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Email: bensign@kennesaw.edu

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Biology 3315 Syllabus

Vertebrate Zoology Syllabus
Fall 2008
Instructor
Dr. William Ensign
Science 331
bensign@kennesaw.edu
(770) 499-3505
Office Hours: MW 1:00-2:00
Other hours by appointment

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

An examination of the phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary origins and life history traits of the vertebrates.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information that I should be aware of, or if you need other special arrangements, please see me after class or set up an appointment with me as soon as possible.

TEXT

Pough, F. H., C. M. Janis and J. B. Heiser.  2005.  Vertebrate Life.  7th Edition.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

As a student, if you participate fully in this class, you should achieve the following educational objectives:

  1. Obtain a working knowledge of the systematics and taxonomy of vertebrates;
  2. Understand the evolutionary relationships among extant and extinct vertebrate taxa;
  3. Understand the basic characteristics of reproduction, development, movement, homeostasis, gas exchange, circulation and ecology of the major vertebrate groups;
  4. Investigate the diversity of vertebrate structures, and;
  5. Develop skills in the identification of major vertebrate groups based on these structures.

EXPECTATIONS

Learning is more than passive accumulation of information.  Full understanding and appreciation of the material in an area of study requires the learner to become involved with the material.  Thinking about the material, writing about the material, and discussing the material with others requires us to actively engage the ideas contained in the content.  To that end, I expect all students involved in this course to take charge of their own education and become active learners.  If you want to obtain the benefits described in the course objectives, you must get involved in the course activities. 
Given these expectations, consider the following advice:

  1. Do not spend your time in either lecture or laboratory reading the newspaper, talking with classmates about things other than course materials, or working on other assignments.  Not only do these behaviors get in the way of your own active learning, they also detract from the experience of others in the class.
  2. Do not view me as some unapproachable, uncaring, distant conveyor of material.  If you do not understand a concept, come talk with me! There are very few stupid questions and I will not hold it against you if you ask one of those.
  3. Take the time to read assignments before you come to class!  Within 24 hours of reading the assignments, take a few moments to write down notes on concepts, terms or ideas that seemed troublesome or unfamiliar.
  4. On all writing assignments, take time before you attempt a first draft to "pre-write", jotting down ideas for content, structure, or general outline.  Set your pre-writing notes aside for a day and come back to them before you begin your draft.
  5. Form a study group outside of class.

EVALUATION AND GRADING

LECTURE EXAMS

There will be four lecture exams during the semester, including the final exam.  You can drop your lowest lecture exam score.  If you miss an exam, no make-up will be given.  Only the final exam will be cumulative.  If school is canceled either the day of an exam, or the class period preceding an exam, the exam will be postponed one class period.

LAB PRACTICAL EXAM

There will be two practical exams over material in the lab.

ASSIGNMENT DATES AND POINT VALUES

The table below lists point values for the class assignments.  Due dates for the assignments will be announced in class and posted on the class calendar on the course web page.

Assignment (Value)
Lecture and Final Exams (200 points)
Lab Practicals (100)

GRADING APPEALS

If you receive a grade on any assignment you feel is unfair or incorrect, I will be more than happy to review my assessment.  To appeal a grade, you must submit a written explanation of why you feel the grade was incorrect along with the graded assignment.  Your appeal must be submitted within one week of the date that the assignment was returned to the class. I will review your written explanation and if it is fully justified, the disputed grade will be changed.  This is the only procedure that I will use to assess disputed grades. Your final grade will be based on the total number of points obtained on the assignments given in the following table.

DETERMINATION OF FINAL GRADE

Total Points Accumulated &
Letter Grade
>= 720 A
640 – 719 B
560 – 639 C
480 – 559 D
< 480 F
The point distributions listed in the table are final.  If you accumulate 719 points, you will receive a "B" for the course, if you accumulate 639 points, you will receive a "C" in the course.  Although I keep track of point values for all assignments, it is in your best interest to do so as well.  Also, I would strongly recommend that you keep all graded assignments until after the semester is over.  Any dispute regarding points awarded on a given assignment will require presentation of that assignment as evidence.  Lacking this evidence, the points recorded in my roll will stand.

GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING ALL ASSIGNMENTS

I encourage you to work with other students.  Feel free to discuss the readings, lectures and assignments.   However, all exams, papers and presentations must be done individually and all written work must be your own!  Answers that appear to be shared with others, copied, or paraphrased will not be accepted for credit.  All written assignments must be clearly written and easily legible.  All assignments associated with the “Favorite Vertebrate” paper should be typed.  Answers should be well organized and correct spelling and grammar is required.  If your answers are either incoherent or illegible, I will assume that you do not understand the material and you will not receive credit for the assignment.

Assignments handed in after the due date will receive a penalty of 10% of the total points available per day that it is late.  For example, if an assignment were worth 50 points, each additional day would result in a deduction of 5 points.  For the purposes of assigning penalties, an assignment will be considered late if it is handed in after I leave the classroom on the assigned date.

COURSE ALTERATIONS

Due to unforseen circumstances, it may be necessary to alter the information given in this syllabus during the course of the semester.  All changes to the syllabus will be announced in class and posted to the class website (linked to my home page).  Once changes have been announced and posted to the website, they are final.  It is your responsibility to keep up with any syllabus alterations through these two venues.

MISCELLANY

  1. I will only bring graded assignments to class one time.  If you are absent on the day the assignment is returned, you will need to pick it up from office.
  2. I will only bring handouts to class on the day they will be used.  If you miss a handout, you will need to come by my office to pick it up or obtain a copy from a classmate.
  3. Cell phones, beepers and pagers are an unwelcome intrusion in the academic classroom.  If personal demands require that you remain in contact with individuals outside the classroom, I would ask that you turn off ringers, bells, musical selections and any other annoying audible alarms.  Also, if you anticipate contact with the outside world during the lecture period, sit in the back of the class near the closest exit so you can leave without disturbing others.  Under no circumstances will you be allowed to hold cell phone conversations in the classroom during the lecture period.
  4. Have fun with this course!  Vertebrates are cool!

Academic Honesty

Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.  Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University's policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards.   Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an “informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct's minimum one semester suspension requirement.

You are expected to follow the regulations related academic honesty as stated on pages 272-273 of the 2008-2009 Kennesaw State University Undergraduate Catalog.  Plagiarism and cheating of any kind will not be tolerated.  This includes copying papers and not providing proper literature citations.  Any violations of the Student Code of Conduct will be handled through the University Court.

ACADEMIC WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Students may withdraw from one or more courses anytime before the last three weeks of the semester. However, as of Fall 2004, students will be allowed a maximum of eight total withdrawals if they enter KSU as a freshman. Transfer students will be allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted, for a maximum of eight. Students who choose to pursue a second degree at KSU will be allowed two additional withdrawals.  Students who entered KSU before the Fall of 2004 will be allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted for a maximum of eight.  To withdraw, the student should complete an official withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar.  Students who officially withdraw from courses on or before the last day to withdraw without academic penalty will receive a “W”.  Students who officially withdraw after the last day to withdraw without academic penalty (and before the last three weeks of the semester) will receive a “WF”, which will be counted as an “F” in calculation of their grade point average.

The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving unusual circumstances, which are fully documented.  Students may appeal to the academic standing committee for consideration of unusual circumstances.

LAST DATE TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT ACADEMIC PENALTY
FALL 2008

OCTOBER 10, 2008

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