Biology 401                                                       Cell Biology

Instructor: Donald F. Slish                                      Office: 304B Beaumont Hall
Phone: (518) 564-5160                                   Cell Bio Lab: 304 Beaumont Hall

Email Address: donald.slish@plattsburgh.edu

 

TEXT: The World of the Cell (6th edition) Becker, Kleinsmith, & Hardin


Office Hours: Mon., & Wed. 2-3 P.M., Wed. 9-10 A.M., Friday. 10-11 A.M., or by appointment

 

Syllabus:  General Introduction: (Chapters 1-3) Chemistry, Macromolecules, and Cells (self-study review)

Chapter 4     Cells and Organelles

Chapter 15   Cytoskeletal Systems

Chapter 16   Cellular Movement

 

                                  Study Guide 1,    Exam 1  (Feb. 19th)

        

  Chapter 14  Signal Transduction Mechanisms II: Messengers and Receptors

 

                                  Study Guide 2,  Exam 2  (March 13th)

 

 

Chapter 7    Membranes

Chapter 8    Transport Across Membranes

Chapter 13    Signal Transduction Mechanisms: I. Electrical Signals

 

 

                                   Study Guide 3,  Exam 3  (April 15th)

 

Chapter 19   The Cell Cycle and Mitosis

Chapter 24    Cancer Cells

 

                               Study Guide 4,   Final Exam

 

 

This schedule is may change. We may not cover all of this material or we may cover more, depending on how the semester goes. Also, the timing of the exams may change in order to keep them spread out evenly over the semester.

 

Grading:                                

 

The final grade will be based on the three exams during the semester, the final exam, a research paper, and the lab grade.                             

                                                                                 

          100 pts.          Exam #1                              

          100 pts.          Exam #2                       

          100 pts.          Exam #3                      

          200 pts.          Final Exam (1/2 new material, 1/2 cumulative)               

          100 pts.          Quizzes                      

          200 pts.          Lab grade                       

          ________                                                      

          800 pts. / 8.0  =   Final grade  

 

Grading Scale:

A              > 93

A -               90 - 92

B +              87 - 89

B                 83 - 86

B -               80 - 82

C +              77 - 79

C                 73 - 76

C -               70 - 72

D +              66 - 69

D                 62 - 65

E                      < 62

 

 

Attendance:

 

Attendance in the class is advised. Tests will be based the on material presented in class and may differ from the way it is presented in the book. Absence from an exam for sickness will be excused when documented by infirmary staff or physician. Absence from an exam because of death in the immediate family will be excused when documented by the Office of Student Affairs.  Do not schedule yourself to be out of town the Thursday before spring break. There is a test scheduled for this day and you will not be excused. If an exam is missed, notify me, preferably before, but within 5 days after the exam date. Students without a test grade after this period will receive zero for that test.

 

Withdrawal Policy:

 

The withdrawal policy in this class will be the University's policy, i.e., withdrawal from a class is permitted until the last day of course selection for the fall semester. Withdrawal after this time will only be allowed for grave illness or other serious difficulty. Withdrawal after this point will not be given due to poor grades. If you have failed the first two tests, seriously consider whether or not you can pass the course with a reasonable grade. There's no penalty for dropping before fall registration is over. 

 

Writing Standards for Department of Biological Sciences

 

Included with this syllabus are the writing standards for the Department of Biological Sciences.  The goal of the department is to produce graduates who both understand the important concepts in biology and are able to communicate their knowledge effectively.  To increase awareness of writing skills, written answers on tests as well as written reports will be graded for spelling, grammar, syntax, organization, and other standards of good writing.  

 

Plagiarism

 

Plagiarism has been a major problem in the past.  In response to this problem I have decided to award a 0 to any assignment that I can prove has been plagiarized.  There will be no discussion or exceptions to this rule.

 

If you have questions please send me a message at my Email address