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Animal Biology Lab Syllabus 

Spring 2012

Grading:

Lab exams are given as practicals with questions at several stations.  Students roam around to each station and answer the questions there.  Rules for practical exams are given below.  There are five 25-point exams given throughout the semester.  It is recommended that time outside of lab will be needed to properly study for these practicals.  Open lab periods will be established for further study.  Web links for many dissections will also be provided.

There will be 4 experiments conducted during the semester.  You will be required to write formal lab reports on two of the experiments of your choice.  Instructions for lab reports will be given later.  Material from experiments may be on the lab exam, so you will have to be familiar with procedure, results, and conclusions for the lab practicals.  Each lab report is due one week after the experiment.   You also be designing your own experiment with a partner which you will need to write a proposal for and then write a lab report.  The proposal is worth 15 points and the lab report is worth 25 points.

There will be eight pre-lab quizzes on taxonomy that will be administered online via D2L.  Worksheets will be provided beforehand that you will fill out in preparation of this pre-lab quiz.  Each quiz is worth 5 pts. and you will be allowed to drop your lowest grade.

Student will also be required to collect or photograph & identify 10 insects to contribute to the ARCC insect collection. The insects must be identified down to order and must represent at least 6 insect orders.  The collection is due on 3 May, the last day of lab.

Grade points:

Five lab practicals @ 25 pts.                    125 pts.

2 Lab Reports @ 15 pts                                30 pts.

Research Project                                          40 pts.

7 Pre-lab quizzes @ 5 pts.                            35 pts.             

Insect collection                                           20 pts.

Total                                                               250 pts.

Lab practical procedure:

1) Answers sheets will be provided with clipboard and cover sheet.  Keep your answers covered at all times, except when writing on your sheet.

2) Be on time!  If you are late, you will have only as much time as the last person who was on time.

3) You can roam around to any station at any time and spend as much time as needed at each station, but only one person at a time at a station.  Any talking during the exam will be considered test misconduct and result in a zero for the exam.

4) Do not move any microscope slides or objectives, unless otherwise notified.  You may use fine adjustment to focus.

5) Provide the best answer for the question.  Be as specific as possible based on the lab instruction sheets.  Unless indicated, provide only one answer.  If more than one is given, I will look only at the first answer.

6) Spelling counts!  Each misspelling detracts 0.25 pts. from your score.  Include units for any measurements.

Tentative Lab Schedule