• What are your exams like?

Our exams usually have anywhere from 12-20 questions. (Several true-false questions would count as one question.) Most are problems or short-answer questions where you can get partial credit. Typically 30% or so of the points come from objective questions (multiple choice, true-false or matching). Short-answer questions and problems are often multi-part questions, and I try to set it up so that if you don't know the answer to one part, you can still get the rest. I usually don't include long essay questions. The exam will require you to apply your knowledge: extend what you've learned to new situations, draw conclusions from data, bring together different ideas, etc.

• Are you going to curve our test scores?

No. Adjustments to the grading scale will be made only at the end of the term, after final point totals have been calculated.

• Your final exam is comprehensive. What does that mean?

You are expected to learn and remember all of the course material (if you don't, what good was it to take the course?). Therefore, the final exam covers the whole course. Usually, 70-75% of the exam covers the last section of the course, while 25-30% asks specifically about earlier material. However, later material usually depends on earlier material, anyway!

• Can there be questions about the lab on the lecture exams?

Of course!

• Are there old exams we can look at?

The course Web site includes links to problems that come from old exams. Exams from the previous term will also be available.

• Do we need to know (topic x)? Will (topic y) be on the exam?

We don't put anything in the course that we don't think is important for you to know. Obviously, the exam can't test everything, but telling you what is and isn't covered in advance wouldn't be much of a test, would it?

• Can I get extra credit to make up for my exam score?

No. We wouldn't be grading fairly if your grade didn't depend on how well you actually learned the course material! What you can do is to show us that your exam grade didn't really represent your abilities by doing well on the next exam. Please, don't be shy about asking for help! Remember, too, that good lab performance will raise your overall grade.

• Can I get extra credit for attending seminar?

Yes! This is the one area where you may obtain a small amount of extra credit. One educational opportunity that you have is to attend the joint Biology/Chemistry seminar every Monday from 4:00-5:00 in Room 204. If you attend seminar at least twice this term, you will receive ten bonus points at the end of the term.

• What's the grading scale?

The cutoff line for an "A" will never be higher than 85%, the line for a "B" will never be higher than 75%, the line for a "C" will never be higher than 65%, and the line for a "D" will never be higher than 60%. It's possible for the final lines to be a point or two lower than this (see next answer), but they will not be higher.

• Will there be a curve?

Possibly. Every class is different, so at the end of the term, we may need to make small adjustments in order to grade fairly. For example, we try to set the lines so that you won't get a "B" if your average is 89.9%. Sometimes, the scale shifts by a couple of points (but rarely--if ever--more than that). All adjustments are made based on final scores at the end of the term only.

• Do you take anything else into account in determining grades?

Sure. We always look at each individual's grade and see whether I think it's really what he or she earned. Once in a while, there's a good reason to make a change--like the student who failed the first exam but then really caught fire and aced the next two. She deserved, and got, an "A" despite an average in the mid 80s.

• What is your course policy on cheating and plagiarism?

In this class, the minimum penalty for any form of cheating or plagiarism (see next answer) will be a zero on the exam or assignment. (Note that if it's an exam or major assignment, a zero can result in your failing the course.) Your conduct will also be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs, who may choose to impose additional penalties, up to and including permanent dismissal from the College.

• What do you consider to be cheating or plagiarism?

The Biology Student Handbook has a whole section on this, with examples. Briefly, academic dishonesty includes: (i) Getting or giving inappropriate advance information about the content of the exam; (ii) bringing inappropriate materials, written or electronic, to an exam; (iii) attempting to get information from other students (with or without their knowledge) during the exam, or allowing someone to gain such information from you; (iv) "fudging" lab data or passing off someone else's data as your own; (v) turning in written work identical or nearly identical to another student's (regardless of whether you copied or collaborated); or (vi) using anyone else's ideas, published or not, in your written assignments without proper credit. If you have any questions about what is appropriate, please check the Biology Student Handbook carefully and/or talk to us about it.

• Why do you take cheating and plagiarism so seriously?

The scientific community takes scientific integrity very seriously. Scientific fraud can affect the work of many other scientists and can even affect the lives of patients! The consequences of academic dishonesty may not be as drastic, but academic integrity is a part of learning scientific integrity. If you get a grade that you didn't earn, then for the rest of your life, your professional credentials will be based on a lie, and the professional reputation of North Central College will be compromised.

• What if I know someone else is cheating? I don't like the idea of ratting on my friends...

Think of it this way: if someone manages to get a better grade by cheating, it not only cheapens his or her own degree but also yours. A North Central graduate who is unreliable, dishonest or poorly educated tarnishes the reputation of every North Central graduate. If you know or suspect that someone is cheating, please tell us or another faculty member or administrator you are comfortable with. He or she will handle it confidentially.

• Is attendance required?

No. But you're on your own to catch up on whatever material you miss, and if you miss a quiz or other assignment, you can't make it up. Also, there are no make-up labs except under very unusual circumstances. Be warned: students who do well are almost always those who are in class every day!

• What if I'm sick or there's an emergency and I have to miss a class or lab?

Arrangements can be made if you have a serious illness or other genuine emergency, or an unavoidable conflict with an official College activity. In these cases, you must talk to one of us by phone or in person in advance. Doctor's appointments, family vacations, weddings, oversleeping, car trouble, weather conditions, etc. are not genuine emergencies.

• Is it a problem if I come to class late?

We're not going to give you a tardy slip! But try to avoid it: walking in after class has started is rude to both your instructor and your classmates. And, important announcements are usually made at the beginning of class.

• Any guidelines about behavior in class?

As college professors, we don't expect to ever have to deal with in-class discipline issues. Unlike high school, if you don't want to be there, you don't have to be! Obviously, we expect you to use good manners in class and treat us and one another with respect. Cell phones are a pet peeve: there is no reason we should ever hear a cell phone in class (or in any public location, really), and you also should not be using one in class even for non-noisy activities such as text messaging or checking missed calls. Also, some students don't seem to realize it's rude to get up in the middle of class for a bathroom break, drink, etc.

• My printer didn't print! The network is down! My computer crashed! I lost my flash drive! What should I do?

Computer problems are not acceptable excuses for turning in assignments late. You should be aware that they happen and plan accordingly. Have multiple backups of important files. Print your paper well before the deadline (you need time for final proofreading, right?). Hit the "Save" key often as you're working.

• My car wouldn't start! I'm stuck in a huge traffic jam! I'm snowed in! What should I do?

Being a commuter has its own special set of frustrations! If you're dependent on your car to get to school, make sure you have a backup plan for emergencies (a friend nearby, public transportation, taxi, whatever). It's always a good idea to leave early so that you have a safety margin, especially when bad weather is a possibility.

• Why is there lab work that we have to do outside of scheduled lab times?

We try to put most of the lab work--especially techniques where you're likely to need help--into the scheduled lab days and times. However, it's impossible to make everything fit those times. Those colonies on your agar plate will be dried out and overgrown next week, so you really need to count them tomorrow. Plus, doing only a few minutes' work in between labs can often save a lot of waiting time in lab. In the real world, scientists find themselves coming in at odd hours to take care of live organisms, progress an experiment along or do the next step at the critical time, so think of this as learning to work like a real scientist.

• Can I turn in my BioSynthesis assignment late?

No. The point of the BioSynthesis assignments is to encourage you to come to class well-prepared. So turning it in after class doesn't really fit the goal. Thus, you cannot use the "get-out-of-jail free" pass for BioSynthesis assignments. But you can always email to your instructors before class begins!

• Not everything in the textbook is covered in lecture; how do I know what to study?

Think of your textbook as a resource to help you learn the material that is covered in lecture. Usually, we try to make the reading assignments fairly specific, but you would not be tested on something from the book that is not covered at all in class unless we told you about it specifically.

• Should I read the text assignment before class or after?

You need to study in a way that works for you. However, we strongly encourage you to prepare yourself effectively for each class session. If you have at least a basic familiarity with the material before class, you will be better able to ask questions in class that will help you truly understand. The BioSynthesis assignments are intended to help you prepare.

• What's your best study tip for this course?

Study every day: don't wait until right before the exam. If you already know the material from the previous lecture, the next one will make a lot more sense, and you won't have to work as hard to learn a lot of material right before the exam. Also, be sure you're studying actively: work problems, draw pictures, make study guides, work in groups, etc. Just reading your text or your notes is usually a very ineffective way to study.

• How much time should I be spending on this class?

North Central's official expectation is that a typical student should spend about 3 hours outside class for every hour in class. Since a MWF class actually meets for four hours a week, not three, a typical student would spend about 12 hours a week preparing for class and studying. This does not include lab time, lab preparation or lab reports, so be prepared to spend more time than than on a lab course. And, you may not be the "typical" student: if the course is a hard one for you, you may need to devote much more time in order to truly master the material.

• Why does it seem like this course covers so much so fast?

Don't forget that North Central's calendar allows you to get a semester of credit in only 10 weeks. Your friends at semester schools have only three hours of lecture per week; you have four. Plus, you have four fewer weeks of lab than they do. So there's not much time and always a lot to learn.

• Why do we have to learn so many terms?

Each discipline of biology has a �language� of its own that is needed in order to think, speak and write with accuracy and precision. If you take the time to become comfortable with the language, you�re understanding of the course will increase dramatically.

• I'm struggling! Where can I get help?

Don't forget that one reason you're paying that small-college tuition is so that you can come get help directly from your professors! Our doors are almost always open, and you can and should come by to ask questions. Other resources include: your textbook (including CD-ROM and Web supplements), the course Web site (outlines, problems, links and information), the Biology Workshop session, your lab assistant, and study groups (highly recommended!).

• What if I can't come in during your office hours?

No problem. You can drop by any time our office doors are open, which is practically all the time. If you don't want to take a chance, just call or e-mail to arrange a specific time to meet.