Biology

110: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity

Online Laboratory Syllabus Spring 2015

TA: Sean Cahoon
TA email:
seah.cahoon@gmail.com
PSU Section #: 005
Online Labs Section Code: 15228102

This component of Biology 110 is designed to provide students with experiences that will reinforce concepts that
are being studied in lecture.

Course Format:
There are 13 online laboratory exercises during the course and one introductory assignment to familiarize you
with the Late Nite Labs program/interface. The introductory assignment is not graded. Each of the remaining 13
lab assignments are graded assignments and are worth 20 points each. Your lowest lab score will be dropped
automatically. The due dates for each lab are listed in the schedule below. I strongly suggest that you not wait until
the last minute to complete the assignment, especially to avoid having any technical difficulties that prevent you
from submitting on time. Also, the TAs likely will not be available for last minute questions. You should expect to
wait AT LEAST 24hrs before hearing back from your TAs, so please plan accordingly. NOTE: It is your
responsibility to ensure that your assignments have been properly uploaded into Late Nite Labs before the time
that they are due. Each lab is available for 10 days (they open on Thursday and are due the following Sunday). Late
submissions will be accepted for two more days (until Tuesday) but you will lose 5 points (25%) for each day that
it is late. You may not submit a lab assignment more than 48 hours after the original due date. Assignments
submitted within 24 hours of the original due date can receive a maximum score of 15 points, and assignments
submitted between 24-48 hours late can receive a maximum 10 points.

The Radiance Virtual Microscope Lab is not a graded assignment. It is just a tutorial to help familiarize you with
using the virtual on-line microscope as many of the lab assignments require using this tool.

Academic Integrity:
Professional behavior includes academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is not limited to simply cheating on a quiz
and/or assignment. The following is quoted directly from the "PSU Faculty Senate Policies for Students" regarding
academic integrity and academic dishonesty: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open,
honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The
Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance
with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of Conduct states that all students
should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and
maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. Academic integrity includes a
commitment by all members of the University community not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification,
misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the
University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.

All University and Departmental policies regarding academic integrity/academic dishonesty apply to this course
and the students enrolled in this course. Refer to the following URL for further details on the academic integrity
policy in the Eberly College of Science: http://science.psu.edu/current-students/Integrity/Policy.html

Each student in this course is expected to work entirely on her/his own to complete the lab assignments without
assistance (other than help from the TAs, instructor and Late Nite Labs tech support) unless directed otherwise

by the instructor. You are also expected to abide by University, College and Department of Biology policies on
academic integrity and academic dishonesty. If you submit an assignment completed by another person, whether it
is another person in the class, a former student, or an assignment you found online you will receive a zero for the
assignment and you will have an academic integrity hearing with the course instructor. If you have any questions
about an assignment, please ask your TAs or Dr. Vasey. Academic dishonesty can result in receiving an F as a final
course grade by the course instructors or an "XF" by Judicial Affairs as the final grade for the student. Students are
responsible for ensuring that their work is consistent with Penn State's expectations about academic integrity.

You will be submitting all of your assignments electronically, through Late Nite Labs. This submission will include a
date and time stamp; this helps to ensure that we treat all students equally in meeting the deadlines for their
assignments.

Assignment of Grades:
You will receive a single grade for Biology 110, which will be determined based on 760 points from lecture and 240
points from the online labs (12 graded assignments at 20 points each). See the lecture syllabus for the grading
scale. You must pass the lab (by having at least 144 points) in order to pass the course.

Students with Disabilities:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you have a disability-
related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact the Office for Disability Services (ODS) at
814-863-1807 (V/TTY), or visit them in 116 Boucke. For further information regarding ODS, please visit the Office
for Disability Services Web site at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/. In order to receive consideration for course
accommodations, you must contact ODS and provide documentation (see the documentation guidelines at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/documentation-guidelines). If the documentation supports the need for
academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying appropriate academic adjustments. Please share this
letter and discuss the adjustments with your instructor as early in the course as possible. You must contact ODS
and request academic adjustment letters at the beginning of each semester.
The Eberly College of Science Code of Mutual Respect and Cooperation (www.science.psu.edu/climate/Code-of-
Mutual-Respect final.pdf) embodies the values that we hope our faculty, staff, and students possess and will
endorse to make The Eberly College of Science a place where every individual feels respected and valued, as well as
challenged and rewarded.

Lab Schedule and Assignment Due Dates

Note: All assignments are due by 11:00pm on their due date. There are no exceptions if you wait until the
last minute, you run the risk of losing points by missing the submission deadline
DATE
LAB TOPIC
ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES
Week of Jan 12th
No lab this week
No assignment


Week of Jan 19th
Intro Lab: Scientific Method
Intro Lab: No assignment due this is to

Lab 1: Biological Macromolecules
familiarize you with the Late Nite Labs
program
Lab 1: Assignment due 1/26 (20pts)

Week of Jan 26th
Lab 2: Bacteria (Prokaryotes)
Lab 2: Assignment due 2/1 (20pts)

Week of Feb 2nd
Lab 3: Cell Structure and Function
Lab 3: Assignment due 2/8 (20 pts)

Week of Feb 9th
Lab 4: Protists
Lab 4: Assignment due du 2/15 (20pts)

Week of Feb 16th
Lab 5: Mitosis and Meiosis
Lab 5: Assignment due 2/22 (20pts)

Week of Feb 23rd
Lab 6: Fungi
Lab 6: Assignment due 3/1 (20pts)

Week of Mar 2nd
Lab 7: Mammalian Tissues
Lab 7: Assignment due 3/8 (20pts)


Week of Mar 9th
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK (no assignment)


Week of Mar 16th
Lab 8: Plant Structure and Function
Lab 8: Assignment due 3/22 (20pts)

Week of Mar 23rd
Lab 9: Plant Reproduction
Lab 9: Assignment due 3/29 (20pts)


Week of Mar 30th
Lab 10: Genetics of Corn
Lab 10: Assignment due 4/5 (20pts)


Week of Apr 6th
Lab 11: Gene Linkage
Lab 11: Assignment due 4/12 (20pts)


Week of Apr 13th
Lab 12: DNA
Lab 12: Assignment due 4/19 (20pts)

Week of Apr 20th
Lab 13: Evolution
Lab 13: Assignment due 4/26 (20pts)


Week of Apr 27th
No lab this week
No assignment

PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure that your assignments have been correctly submitted to
Late Nite Labs by the due date.