Biology 102 Laboratory Policies. Spring 2008. Univ. of Conn.

Laboratory Policies in Biology 102

Lab Meeting Times and TA Contact Information

Attendance: Because lab seating space is limited by the University Fire Code, you must attend your regularly scheduled lab section. If you have legitimate documentation for an absence you can recieve a makeup assignment with your TA's permission Permission form to makeup a missed lab. If you have missed a lab, you have no more than one week to petition your TA for a makeup assignment. After one week, you will receive a zero for the missed assignment (howmework and quiz). All makeup assignments must be returned to YOUR TA within one week. If you miss lab one week, you are still responsible for the quiz you would have taken at the beginning of the lab you missed.

If you wish to change lab sections, you must do so through the PeopleSoft Add/Drop system; your instructor and TAs have no control over the availability of seats in lab. If you need to find a different section to enroll in, check the peoplesoft computer system frequently to see if a space opens up.

The laboratory portion of this course counts for 30% of your final Bio 102 course grade.Your grade in lab will be based on criteria described below. However, because of the significance of the laboratory experience to the General Education Requirements, you should be aware that you cannot pass this course without passing the laboratory portion. You cannot miss more than 3 labs, excused or not, or you will fail Bio 102. You must earn at least 60% of the points in lab in order to pass. Your TAs will determine when the laboratory exercises are finished. You are expected to complete the entire assigned exercise. If you leave the lab before your TA determines that you are finished (checks your lab notebook), you will be counted as absent for that day.

Grading:
Lab grades will be posted to your HuskyCT accounts on a weekly basis. You have one week to contest any grading discrepancies with your TA. After that time, all grades stand, and will not be changed.

The total of all lab assignments is worth 286 points. Your goal is to get as many of those 286 points as possible. The criteria for determining laboratory grades is as follows:

Quizzes
(Every week)

Homework or
Lab Essay
(one or the other each week)

Lab Notes Check
(completed before leaving lab each week)
Weekly Lab Total

Lab Total
(Semester)

10 points

10 points

2 points

22 points

286 points

Item % Criteria
Quizzes
42%
A 10-point quiz covering the material from the previous week's lab will be given at the beginning of every lab period except the first. These quizzes also include one or two questions about the lab you will be doing that day. Be sure to read ahead before coming to lab. You cannot take a quiz if you are more than 5 minutes late for class.

Homework Assignment

or

Essay Assignment

42%

Every lab period will have either a 10-point homework assignment associated with it or a 10-point essay assignment for which you will type a 300-350 word essay. Both types of assignments are due at the beginning of the next lab. Please see the Lab Essay Guidelines for complete instructions. Essay Guidelines must be followed exactly to receive credit. You must complete all homework assignments and essays on your own, in your own words, and include citations for references you used. Homework assignments must be turned in at the beginning of lab period to YOUR TA and cannot be left in a mailbox or given to another TA. If assignments are turned in late, there is a grade penalty of 10% off per day late (excluding Saturday and Sunday). A late assignment must be given to YOUR Biology 102 laboratory TA to be accepted. No assignments will be accepted more than one week after their due date.
Note: HW and essay assignments will be posted to the course webpage for you to print.

Notes Check

16%

Every lab will have a 2-point Lab Notes Check (your TA will check your lab manual to make sure you have completed all of the lab exercises for that lab (graphs, tables, drawings, etc.)

Total 100%

In the event of an emergency closing and canceled lab, see the course webpage within 24 hours for instructions regarding lab makeup activities. Failure to do this could result in a zero grade for that lab.

Item	%	Criteria
Quizzes	42%	A 10-point quiz covering the material from the previous week's lab will be given at the beginning of every lab period except the first. These quizzes also include one or two questions about the lab you will be doing that day. Be sure to read ahead before coming to lab. You cannot take a quiz if you are more than 5 minutes late for class.
Homework Assignment or Essay Assignment	42%	Every lab period will have either a 10-point homework assignment associated with it or a 10-point essay assignment for which you will type a 300-350 word essay. Both types of assignments are due at the beginning of the next lab. Please see the Lab Essay Guidelines for complete instructions. Essay Guidelines must be followed exactly to receive credit. You must complete all homework assignments and essays on your own, in your own words, and include citations for references you used. Homework assignments must be turned in at the beginning of lab period to YOUR TA and cannot be left in a mailbox or given to another TA. If assignments are turned in late, there is a grade penalty of 10% off per day late (excluding Saturday and Sunday). A late assignment must be given to YOUR Biology 102 laboratory TA to be accepted. No assignments will be accepted more than one week after their due date. Note: HW and essay assignments will be posted to the course webpage for you to print.
Notes Check	16%	Every lab will have a 2-point Lab Notes Check (your TA will check your lab manual to make sure you have completed all of the lab exercises for that lab (graphs, tables, drawings, etc.)
Total	100%