Course Policies and Grading

Course Policies & Grading Welcome to Biology 201L! The goal of this course is to introduce to you the molecular basis for biology, specifically the Central Dogma of molecular biology, and to prepare you for further study in the biological sciences. Bio201L is organized to give each student the best opportunity to master the material in a variety of formats, including hands on lab activities, lecture discussion questions, and homework assignments. By incorporating several different kinds of assessment, you will be exposed to the core concepts of molecular biology in different ways, all with the goal of enriching your understanding of the exciting field of molecular biology. The Weekly Schedule Monday and Wednesday classes will begin at 10:05 AM. Classes will entail a combination of lectures and active learning exercises that build on the vocabulary you already have learned from your pre-class reading. Friday classes will also begin at 10:05 AM. Six of these Friday Classes will begin with a practice quiz (see “Practice Quizzes” below), followed by a group quiz. The remainder of Friday Classes will be structured as sidebar discussions (“Insights”) to help inform some of the major concepts from the week. These sessions will often include problem solving, so they are an excellent chance to practice what you’ve learned during the week! Labs: All students are required to be enrolled in and attend a weekly lab section. See the Laboratory section below for detailed information about lab. Anticipated Absences Notification of all anticipated lab absences for the semester, such as religious holidays or varsity sports*, must be submitted to Dr. Kathleen Miglia (kathleen.miglia@duke.edu) by 5 pm on Friday, September 6, 2019. Notification of all anticipated practice quiz absences must be submitted to Chris Shreve (cfs7@duke.edu) by the same deadline. For religious holidays see: http://trinity.duke.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies/religious-holidays For varsity sports see: http://trinity.duke.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies/athletic-varsity-participation *Note that only absences for varsity sports are excused. Club sports are not eligible. Unanticipated Absences If you will miss lecture or Friday Insight due to a sho rt-term illness, you do NOT need to submit a Incapacitation Form** (short-term illness form). You should get notes from a classmate and watch the recorded lecture. We do not accept the Incapacitation Form for Friday Practice Quizzes (see below). For unanticipated lab absences, it is imperative to send the Incapacitation Form to Dr. Miglia (kathleen.miglia@duke.edu) PRIOR to your absence. In addition to the official University form, you MUST also complete the Absence Notification form found on the course Sakai page. See details under the Laboratory section below. **Incapacitation Form (formerly known as the Short-Term Illness Notification Form): From the Trinity Arts & Sciences Policy: “The Incapacitation Form is also only a notification, indicating that you have missed class and/or cannot complete an assignment on time due to an incapacitating health issue. When you submit an Incapacitation Form, it is your Course Policies & Grading responsibility to meet or otherwise communicate with the instructor of the course in question within 48 hours to discuss your missed work and how it will be treated in accordance with the instructor's policy. If you do not contact your instructor within 48 hours following the date the Incapacitation Form was submitted, your instructor is under no obligation to accommodate your health issue and can treat your missed work as unexcused. Exceptions to the 48-hour deadline may be granted by your academic dean in extraordinary circumstances. ” This means that you must contact either Dr. Miglia or Dr. Hill with in 48 hours of submitting the form in order for your absence to be excused. If you are still incapacitated by your illness after 48 hours, it is no longer considered a “short-term” illnes s, and you should contact your academic Dean. Note that abuse of the Incapacitation Form (submission for anything other than a short-term incapacitating illness) will be considered a violation of the Duke Community Standard. Readiness Assessment Tests Reading and Readiness Assessment Tests (RATs) (2% of total grade): Reading is an important part of Bio201L. It is essential to complete your reading BEFORE the classes for which it is assigned so that are familiar with the terms and main concepts that will be covered. When a given chapter is assigned over the course of several class periods it will help you if you’ve done all the reading in that chapter prior to the first class that uses it. Prior to each lecture there will be a short Readiness Assessment Test (aka, RAT) that will be available on Sakai. This will provide you with an insight into which key ideas and concepts you should know before coming to lecture. The lecture following each RAT will give you a good idea which topics and passages to review when preparing for exams. Use the RATs as a way to focus on important terms and concepts BEFORE lecture, so you don’t spend time searching for definitions during class. NOTE: the textbook is essential background reading to prepare you for lecture and a valuable assistant as you review the lecture, but it is NOT intended to serve as your primary resource for information. Studying exclusively from the textbook and neglecting lecture attendance and good note-taking will have a significant negative impact on your understanding of the material and thus on your grade. Your RAT grade for the semester will be based on the sum of your weekly scores for the RATs. There will usually be two RATs each week (one for each lecture). These will be administered through Sakai and consist of multiple-choice questions pertaining to the assigned reading for each lecture. Both RATs will be available on Sakai for the subsequent week starting Thursdays after 5:00 pm. Each will be due by 9:00 am the day of the appropriate lecture. (In a typical week, with lectures on Monday and Wednesday, the RAT related to Monday's reading will be due Monday by 9 am, and the one related to Wednesday's reading will be due Wednesday by 9 am. You have the option of completing both tests early if you want.) You will have two attempts for Course Policies & Grading each RAT, and Sakai will let you know which ones you miss on the first try. Once you start the RAT, you may click “save” and return to it later, but once you click “submit,” your grade is final. Make sure to check that your submission is complete in the Sakai Gradebook (a score should appear). Email Becky Cary (rec3@duke.edu) with any technical problems, and contact OIT services. There are no make-ups for RATs. Practice Problems: Weekly practice problems that pertain to the lecture concepts will be posted on Sakai. These will not be collected or graded. You are encouraged to work in groups with other Bio 201L students to discuss these problems. Annotated answer keys will accompany the practice problems. In addition, the Friday classes that are not designated for Practice quizzes/Group Quizzes (“Insights”) will include practice problems for you to discuss with your classmates and the instructors. Exams Exams (55% of total grade): There will be three exams – two 20-question 100-point midterms and a 25-question 125-point third exam which will focus on the third part of the course, but will be somewhat comprehensive by design. The third exam will be administered during the final exam period, and all students will have 1 hour 45 minutes to complete the exam. All students must be present on Thursday, December 12 at 2:00PM to take the final exam. Keeping in mind that the nature of the course is cumulative, you will be responsible for applying knowledge learned in the early part of the course to the material learned in the last third. Quizzes and Exams use “bubble sheets” to record answer choices – answer sheets must be completed before time is called, which means you must make sure your answers are recorded on the answer sheet. Late submissions will be docked 3 points. If you miss one of the first two exams due to an excused absence (Dean’s excuse or Incapacitation Form), you will be required to make up the missed exam during the final exam period. The missed exam will be replaced with a 75-minute, mixed format (some fill-in-the-blank, some short answer), comprehensive exam covering material from Exams 1 and 2. You will sit for the comprehensive exam after you have completed Exam 3. To be excused from an exam, you must submit your Incapacitation Form or Dean’s excuse to Chris Shreve (cfs7@duke.edu) prior to the start of the exam period. You must follow up with Chris Shreve or Dr. Hill within 48 hours to guarantee that your absence will be excused. Otherwise, you will not be excused from the missed exam and will not have the option of taking the comprehensive final exam; your missed exam score will be recorded as a zero. If you miss two exams, we will meet with you and your Dean to evaluate the appropriate course of action. Possible outcomes include withdrawing from the course and administering an oral exam with two or more professors. Quizzes Practice quizzes (15% of total grade): To give you the opportunity to apply your understanding of the lecture and lab material, there will be six Practice Quizzes on alternate Fridays during the semester. These quizzes will have 10 practice problems similar in difficulty and format to the exam questions, so you should use them to practice not only your mastery of important concepts, but also your skills at problem-solving and scientific thinking. The practice quizzes provide valuable feedback on which concepts you have adequately grasped and which you may need to review more before the exam (we will post answer keys the week after each quiz). The quizzes will consist of 10 questions, each with 5 answer choices, often in the format of a “multiple true/false”. The quizzes (and exams) for this class are administered via scantron (aka “bubble”) sheets, so you are STRONGLY encouraged to use a pencil with a good eraser to fill in your answer sheet, because the scanner cannot distinguish answers that are crossed out from answers that are filled in! Course Policies & Grading Your practice quiz score for the semester will be based on your best five scores out of the six practice quizzes given. (We will drop your lowest practice quiz score.) This policy is intended to help improve your grade by not counting your lowest quiz score against you. If necessary, it will also allow you to miss a practice quiz due to circumstances such as illness, club sports, travel plans, etc. We do NOT accept Incapacitation Forms for practice quizzes. After you have missed one practice quiz for whatever reason, any subsequent absence will require the submission of a Dean’s excuse. Without a Dean’s excuse, any additional missed practice quizzes will be recorded as zeros. There are no make-ups for practice quizzes. Group Quizzes (3% of total grade): In addition to the practice quizzes, you will have the opportunity to discuss a set of practice problems with a small group (4-5 people) to which you will be assigned at the beginning of the semester. After careful consideration and due deliberation, your group will select the best answer to each question on a scratch-off card that will be provided. You will be graded on your best five group quiz scores out of the six group quizzes given, and everyone in the group will receive the same score for any one group quiz. There are no make-ups for Group Quizzes. Data sheets: To stress understanding material and applying the principles you’ve learned and not simply memorization of facts, you may bring a data sheet to both the practice quizzes and Exams (but NOT the group quizzes). There are some key stipulations: First, the data sheet must be handwritten by you (i.e., it cannot be typed or photocopied). It can include graphs or sketches if and only if they are hand-drawn. Second, for Practice quizzes the data sheet can be no more than one side of one 8½ x 11 inch page. For Exams, it can be both sides of one page (or two single-sided pages). Third, data sheets cannot be reduced (i.e., they must be the original, not reduced electronically or with a copier). You may find it useful to generate data sheets or notes for your RATs as well, such as lists of vocabulary terms. Accommodations: Students who qualify for accommodations through the Office of Student Disability Services are required to submit their documentation to the course testing coordinator, Chris Shreve (cfs7@duke.edu), as soon as possible. Please note, the sooner we receive documentation the sooner we will be able to implement accommodations. In order for us to arrange accommodations for our first practice quiz, we ask that you submit your paperwork to Chris Shreve by Wednesday, September 4. Students qualifying for accommodation during the semester should submit their documentation as soon as possible after receiving the documenting paperwork. Once we have the proper documentation, we will strive to implement accommodations within three (3) working days. In addition, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure that their class schedule allows for reasonable accommodations and to discuss the implementation of their accommodations with the testing coordinator (Chris Shreve). For students qualifying for testing accommodations we will attempt to make suitable accommodations, including administration of tests and examinations in a quiet room with minimal distractions and extended test time to complete quizzes, tests, and examinations. If extra time is granted, we will start practice quizzes and exams 20-40 minutes BEFORE the scheduled class period. It is the student’s obligation to inform us if they are unable to arrive early, and all attempts will be made to meet the official accommodation. Re-grade policies for Quizzes and Exams: 1. Re-grade requests may be submitted until one week after the quiz or exam key is posted, unless otherwise specified. You may not submit a request before the key is posted. Before submitting a request, you are encouraged to bring your test and a copy of the key to either the Course Policies & Grading TA Help Desk or to your TA before or after lab for discussion. All requests must be signed/initialed by a TA or instructor. 2. All re-grade requests must be typed and include your unique ID # and your reason for making the request. Since we take great care to ensure that all tests and quizzes are scored properly, “I should have gotten 3 more points” is NOT a valid request. When contesting a specific answer choice, you must provide reference to the relevant lecture material. NOTE: if your request contains factual errors, you will lose 5 points from your score. 3. Your request must be given to the test administrator (Chris Shreve) either before or after class. Do not contact the instructors with re-grade requests outside of class. Requests submitted via email will not be considered. 4. Submitted re-grade requests will be addressed by the instructors in a timely manner. For regrade requests that are deemed valid, we will adjust your score accordingly (and if appropriate, the rest of the class scores as well). For re-grade requests that are deemed invalid, you will have the opportunity to meet with an instructor to discuss the justification of the original answers. All decisions regarding re-grade requests are FINAL. Laboratory Unlike many science labs, the Molecular Biology labs in this course do not have written lab reports! You will NOT need a carbon-paper notebook, though you may want a plain notebook for taking notes during lab introduction and discussion sessions. You also do not need to wear safety goggles or closed-toe shoes. All we expect you to bring to lab are the day’s protocol, a writing tool, and a positive attitude. Lab Manual The lab manual will be provided in weekly installments as PDFs on the Sakai course site. There is no hard copy of the lab manual. For each week of the lab, there will be a folder posted on the Sakai site that contains the following:  Background reading for the lab —This information is provided to give context to the lab exercises you will be doing. You do not need to bring a copy to lab.  Exercises and Protocols—This is a description of the weekly activity you will perform in the lab. It is essential that you read protocols before class and print and bring them with you to the lab.  Pre-lab assignment —This will be in the form of either a homework assignment that will be turned in to your TA or a quiz administered at the start of the lab period.  Post-lab assignment—These assignments will be posted on the Sakai site at the start of each week and will be due in lab the next week. Lab Assignments Pre-labs (5% of course grade): Each week of lab there will be a pre-lab assessment that will pertain to that week’s lab exercise. This will either be a quiz or a pre-lab homework assignment (posted on the Sakai site). These assignments will ensure that you are familiar with the background reading and protocol for that day’s lab. If you arrive after the official start of the lab period, your pre-lab (whether a quiz or homework) will not be counted and you will receive a zero. Course Policies & Grading Post-labs (16% of course grade): There will be nine post-lab assignments over the semester in the weekly folders on the Sakai course site. These must be turned in for grading at the start of the following week’s lab period. This will give you seven days to complete the post-lab. These assignments will incorporate concepts from the lab activity and related background/ lecture material. If you arrive late to lab, you should turn in your post-lab when you arrive. Post-labs must be completed and submitted at the start of the lab period or when you arrive; post-labs finished during the lab or turned in at the end of lab will be assigned a 10% late penalty. Post-labs will not be accepted after the end of the lab period in which they are due. Student Conference / Exit Interview (3% of course grade): You will be asked to make a short presentation to your TA summarizing the results of your cloning project and what you learned about the DNA sequence you isolated in the lab project. This will take place in the lab during week 15 and 16 of the semester. There will be more information about this assignment posted later in the semester. Lab Participation and Professionalism (1% of course grade): Your participation grade is a score awarded to you weekly by your TA based on his or her assessment of the extent to which you prepared for and participated in lab activities in a constructive manner. Missing or habitually coming late to lab, texting, failing to follow directions, or otherwise not giving your TA and the lab work your full attention during lab period, will adversely affect your participation score. Helping your lab-mates, answering and asking thoughtful questions, and carefully following directions will enhance your participation score. Participation is based on a three-point scale where two points is awarded for those students who fulfill the basic expectations. Any scores above two points (i.e. 3/3) reflect exceptional behavior. Instructors reserve the right to contact the advisors/deans of any student they feel is acting in an unprofessional manner. Please note that your participation scores will not be posted on Sakai, but will be factored into your final grade. Attendance in the Lab Weekly attendance at your scheduled lab is required. Please make every effort to arrive at lab on time. The lab sections will consist of some cooperative and interactive activities among the 15-16 students in each section; late students delay or disrupt these activities and make it difficult to finish on schedule. Quizzes or pre-lab assignments will not be accepted after the scheduled start of the lab period and will be counted as zeros. Making up missed labs: Participation in lab is required. If you are ill or otherwise have a University sanctioned absence that will prevent you from attending lab, you must submit relevant documentation (Incapacitation Form, NOVAP, etc.) to Dr. Miglia (kathleen.miglia@duke.edu) before the start of your scheduled lab. In addition to the official University form, you MUST also complete the Absence Notification form found on the course Sakai page. After evaluating your situation, the course faculty will notify you as to whether you are eligible to make-up your missed lab. Note that openings in other sections for switches or make-ups are extremely limited. Labs do not meet on Friday, and it is not possible to make up a lab exercise after the week it is scheduled, so early notice is essential! Please note that even if you miss a lab due to illness or other excused absence, you are still responsible for the material covered and for completing the post-lab assignment. If you are allowed to reschedule a lab for a period later in the week, the relevant pre-lab assignment/quiz will be due at that time. Post-lab assignments must be delivered to your TA or Dr. Hill no later than 5pm the day after your regularly scheduled lab, regardless of when you make up lab. Lab assignments missed due to an unexcused absence will receive a score of zero. Course Policies & Grading Extensions for Post-lab Assignments: Requests for extensions on post-lab assignments due to a long-term illness, authorized representation of the University, or extraordinary personal reason must be substantiated by submitting an official Dean’s Excuse. Bio201L Policy on Academic Integrity and Collaboration on Lab Assignments Course materials shall not be re-used. All materials posted on Sakai are there for your use and benefit. Unless otherwise noted, they were created by and are the intellectual property of one or more of the professors or lab instructors associated with this course. Selling these materials to a third party (whether for money or for other considerations) without the written consent of their creator(s) is a violation of copyright, theft of intellectual property, and a violation of the Community Standard. Should we discover that this has happened, we will treat it as both an honor council offense and a crime. Cheating will not be tolerated. This course holds strictly to the Duke Honor Code: All students are required to review and abide by the Duke Community Standard in all aspects of the course, including exams, quizzes, laboratory reports, group work, and other work. No exceptions will be made. The Duke Community Standard states: “Duke University is a community dedicated to scholarship, leadership, and service and to the principles of honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability. Citizens of this community commit to reflect upon and uphold these principles in all academic and nonacademic endeavors, and to protect and promote a culture of integrity.” To uphold the Duke Community Standard:  I will not lie, cheat, or steal in my academic endeavors;  I will conduct myself honorably in all my endeavors; and I will act if the Standard is compromised.”  Students are free to talk with one another and gather information about the pre- and post-lab assignments from various sources (including TAs/Lab Instructors). Students must, however, do the write-up of the pre- and post-lab assignments independently. We want to know that when we evaluate an assignment from an individual, that the assignment represents the words and expression of understanding of that individual. You should always be able to explain the logic and thinking behind any answer you submit. If you cannot do so, then you should honestly evaluate your assignment and make sure that what you submit for grading represents your own work. Students will be asked to sign a community standard pledge attesting to the fact that they have completed EACH assignment according to the Duke Community Standard. In the event that we find two identical or very similar pre- or post- lab assignments, this will be investigated as potential theft or inappropriate collaboration. Using lab homework materials from previous semesters of Bio 201L (directly or indirectly through former students) on your pre- or post-lab assignments is a violation of the Duke Community Standard and will be prosecuted as an honor council offense. This course has a zero tolerance policy on cheating. Any violations of the Duke Community Standard will be prosecuted through the Office of Student Conduct as an honor council offense. Any student found guilty of academic misconduct on any graded work will receive a zero for that work and will not be allowed to drop the zero grade under any circumstances. Furthermore, the student’s name will be placed on file in the Office of Student Conduct and, if relevant, the deans in the Office of Health Professions Advising will be notified of the academic integrity violation.