ANNOUCEMENT:
Review Session for Final:
Monday: 3-5 PM, Chemistry Building, Room 1224
Tuesday: 4-6 PM, Biology/Psychology, Room 1208
Wednesday: 10-12 Biology/Psychology, Room 1208
Evolution will also be taught over the winter session
Interested in a PhD in biomathematics as applied to evolutionary and biomedical problems?? Then consider the Biomathematics graduate program at UCLA Medical School (http://www.biomath.ucla.edu/ and http://www.biomath.ucla.edu/grad/prospective)
Fun site: http://rapguidetoevolution.co.uk/
Principles of Evolution
(BSCI 370), Fall 2011
Instructor: Dr. Charles B. Fenster (Professor), Biology/Psychology Bldg. Rm. 3233, CFenster@umd.edu
Meeting time: 11-12:15, Tuesday and Thursday, Plant Sciences Bldg., Room 1140
Office Hours: by appointment, and office hour, Wednesday 1-3, Room: Biology/Psychology 3233
Teaching Assistant: Frank Stearns, Biology/Psychology Bldg. Rm 3206, FStearns@umd.edu
Office Hours: by appointment and office hours, Monday 1-2, Room 3206 B/P, Wednesday 6-7, Room 2249, B/P.
For course information, including hand-outs etc., go to Charles B. Fenster lab web page:
http://www.life.umd.edu/biology/fensterlab/
and click on Evolution 370 for course information.
Teaching Assistants: Frank Stearns
Textbook: Evolutionary Analysis, 4th Edition, Scott Freeman and Jon Herron, ISBN: 0-13-227584-8
Supplementary material: On the Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Charles Darwin
http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/the-origin-of-species/
There are other sites for this book as well.
SYLLABUS (see below)
GRADING
Homework: There will be weekly ungraded homework assignments meant to familiarize you with the material and types of questions that will appear on the exams. The answers to the assignments will be covered during office hours, the Wednesday evening office hours (6-7 PM) of the TA, Frank Stearns.
Exams: There will be two 1 hr and 15 minute exams during the semester, each worth 100 points, and a final third exam on the last day of class (during the Final Exam Period (200 pts). The Final will consist of 1/2 material not covered in Exams I and II and 1/2 cumulative (material on exams I and II). The lowest exam score of your first two exams will be dropped. The Final will count towards your grade. Total Exam Grade: 300 pts (100 pts from either of exam 1 or exam 2, plus 200 pts from the final).
Exams will consist of definitions, problems, short answer questions and
multiple-choice questions and will come exclusively from lecture material.
Lectures will mostly mirror the textbook. The readings from
Examinations are Major Scheduling Events, and thus need written medical verification for excused absence due to illness.
Essays: 40, 60, and 100 points (Total = 200 pts). There will be THREE
reports, the first two < 3 pages (for essay 1 and 2), and
the third essay will be < 5 pages (essay 3) (typed, Font = 12,
double space, one inch margins for all essays). The essays focus on
Essays should have your name and topic listed at the top, and all references listed at the BEGINNING of the essay. Again essays 1 and 2 can only be 3 pages long (we will not read beyond the third page). Essay 3 must be no longer than 5 pages. Quotations must be limited to 2 lines per page.
Essay 1 (40 pts): Compare Darwin chapters 10 and 12 with what we have learned and summarized in chapter 2, “The Pattern of Evolution”
Essay 2 (60 pts): Compare Darwin chapters 1-4 with what we learned and summarized in chapters 3, 5 and 6 in Freeman and Herron
Essay 3 (100 pts): Parents and Teachers against the
In
the case of parents and teachers against the
Get the Court case in this link
Note that the case is 138 pages long, but is double spaced with wide margins. It should take about 2 hours to read the case carefully. We will try to discuss the decision in class if time allows.
Please address the following points in essay four using information from the end of chapters 2 and 3 to support or refute claims in addition to Judge Jones decision. Please breakdown your essay into the following 7 questions and discussion points using subheadings:
1. What is science and why is intelligent design not science?
2. What is the problem of irreducible complexity and use examples to refute this claim?
3. What is the establishment clause and how does it support the teaching of evolution versus religious interpretations of the origin of biological diversity?
4. What is the Lemon Test, and how was it applied to this case?
5. What is the wedge theory and what are the merits or liabilities of teaching scientific and theistic approaches side by side?
6. Discuss the notion of "contrived dualism."
7. Discuss the implications from an individual and community perspective of allowing specific religious messages to be considered as universal truths when taught in US public schools.
Essays are Major Scheduling Events, and thus need written medical verification for excused lateness, if due to illness.
X-TRA CREDIT
You can earn X-tra credit by turning in questions you have regarding the material on the exam and these questions will be discussed during the exam review sessions (1-2 pts/exam). These should not be questions that will be included on the exam but rather questions you have on the material itself. Questions for the review must be turned in one day before the last lecture prior to the exam, by noon. For example, if the exam is on a Tuesday, then your review questions must be placed in my mail box by noon on the previous Wednesday. Questions must be typed, but must be turned in via hard copy, and only placed in my mailbox in Rm: 1210 Biology/Psychology Bldg. Total opportunity for X-tra credit = 8 points. Also, rarely, if a question arises in class you can turn in a report addressing that question (with my permission) for approximately 5 pts.
You can also earn X-tra credit (5-10 pts) if you write a brief!! 1-2 page double space essay on what you learned by attending the Smithsonian's exhibit on human origins: http://humanorigins.si.edu/ YOU MUST PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT YOU WENT TO THE MUSEUM. ASSIGNMENT IS DUE THURSDAY DECEMBER 1ST.
Grade Assignment:
Total: 500 points
A+ 476-500
A 460-475
A- 448-459
B+ 435-447
B 410-434
B- 397-409
C+ 385-396
C 360-384
C- 347-359
D+ 310-346
D 295-309
D- 280-294
Failure < 280
I almost never curve, but reserve the right to do so. I also reserve the right to bump a student’s grade up a notch if they have shown improvement or have impressed me with their participation, etc.
Oxbridge in
After the first exam I will meet with students in groups no larger than three to read primary literature on a "as need" basis. This will be for NO extra credit, but if you want to learn more about evolution, this opportunity will serve to introduce you to more topics or the same topics but in greater depth. Come to me after class and we can arrange readings and meeting time.
There will be occasional Friday afternoon socials, 3-4 PM, to meet with me and discuss anything on your mind (a full range intellectual endeavor).
SOME IMPORTANT POINTS:
Lectures start promptly at
11:00 and continue until 12:15. You should arrive early and stay for the full
duration of the lecture. When it is necessary for you to leave early please sit
at the end of a row near a door and leave quietly. Please be considerate when
leaving.
Examinations: If you feel we have made a grading error you must submit a written request to the TA or Instructor within 24 hrs that the test is returned to you in class. In your request explain why you believe you should receive additional points. Examinations must be taken at the scheduled time. If you miss an exam you need to submit to Dr. Fenster As Soon As Possible a makeup exam request form with documentation of a valid excuse, e. g., religious holiday, illness, death in the family, etc. All medically related excuses must be documented by the campus health center and reflect a serious or extended health problem. Simply being ill the night before the test is generally not a sufficient condition. Please refer to your course catalogue or the current schedule of classes for a description of the University's policies on excused absences and makeup examinations (also known as assessments). If you will miss an exam because of an official University event you must provide appropriate documentation prior to the examination date. It is always better to be proactive and notify us if you cannot take a scheduled exam for valid reasons. We will attempt to provide exams in advance to those students who cannot attend exams because of official University events.
HELP: (The teaching assistant and) I will try to help you in any way possible. You can meet with Dr. Fenster by scheduling an appointment by emailing (cfenster@umd.edu). A good time to have questions addressed is immediately after lecture. REGULAR TERM: Dr. Fenster will also have office hours from 1-3 PM on Wednesdays in his office at 3233 in Biology/Psychology Bldg. Your discussion section TA will also have office hours, see above. If you do have questions, it is best to write them down in advance. ALSO, there will be review sessions in class, if possible during the lecture prior to the exam, and extra sessions on the Monday and Wednesday prior to this year's Thursday's exams. Room and times to be announced, but usually in the late afternoon in BP 1208.
Tips for Success: Do as many problems as possible. Concentrate your efforts on understanding the Key points/concepts that will be stressed. Study groups are a great way to efficiently learn evolution. Evolution is problem and fact oriented. There is no substitute to studying with pencil and paper and attempting to answer the questions on your own. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to ask for help!! Evolution requires much more study time than most biology courses. Memorization will only take you so far. Evolution as a course and discipline is very synthetic and quantitative. Plan to study at least 3-4 hours for every hour of lecture. Attend all lectures and ask questions in class if you have them. Scientists ask questions and so should you.
Other Essential Information:
• Academic Accommodations: If
you have a documented disability, you should contact Disability Support
Services 0126 Shoemaker Hall. Each semester students with documented
disabilities should apply to
• Religious Observances: The University System of Maryland policy
provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their
religious beliefs, students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment
that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any
intended absences for religious observances in advance. Notice should be
provided as soon as possible but no later than the end of the schedule
adjustment period. Faculty should further remind students that prior
notification is especially important in connection with final exams, since
failure to reschedule a final exam before the conclusion of the final
examination period may result in loss of credits during the semester. The
problem is especially likely to arise when final exams are scheduled on
Saturdays.
• Academic integrity: The University of
Maryland has a nationally recognized