Biology 101 FAQs

(click on the questions for the answers)

Can I attend a lab/recitation section I'm not registered for? Short answer, No.
I missed/will miss a lab/recitation, what do I do?
I will miss the first weeks acitivites, will I be dropped from the course? Short answer, No.
How do I change lab/recitation sections?
What is the Monday 7pm Class time?
I missed/will miss a lecture, what do I do?
Exam Information: Times, Dates, Locations, Answer keys
Portfolio Information: Due Dates, Turn In Procedures, Requirements, Cover Sheets
I've got an exam conflict, what do I do?
Can I take the exam at an earlier date/time?
Can I use note cards, a translator, a dictionary, etc during the exam? Short answer, No.
I forgot to turn in my portfolio, what do I do?
I'm thinking of "S/U-ing" this course, should I?
How do I calculate my grade?
My final points total is a fraction, does it round up or down?
Can I do additional extra credit to improve my grade? Short answer, No.
What are the Extra Credit Lecture Puzzles?

Can I attend a lab/recitation section I'm not registered for?
You are not allowed to attend another lab/recitation section, utilize the GTA office hours instead. Lab and recitation activities are important sources of material for the exams and portfolios. If you missed an activity and would like to learn what was missed, you can attend any Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) office hour (also posted outside 133 Weniger) the following week to go over the activity. It is recommended that you read over the missed activity before attending to maximize the time available with the GTA. If you know you will miss lab or recitation at the end of a week before an exam or portfolio due date, it is recommended that you attend GTA office hours earlier in the week, prior to missing the activity.

I missed/will miss a lab/recitation, what do I do?
Lab and recitation activities are important sources of material for the exams and portfolios. Two components would be missed: material you need to know for the exams, and in some cases material you need stamped to receive credit for the portfolios. To make up either, you need to attend Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) office hours the following week (Monday through Friday). If the material will be on Monday night's exam or you need to complete the previous week's stamped portfolio assignment for a portfolio due Monday evening, that means you will need to attend the Monday morning office hours (there are no office hours Monday afternoon). You are not able to attend another lab/recitation section to make up a missed activity, utilize the GTA office hours the following week instead. The only exception is the Campus Conifers recitation, see that activity for more information. Be aware that making up a missed activity will not be the same experience as attending the fully equipped laboratory or recitation schedule that you are registered to attend. For the make-up activity during GTA office hours, it is recommended that you read over the missed activity before attending office hours, to maximize the time available. There is a maximum of one stamped assignment for each portfolio that can be made up in office hours; missing more than one class with a stamped assignment for a portfolio will result in a portfolio grade deduction.

I will miss the first weeks acitivites, will I be dropped from the course?
No, you will not be dropped from the section. If you are enrolled in a section, your seat is reserved for you, weather you attend or not. If you missed an activity and would like to learn what was missed, you can attend any Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) office hour (also posted outside 133 Weniger) the following week to go over the activity. You are not allowed to attend another lab/recitation section, utilize the GTA office hours instead. Lab and recitation activities are important sources of material for the exams and portfolios. It is recommended that you read over the missed activity before attending to maximize the time available with the GTA. If you know you will miss lab or recitation at the end of a week before an exam or portfolio due date, you will need to attend the Monday morning office hours (there are no office hours Monday afternoon).

How do I change lab/recitation sections?
General Biology is typically fully enrolled and sections are waitlisted. There is plenty of space in the lectures but the labs/recitations have limited space. The only way to change the section you are enrolled in is to change sections through the registrar. When doing this online be sure not to drop the section you are currently enrolled in, as you might not get back into the course. Contact the registrar for guidance. You are not allowed to attend a lab/recitation section you are not enrolled in.

What is the Monday 7pm Class time?
General Biology does not have class on Monday at 7pm. This time slot is for the two scheduled evening exams. The Registrar blocks this time so students do not register for classes that meet during the evening exams.

I missed/will miss a lecture, what do I do?
One of the skills stressed in this course is note-taking: the ability to listen, record, and learn. In BI 10X courses, student exam scores are higher if they attend lectures and generate their own notes. The lecturer will not provide notes, but is available if you would like assistance with note-taking skills (also see section on note-taking in this syllabus). If you miss a lecture, we recomend that you get lecture notes from a friend in class. After reviewing the notes if you have questions, please attend any Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) office hour (also posted outside 133 Weniger).

I've got an exam conflict, what do I do?
All exam times were listed in the schedule of classes at the time of registration, prior to the start of the term. If you have scheduled a conflicting class or have a conflicting exam at the same time as a General Biology exam, it may be possible to take the General Biology exam slightly earlier on the same day, or a different format exam later in the week. Contact Dr. Lesley Blair for arrangements during the first two weeks of the term. No exam will be given on a date earlier than the scheduled date.

Can I take the exam at an earlier date/time? (AR 16. Finals Week)
Students frequently request early exams due to travel plans or other considerations. Due to the size of the course, the exam dates and times listed in the schedule of classes will be followed. The final exam will be given according to the "Schedule of Group Examinations." There will be no final exams given prior to the scheduled date/time.

Can I use note cards, a translator, a dictionary, etc. during the exam?
No,... students can not use note cards, dictionaries, translators, computers, calculators, cell-phones, iPods, etc. during exams. Only a pencil and eraser.

I forgot to turn in my portfolio, what do I do?
Portfolios can be turned in early (starting the previous week), the 5 p.m. Monday due date time is the latest a portfolio can be turned in for full credit. Late portfolios are any portfolios turned in past the 5 p.m. due date cut-offs. Late portfolios will receive point penalties because (1) students had extra time to prepare the portfolios, and (2) late portfolios are not available for the Monday team grading session and will require extra attention. Late portfolios can be turned in at only two locations/times (GTAs are not to accept late portfolios), students turning in late portfolios must turn them in as follows: (1) The next day at lecture (immediately before or after the 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. lectures). These late portfolios will receive a 25% point deduction, or (2) Two days late at from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to room 125A Weniger (Course Coordinator's office hours). These late portfolios will receive a 50% point deduction. It is not recommended that you slide late portfolios under the door of room 125A Weniger (Course Coordinator's office), any portfolios received in this manner will be dated as received on the next date (e.g. if a portfolio is not turned in before the 5 p.m. due date cut-off, it will be marked as received on Tuesday at lecture. Portfolios turned in after the "immediately after lecture" time will be marked as turned in on Wednesday. Portfolios turned in after the 11 a.m. cut-off on Wednesday will receive no credit.). If you are ill, contact Dr. Lesley Blair before the portfolio is due. The only portfolios accepted more than two days late would be in the case of a serious, unavoidable conflict (such as military commitments, being hospitalized, or death of an immediate family member). Arrangements should be made with Dr. Lesley Blair as soon as possible in these cases.

I'm thinking of "S/U-ing" this course, should I? (AR18. Alternative Grading)
At least 140 points have to be earned to get a C- in General Biology. If you are not sure whether you should choose the S/U option, consult your advisor. Typically it is most critical to choose the S/U option if a lower grade point average will impact a scholarship or financial aid in some manner. If there is a possibility of getting the Unsatisfactory grade (less than a "C-", less than 140 points), it may be important to weigh the impact of earning a low grade (D+, D, D-, F) without the S/U option, versus the impact of a "U" grade and having to re-take a science lab course, i.e. credit for the course versus no credit.

How do I calculate my grade?
The total number of points possible in General Biology are:

Assessment	Points
Portfolio #1	15
Portfolio #2	20
Portfolio #3	25
Exam #1	40
Exam #2	40
Final Exam	60
Total	200

The same grading criteria and cut-offs are used for all students taking General Biology. No additional work or grading opportunities are given to specific students, ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to a fair grade. General Biology grades are a reflection of what someone knows (conceptual understandings) and can do (skills).

All General Biology courses are criterion graded, meaning that if you earn the following number of points out of the 200 total points, you are guaranteed the indicated grade (barring any extreme circumstances, such as university closures, etc). We do not curve, so if a large number of students master the course material, a large number can earn high grades. Students are not competing with each other for grades. The point cut-offs could be lowered if class data indicates that a particular exam question or portfolio assignment was too difficult or poorly worded. This does not occur frequently, due to thorough proofing of exams and assignments.

Points	186	180	174	166	160	154	146	140	134	126	120	<120
Grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
Grade Points	4.0	3.7	3.3	3.0	2.7	2.3	2.0	1.7	1.3	1.0	0.7	0.0

My final points total is a fraction, does it round up or down?
Final point totals, not percentages, are rounded to the nearest whole point. Totals of XXX.50 or more round up to the next whole point, while scores of XXX.49 or less round down to the lower whole point. For example; 139.50 points rounds to 140 points resulting in a C- grade whereas 139.49 rounds down to 139 points resulting in a D+ grade.

Can I do additional extra credit to improve my grade?
The same grading criteria and cut-offs are used for all students taking General Biology. No additional work or grading opportunities are given to specific students, ensuring every student has an equal opportunity to a fair grade. In other words, students who request additional work or other special grading considerations before or after the course is completed are always denied these requests. OSU grade changes are intended to be used only for clerical or computational errors. In General Biology, these errors could occur if the exam scantron was filled in improperly, or a portfolio was graded incorrectly. These errors are rare, but if you think one may have occurred, contact Dr. Lesley Blair immediately. For a possible exam scantron error, e-mail your name, lab section number, and concern to Dr. Lesley Blair. For the portfolio, write a note explaining the concern, attach it to the entire portfolio including the coversheet (you can staple all the pages together and keep the portfolio cover if desired), and resubmit it into the 127A Weniger mailslot or directly to Dr. Lesley Blair at lecture or during office hours. If it is the third portfolio, drop the portfolio and note into the mail slot in the door of 127A Weniger.

What are the Extra Credit Lecture Puzzles?
There are three extra credit puzzles given throughout the term in lecture, each worth one point (three points total). These puzzles must be completed and turned in during the lecture in which they are administered to receive credit. There are two purposes for these puzzles. First, the extra credit puzzles provide an opportunity for exploring a lecture topic in more depth. Second, these extra credit points may help students who are "stuck" between grades move up to the next grade. For instance, consider two students with a total number of 158 points (a grade of C+), one student with one extra credit point, the other with three extra credit points. The student with one extra credit point will receive the C+ (total of 159 points), the student with three extra credit points will receive a B- (total of 161 points). These are the only extra credit points offered in the course. On Blackboard, your total earned points appear (including any of the three potential lecture extra credit points that are earned), so you have a potential of 203 points, and the final course grade is calculated on a possible scale of 200 points (see above).