Brief Outline (or skip ahead to Oceans of Planet Earth)
I. Introduction to Course
Course Goals
Learn about ocean and organisms that live there
Dynamic history of Earth and its life
Science as a process (there are many "scientific methods")
Sharpen scientific skills
pose questions, frame hypotheses, devise tests
MLATS
Text (Required - We will read it cover to cover!)
Course website: http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol317/
Grades, Quizzes,
Exams, Activities
Be prepared for a brief quiz at the start of every lecture
Quiz will briefly test your comprehension of reading
5 pts. per quiz, about 1 quiz per week
Questions should be "easy" if you study as directed
1 pt. for just turning in your name on the paper
Will post review questions, lecture notes, on web
Some exam questions will come from lectures only
See schedule for details of lectures/exams and weekly fieldtrips
See syllabus for details of grading
I will post grades periodically to website by last 4 digits of your ID
II. Studying effectively
Complete assigned reading
BEFORE corresponding lecture
Study together but
written work you turn in should be original
Also be able to answer
the review questions posted on web
I plan to provide some
selected web links embedded in reviews
Please understand that
adding web pages for every lecture is
probably not feasible
I will do my best to
keep up but some lectures might have few
or no posted notes on the web, in which case you are still
responsible for extracting the major concepts/terms/organisms
for the assigned reading
I may alternatively
assign selected review questions as
provided at the end of each chapter
Clicking on
web links is "optional" but they will help illustrate
points made in lecture and by the author of MLATS
The web is very visual, links will help you visualize
Certain plants or animals will be a Featured Organism
Certain places of special interest are a Featured
Locality
These are especially apt to appear on exams
because
I feel I have emphasized them in particular
If you find yourself waiting for lengthy periods on a
slow home connection to the web, consider using
one of the many on-campus computer labs instead
Materials will be posted
to the web as we go (please be patient)
Ask questions
in class, during office hours, or by email
Read "An Overview
of This Text" on p. xxi of MLATS
Each chapter
starts with an interesting Case History (read
it)
Review questions
will be interjected in notes (RQ)
Pay special
attention to any figure or table in the text!
I often look at these first when writing exams and
I will try to emphasize them on figures I display
on the overhead projector so that you will have
access to them in your studying