BIOL 1003 Introductory Biology I Fall 2013

Instructor: Lab Coordinators

Dr. Iain W McKinnell Mike Weber (Mike_Weber@carleton.ca)
Office: 251 Nesbitt Building 425 Tory Building; 613-520-2600 ext 4493
Telephone: 613-520-2600 x 7549 Alex Dorland (Alexandra.Dorland@carleton.ca)
Office hours: Tues/Thurs (10:30-12:00) 407 Tory Building; 613-520-2600 ext 3852
Iain_McKinnell@carleton.ca Joan Mallett (Joan.Mallett@carleton.ca)
406 Tory Building; 613-520-2600 ext 4468

Lectures: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 12:35-1:25 pm, Kailash Mital Theatre Southam Hall

Overview of the course: BIOL 1003 lectures will utilize a concepts and applications approach to introduce
students to the fundamental processes of biology. In particular we will focus on cellular organization,
transfer of energy within a cell, the transfer of information within and between cells, and the reproduction
of cells and organisms, and will stress the connections between the study of biology and everyday life. The
course will emphasize basic principles, however some degree of detail will be necessary to achieve a full
understanding, for example you will be required to learn and understand specific models that have been
developed to explain cellular function, and you will be required to use a precise vocabulary. This course is
aimed at students interested in understanding the fundamental processes that underlie the intricacies of
cellular biology and how they relate to everyday functions of an organism, but who do not plan on
entering the B.Sc. Honours programs in Biological Sciences.

Note: Because of the large size of the class it will normally not be possible for me to return voice
messages. Students are encouraged to use cuLearn for email correspondence; any email correspondence
regarding the course must originate from a Carleton email address and have the course code in the subject
line. Students are also encouraged to see me during scheduled office hours. If this is not possible due to
class commitments, please see me just before or after the lectures or email me to book an appointment.

Text: Biology Custom edition for Carleton University (Material taken from Campbell Biology: Concepts &
Connections, 7
th
edition by Reece et al; and Practical Skills in Biology, 5
th
edition by Jones et al). This course
comprehensively covers the first 12 chapters of this text. Additional material is provided in several of the
lectures.

Lecture and laboratory material for BIOL 1003 will be posted on cuLearn. However, students will be
responsible for material that is covered and assigned in class. The web site may not contain all of this
information; therefore attendance at lectures is extremely important.

This course has a Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) facilitator. These sessions are voluntary weekly study
sessions led by peer students who have earned at least an A- in this course. This is a chance for you to get
together in a safe, friendly environment with people in your class to compare notes, to discuss important
concepts and to develop strategies for studying the subject. The PASS facilitator for this course is Naomi
Reaka, and can be reached by email (pass@carleton.ca). Important - be sure to include Naomis name in
the subject line to ensure that your message can be forwarded) or by phone at 520-2600, extension 8480.
Information on the PASS sessions can be obtained on the PASS website (www.carleton.ca/pass).

Evaluation: Midterm I (Oct. 11
th
) 10%* Laboratory 40%
Midterm II (Nov.
15
th) 10%*
Final Exam (mandatory) 40%

Note: In order to pass the course a student must receive a combined passing grade [lecture plus
laboratory], but must also receive a passing grade in the lecture portion of the course.

*The midterm tests for this course are mandatory and will be written during the normal lecture
period. Each midterm will be worth 10% of the final grade. Due to the size of the class, make-up
exams will not be possible for students who miss a midterm for medical or compassionate
reasons. In these instances, the value of the midterm will be added to the value of the final exam.
Students who miss a midterm and who do not present valid documentation within two weeks of
the midterm date will receive zero (0) for that midterm.


General Regulations for Tests and Exams: Students who miss a mandatory assignment or exam must
bring:
1. A medical certificate verifying that the student was seen by a doctor either on, or prior to, the due
date or exam date and that the student was incapable of completing the assignment or writing the
exam at the appointed time. This form is available at http://www2.carleton.ca/registrar/forms/.
Medical certificates presented on other forms of letterhead will be accepted providing all
information required on the Universitys Medical Certificate is stated; or,
2. Other official documents clearly indicating that the students absence was due to circumstances
beyond their control.


The final exam will be written during exam period as scheduled by the university and will cover material
from the entire semester. Students who miss the final exam must apply to the Registrars Office (not the
instructor) for a deferral to be written at a later date (normally the Feb. break). Applications must be
made within 5 working days of the missed exam. Please note that the final exam schedule is from Dec.
11th Dec. 22nd, and that the final exam for this course may be scheduled at any time during that
period - do not make travel arrangements until you know the date of the final exam in December.


Rights and Responsibilities: The Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar details the rights and
responsibilities of students registered at the University. It is the responsibility of each student to
familiarize themselves with the Academic Regulations of the University
(http://www4.carleton.ca/cu0708uc/regulations/acadregsuniv.html).





























Course Objectives. Students will be examined on their knowledge of material covered in the lectures or
assignments, and their ability to solve problems relevant to the course content. The students will also be
required to participate fully in the laboratory portion of the course. Students should

1. Describe basic principles regarding cellular structure and function.
2. Understand how eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are organized, how this organization relates to
cellular function, and the essential differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
3. Know the properties of the biomacromolecules which comprise the cell and understand how these
molecules contribute to cell function.
4. Understand the importance and mechanisms of cellular energy transformations.
5. Know the processes of molecular genetics - transcription, translation, and DNA replication;
understand how gene expression is regulated.
6. Understand mitotic and meiotic cell division and know the roles of these processes in the life cycle
of organisms.
7. Understand the principles of classical and molecular genetics; be able to describe genetic
experiments which illustrate the laws of inheritance; be able to solve genetic problems.
8. Be able to apply principles learned in this course to the understanding of current topics in Biology.
9. Participate fully in the experimental components of this course, in a manner that is safe for
yourself and others.
10. Have English language skills sufficient to comprehend the theoretical portion of the course, to
write laboratory assignments and reports, and to succeed in tests with multiple choice
components. Students should utilize all available University support services (e.g. Learning
Academic Accommodation
You may need special arrangements to meet your academic obligations during the term. For an
accommodation request the processes are as follows:

Pregnancy obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks
of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details visit the
Equity Services website: http://www2.carleton.ca/equity/
Religious obligation: write to me with any requests for academic accommodation during the first two weeks
of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist. For more details visit the
Equity Services website: http://www2.carleton.ca/equity/
Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: The Paul Menton Centre for Students with
Disabilities (PMC) provides services to students with Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/mental health
disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), chronic
medical conditions, and impairments in mobility, hearing, and vision. If you have a disability requiring
academic accommodations in this course, please contact PMC at 613-520-6608 or pmc@carleton.ca for a
formal evaluation. If you are already registered with the PMC, contact your PMC coordinator to send me your
Letter of Accommodation at the beginning of the term, and no later than two weeks before the first in-class
scheduled test or exam requiring accommodation (if applicable). After requesting accommodation from PMC,
meet with me to ensure accommodation arrangements are made. Please consult the PMC website for the
deadline to request accommodations for the formally-scheduled exam (if applicable) at
http://www2.carleton.ca/pmc/new-and-current-students/dates-and-deadlines/
You can visit the Equity Services website to view the policies and to obtain more detailed information on
academic accommodation at http://www2.carleton.ca/equity/

Support Services, see http://www.carleton.ca/sasc/lss_home/ the Writing Tutorial Service, see
http://www2.carleton.ca/sasc/writing-tutorial-service/ etc.) to optimize their performance.

Lecture Topics: The following is an outline of the major topics that are to be covered in the lectures. The
schedule is flexible (except for the test dates) and may change as required.

Week beginning:
Monday 2
nd
September Classes begin across the University on Thursday 5th
Friday 6
th
First class: Introduction to course - Syllabus, course
expectations and overview

Monday 9
th
September Origins and chemistry of Life (Ch. 1 & 2)

Monday 16
th
September Cell Structure, Macromolecules & Cellular components (Ch. 3 & 4)

Monday 23
rd
September Membranes (Ch. 5 )
Energy & Enzymes (Ch. 5 & 6)

Monday 30
th
September Respiration (Ch. 6)

Monday 7
th
October Photosynthesis (Ch. 7)
Friday Oct. 11
th
MIDTERM I

Monday 14
th
October Monday Oct. 14
th
- Thanksgiving Day University closed.
Cell Cycle - Mitosis (Ch. 8)

Monday 21
st
October DNA structure and replication (Ch. 10)

Monday 28
th
October Fall Break No classes

Monday 4
th
November Gene structure and expression (Ch. 10 & 11)

Monday 11
th
November Regulation of gene expression I (Ch.11)
Friday Nov. 15
th
MIDTERM II

Monday 18
th
November Meiosis and Recombination (Ch. 8)
Mendelian genetics/inheritance (Ch. 9)

Monday 25
th
November Human genetics & disease II (Ch. 9)

Monday 2
nd
December Biotechnology & Genomics (Ch. 12)

Monday 9
th
December Review (time permitting)




Dates and Deadlines: Here are some official University dates that may be relevant to this course.
A full description of official University dates may be found at:
http://calendar.carleton.ca/undergrad/undergraduniversity/academicyear/. In the event that the
information on the University website differs from that given below, the information on the
University website will be deemed correct.

September 18
th
Last day for course registration.
Last day to change courses or sections for fall term courses.

September 30
th
Last day to withdraw from fall term courses with a full fee
adjustment

October 11
th
December examination schedule (fall term final and fall/winter
mid-terms) available online.

October 14
th
Statutory holiday, University closed.

October 28 November 1
st
Fall break, no classes.

November 8
th
Last day to submit, to the Paul Menton Centre for Students with
Disabilities, Formal Examination Accommodation Forms for
December examinations.

December 9
th
Last day of fall term classes
Last day for academic withdrawal from fall term courses.

December 11
th
22
nd
Final examinations in fall term courses and mid-term examinations in
fall/winter courses may be held. Examinations are normally held all
seven days of the week.