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Sections A02, A04, A06 - Lecture and discussion sessions on the World Wide Web only. CRN 49714, 49716, 49718 Instructor contact: Richard H. Falk You have elected to take the virtual lecture and discussion course. Virtual lecture modules will appear on the syllabus page each Tuesday and Thursday. There are two examinations, a midterm examination and a final examination. Virtual discussions will take place via a moderated list-processor which is a kind of fancy e-mail system. Discussion sections never have in-person meetings. The address of the list-processor will have been sent to your campus e-mail address. If you wish to use an e-mail address other than your campus address, you must notify me so that I can make arrangements with the Postmaster. There are eight discussion topics that you will address during the course. You discuss the topics by sending e-mail to the list-processor. Please indicate the discussion number (1 through 8) in the subject line of your e-mail contribution. Your contributions will be sent to all members of your particular discussion section. There are about 20 students in each discussion section so you will receive about 20 e-mail notes for each of the eight topics. The idea is to think critically about the discussion topic and discuss it among yourselves. You may send more than one entry about a particular topic if you wish. I will "drop-in" on all discussion groups from time to time and often make comments. You need to address a discussion topic within a week of its being posted. Please keep your discussion contributions civil and avoid harrassing your classmates. One can be critical and civil. Think before you press the send key. Course credit for your discussion is a contributory credit. You make a contribution and you receive credit. There are eight essay questions that you must address. It is expected that your response to these questions will occupy two typewritten (word processor) pages. You need to respond to an essay question within a week of its being posted. In some instances, you may be directed to your text for information relative to an essay question; in other instances you will need to search the World Wide Web or visit the library for answers. Your essay question responses will be graded for scientific content as well as organization and grammar. Keep in mind that my teaching assistants and I are pretty familiar with web materials relative to essay questions and are also familiar with a lot of biology text books. Don't plagiarize - it can be hazardous to your academic standing. Give your sources credit. Cite your references and when you directly quote, use quotation marks. You must "attach" your word processor responses to an e-mail to your teaching assistant. Please indicate the essay number (1 through 8) in the subject line of your e-mail contribution. Also, be sure to include your name on the word processor document itself. If you are unfamiliar with attaching documents to an e-mail message, see your teaching assistant, see me or speak with someone at IT-Express in Shields Library. There is a term paper requirement. Your term paper should consist of 8-12 typewritten (word processor) pages. Pictures and diagrams, while nice, are not to be considered part of the required 8-12 pages. You may write about nearly any biological topic you wish as long as the dominant theme is biology. You may add sociology, culture, history, philosopy, etc., but the dominant theme must be biology. You should consult with me or one of the teaching assistants to ensure that your topic is appropriate and neither too narrow nor too broad. Your term paper will be graded for scientific content, organization and grammar. The term paper is due on June 1, and should be sent to your teaching assistant as an attachment to an e-mail note. Textbook: Biology, David Krogh, 2000, Prentice-Hall, Inc. This can be obtained at the University of California, Davis, bookstore or you may order your book from an on-line bookstore. You might try http://www.bestbookbuys.com for best price/availability. Instructor: Richard H. Falk, 274 Robbins Hall Teaching Assistants: George Alonzo- E-mail: gcalonzo@ucdavis.edu Grading: Weekly essays: 500 words each, 8 x 25 points = 200 points Total: 600 points Return to syllabus page.
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