BSC 1020

THE BIOLOGY OF HUMANS

Fall 2014
This is an online course
So, there are no class meetings
Instructor: Dr. Johnny El-Rady
TAs: Mohsen Botlani-Esfahani, Priyanka Dutta,
Kristy Menning, Anusha Poosapati, and Jia Yuan




Textbook: Campbell's Essential
Biology with Physiology (4e) by
Eric J. Simon, Jean L. Dickey,
Jane B. Reece (Pearson, 2012).
The customized text is available
as a hard copy and an eBook.
Before proceeding with this course,
please note that you must:
1. Have access to reliable,
high-speed internet service,
and a reliable computer

2. Be able to purchase
on-line, a one-time use
access code, using a
credit or debit card
You have to take a 1-question
syllabus quiz by 2 PM on
Wednesday, August 27
th


If not, youll be dropped!
First day mandatory
attendance policy
1. Course Objectives:
Allow students to develop an
understanding of
1) Scientific inquiry.
2) Cellular structure and function.
3) Inheritance in humans.
4) The human body systems.
5) Human diseases.
6) Biotechnology.
2. Course Topics:
The course is divided into eleven units (A-K).

Unit A: Biology Today Chapter 1
Unit B: Molecules of Life Chapters 2 & 3
Unit C: Cells R Us Ch. 4 & 5
Unit D: The Sunny Side of Life
Ch. 6 & 7
Unit E: Mitosis, Meiosis, Mendel,
Oh My! Ch. 8 & 9
Unit F: You Say DNA, I Say RNA,
We All Say Proteins! Ch. 10-11
2. Course Topics:
Unit G: The Evolution Revolution
Chapters 13 & 14
Unit H: Biodiversity and Me Ch. 15-17
Unit I: I Eat, I Bleed, I Breathe, Therefore
I Am! Ch. 21-23
Unit J: The Biology of Sex
Ch. 25 & 26
Unit K: How I Interact With My
Environment Ch. 24 & 27
3. Grade Determination:
Examinations (33.33%)
Quizzes (25%)
Home works (25%)
Process of Science
activities (6.67%)
Reflection papers (10%)

3. Grade Determination:
A total of 900 points
Best 2 campus exams 300 pts
Best 9 quizzes 225 pts
Best 9 homeworks 225 pts
Best 6 POS activities 60 pts
Best 9 Reflections 90 pts
3. Grade Determination:
A
+
= 864-900 (96%+)
A = 810-863 (90%+)
A

= 792-809 (88%+)
B
+
= 756-791 (84%+)
B = 720-755 (80%+)
B

= 702-719 (78%+)
C
+
= 666-701 (74%+)
C = 630-665 (70%+)
C

= 612-629 (68%+)
D
+
= 576-611 (64%+)
D = 540-575 (60%+)
D

= 522-539 (58%+)
F 521 ( 57%)
El-Radys
+/-
system
4. Examinations:
All exams are multiple-choice
50 questions each, including 10 (T/F)
Held at USF in ISA 1051 & 1061
Exam I Sat, Sep. 27 (11-12:15)
Covers Units A-D
Exam II Sat, Oct. 25 (11-12:15)
Covers Units E-G
Exam III Sun, Dec. 7 (12:30-2)
Covers Units I-K
It is your responsibility to arrange
for another testing location

NCTA Consortium of College
Testing Centers
http://www.ncta-
testing.org/cctc/find.php

4. Examinations:
5. Quizzes:
A total of 11 quizzes/one per unit
25 questions each
Mix of MC, T/F, Fill-in-the blanks
On Canvas
40 minutes for completion
Closed-book!
Only one try per quiz
Lowest 2 grades are dropped
6. Homeworks
A total of 11 homeworks/one per unit
Each contains several open-ended
questions
Mix of internet research,
problem-solving, analysis, etc.
Submitted via Turnitin in
Canvas
Lowest 2 grades are dropped
7. Process of Science activities
A total of 9 (Two units will not contain
a PoS activity)
Open-ended questions that cover the
use and applications of the
scientific method
Submitted via Turnitin in
Canvas
Lowest 3 grades are dropped
8. Reflection Papers
A total of 11 papers/one per unit
Each paper should: 1) summarize the
material in the unit; and 2) relate it to
YOU!
2 double-spaced pages long
Submitted via Turnitin in
Canvas
Lowest 2 grades are dropped

Unit/Title

Quiz
Process of Science,
Homework, AND
Personal Reflections

A

Biology Today
Tuesday, Sep. 2
@ 8:00 PM
Tuesday, Sep. 2
@ 8:00 PM

B

Molecules of Life
Tuesday, Sep. 9
@ 8:00 PM
Tuesday, Sep. 9
@ 8:00 PM

C

Cells R Us
Wednesday, Sep. 17
@ 8:00 PM
Wednesday, Sep. 17
@ 8:00 PM

D

The Sunny Side of Life
Thursday, Sep. 25
@ 8:00 PM
Thursday, Sep. 25
@ 8:00 PM

E
Mitosis, Meiosis, Mendel,
Oh My!
Tuesday, Oct. 7
@ 8:00 PM
Tuesday, Oct. 7
@ 8:00 PM

F
You Say DNA, I Say RNA,
We All Say Proteins!
Thursday, Oct. 16
@ 8:00 PM
Thursday, Oct. 16
@ 8:00 PM

G

The Evolution Revolution
Thursday, Oct. 23
@ 8:00 PM
Thursday, Oct. 23
@ 8:00 PM

H

Biodiversity and Me
Wednesday, Nov. 5
@ 8:00 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 5
@ 8:00 PM

I
I Eat, I Bleed, I Breathe,
Therefore I Am!
Saturday, Nov. 15
@ 8:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 15
@ 8:00 PM

J

The Biology of Sex
Tuesday, Nov. 25
@ 8:00 PM
Tuesday, Nov. 25
@ 8:00 PM

K
How I Interact With My
Environment
Friday, Dec. 5
@ 8:00 PM
Friday, Dec. 5
@ 8:00 PM
Deadlines
9. Make-Up Policy :
Legitimate reason beyond your control
Notification within 24 hours
Documentation within a week
No make-ups will be allowed
beyond two weeks of a
published deadline
Make-up exam will consist of a
subjective part (definitions,
fill-in-the-blanks, etc.)
10. Office Hours:
Tue 10:30-12 and Thu 12-1:30 PM (in
BSF 212)
Or by appointment (Just email me
a few options and I will
get back with you)

Virtual Office Hours:
Also by appointment
11. I and S/U Grade Policies:
I grade
Small portion missing
Student is otherwise passing

S-U grades
In writing the first three
weeks of the semester
12. Special Accommodations:
Confidential discussion

Memorandum of
Accommodations from
the Office of Academic
Support and
Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities
(ASASD)
13. Dates to Remember:
Deadlines of all assignments!

Sat. November 1 Last day
to drop the course and
receive a grade of W
(no refund; no academic
penalty)
Up to 30 points!

1) A quiz (10 points)
Based on the syllabus information
Must be finished by Tue, Sep. 2 at 8:00 PM
14. Extra-Credit (YEAH!)
2) A portfolio (20 points)
Collection of cartoons and ads
that are related to Biology!
Due on Fri, Dec. 5 at 11:59 PM
Details will be provided later
Disclaimer
I reserve the right to change
any portion of this syllabus.

You will be notified and
held responsible for any
announced changes
BEST OF LUCK AND I
HOPE THAT AT THE END
OF THIS COURSE, YOU
WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK
BACK ON IT AS A
REWARDING AND
USEFUL PART OF YOUR
EDUCATION