Lectures:                    M W F   11:00 – 11:55 a.m., 100 Cowley Hall

Required Text:           Karp, G. Cell and Molecular Biology, 2nd edition (1999).
                                    *Additional readings will be handed out in class as needed.

Optional materials:     Karp, G. Take note!, 2nd edition (1999).
         Branden & Tooze. Introduction to Protein Structure. (1991) on reserve in Murphy Library.

Course web page:       perth/uwlax.edu/faculty/howard
                                     perth/uwlax.edu/faculty/miskowski

Course Objectives:

This course does not emphasize simply memorizing “facts”, and this is reflected in the homework assignments and exams.  Our understanding of Cell Biology, as with most scientific fields, is constantly changing with new technological advances that allow researchers to ask and answer different questions.  Some of the Cell Biology “facts” of today might very well be different from the “facts” taught in 2010.  Therefore, in addition to understanding the cellular processes that we cover in lecture, we stress the importance of interpreting and analyzing new information and applying your knowledge to new situations.  These are skills that are critical to the success of any kind of scientist, and any professional for that matter.  Thus, this course will prove valuable to you even if Cell Biology does not appear to be directly related to your future career.

Instructional Techniques and Assignment Guidelines:
Although the majority of classes will have a lecture style format, other instructional techniques will be employed throughout the semester.  The two most common techniques will be one-minute papers, where you individually write an answer to a problem, and short cooperative learning exercises (5-15 minutes), where you work in small groups to solve a problem.  These problems will be based on the most recent lecture/reading material, and may even cover information discussed just minutes before.  These exercises are extremely useful because they: reinforce the lecture material, help you to determine whether or not you understand a topic, allow you to teach and learn from your peers, give you practice answering exam-like questions, and help the instructors assess whether you are grasping the information and/or what are the points of confusion.  Your answers will be handed in and “lightly” graded for three points, so you will get credit for your effort.  Importantly, after you hand in your answer we will work through the problem as a class to make sure that you leave with the correct answer and the explanation behind it.

You will be given various homework assignments throughout the semester.  These exercises will often build upon lecture material, but they may cover information that is deemed important to the class, but was not discussed in lecture.  To obtain full credit, your answers should be in complete sentences, spelled correctly, legible, and submitted on time.  We will not search for the correct answer in a mish-mash of haphazard thoughts that have been jotted down.  Late assignments will be handled in the following manner:

• Assignments handed in after 5 p.m. on the due date will be considered late and marked down one full letter grade.
• Assignments handed in after a review session covering the assignment will be marked down two letter grades.
• Absolutely no assignments will be accepted after one week late or after graded assignments are returned to other students.  This point supercedes the second point.

Summary Schedule for Review Paper

Sept. 25     Topic and 3 references
Oct. 27       Detailed outline (10 points)
Nov. 15      Complete Draft due to peer reviewer (5 points for reviewer)
Nov. 29      Final draft + first draft + peer review (35 points)

Exams and Grading:
The exams will consist primarily of short answer and multiple choice-type questions.  At least some of the multiple-choice questions will have multiple answers (e.g. options like A & B, B & C, All of the above). Exams will take a week to grade because of the time needed to thoroughly review your responses to the short answer questions.  For the multiple-choice questions, we will be using the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique, or IF-AT, forms.  These are lottery ticket-style forms where you scratch off your answer, instead of circling it.  The correct answer will show a star, so you know immediately if you are correct and receive full-credit on the problem.  If you are incorrect, you are able to make a second or third, if necessary, selection and partial credit will be allocated for the correct answer on these tries.  This technique has several benefits in that it provides immediate feedback, you can receive partial credit for second and third choices, and you leave the exam knowing the correct answers and how you performed on the multiple choice section of the exam.  For more information on this technique, you are encouraged to visit the web site:  http://enigma.rider.edu/~epstein/ifat/

In this course, you are not in competition with anyone for a grade.  Your grade is based on total points earned, meaning that it is theoretically possible for everyone to get an A.  Grades will be based on your performance on the following assignments.

   POINTS                                                                    GRADES
3 exams X 100 pts each                             =300              A   = 91-100%
5 learning exercises X 10 pts each              =  50              AB = 88-90%
Review paper (w/outline and peer review)  =  50               B   =  81-87%
Laboratory                                                =110               BC = 78-80%
Comprehensive Final exam                        =150                C   =  68-77%
                                                                 =660 pts          D   =  58-67%
+In-class learning exercises                        =??? pts
                                                                 =660-??? pts

If you must miss an exam because of an illness or an officially approved university activity, you need to contact one of us before the exam.  If an emergency makes this impossible, you must inform one of us within 24 hours after the exam.  In any case, be prepared with official documentation of the reason that forced you to miss the exam.  Without proper notification and documentation, you will receive a zero on the exam.

Laboratory:
Attendance in lab is mandatory and will be noted.  Lab assignments and grading are outlined in the lab syllabus.

Academic Honesty:
There is a student honor code at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (pg. 39 in the Undergraduate Catalog) which we will expect to be upheld. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.  Because the nature of science is a collaborative one, you will find yourselves working in groups both in the laboratory and lecture.  Although it is quite beneficial to share ideas and brainstorm with colleagues, it is imperative that you formulate your own answers on written assignments both to adhere to the honor code and to make sure that you truly understand the information being covered.

Students With A Disability:
Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, or hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and the Disability Resource Services Office (165 Murphy Library) at the beginning of the semester.

Open-Door Policy:
As instructors, we understand that this course is challenging to most students.  It is important that you recognize that this course is cumulative in that you must master the information presented early in the course in order to succeed later in the course.  We want to provide as much assistance as possible throughout the semester, and our time is not limited to our regularly scheduled office hours.  Please feel free to stop by our offices any time to seek help or to just ask for a quick clarification.  If we are busy at the moment, we will schedule a meeting in the near future to sit down and talk with you.  We strongly encourage you to take active responsibility for your own learning.

E-mail us at  miskowsk.jenn@uwlax.edu or howard.davi@uwlax.edu

Last modified 8/31/00