BSC 4931 section 303 Fridays 11:15-12:15 BIOL PRO-SEMINAR II (1HR) SYLLABUS

SPRING 2019 Location: Jones Hall: Room 306

Course description: The BSC4931 professional seminar course is a course where students are given an opportunity to create and present a professional slide presentation to their colleagues. This section of the course is also a part of the write on FAMU QEP and writing across the curriculum (WAC) initiatives. As such, students will have many opportunities to write about what they are learning concerning professional presentations and will learn and incorporate WAC best practices during the engagement of those exercises. Each student oral presentation is created based on reading a scientific journal article and analyzing the data presented in the article. The data in the tables and figures in the journal article are then extracted from the paper and placed into the students slide presentation so that the student can present and explain their significance to peers. To prepare for that oral presentation activity the course is divided into a training phase and a presentation phase. In the training phase students learn about the proper use of biomedical databases so that they can use them to find and select articles of interest for presenting. Also in the training phase they learn about the structural organization of each of the sections found in a typical journal article and about the use of reviews to aid in reading and understanding high-level topic specific papers. Lastly the student will learn about the different software types available to create a professional presentation. In the presenting phase, different student groups of two present weekly. They orally present the data recorded in their selected journal article, and additionally analyze its significance and critically evaluate the published data, methods and the authors drawn conclusions. After a group presents all students will individually give a critical evaluation in writing of the presentation they just observed using writing best practices taught during the course The course is intended to provide experience in writing and in public speaking and is also designed to train students to do so in a professional manner. Big Picture Course Goals Learning Objectives Measureable Learning

Outcomes

Increase students understanding of the process of scientific research

1) Students will regularly reflect on the correct sequence of the scientific process. 2) Students will regularly read scientific journal articles that demonstrate the scientific process. 3) Students will listen to oral presentations that cover published scientific studies that reflect the scientific process

Students will be able to list the 5 steps of the scientific method. Students will be able to recognize errors in the scientific process presented in written or oral works. Students will be able to construct an example that illustrates the scientific process using a common everyday observation of a problem.

Increase students ability to present and describe scientific research in written and spoken formats.

1) Students will regularly read scientific journal articles and orally present the data presented in the article. 2) Students will regularly read scientific journal articles and write 2 page synopses of what the article discussed and its significance to the scientific and world community.

Students will be able to analyze a written scientific study and correctly explain in written or oral format the purpose of the study. Students will be able to appraise a orally presented scientific study and correctly point out in written format and oral format what were the errors in the execution of the research and /or the presentation that they observed,

Provide opportunities for students to improve critical evaluation skills based on observation of scientific data.

1) Students will regularly submit written critiques of oral presentations and of written documents presented by their peers and by members of the scientific community of researchers.

Students will be able to effectively use observed evidence to successfully analyze and judge the value/significance of a scientific study. Students will be able to correctly use a rubric to rate a scientific presentation. Students will be able to precisely differentiate the good and bad points of a research study.

Enable students to conduct scientific literature searches using appropriate databases

1) Students will regularly conduct research based literature searches on biomedical topics using databases such as pubmed, ovid and medline

Students will use technology effectively to conduct topic searches of major biomedical databases. Students will demonstrate how to use topic filters to limit topic search results to a defined set of parameters.

Textbook : No textbook is required for purchase. However, recommended for reference purposes is the following publication: Day R. 1983. How to write and Publish a Scientific Paper. 2nd edition Philadlphia, ISI Press. Instructor : MICHAEL ANTHONY THORNTON Ph.D. 511 Jones Hall 850- 412-5059 thornthor@gmail.com Office hours : MW 11am-12:30, Tues 10-11:15 Jones Hall 511

Grading : Your overall grade will be determined by the following activities: ACTIVITY POINTS LETTER GRADE Literature Search (sum A-E below) 750 = 180+300+

100+70+100

A. Conducting a Literature Search -informal writing topics (Weeks 1-6)

180 see below- sum of 6 assignments (6*30)

1. Writing Pre-assessment (week 1) *Lecture Rhetorical writing -Before taking BSC4931____ and After taking BSC4931____-course preconceptions. (100 words) (*WEC requirement: allocate class time for discussing strategies to improve student writing)

30

2. One Minute Paper- Finding a Topic (week 2) Audience-Naïve. Essay Topic- Ovid Medline Usage-Think Share Pair Essay: Using the OVID Database (*peer review-revision) (100 words) (*WEC requirement: Have students giving and receiving peer feedback at least once during the semester)

30

3. Journal article organization. (week 3) *Lecture on metacognitive writing - Muddiest point essay concerning proper abstract construction-Reflective. (*peer review-revision)-what I think I know about abstract organization-what I really know about abstract organization) (100 words). (*WEC requirement: allocate class time for discussing strategies to improve student writing)

30

4.Journal article organization (week 4). Results section purpose and organization. *Analytical writing assignment. Template: On the one hand________________ On the other hand______________. (100 words) (*WEC requirement: Include writing assignments that engage students in intellectual activities central to the course objectives)

30

5. Presentation software (week 5) Short essay: Audience: Puzzled audience with skeptical tendencies-Email essay-Best approaches to presenting journal article figures in the clearest fashion. (100 words)

30

6. Presentation Software (week 6) Short essay: Audience: Resistant Audience : Rhetorical writing Before and After-Essay-Topic- Keynote versus PowerPoint (100 words) (*peer review-revision)

30 *Word Sum 1-6:

600 *WEC Requirement 5000 words….

B. Formal Writing- *Summary and Analysis paper and Critical Evaluation paper, Synthesis paper (Weeks 13-16) (Out of Class-Activity) Safe Assign turn in. Grammerly pre-assess (*WEC requirement: Have at least two graded writing assignments) 1.Written Science Review Synopsis (1000 words) (peer review, faculty feedback, revision) (*WEC requirement: Have at least two graded writing assignments)

300

2.Written Journal Article Critique (1000 words) (peer review only possible revision)

3.Written Journal Article- Synthesis Essay Redesign the Experiment (1000 words) (peer review only possible revision) (*WEC requirement: Have at least two graded writing assignments)

*Word Sum 1-3 3000 words *WEC Requirement 5000 words

C. Seminar Topic (see below for point criteria) 100

D. Outline (see below for point criteria) 70 (200 words-D) A=1700-2000

E. Rough Draft (see below for point criteria) 100 B=1400-1699 Student Seminar Critique (sum A-C below) -informal writing opportunities

150 C=1100-1399

A. Starting week 7-16 -write a 125-word presentation critique each week after each presenters talk. Complete presentation rubric (*WEC requirement: Include writing assignments that engage students in intellectual activities central to the course objectives)

*Word Sum A-C 1250 words *WEC Requirement 5000 words

50

D=800-1099

B. Week 7-write a presentation critique get it reviewed by faculty for feedback then revise it. (*WEC requirement: Require students to make substantial revision(s) of at least one graded, out-of-class writing assignment;

50

F= below 799

C. Week 9-write a presentation critique get it reviewed by faculty for feedback then revise it. 50

Instructor Seminar Rubric Critique (sum of A-E below) Each student’s presentation will be scored by the instructing faculty for the following.

800

A. Appearance/Dress 150 B. Preparedness 150 C . Scientific Content 200 D. Answers to questions 150 E . Quality 150 Other Assessed Areas-sum a-b 300 A. Attendance 200

B. Class Activity Homeworks-other than writing 100

Total 2000 630 writing or 32%

Course schedule for Spring 2019 * WEC Requirement 9- 20-40% of Grade

Course schedule for Spring 2019 January *Informal writing assignments 1-6. Listed Below Assignments 1-6 collectively below meet the following WEC requirements (*WEC requirement-provide opportunities for students to practice general writing mechanics (*WEC requirement write draft revise and peer evaluate) (*WEC requirement- Have at least two graded writing assignments) (*WEC requirement- Require students to attend relevant co-curricular activities as assigned) (*WEC requirement: allocate class time for discussing strategies to improve student Week 1-January 11 (F) – Introduction. The major biomedical science-related research databases. (Medline, Pubmed, Google Scholar)- 1st phase-using FAMU and FSU Ovid-Medline database resources to find a presentation topic, journal article and/or reviews on a specific scientific topic. Also Medline topic filters. *Lecture Training on Writing Rhetorically in Science. Biomedical Journal Articles as a Genre. (*WEC requirement: allocate class time for discussing strategies to improve student writing) Informal Writing Assignment 1. Writing pre-assessment. In a short 100 word essay discuss the following….Before taking BSC4931 I only knew ________ about presenting at a professional science conference but after taking BSC4931 I had also newly learned about _________ (course learning preconceptions) (100 words) site (see full description with prompts on blackboard in assignments folder) Week 2 18 (F) – Continued background prep on how to conduct a literature search (finding a topic, finding related papers and reviews). 2nd phase-using using FAMU and FSU Pubmed database and Google Scholar resources to find a presentation topic, journal article and/or reviews on specific scientific topics. Also Pubmed topic filters. Informal writing assignment 2: Think Share Pair-- In a short 100 word essay train a novice on how to use the OVID Medline database. In the essay describe how to search the topic and what filters are available on the database search site (see full description on blackboard in assignments folder) Audience = naïve. Once you have completed the essay share it with another student and get their opinion. Afterwards you and your student partner will collaborate to rewrite the essay. (peer review and co-revision) co-curricular After class today go to the Coleman library room 410a at 5 pm. Dr. Pamela Monroe will be holding a class on research instruction. While at the class take notes, then complete the survey found in the assignments folder titled “Library Co-curricular”

Week 3 25 (F) - 3rd phase- Research article organization dissecting and analyzing your paper of choice. Abstract purpose and organization, Introduction purpose and organization, and Materials and Methods purpose and organization. Informal writing assignment 3. *Lecture-Metacognition-muddiest point In a short 100 word reflect upon what you are most unclear about when it comes to how an abstract’s structural organization differs from the structural organization of a journal article’s introduction section. (see full description on blackboard in assignments folder). Show your essay to a peer and ask for their feedback to see if they think you know what you are talking about. (peer monitoring) Theme: what I think I know about abstract organization-what I really know about abstract organization) (*WEC requirement: allocate class time for discussing strategies to improve student writing) Week 4 February 1 (F) - 4th phase- Research article organization, dissecting and analyzing your paper of choice. Results section purpose and organization and Discussion/Conclusion section organization Informal writing assignment 4: Analytical writing assignment. Template: On the one hand ________________ On the other hand______________. (100 words). In a short 100 word essay analyze the following journal article results section paragraph in terms of how it properly presents the data in the results or improperly presents the data in the results. Use the following format: On the one hand the results properly demonstrates________________ On the other hand it improperly ______________. (see full description with prompts on blackboard in assignments folder) Week 5 8 (F) – Software use: PowerPoint, its basic features. Getting a results figure from a journal paper into a PowerPoint for presentation—Scanning software, downloading, and inserting and cropping functions. *Informal writing assignment 5: In a short 100 word email essay describe the best approach to present a journal article figure in the clearest possible way to conference peers. In your essay explain why it’s the better approach. Your goal is to try to sway your skeptical colleagues in a written email essay to utilize the better approach over a less preferred one. Your audience is puzzled with skeptical tendencies. (see full description with prompts on blackboard in assignments folder) (*WEC requirement: Include writing assignments that engage students in intellectual activities central to the course objectives;) Week 6 15 (F) Software use continued: Keynote, its basic features. Using animations to enhance your presentation.

Informal writing assignment 6: presenting to a resistant audience and rhetorical writing-Before and After. In a short 100 word 1 minute paper present your position on using Apple’s Keynote® app as an effective professional seminar tool. Your audience will be PC users state what your audience will feel about keynote before your argument and how they will feel after your argument. (see full description on blackboard in assignments folder). Once you have completed the assignment give it to a peer and have them check your spelling and grammar and have them rate you 1-10 for making your case for Keynote. (peer monitoring) Week 7 Informal writing assignments 7-16. Starting weeks 7-16 all students will write a short 125-word “presentation critique” and complete a numeric rating presentation rubric each week after each presenter’s talk. In each student’s written critique they should provide examples from the presentation that support their evaluation concerns for both positive and negative points. Example: In the presenters talk he argued _________ and I agree with that point because______________. However the authors point about ________ was not supported by any data in the article that the presenter had shown and so I feel that ________________ . 22 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 1,2 seminar critiques due Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the presentation rubric. When you have completed the critique and rubric turn them both in to your instructor. This week the instructor will send you written feedback about your 50-100 word presentation critique via email. Take note of the feedback and revise your presentation critique accordingly. After revising upload the modified version on blackboard using the safe assign link in the assignments folder titled “week 7 presentation critique” *Require students to make substantial revision(s) of at least one graded, out-of-class writing assignment; Week 8 March 01 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 3,4 seminar critiques due. Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the numeric presentation rubric Week 9 9 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 5,6 seminar critiques due.

*Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the numeric presentation rubric. When you have completed the critique and rubric turn them both into your instructor. This week the instructor will send you written feedback about your 50-100 word presentation critique via email. Take note of the feedback and revise your presentation critique. After revision upload the modified revised version on blackboard using the link in the assignments folder titled “week 9 presentation critique”. *Require students to make substantial revision(s) of at least one graded, out-of-class writing assignment; Week 10 16 (F) SPRING BREAK-------- March 6-10th Week 11 23 (F) - presentations 7,8 seminar critiques due Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the numeric presentation rubric. Turn them both in after class. co-curricular Write a biomedical formatted abstract using the proper structural organization highlighted in the resources folder’s “biomed abstract document” on Blackboard. Base the abstract content on your notes from today’s talk. Do not look at the abstract of the original study just your notes from class. When you have completed the abstract, take it to the FAMU Writing Center and have them evaluate your writing syntax, format and style. Tell the writing center that your genre is biomedical abstract and an example of what it should look like is available in the Bb resources folder and here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29749452 After taking note of their critiques, rewrite your abstract with the revisions added and submit it using the safe assign link in the assignments folder titled “week 11 co-curricular 2 assignment” *WEC-Require students to make substantial revision(s) of at least one graded, out-of-class writing assignment; *WEC-Require students to attend relevant co-curricular activities as assigned

Week 12 Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the numeric presentation rubric. 30 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 9,10 seminar critiques due. April Week 13 5 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 11,12 seminar critiques due. Write a short 125-word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the numeric presentation rubric. *Formal Writing Assignments: 1000-word writing assignment. Formal Assignment 1 - Written Science Review Synopsis- Using pubmed find a good review associated with your presentation topic and write a 1000 word synopsis of the information presented in the review article. In the last paragraph of your assignment point out the major outcomes presented in the article by stating the three most important things you learned after reading the review and what reading this review has inspired you to learn more about. Complete a first draft version and submit it via safe assign using the link in the assignments folder titled “week 13 –formal writing assignment 1” After receiving instructor feedback revise the essay and get peer input. Finalize the essay and submit a revised 2nd draft essay again through the same safe assign link in the assignments folder Have your peer partner email the instructor with their feedback of your review synopsis essay.

1st Draft Due date Friday April 5th 2019 8 pm—via Bb safe assign 2nd Revision Draft Due Date Friday May 3rd 2019-- via Bb safe assign *WEC Requirement-Include writing assignments that engage students in intellectual activities central to the course objectives;

Week 14 co-curricular When you have completed today’s presentation critique and rubric take a photo of both to archive them. Afterwards attend the TLC workshop on April ?? called -- ?? -- Based on what you learned in that workshop revise your critique and submit it using the safe assign link in the assignments folder titled “week 14 co-curricular 3 assignment” *WEC-Require students to attend relevant co-curricular activities as assigned

12 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 13,14 seminar critiques due. Week 15 Write a short 50-100 word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the presentation rubric. 19 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 15,16 seminar critiques due. Formal Writing Assignments: 1000-word writing assignment. Formal Assignment 2-- Written Journal Article Critique- Using pubmed find a journal article associated with your presentation article and write a 1000 word critical evaluation of the research presented in that article. In your critique summarize the research results and also point out any errors in the data tables or figures or in the text of the article. Critique the quality of the figures. Also point out if better experimental approaches might have been employed, and if the research utilized the proper use of positive and negative controls. Give examples of each. Lastly provide examples of how the researchers used the scientific method in conducting their research in this article. What did they or previous researches observe. What questions did this lead to. What was the author’s hypothesis to address these questions. What experimental predictions were made by the research team. Did the experiments shown support or falsify the authors hypothesis. Complete a first draft version and submit it via safe assign using the link in the assignments folder titled “week 15 –formal writing assignment 2” After completing the assignment show the essay to the partner you presented your seminar with for constructive analysis and advice. After receiving peer input revise your synthesis essay. Submit the peer review based revised essay through safe assign using the same link as before in the assignments folder. Have your peer partner email the instructor with their feedback of your journal article critique essay.

1st Due date Friday April 19tth 2019 8 pm—via email share with peer and safe assign 2nd Revision Due Date Friday May 3rd 2019-- via Bb safe assign

Week 16 26 (F) - abstracts, 20-min-seminar presentation 17 and 18 seminar critiques due. (If needed) This class will end at 12:30 pm Write a short 50-100 word presentation critique after the presenters talk today and complete the presentation rubric. Formal Writing Assignments: 1000-word writing assignment. Formal Assignment 3 - Written Journal Article Synthesis Essay- Using pubmed find a journal article associated with your presentation article and write a 1000 word “Synthesis Essay” where you will describe how why and where you would redo certain parts of the current study, while still achieving the research objectives of the study. In other words present a redesigned experimental approach for the work. You may have to look at several similar studies and compare how those researchers conducted their experiments and why and judge what approaches seem better to you based on the presented outcomes. Then incorporate those alternate approaches in your redesigned version of the

original study. Complete a first draft version and submit it via safe assign using the link in the assignments folder titled “week 16 –formal writing assignment 3” After receiving peer input revise your synthesis essay. Submit the peer review based revised essay through safe assign using the same link in the assignments folder Have your peer partner email the instructor with their feedback of your synthesis essay.

1st Draft Due date Friday April 26tth 2019 8 pm—via email share with peer and safe assign Final version: Due Date Friday May 3rd 2018-- via Bb safe assign

May Week 17-- Final exams week 03 (F) Formal Writing Assignments Due: 1000-word writing assignments. Final versions of the 3 formal writing assignments are all due via upload though safe assign

Evaluation Guidelines: I. Seminar Topic (100 points) - presenting student groups must select a topic and topic paper no later than 1 week prior to their presentation date Choosing a seminar topic and paper involves several requirements: a) The seminar topic paper must be published in one of the following journals: Cell Nature Science Journal of Biological Chemistry Blood PNAS- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences EMBO- European Molecular Biology Group MCB- Molecular and Cellular Biology Genes and Development

Nature Genetics Nature Medicine Nature Biotechnology Molecular Cell PLOS Genomics Human Genome Reseaech Journal of Bacteriology Oncogene Journal of Molecular Biology

b) The seminar topic should be directly related to the field of Genetics or Molecular Biology and chosen from the following major topics: Genetics and Cancer Steroid Hormones and Gene Regulation Molecular Biology of Aging (Senescence) Genetic Mapping Control of Cell Proliferation—Cell cycle Epigenetic control of gene regulation—acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation Positional Cloning Molecular Biology of Embryonic Development RNA processing- mRNA splicing, capping or poly A- tailing Chromatin Remodeling Factors mRNA Stability Molecular Biology of spore formation in bacteria Molecular Biology of bleeding disorders—sickle cell, hemophilia etc. siRNA or miRNA studies Proteomic or Genomic Studies Metabolomic studies Transcriptome Studies c) The seminar topic paper must be a journal article not a review. Scan the article for a materials and methods section or experimental approaches section. Real science studies published as journal articles will have these sections. Review papers will not contain a materials and methods section d) Lastly, the subject paper used for the presentation must have been published between: --January 1, 2017 and January 08, 2019--

II. Presentation Outline (70 points): The presentation outline must be turned in at least 5 days prior to your presentation for me to review. The outline will list in order the general content you plan to present in each of the slides used for your talk. This is done in text format and is the prelude to actually constructing your slides in Powerpoint or Keynote. The outline should be typed. III. Rough Draft (100 points): The Rough Draft must be ready no later than 2-3 days prior to the scheduled presentation date. Students must schedule to meet with me in person during office hours in Jones Hall 511 the week they are presenting; either Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday before presenting that Friday. During this meeting they will go over their rough draft with me The draft should consist of no more than 20 slides. The slides should be almost complete and as perfect as possible (no spelling errors or obvious mistakes). It will be my job during our meeting to help you take the rough draft from almost perfect to perfect. If you come to me to evaluate your rough draft and you have many errors and mistakes, it will count against your points in this evaluation area. I am not going to draw the slides for you, that is your job. I will only critique them. I will not waste time reviewing a rough draft, which obviously has been poorly prepared with no time and effort being put in. IV. Student Seminar Critique (150 points): The grade for this category will be based on a evaluation sheet that every member of the seminar class will receive just prior to a presentation. You will be asked to write down your opinion of the presenters performance in several evaluation areas (see below in section V for categories…i.e. appearance…preparedness etc..) Your evaluation sheets will be turned in and reviewed. Informal Writing Opportunities (IWOs) In addition to this numerically based presentation rubric for rating presentations: Students will also write short presentation evaluations: A. Starting week 7-16 all students will -write a 125-word presentation critique each week after each presenters talk. (see above—week 7—for criteria)

B. Week 7-all students will write a presentation critique as per usual but will then get it reviewed by faculty for feedback then revise it and resubmit it via safe assign.

C. Week 9-all students will write a presentation critique as per usual but will then get it reviewed by faculty for feedback then revise it and resubmit it via safe assign

V. Instructor Seminar Rubric Critique (800 points) Each student’s presentation will be scored by the instructing faculty for the following. a) Appearance/Dress- The presenter should come dressed for his/her presentation as if though they were presenting at a major scientific meeting to share important research with the scientific community. This excludes wearing items such as sneakers, timberlands, t-shirts, jerseys shirts or dresses etc… Preferably dresses, dress suits, suits, ties, dress shoes should be worn. b) Preparedness- The presenter should come to the presentation on time” ; have all of his/her slides ready to go; have all the necessary cables power supplies etc…on hand (prearranges all of these details in advanced). Provide any handouts they wish to aid in the presentation. And prepares an announcement announcing the date time location and subject of their talk and have these announcements posted within Jones Hall at least three days prior to the presentation date. c) Scientific Content- The presenter should present the paper with an obvious familiarity of the subject material. They should demonstrate that they really understand what each of the figures clearly shows and be able to address questions related to the figures as well as being able to constructively criticize a figure which may have errors. Also, they should criticize experiments which have left out obvious control experiments etc… The speaker who truly understands the scientific content of the paper will be able to offer contrasting view points to its content. d) Quality- The presenter will put together a professional slide presentation free from spelling errors or obvious sloppiness. The presenter will present the oral portion of the talk professionally using scientific terminology and abstaining from colloquial expressions. The presenter will present in a coherent fashion and be decisive in his/her statements (Not pausing every other second or constantly interjecting "Uhm" or " You Know". The presenter will present in an audible clear fashion. e) Answers to questions- The presenter will be able to address questions related to the topic directly found within the subject paper. The presenter will also be able to answer related questions whose answers are based on good background knowledge of the subject in general. VI. Literature Search Training-- Informal Writing Assignments (IWAs)-- (180 points): The grade for this category will be based on the training phase of the course in weeks 1-6. During this time students will be trained on using databases, conducting topic searches and concerning presentation software. In each training week (1-6) the student will complete a 100 word essay. The formats will vary each week for these written exercises. The official full versions of these informal writing assignments will be reposited in the assignments folder on blackboard and categorized by week and will also appear less formally above in this syllabus in the “grading section” on page 3 and on pages 4 and 5 and page 6. VII. Formal Writing Assignments (FWAs) (300 points): During weeks 13-17 students will begin to turn in 1st and 2nd drafts of their three formal writing 1000 word written essay assignments. The official full version descriptions of these informal writing assignments will be reposited in the assignments folder on blackboard and categorized by

week and will also appear less formally above in this syllabus in the “grading section” on page 3 and on pages 8 and 9. Other Graded Criteria Attendance: Come to class …this is 200 points In class and out of class assignments (other than writing) We will do activities in class and out of class that you must be present to get credit for…this is 150 points.

Florida A&M University Grading Policy; Grade Change Policy; I Grade Policy (Office of the Registrar): (F.S. 1001.74(4) Florida A&M University Rule 4.101 The University supports its grading system which is based upon the integrity of a grade earned in a course. The University Registrar is the official custodian of student grades and is responsible for recording approved grade change requests. (A) Assignment of Grades 1. Grades are assigned at the end of the term in which the student was registered for the course. 2. Due to extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student, a grade of "I" may only be assigned if the student is passing the course, but has not completed all of the required work by the end of the term. Grades of "I" may not be assigned in any course that a student withdraws from, has excessive absences in, or fails to attend. 3. A grade of "PN" will be assigned when a student is passing a course, but is not proficient. The use of the "PN" grade is only approved for courses in the Physical Therapy Graduate Program. 4. A student receiving an "I" or "PN" grade should not re-enroll in the course until after the "I" or "PN" grade has been permanently changed to a letter grade. (B) Change of Grade Changes of grades may only be accomplished under special circumstances and are governed by the following guidelines: 1. Grade changes pertaining to a grade of "I" or "PN" must be submitted by the end of the next term in which the student is enrolled. An "I" grade that is not changed by the specified time will revert to an "F." A "PN" grade that is not changed by the specified time will revert to the grade earned by the student at the time the "PN" was assigned. 2. All grade changes resulting from a grade appeal must be submitted within one semester of the issuance of the grade. 3. Any other grade changes must be made within one semester of when the grade was initially assigned. (C) Procedure Governing the Process of Changing Recorded Grades Grade changes can only be made for the following reasons:

1. When it is determined that a grade was recorded in error; 2. When removing "I" or "PN" grades; or 3. As a result of a student’s successful appeal of a grade. Academic units wishing to request grade changes must submit a "Grade Change and Academic Record Update Form" to the Registrar’s Office for processing. The form must contain the signature of the respective academic Dean in order to be processed. Specific Authority: Article IX, Section 7(c), Florida Constitution, BOG Regulation 1.001. History: New— 12-07-06; Amended 05 -09 -12 Dress Code: The University has an obligation to create a living and learning environment where all members of the community are comfortable and not offended by inappropriate dress The dress code for this course is designed to provide appropriate guidelines so that all students may dress in a manner that is respectful of themselves and their classmates. The code is: ➢ Dress attire should be neat, modest and casual at all times while participating in course activities. ➢ Hats, caps, do-rags, and other headgear must be removed when in classrooms. ➢ "Baggy" pants or sloppy dress will not be permitted at anytime_ ➢ Clothing that is provocative or contains obscene messages or messages that are contrary to the mission of the college will not be permitted in the classroom setting. Non-Discrimination Policy Statement It is the policy of Florida A&M University to ensure that each member of the university community is permitted to work or attend classes in an environment free from any form of discrimination, including race, religion, color, age, handicap, sex, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and sexual harassment as prohibited by state and federal statutes This shall include applicants for admission to the university and employment. Questions concerning this policy and procedures for filing complaints under the policy should be directed to the University EEO/EEA Officer. ADA Statement: During the first week of class students with disabilities needing academic accommodations should: (1) Register with and provide documentation to the FAMU Center for Disability Access Resources (CeDAR). (2) Bring a letter to the instructor from CeDAR indicating the need for academic accommodations. (hltp i/www.famu.edu/index.cfm?cedar) .

Map to Dr. Thornton’s Office (Room 511 Jones Hall)

Room 511

Dr. Thornton’s Spring 2019 Schedule

BSC1010 Jones Hall room 306 BSC1011 8 am in Jones Hall 109 BSC1011 9 am in Dyson 105 BSC 4931 1115 am in DRS Bldg 66 room 203 PCB3063 Lecture- MWF 10 am in Jones Hall 109 PCB3063 Lab -Tu/Th 11 am in Jones Hall 306