Cell 211 Fall 2004 Syllabus
Cell 211 General Biology Laboratory
Fall 2004

Important announcement regarding Hurricane Ivan changes in lab schedule.

Be sure to look at the revised Schedule and revised Grading Scale below.

Labs will begin the week of August 30. Be sure to read the laboratory manual before coming to class and be prepared to complete the first laboratory's exercises and take the first mini-practical. All labs meet in 3011 Stern Hall.

Information about the course

Course Description, Goals, and Objectives

This course is designed for science majors and/or premedical students who already have completed the lecture course in General Biology (CELL 101) or have equivalent AP credit for CELL 101. Completion of General Chemistry (CHEM 107 & 108) also is recommended. This introductory course is composed of laboratory exercises that demonstrate fundamental concepts in cell and molecular biology. Upon successful completion of Cell 211, students should have an understanding of basic biological techniques and concepts (see Schedule of Labs below).
This course plus its CELL 101 prerequisite satisfies part of the premedical biology requirement. Students are encouraged to talk to the pre-professional advisors for a complete listing of requirements.

Textbook : Customized Biology Lab Manual, 8th ed., by Sylvia S. Mader & Beth Wee, WCB/ McGraw Hill

Grades : The grades for Cell 211 Labs are determined as follows :
Revised Grading Scale Following Hurricane Ivan :
Seven quizzes @ 10 points, drop lowest grade6 x 10 = 60
Nine Mini-practicals @ 4 points9 x 4 = 36
Midterm Laboratory Practical @ 52 points
Final Laboratory Practical @ 52 points
= 52
= 52
200 total points
Tulane Honor Code

Students are expected to adhere to the principles of the Tulane Honor Code. Any violations of this code will not be tolerated. If a student is unsure of how a particular assignment if affected by the honor code, it is his or her responsibility to consult the instructor. Copies of the Tulane Honor Code should be obtained from the Newcomb or Tulane Dean's Offices. Also see some examples of Plagiarism and Inappropriate Citations.

Quizzes, Mini-practicals, Laboratory Practical Exams

Each quiz is worth 10 points and will be based on the material covered in the previous lab. Questions will be short answer/essay.
A 4 point mini-practical will be given at the end of each lab, covering material done in that lab. Students should complete the laboratory exercises and understand their results BEFORE they take that day's mini-practical.
Each lab exam will be worth 45 points and will be similar to the weekly mini-practicals. The midterm exam will be based on the first five labs. The final lab exam will be based on the last five labs.

Absences and Missed Laboratories

Because these labs require a great deal of preparation, it is impossible to run labs other than the week for which they are planned. Therefore, students should not miss any labs ! If the student cannot attend the regularly scheduled lab period, the student must contact the course coordinator, Dr. Beth Wee. If a lab is missed and the student has no valid excuse (as determined by Dr. Wee and/or the student's dean), then the student will not be able to make up the lab or the quiz/mini-practical, although the student will be tested on the material on the lab practical. Students who miss labs due to athletic events must provide a written excuse from their coaches prior to the lab they intend to miss. Check with Dr. Wee first, because not all athletic events are excused absences.
Students must attend the lab section for which they are registered. No credit will be received for work done in another section, nor will students be allowed to enroll in the "wrong" section if they stay there long enough ! If the student is enrolled in a section but does not attend (i.e., take quizzes, do the exercises), the student will fail the course. Any questions concerning scheduling of labs or any problems that can not be resolved with the lab instructor should be directed to the Laboratory Supervisor (bwee@tulane.edu; 3004 Stern Hall; ph 314-7548).
Although the quizzes and lab instructions are given in the beginning of the class, students are expected to remain in the laboratory until the lab exercises are completed. A four point "mini-lab practical" will be given at the end of each lab period, covering material from that lab. If a student leaves the lab before the exercises are completed, he/she will not be able to make up the lab or the mini-practical. The third absence will result in an "excessive absence" report to the student's dean. A student may attend another lab section to make up missed lab material only with a valid excuse and with prior approval from both instructors (the student's regular instructor and the instructor of the lab section to be visited) and the Laboratory Supervisor.

Extra Credit

An extra credit assignment will be described later in the semester. TAs will provide the details.
Students must work on the extra credit assignment on their own and by using their own ideas.
See the Tulane Honor Code for more information about plagiarism.

Suggestions for doing well in the course

(1) Keep up with the material - it cannot be learned by "cramming" a week before the exam.
(2) Read and think about each lab exercise before coming to class.
(3) Ask questions about any material that is not clear.
(4) Outline the labs right after they are finished - this helps the student learn the basic concepts
(5) Answer the questions throughout and at the end of the lab exercises.
(6) Read the textbook used in lecture to reinforce the lab material.
(7) Take advantage of the extra credit assignment.


Schedule of Labs, Quizzes, & Lab Practicals

Week ofLab TitleMini/ Q#Lab in Mader/Wee
Aug. 30introduction to course
microscopy, measurement
experimental techniques
M1vi, vii, ix, Appendix B
MT-1, MT-2 handout
2
Sept. 6LABOR DAYNO LABSdo community service !
Sept. 9
Last Day to Register/ Add
Sept. 13, 20Hurricane Ivan
chemical composition of cells
M2/Q13
Sept. 27enzymesM3/ Q25
Sept. 27
Last Day to Drop without Record
Oct. 4cell structure & functionM4/Q34
mammalian anatomy 26, 27, handout
Oct. 11finish anatomy, reviewM5/ Q426, 27, handout
Oct. 18MIDTERM LABORATORY PRACTICAL(covers first five labs)
October 25
Last day to Drop Lab Course
Oct. 25 photosynthesis
respiration
M66, 7
Nov. 1Mendelian & human geneticsM7/Q59, 10
Nov. 2
Election DayDon't forget to vote !
Nov. 8molecular biology I M8/Q611, PT-1
Nov. 15molecular biology II M9/Q711
Nov. 22THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYNO LABS
Nov. 29FINAL LABORATORY PRACTICAL(covers everything since midterm exam, plus techniques)

*CustomizedBiology Laboratory Manual by Sylvia S. Mader & Beth Wee, 8th ed., WCB/ McGraw Hill Publ.

Some interesting web sites for Cell 211 students :

Yahoo : Biology

Cells Alive (See cells move and learn about them !)

Genetics Education Center

the journal Science

A Genetics Glossary

Dictionary of Cell Biology

Environmental Estrogens

Dept. of Cell & Molecular Biology (CMB) homepage

Tulane's homepage

Background textures courtesy of WebGround

This page was last updated on Fri. Sept. 24, 2004 by Dr. Beth Wee