BIOL 491/CHEM 491: Senior Seminar
Syllabus: Fall 2007
| Professor: | Dr. Melinda Ekkens-Villanueva |
| Contact Info: | mvillanu@cuc.edu |
| Office Hours: | MW 10am-11am; M-Th 1-2pm |
Course Description: BIOL 491, Senior Seminar (1): A discussion of the philosophy of science, scientific method, exchange and interpretation of data, reference resources, etc., as well as an introduction to the critical evaluation of periodical literature in the biological sciences and the writing of grant proposals.
* One class meeting per week.
* Prerequisite: Seniors status (89.6 hrs), and approval of the chair.
General Objectives:
The general objectives of the course include the following:
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To provide opportunities to learn about the current concerns and interests of biological scientists.
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To provide opportunities for students to gain experience in critical thinking in the biological sciences.
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To provide opportunities to practice oral communication, both with science peers, and with the community.
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To enable students to become aware of their place in the world of living organisms and to awaken in them an appreciation of the beauty and complexity in the Creator’s design of life.
Course Requirements:
Students are expected to:
- Attend, participate, and contribute to all class meetings and group sessions. This is particularly important since there will be a number of group activities in which individual grades will be dependent on the group grade.
- Be prepared for each class and group activity by reading, reviewing, and/or completing all scheduled assignments prior to each meeting. This includes any group work that must be completed prior to the class or group activity.
- Maintain a professional manner during all class/group interactions.
- Know the course requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to know the requirements for the course. If you are absent or late, it is your responsibility to obtain assignments and handouts that you may have missed. It is also your responsibility to monitor due dates and be sure that assignments are submitted on time and in the correct format. This is particularly important since many of the assignments will be submitted via Desire2Learn.
Please turn off cell phone ringers during class time.
Grading:
The final grade for the class will be based on the following:
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Presentation of off-campus seminars 10% Participation in teaching projects 50% Writing projects 40%
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
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A = 93-100 A- = 90-92 B+ = 87-89 B = 83-86 B- = 80-82 C+ = 77-79 C = 73-76 C- = 70-72 D+ = 67-69 D = 63-66 D- = 60-62 F = 0 – 59%
Regrade Policy:
Written reports may be returned for regrading only if the total points were incorrectly totaled, or if your answer can be documented by text materials. Answers which were misinterpreted due to sloppy handwriting, poor organization, or incorrect terminology will not be considered; be clear and concise the first time. A paper must be returned for a regrade within one week (7 days) of its return to you. It must be accompanied by a TYPED concise, brief summary or rebuttal with reference to your textual sources. Assignments written in pencil will not be considered for regrading.
Academic Integrity:
It is assumed that your work is your own. Although we will do group projects, each write-up or presentation must be your own interpretation and analysis; this will aid you in establishing collaborative efforts, while learning to interpret and defend your own work. Be sure to give credit where credit is due: science builds on the work of others, so be clear with references and citations. PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
For further details, please see the Columbia Union College policy on academic integrity, as stated in the 2007-2008 College Bulletin. If you have any questions, please see me.
Late Work Policy:
Assignments are due on time, regardless of whether or not you are present in class. Excused absences do not excuse you from any work or material missed. Overdue assignments will lose 15% per week; assignments more than six (6) weeks overdue will not be graded. These deductions apply if an assignment is turned in late on the due date.
Changes in Course Policy:
It is possible that certain changes in these policies may become necessary. Any changes will be announced in class, and will become part of, and supersede, the course policies described here.
Seminars:
During the semester, you should attend two off-campus scientific seminars. Following each seminar, please submit the seminar evaluation form, and the accompanying critique. This critique should be typed, and should be at least one-page in length. It should include a brief summary of the seminar, as well as a critical analysis of the topic and presentation format. In addition to submitting the seminar evaluation and summary to the instructor, please post the summary/critique on the Discussion Board on Desire2Learn. You should also post comments on two of your classmates’ seminar evaluations/summaries.
Writing Projects:
This semester, you will be practicing skills that you have learned during your four years at Columbia Union College: synthesis and analysis of scientific data, and communication of scientific information.
You will be communicating science to peer scientists through a series of writing projects. These writing projects will include analysis and synthesis of scientific data prior to presentation of the information. Each paper must be typed and double-spaced, with one-inch margins and appropriate citations. Writing assignments may be submitted at the beginning of each class, or via the Desire2Learn dropbox prior to each class.
Specific writing projects, and their due dates, are listed below:
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A half-page summary of a general topic that you will be investigating throughout the semester. This topic may be anything in science; however, it should be specific enough that you can cover the topic in three to four pages. Please include a brief description of your topic, as well as the reason(s) you are interested in this particular topic. Be sure to choose a topic with sufficient, accessible references. September 14, 2007
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A one-page article for the local newspaper that introduces the public to your topic. Include references on a separate page. September 28, 2007
- An annotated bibliography – no longer than two pages. This bibliography should include sources for general information on your topic, as well as several more detailed sources of information. You should include at least eight (8) references, of which only one (1) may be an Internet source, and at least four (4) should be primary research articles. If desired, you may include additional sources in your final paper. October 12, 2007
Please use the citation format found in Science. (Author’s last name and first initial. Year of publication. Name of article. Journal name. Volume:page numbers.)
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A one-page critique of a primary research article from your annotated bibliography. This should include the complete reference for the research article (see above format). If you obtained the primary research article from the internet, please include the url in the reference, along with the date accessed. October 26, 2007
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A one-page critique of a primary research article from your annotated bibliography. This should include the complete reference for the research article (see above format). If you obtained the primary research article from the internet, please include the url in the reference, along with the date accessed. November 9, 2007
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A three to four page research paper using the bibliography previously prepared. This paper should use the Vancouver “number” citation method used by Nature. (See also the example on Desire2Learn - “Contents” section.) November 30, 2007
Teaching Projects:
You will be communicating science to the community and to future scientists during the outreach projects at G.E. Peters Adventist School. These projects include the following:
Friday Science Club: For this project, you will be working in small groups to prepare, and present, a one-hour lab to the 6th-8th graders at G.E. Peters. For further information, please see teaching project guidelines on D2L.
Science Night: This project is a new addition to the G.E. Peters school year. Science Night will be held in late October or November (specific date TBA), and will include student-led science projects. These projects should include hands-on activities and demonstrations that can be performed during Science Night. CUC Seniors will work directly with the students from G.E. Peters to create these projects.
Monday Science Club: This project is optional. Once a month, we will be doing science projects with Grades 1-4 at G.E. Peters. (See additional guidelines and scheduling on D2L.)
General project guidelines:
* Attendance at your teaching project is important, since several people – your group members and the elementary school students – are depending on you. Please be prompt. If you cannot attend a specific appointment, please notify your group members, and the course instructor, as soon as possible.
* Professional dress is required. Remember that these teaching projects are considered a professional venue; dress appropriately.
Reflection paper:
Throughout the semester, you will write two reflection papers regarding your experiences at G.E. Peters. These reflection papers should include a description of your teaching project, as well as a description of what you learned from the project. Be sure to answer the following questions in your reflection paper:
- What did you learn?
- How, specifically, did you learn it?
- Why does this learning matter, and/or why is it significant?
- How did this project benefit you? For example, do you feel that you learned the science better after teaching it to the elementary school students? Was the teaching project related to the general topic that you chose to investigate in your research paper? If so, describe the connection.
- How did you feel before undertaking this project? How do you feel now that you have completed the project?
You should also include any questions or concerns that were raised during your project. For example, did the students ask a question that you had never considered before? Were there safety concerns that were not addressed during your project? Did your project raise additional science questions for you? Did your project raise questions regarding public policy, laws, etc?
The reflection papers should each be typed, and should be two pages in length. Be sure to use appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and citations. Reflection papers may be submitted via the dropbox on D2L, or may be submitted in the box outside my office.
Departmental Presentation:
In addition to writing the reflection papers, on December 3, 2007, you will present a summary of your teaching project to the Biology and Chemistry Department. This presentation can be given individually, or with the other members of your group. You may use any audio-visual resources that you wish, but please check first to be sure that the amphitheater can accommodate your presentation. Please submit a copy of your presentation via the dropbox on D2L, or in the box outside my office.
Schedule (tentative):
| Assignment | Date Due |
| Introduction | August 31 |
| Group planning G.E. Peters – ALL groups |
September 7 |
| Paper 1 – proposal/summary Group planning – topics DUE |
September 14 |
| G.E. Peters – group A | September 21 |
| Paper 2 – newspaper article G.E. Peters – group B |
September 28 |
| Monday Clubs: G.E. Peters – grades 1-4 | October 1 |
| G.E. Peters | October 5 |
| Paper 3 – bibliography Seminar Reports G.E. Peters |
October 12 |
| Mid-term Break | October 19 |
| Paper 4 – critique Reflection paper DUE G.E. Peters - CLOSED |
October 26 |
| G.E. Peters | November 2 |
| Monday Clubs: G.E. Peters – grades 1-4 | November 5 |
| Science Night | November 8, 7-8pm |
| Paper 5 – critique G.E. Peters – group A |
November 9 |
| G.E. Peters – Group B | November 16 |
| Thanksgiving Break | November 23 |
| Paper 6 – research paper Seminar Reports G.E. Peters (all) |
November 30 |
| Presentation Day | December 3 |
| Reflection paper DUE Christmas party (G.E. Peters) |
December 7 |