Course Canvas Site: Lecture notes, review papers, writing instructions, etc. will be available online through canvas. You will also be required to submit your written work through canvas. You can also view your current grades through canvas so you can keep track of your course progress.
Your Responsibilities as a Student: Show up to class on time! Turn off cell phones during class! Course requirements must be completed independently. Plagiarism of any of the course requirements will not be tolerated. If you have been determined to be dishonest in completion of any course requirement, you will receive a zero for that work and depending on the extent of the dishonesty, may fail the course and may receive further action from the university.
Policy on the uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Generative AI tools may be used to brainstorm or check grammar on written assignments, but all analysis, evidence selection, and final writing must be the student’s own; undisclosed AI-generated submissions will be treated as a violation of SUU Policy 6.33, Academic Integrity. AI tools may not be used during quizzes or exams. Students must cite any AI assistance used, consistent with course and university policy.
Exams: Exams will be done in the testing center. Exams will consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions, short answers, matching, diagrams, definitions, and one or more short essay questions. Exams 1-2 will be worth 100 points each. The final exam will be comprehensive and worth 200 points.
Assignments- Throughout the semester you will receive 6 “homework” assignments. Details will be provided as the assignments are distributed. These will be completed and turned in on Canvas.
Quizzes- In addition to exams, there will be 5 in class quizzes worth 20 points each. These will be completed and turned in on Canvas.
Research Project: You will be required to complete a short research project and write a paper about your project. Your project should involve a simple field experiment or series of field observations designed to test a specific hypothesis. Project proposals are due September 15th. The format of your paper should follow the general format of journal articles (There should be Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Literature Cited sections, etc.). Details on the format of the paper will be provided in class. This assignment is due by December 7th. You will also present your finding in class during the last lab period.
Academic integrity: Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any form. Consult the current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding expectations for students and the intellectual property policy. Academic integrity is a central value in higher education. It rests on two principles: first, that academic work is represented truthfully as to its source and its accuracy, and second, that academic results are obtained by fair and authorized means. “Academic misconduct” occurs when either of these principles is knowingly violated. The responsibility of academic integrity does not rest solely in the hands of the faculty and administration. It depends also on the attitude and spirit of the student body to create an atmosphere that promotes strong integrity. In other words, the students determine a school's level of character. The job of educators is to foster and encourage a feeling of honesty and quality. In this class, the concept of individual honor is designed to promote mutual trust and respect between students and faculty. Examples of student academic misconduct include giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on examinations or in the preparation of notebooks, themes, reports, or other assignments; knowingly misrepresenting the source of any academic work; changing grades without authorization; forging signatures; or plagiarizing another's work. Students who are found guilty of academic misconduct are subject to a range of disciplinary actions, including a 0 for the assignment (including exams), an F for the course and potential suspension or dismissal from SUU.
Treatment of Live Animals/Human Subjects: In this course, we will conduct observations of and experiments using live animals. These animals are to be treated with respect at all times. In addition, any vertebrate animal used in this course is covered by protocols and permits under the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (https://www.suu.edu/sparc/iacuc/). IACUC has strict requirements for the ethical care and use of animals in research and educational settings. Guidelines for animal care set forth by IACUC will be followed at all times. Failure to comply with IACUC guidelines will result in a failing grade for the research project. Students do not have the authority to make decisions regarding proper animal care and use. All decisions should be made in conjunction with the instructor. Projects that require the use of human subjects and will have results presented outside of class must complete Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Human subject research is regulated by a series of foundational documents, state and federal laws and regulations, and relevant university policies (https://www.suu.edu/irb/what-needs-irb.html).