Page 1 of 4BIOLOGY 1A LABORATORY COURSE SYLLABUS Spring 2006Lecturers: Mike Meighan and Dr. Caroline Kane from the Department of Molecular and CellBiology. There may be additional guest lecturers.Lecture: Lectures are Monday from 5-6 PM in 1 Pimentel. They will also be webcast. Pleaseread the assigned readings in Campbell and the lab manual prior to the Monday lecture.Contact information/office hours: Mike Meighan. 2-4110, 2088 VLSB, mailbox outside 2088VLSB, e-mail is {mmeighan@ berkeley.edu}. Scheduled Office hours are M 10-11, W 11-12 andby appointment. I am available for advice on study habits, techniques, and on matters ofscheduling, laboratory operations, exams, etc.. Most students find office hours to be helpful.Graduate Student Instructors: The GSI’s will instruct the laboratory sections. A lab GSI will betypically be available in 2084 VLSB one hour before the start of each lab (see below). Messagesmay be left in your GSI's mailbox in 2084 VLSB. A discussion GSI will be in the GSI office; 2084VLSB, on Monday from 12-2 PM. Typically they will be able to answer your lab questions.LAB GSI Office Hours: M 12-2, T. 8:30-9:30, 1-2, 5:30-6:30, Wed 1-2, 5:30-6:30, Th. 8:30-9:30, Th. 1-2 PM,F 1-2 PM.TIME TABLE The drop deadline for students enrolled in the College of Letters and Science isFebruary 17th for Fall 2005. A $10 fee applies after February 3rd.1. Lectures begin January 23rd and end on May 1st. Lectures are held in 1 Pimentel on Mondayfrom 5-6 PM. NO simulcast will be held. Lectures will be webcast and will be available at(http://webcast.berkeley.edu/courses/). Handouts will be available for downloading on theBiology 1A website. No note taking service is authorized.2. ADDING: To add Bio 1AL or Bio 1A, an "ADD" form must be filled out and submitted on-line. Add forms are only available on-line at: (http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/bio1a).Add forms are due by 5 PM on Wed. January 18th- either the lab or lecture class . Sectionassignments will be made by 9 AM on Friday (January 20th) in the glass display caseoutside 2084 VSLB. Check! Your chance of getting the class will be higher if you selectseveral “low demand” times as indicated on the adding form. If you want the class, checkthe glass display case outside of 2084 VLSB on Friday morning.3. CHANGING SECTIONS: It will be difficult to change sections. Far more students willrequest changes then can be made. To change lab or discussion sections, a "CHANGE"form must be completed by Friday January 20th by 5 PM. It is only available on-line at ourwebsite. (http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/bio1a) Very few changes will be made. Sectionassignments will be posted by noon on Sunday January 22nd.4. LABORATORY begins Tuesday January 24th and will cover Safety and Equipment Use. Seepages 1-20,23-31 of your Laboratory Manual which you must read before your lab. If youcan not attend, contact Mike Meighan beforehand.5. Lab exams are scheduled as follows: First lab exam, Wednesday night, March 22nd.Room(s) to be arranged. Your second Lab Exam will be held on your assigned lab day,within your three hour period (May 1st - 5th). There are no make-up lab exams, nor may youswitch from your assigned section. Exam handouts will be given for each exam.6. In the case of disruption of an exam (fire alarm, bomb threat, etc.) alternative arrangementshave been made. These may include moving the exam to another location, and/orextending the time, and/or arranging an alternative exam date or format.Page 2 of 47. Attendance: You are required to attend your normally scheduled lab. However it may bepossible to reschedule lab during the same week. It is not possible to reschedule the week ofMay 1st - 5th. To reschedule you must see or e-mail Mike Meighan. NOTE: When papers,etc. are returned it is your responsibility to pick them up. If you do not attend, then youmust contact your GSI and get the papers from them, at their convenienceLAB MATERIALSRequired textbook: Campbell, Biology, 7th edition.Required Lab Manual: The required lab manual (2005/2006) is available at ASUC and Ned’s.This is a new edition and you cannot use previous editions.Required pre-labs and worksheets. These are available at Replica Copy, at 2140 Oxford (nearBen and Jerry's) and will be packaged with the lab exam reader (see below). They will also beposted on our website the Monday of the corresponding lab. It is actually much cheaper, muchfaster and much easier to buy a set at Replica Copy instead of printing them out. The pre-labsand worksheets on the website should only be used in case you lost a particular one.Recommended Lab Manual: A Guide to Biology Lab., 3rd ed. T. G. Rust. SouthwestEducation Enterprise. It is fairly inexpensive for a used copy (about $14).Exam Reader: An exam reader with exams from past semesters is available at Replica Copy.Required Course Reader: Handouts and images will be available on our website.GRADING PROCEDURE: Grades will be determined numerically as follows:Laboratory & Discussion as follows:Lab Exam 1, 3/22 6:30-8 PM (covering labs 1 - 6)90 pt’s.Lab Exam 2, 5/1-5 (covering labs 7 - 11)75 pt’s.Lab Quizzes - 5 points given at the start of each lab (11 labsx 5 pts). The lowest score will be dropped, hence 10 X 5.50 pt’s.Total:215 pt’s.Changes affecting the point distribution, the reading schedule, or other aspects of thesyllabus may occur during the semester. We will inform you of any changes.Grades are based upon the points that you EARN (not needs or wants). Guaranteed grades are:A (some form of an A)100-90%D (some form of a D)69-60%B (some form of a B)89-80%F59-00%C (some form of a C)79-70%However, in the event that some examinations have been unusually difficult, the cut offsfor letter grades may be lowered (but only by a few percentage points, and as deemednecessary). Historically around 50% of the class EARN A’s and B’s.LAB GRADE ADJUSTMENTS: Lab exam 2 and the quiz scores will be adjusted as necessaryfor each section. This will insure that no section has an advantage (higher quiz scores or higherlab exam 2 scores) nor has a disadvantage (lower quiz scores or lower lab exam 2 scores). Theywill be adjusted based upon lab exam 1 scores and will be adjusted to the easiest of the sections.I GRADES: In keeping with University regulations, the grade of