1_Intro_SE

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Welcometo Biological Sciences 120L

General Biology: Organimal Biology and Evolution

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Introductions

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Staff Faculty:

Suzanne Edmands Cornelius Sullivan Karla Heidelberg

Lab Director: Gorjana Bezmalinovic

Teaching Assistants (TAs)

Administrative TA: Yukai Zhao

Supplementary Instruction (SI) Leaders: Shelby Bachman, Joshua Kling, Grace Lee & Karen Lu

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Overview of thecourse

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The Age of Biology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdr42eqJoL0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdr42eqJoL0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdr42eqJoL0

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BISC 120L (Fall): Organismal Biology & Evolution

BISC 220L (Spring): Cell Biology & Physiology

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Themes in BISC 120

Evolution Why do many antibiotics no longer work? Is modern human behavior a product of past

evolutionary history? Diversity

Are bacteria dependent on us or are we dependent onthem?

When and how did multicellular life evolve? Ecology

Fundamentals of ecology How are humans affecting our own life supportsystems?

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8

Nothing in biologymakes sense exceptin the light ofevolution

-Theodosius Dobzhansky,1973

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An advantage of

being at a researchuniversity is thatyou learn whats not

(yet) in thetextbook.

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Whats new in Evolution?1. Medicine

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Recent discovery of tiny lizardspecies sheds light on how bodysize evolves.(Glaw et al. 2012. PLoS One 7:e31314)

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Climate change caused loss in genetic diversity(Rubidge et al. 2012, Nature Climate Change 2: 285-288)

Alpine chipmunk

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Fossils suggest two new pre-human species(Leakey et al. Nature 488:201-204, Aug 9 2012)

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Why should we care about Evolution?1. Medicine

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Why should we care about Evolution?1. Medicine

Trends in Genetics,

28(4):155-163,

2012.

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Why should we care about Evolution?2. Agriculture

Low genetic variation contributed to the Irish potato famine

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Logistics

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Course Website https://blackboard.usc.edu/

Textbooks Campbell Biology, 2011, 9thed. (bundle includes

Mastering BiologyTM- optional) General Biology Laboratory Manual Fall 2012;

BISC 120 & 121 Van de Graaf & Crawley, 2009, A Photographic Atlas Pechenic, A Short Guide to Writing about Biology

Labs

Start after Labor Day Section changes must be done on OASIS by Sept 14
https://blackboard.usc.edu/https://blackboard.usc.edu/

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Clickers Buy at USC bookstore (1st floor) Register clicker for this course on Blackboard

(13004R for 9am section, 13005R for 10am section) Bring your clicker to class every day You must use your clicker to answer all questions in a

lecture to get the assigned point for that day Using someone elses clicker to assist them in gaining points is a

violation of academic integrity that, if caught, will result in a grade ofF for all students involved To find out if you are receiving clicker points correctly, log into

Blackboard and go to Tools / My Grades

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Grading (grades determined by a curve)

Midterm 1 Lecture Exam 150 pts



Lecture Quizzes (Blackboard) 24 pts

In-lecture participation (clickers) 26 pts

Final Lecture Exam (integrative) 200 pts

Lab Reports and Exams 300 pts

1000 pts

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Where to go for help

First, read through lecture syllabus, lab syllabus and FAQs onBlackboard

For remaining questions about Course administration (missed labs, exams or quizzes; help with

Blackboard etc.) contact Admin TA Yukai Zhao Lecture content: contact current instructor (Profs Edmands,Sullivan or Heidelberg), your TAor SI leaders

Lab content: contact Lab Manager Gorjana Bezmalinovic or yourTA

General concerns about study strategies, college in general,careers, grievances etc - ask any instructor

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Some unsolicited advice

Read the book before or shortly afterclass

Manage your time carefully

Get to know your TA and SI leaders

Come to office hours

Check Blackboard regularly

Attend class!

Documents

1_Intro_SE