Botany I

PLSC 101

Fall 2000

The purpose of this course is to teach the student about the basic structures and functions of plants. Students will learn about plant cells, tissues, organs and the physiological functions that occur to sustain life. How plants grow and reproduce, how they obtain the essential materials for growth and how plants interact with each other will be discussed. These topics will be used as a foundation to learn about how plants interact with their environment.

Instructors: Dr. John Frett

831 - 2531

161 TNS

jfrett@udel.edu

Office Hours: By appointment (see instructor prior to or following class to make an appointment). If students cannot contact the instructor, they may phone the Plant and Soil Sciences main office at 831-2531 and leave a message.

Dr. Thompson Pizzolato

831 - 2534

149 TNS

Office Hours: By appointment (see instructor prior to or following class to make an appointment). If students cannot contact the instructor, they may phone the Plant and Soil Sciences main office at 831-2531 and leave a message.

Teaching Assistants: 

Ms. Jennifer Dominiak

jendom@udel.edu

831-2548

Ms. Jennifer Still

831-8015

Lecture: M W F 11:15 - 12:05

206 Kirkbride Lecture Hall

Lab: T 1:25-3:25 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 11)

T 3:35-5:35 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 12)

T 7:00-9:00 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 14)

W 1:25-3:25 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 13)

Th 3:35-5:35 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 10)

Th 1:25-3:25 PM 203 Worrilow Hall (sect. 15)

Honors Lab W 3:35-5:35 PM 204 Worrilow Hall (sect. 80)

Raven, P.H., R.F. Evert and S.E. Eichhorn. 1999. The Biology of Plants. Worth Publishers, Inc., New York. Sixth Edition.

Evert, R.F. and S.E. Eichhorn. 1999. Laboratory Topics in Botany. Worth Publishers, Inc., New York.

Points for each Total points

Lecture Quizzes (10) 30 300

Lab Quizzes (10) 10 100

Comprehensive Final 100

Total points possible 500

Grades will be assigned according to the following schedule:

Total points Grade

500 - 465 A

464 - 450 A-

449 - 435 B+

434 - 415 B

414 - 400 B-

399 - 385 C+

389 - 365 C

364 - 350 C-

349 - 335 D+

334 - 315 D

314 - 300 D-

299 - F

Weekly quizzes will be given during the lecture period on Mondays. Quizzes may cover any information from lecture or lab since the last weekly quiz. Quizzes will begin promptly at the start of the period. If you arrive late you may take the quiz in the time remaining, provided no one has turned in her or his quiz. You will be given approximately 15 minutes for each quiz. There will be a total of 13 quizzes given and the highest 10 scores will be summed for the determination of the final lecture quiz total. Quizzes also will occur weekly in the lab. Approximately 13 quizzes will be given and the best 10 will be used when determining the final lab quiz grade.

Since there will be approximately 3 quizzes in lecture and lab dropped, there will be no make-up quizzes given (either lecture or lab) regardless of whether the absence is excused or not. Students may attend other lab sections to make-up missed material but may not take quizzes in any section but the one in which they are enrolled. If students have accrued 3 excused absences, they should provide documentation of all three and discuss options for their missed quizzes.

Additionally, there will be a comprehensive final exam given during the regularly scheduled final examination period determined by the University. This exam will count 100 points or 20% of your final grade. This period in fixed by the university and cannot be altered for any reason. The final exam is scheduled for 14 December, 2000 from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM. There are no make-ups or alternate test dates for this exam. If you cannot make the final period as set by the University, you will receive a score of "0" for the final exam. There are no exceptions.

Attendance:

Attendance is required in this course. Attendance will be taken daily in lecture. Failure to take or pick-up a quiz will be considered an absence. Each student will be allowed three absences from lecture without penalty as personal days (family affairs, university activities, religious holidays, etc). After three absences, students will be penalized 1/3 of a letter grade (i.e. from a B+ to a B, from a C to a C- etc.) per unexcused absence. Please see page 58 of the official student handbook as to the criteria for an excused absence. It is the student's responsibility to make-up all work missed during any absence.

Classroom Discussion:

I encourage students to interject pertinent comments during lecture and lab sections. This will stimulate 2-way discussions rather than monotonous lectures and allow students' input into the material discussed. You should feel free, at any time, to ask questions.

Contention of Grades:

Any grade may be contended after one day and within 1 week of the time the exam or quiz is returned. After 1 week the grade stands as is. All disagreements must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation (appropriate citation in required textbook). The work will then be completely regraded and returned to the student. The text for the class will serve as the definitive authority for all disputes.

Cell Phones and Pagers:

All cell phone and pagers must be turned off during all lecture and laboratory times. These devices can be very distracting to your fellow students and the instructor alike. Out of courtesy for your classmates, please follow this requirement.

Plagiarism:

The temptation for plagiarism is often times great. The instructor will do all that is practical to reduce the opportunity for plagiarism to occur but inevitably the occasion will occur. If any student is caught plagiarizing, that student's academic dean will be notified immediately.

Late Work:

All late work will be assessed a late penalty of 10% per day to include weekends and holidays. Thus, after 10 days a score of 0 will be recorded.