BIOL. 484 - BIOLOGY SEMINAR
SYLLABUS 
Spring Semester, 2004 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Oral presentations by students and staff based on critical evaluation of scientific literature and/or independent research.  (1 credit).

TEXT:  McMillan, V. E.  2001.  Writing papers in the biological sciences.  Third Edition.  Bedford / St. Martin's.  Boston.

COURSE WEBSITE:
   www.mnstate.edu/weibust/seminar_companion.htm 

MEETINGS:  M&W or T&H at 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. in Room KH 101

COURSE OUTLINE:

COURSE OBJECTIVES / STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:  This course is designed to help you gain a greater understanding of the means by which biologists communicate, in writing and in speech, about experiments and observations.  This will be accomplished by reading analytically articles from the primary (journal) literature in the biological sciences, and by preparing and presenting talks based on a discriminating examination of the published results of biological investigations. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:  You will read several journal articles and give two talks during the semester.  Your initial talk will be a "mini-presentation".  A mini-presentation is a talk describing and explaining the content of a single research article from a biological journal.  Your second talk will be a "Major Presentation".  The Major Presentation is an opportunity to examine a biological topic in considerable depth.  The principle requirements of the Major Presentation are 1) a reasonably thorough search of the scientific literature on an appropriate topic, 2) the delivery of an oral presentation of the topic, and 3) the preparation of an abstract and literature cited for the presentation.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:  You are expected to attend all class meetings.  No more than two unexcused absences will be permitted.

GRADING POLICY:  The grade for seminar will be "S" (satisfactory) or "F" (unsatisfactory).  Your grade will be determined by the quality of (1) your mini- and major presentations, (2) your participation in discussions and critiques, and (3) your attendance record.  A grade of "F" may be given when a student fails to follow procedures, fails to give presentations of acceptable quality, fails to participate adequately in discussions and critiques, or fails to meet minimum standards of attendance.  You are expected to give your presentations on the assigned dates.  Failure to make a presentation on an assigned date may result in a grade of "F".  In the event of unusual circumstances (e.g. serious illness) it may be possible to reschedule a presentation or to arrange for a grade of "I" (incomplete).  However, this option is only available for special situations and must be approved by the seminar coordinator.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS:  Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-2652 (phone) or 477-2047 (TTY), CMU 222 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
 

CONTACT PERSON:  Robert Weibust - weibust@mnstate.edu

LAST UPDATE:  5/17/04

MSUM is an equal opportunity educator and employer