall 2004

Dr. Javier Peñalosa

 

Office:  SCIE200

Office hours:  MWF 3-5, or by appointment

Telephone: 878‑5128

Instructor’s e-mail: penaloj@buffalostate.edu

Course web site: http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/penaloj

Textbook: Evolutionary Analysis  by Scott Freeman and Jon C. Herron  (3rdd edition,

     Prentice-Hall, 2000)

 

 

1.  Course Description

 

BIO405 is the "capstone course" in the biology curriculum and is required of all majors.  I am assuming that all students in this course have completed courses in genetics and ecology (and that they remember the important parts of those courses!), that they understand the principles of cell biology and that they are familiar with the major groups of organisms. 

 

2.  Course Requirements

 

This course will be conducted as a "W" or writing intensive course, so in addition to examinations, part of your grade will be based on my assessment of your writing assignments completed out of class.  All examinations will be “short essay” examinations and the final (third) examination will be partly cumulative in the sense that I will test your ability to integrate different parts of the course.

 

The point breakdown will be as follows:

 

 

First examination

200 points

Second examination

200

Third examination

200

Writing assignments

400

Total

1000 points

           

I use a straight scale for assigning letter grades: 900‑1000 points = A, 800‑899 = B, 700‑799 = C, and 600‑699 = D.  Class participation and an upward trend in grades during the semester will help out in borderline cases.  There will be no opportunity for "extra credit" work.

 

3.       Course website.

 

The course web site contains examinations from past semesters, chapter review questions, tables of key concepts, etc. As an examination date approaches, I will post pages with hints on what to emphasize in your study, what can be safely skipped and so forth. You should get into the habit of checking the site regularly.

 

4.  Attendance and make‑up policies

 

 Attendance is not required, but I will keep track. If you must miss an examination for a genuine emergency and can document the reason,  I will allow you to take a make‑up exam. 

 

 5.  Biology Department Statement on Academic Misconduct

 

All students at Buffalo State College are expected to display honesty and integrity in completing course requirements.  "Academic misconduct" refers to plagiarism or cheating on examinations or assignments, and it is inconsistent with the aims and goals of Buffalo State.  Specifically, students may neither use the work of another individual without proper acknowledgment nor perform work for another individual.  Other examples of inappropriate academic conduct include prior acquisition or possession of an examination or submission of false data.  As a result of a sustained allegation of academic misconduct, a low or failing grade for part or all of the coursework may be given to the student, at the discretion of the instructor.  No penalty for an alleged instance of academic misconduct may be imposed unless the student has been apprised of the allegation, the penalty, and the procedures of due process that are available.  Cases of severe infractions of acceptable standards may be brought before the Academic Misconduct Board, chaired by the director of academic standards, and may result in academic dismissal.

 

6.       Statement for Students who Require Accommodations

 

If you believe you require special accommodation to complete the requirements and expectations of this course because of a disability please make your needs known to me and to Marianne Savino, coordinator of services for students with disabilities, South Wing 130, ext. 4500.

 

 

7.  Examination schedule

 

First Examination  (Monday October 4) will cover these chapters:

 

1.      A case for evolutionary thinking:  Understanding HIV

2.      The evidence for evolution

3.      Darwinian natural selection

4.      Mutation and genetic variation

 

Second Examination  (Monday October 8) will cover these chapters:

 

5.      Mendelian genetics in populations I:  Selection and mutation as  mechanisms of evolution

6.      Mendelian genetics in populations II:  Migration, genetic drift and nonrandom mating

7.      Evolution at multiple loci: linkage, sex and quantitative genetics

 

Third (Final) Examination (During CEP) will cover these chapters and, in addition, will include some integrative questions:

 

8.      Studying adaptation:  Evolutionary analysis of form and function

12.    Mechanisms of speciation

14.   The origins of life and precambrian evolution

16.  Human evolution

 

We will not cover every section of every chapter listed and I may add additional material. I will periodically announce the chapter sections you should concentrate on (check the course web site)   The allocation of chapters to examinations is tentative,  but I will make every effort to hold the exams on the days scheduled, so please plan ahead.  Remember that other courses may be scheduling examinations on a similar cycle.  One of the writing assignments will ask you to answer selected review questions from a chapter that I do not cover in lecture.