Department of Biology
Four credit hours
Prerequisite: none
Dr. Stine
kstine@ashland.edu
Course description: A course which illustrates the basic principles of biology, emphasizing issues affecting humans such as current applications of medicine and biotechnology.
Course objectives: This course will help students to gain an understanding of how living organisms (particularly humans) carry out all the functions necessary to maintain life.
Content of course: See attached schedule.
Instructional approach: There will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and laboratory work.
Evaluative criteria: There will typically be four lecture tests during the semester, each worth 100 points. There will also be a 200 point cumulative final.
Tests are an important part of this course and it is your responsibility to be in class on test days. If you are ill or have another valid excuse, you must notify me prior to the scheduled test to arrange how it will be made up. Otherwise you will receive a zero for that test. Make-up tests will generally be either an essay type or oral exam. Most test material will come from your class notes, and we may discuss topics which are not covered in your textbook. Therefore, although roll will not be taken each day, regular class attendance is expected and will be to your benefit. Do not rely on "getting the notes from someone" on a regular basis--it will make things much more difficult for you in the long run. Also, there will be points possible for participation in class activities. These points frequently cannot be "made up".
In addition to tests, you will typically be responsible for keeping a looseleaf class/lab notebook in which you will do lab exercises, written assignments, and other short projects. The notebooks will be collected and checked on each test day (not including the final exam). Each time you turn in your notebook, you will receive up to 25 points for your work. Thus, your notebook work will be worth 100 points total.
Grades will be figured on the basis of total points:
Don't get too worried about counting points, though. Just work hard and do your best and the points will take care of themselves.
Resource materials: The textbook varies from semester to semester. Most recently I have used Human Biology--Exploring Concepts by George B. Johnson. Because I may refer to figures, etc. from the text frequently during lectures, it is often helpful to bring your book with you to class. The lab book I have used is Biological Explorations (2nd edition) by Stanley E. Gunstream. YOU MUST BRING THIS BOOK TO LAB PERIOD EACH WEEK!!! It contains both the instructions for doing the lab and the lab report form to write the lab up.
This year we also have available in the Kettering computer labs (both the Mac lab and the IBM lab) a program on CD-ROM called "A.D.A.M. The Inside Story". This is an excellent study and review program which should help you understand and visualize body structure. We'll talk more about this as the semester goes on, and I encourage you to try out this resource.
If you have problems or questions, I encourage you to come by my office during office hours, or call to make an appointment for other times. During office hours I will be either in my office OR somewhere nearby (in the labs upstairs, for example). I usually try to leave a note on my door when I have to step out for longer than just a moment, so if there's no note I'll probably be back within a few minutes. You can wait briefly, or leave a message with the secretary in the main office and I will get back with you as soon as possible. Likewise, if you call during office hours and I'm not there to answer my phone, it will ring in the main office. They can either track me down or take a message. Also meetings and other conflicts occasionally require me to change or cancel office hours. I will do my best to notify you in advance, if possible, or at least to have a note posted explaining the circumstances.
Office: 207 Kettering
Office hours: see my home page for current office hours
Typical Lecture and Laboratory Schedule
| Week | Topics covered |
| 1 | Introduction to the scientific method Basic principles of physics and chemistry |
| 2 | Cells and what they do: basic structure, Membranes: managing traffic and communications |
| 3 | Cells: how they get and manage energy |
| 4 | Cells: the manufacturing business |
| 5 | Genetic engineering, Cell division and the cell cycle |
| 6 | Genetics and inheritance, Tissues |
| 7 | Skin structure and function, Bone structure and function |
| 8 | Muscle structure and function |
| 9 | Respiration |
| 10 | Circulation, Nutrition and digestion |
| 11 | Excretory systems |
| 12 | Immune system, Nervous system |
| 13 | Nervous system, cont |
| 14 | Nervous system, cont, Endocrine system |
| 15 | Reproduction and development |
| 16 | Reproduction and dev., cont |