Q: What book are we using this summer?
A: We are using Freeman, Biological Science, 2nd Edition. However, we will be switching to Freeman 3rd Edition in the fall. If you really want to be up to date, then you may want to buy the 3rd Edition, but if you want to save some money, you’ll be fine. The books are similar enough that you will easily be able to adapt. As an added bonus, since the 2 nd edition is no longer being used by anyone, you can buy a copy on ebay or amazon.com for about $20, and who doesn’t want to save money? Hell, even buy a 1st edition online and save even more money (the 1st edition was a really good book, so I'm all for that...) Also, I'll be perfectly honest, most books have about the same information, so if you have access to another comparable book, like Campbell, Brooker, Raven & Johnson, etc., go ahead and use it.
Q: How do I calculate my grade?
A: Add up your exam scores and drop the lowest score. Add up your labs and drop your lowest lab. Add in the clicker points and that is your final score. DO NOT use the blackboard total, as this is incorrect. See below...
Q: The syllabus says that the point total for the class is 420, but blackboard says 530 (or whatever number just don't seem to add up - I get tired of changing the numbers every year). Why?
A: Blackboard does not drop the lowest exam (100 pts) or the lowest lab (10 points), nor does it drop or scale any other points. so these are included in the point total. All of these potential drops and scaling and other crazy things we do with your point total will be done at the end of the semester by me and my trusty spreadsheet. You are just going to have to deal with this.
Q: What if I miss a lab?
A: If you miss a lab, you can make it up during that week. Simply look in the timetable on the UIC webpage (look for the appropriate semester under schedule of classes), find a discussion and lab, and go to them. Make sure that the substitute TA initials your labsheet or you won't get credit but do NOT turn it into that TA (unless it is your real TA's other lab). If you miss a lab and the week ends, well, you are out of luck. Sorry. Remember you get to drop a lab.
Q: Is lab material on the exam?
A: Not directly, but I do integrate lab material in lecture, so then it is fair game.
Q: How should I study for the exams?
A: The exams are mostly from the notes, so if you know this material, you should be fine. The book is there to supplement and add to the lecture material. However, I don’t have time to cover every point in the book, so material covered in the book but not in lecture will not be on the exam. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read it, but that you shouldn’t study it for the exam. Sample exams will also be posted - these will give you a feel for the types of questions I will be asking.
Q: I studied really hard, but didn’t do as well as I thought I would do on the exam. What should I do?
A: Go through the exam and for every question you missed, ask yourself, "why did I miss this question?" Sometimes you just make a stupid mistake, sometimes you misread the question, sometimes you realize that you didn’t know the material as well as you should have (or you had an incorrect understanding about the material). Hopefully, when you are done with this, you’ll have a better understanding of your study strengths and weaknesses.
Q. What if I'm missing a score on blackboard?
A: email your TA - it is possible that she hasn't entered it yet - if you have turned it in and your classmates have a score entered and you don't, make sure your TA knows this. If you have the graded assignment, feel free to either show your TA or me and we can enter it. Yes, you should ALWAYS save your graded assignments.
Q. Do you curve?
A: Short answer - No. Long answer - if not enough people get A's and B's according to the posted scale, I am free to lower the lines. However, I haven't had to do that in several years, so I doubt I will this time either. And yes, if you miss the cut-off by one point, you will get the lower grade. Think of this when you decide whether or not to take the final.
Q: Will I be able to get a letter of recommendation from you?
A: That all depends on how well I know you at the end of the semester. If you are in a pre-med and looking for a future letter, you should make sure that I know who you are. That doesn’t mean suck up, because no one likes a brown-noser, but having some knowledge about you, your personality, your interests, etc. really helps.