Evolution 4703

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Course also offered for graduate credit as BIO 5703

PDF File For Evolution syllabus Summer 2005

Prereq. 12 hours of biology including BIO 2233 or 3304, ecology background recommended.

Description of Course: 2004

Required material:

  1. Text book- Strickberger, M. W. latest ed.. Evolution, 2nd ed., Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.
  2. L. Margulis and M.F. Dolar. 2002. Early life: evolution of the Precambrian Earth (2nd) (required reading)
  3. Copy of readings, outlines, handouts

Subject areas covered:

Introduction: Science, philosophy, concepts, and misconceptions Evidence for Evolution: Embryology
Selection and speciation general concepts Evidence for Evolution: Phylogeny
Creationism Evidence for Evolution: Molecular evolution
History of evolution concepts Population Genetics (H-W equilibrium), Theory
Origin of life and geological time examples: Selection, Speciation, Adaptation
Plate tectonics If time some on human evolution
Evidence for Evolution: Biogeography  

There are 3 lecture exams and 1 lecture final.

  1. I will substitute the final percentage for one of the lecture exams (the lowest) if the final is higher.
  1. There will be NO make-up exams, you may miss one exam, or make one low grade and depending on how well you do on the final, one exam will not hurt your grade. I suggest you take the exams at the scheduled times. If you miss two test, one will be substituted for and you will have a zero to average for the other no matter what the reasons for missing.
  1. The final is comprehensive, and therefore you probably would prefer it count 200 pts. and not 300 .pts as it will if you miss an exam.

There will be 10 assigned readings (worth 10 pt each)for which you will either hand in a summary or an outline.

Material in these reading may also be used as exam questions.

There will also be a term paper (worth 100 pts.).

The subject is up to you as long as it pertains to Organic evolution and is based on an article from Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

The paper should be no less than 6 pages (double spaced)and no more than 12 pages (double spaced). This does not include the literature cited section. So 6 pages + literature.

Summary Grading:

Three Lecture exams (100 pts. each) 300 pts.
One Lecture final (200 pts.) Comprehensive 200 pts.
Readings (10 -20 pts. each) 200 pts.
Total points 700 pts.

Readings:

  1. The summary should have the article citation at the top of the page on the first page of the summary
  2. The summary should be such that you would not have to go back to the article to study for an exam (in fact I may allow you to have your summaries present when I give the exam, so make it good)
  3. They do not have to be typed, but no fringes left on notebook paper—please— and the paper must be regualr size (81/2 by 11)
  4. The small book Earl life: evolution oof the Precambrian Earth should also be read and outlined (or summarized). You will also be making up questions over this book for the tests.

Grading scale is:

90%- + = A

80-89% = B

70-79%=C

60-69% =D

below 60% = F

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