Bchm 465 syllabus 2014

BCHM 465 Syllabus
Spring 2014

INSTRUCTOR:
LECTURE TA:

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of this course is to have students apply the basic concepts addressed in previous courses to areas of biochemical research that are under active investigation, with an emphasis on critical thinking. In addition, students will learn how to keep abreast of current research through the use of primary literature. The specific objectives of the course are to have students develop a working familiarity with process of developing testable hypotheses, the ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of approaches used to test hypotheses, the ability to succinctly ask pertinent questions regarding a topic of interest, and the ability to assess the robustness of a variety of sources of information. Further, students in this class will be expected to develop the ability to read primary literature, understand the hypotheses being tested, understand how experiments address these hypotheses, and subsequently incorporate that information into a working model. DEPARTMENTAL LEARNING OUTCOMES ADDRESSED BY THIS COURSE
BCHM 465 students will understand the molecule principles of life based on the core disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. BCHM 465 students will understand the scientific method. BCHM 465 students will acquire information literacy: the ability to locate, evaluate, and utilize information in the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology that is required for research, data analysis, and communication. BCHM 465 students will appreciate the ethical issues facing professionals in the life sciences. BCHM 465 students will understand the contributions of our discipline to society, including improvements to medicine, agriculture, the economy and the environment.
TEXTBOOK

The textbook(s) from BCHM 361 and BCHM 462 will serve as a general reference. Lectures will have associated reading materials that will be provided electronically or will be based on primary literature. LECTURE TIME AND PLACE

Tuesday and Thursday, 11:30-12:20, room BCHM 102. All lectures will be recorded, and will be available for students who miss a class or who would like to review a lecture. They can be downloaded at http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/BoilerCast/ BLACKBOARD
Course materials are available at http://www.itap.purdue.edu/learning/tools/blackboard/. Lecture materials will be available the day before class and should be printed off and brought to class.
ASSESSMENT

Exams are cumulative.

The grading for this course will be as follows:
Midterm Exam I
An essential component of class participation will be in class presentations. It is anticipated that there will be at least two and probably three presentations, primarily regarding data from primary literature. Presentations will be evaluated based on content, organization/clarity, and delivery (10 points each category, total of 30 points per presentation). The remainder of class participation points will come from homework, in class assignments, and overall contribution to class discussion as assessed by the instructor/TA. In general, homework and in class assignments count for 50-60 points of 200, participation counts for 50-60 points of 200, and presentations count for 90-100 points of 200. Points associated with various aspects of participation will be normalized to generate the final 200 point scale. The cutoff values for letter grades will be based on a curve. Typical values for a curve in this class are: 680 points 439 points and below F Missing a discussion or exam will result in a grade of 0 being recorded unless documented justification for the absence is presented. Any request to be excused from a class or exam must include official documentation (doctor’s note, request from academic advisor, etc) explaining why the class/ exam was or will be missed. Makeup tests will be scheduled in consultation with the instructor. If you have any disagreements with the way your exam or essay has been graded, please consult the grading key and then take them up with the TA. Requests for re-grades must be submitted no later than the end of the second class period after the graded test or assignment has been returned. EXTRA CREDIT
There will be no opportunity for extra credit. OBTAINING EXTRA HELP

The TA or Dr. Ogas will be available to answer your questions immediately after class or by appointment (arranged in class or by e-mail). Alternatively, you can submit questions by e-mail that can be answered in class or by return e-mail. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Academic misconduct of any kind will not be tolerated in any course offered by the
Department of Biochemistry. Information on Purdue’s policies with regard to academic
misconduct can be found at
http://www.purdue.edu/studentregulations/student_conduct/regulations.html
Any incidence of academic misconduct will be reported to the Office of the Dean of
Students. Academic misconduct may result in disciplinary sanctions including expulsion,
suspension, probated suspension, disciplinary probation, and/or educational sanctions. In
addition, such misconduct will result in punitive grading such as:
• receiving a lower or failing grade on the assignment, or
• assessing a lower or failing grade for the course
Punitive grading decisions will be made after consultation with the Office of the Dean of
Students. Please note reported incidences of academic misconduct go on record for
reference by other instructors. Further, a record of academic misconduct is likely to
influence how current/future situations are handled.
To provide you with an unambiguous definition of academic misconduct, the following
text has been excerpted from "Academic Integrity: A Guide for Students", written by
Stephen Akers, Ph.D., Executive Associate Dean of Students (1995, Revised 1999,
2003), and published by the Office of the Dean of Students in cooperation with Purdue
Student Government, Schleman Hall of Student Services, Room 207, 475 Stadium Mall
Drive West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050.
“Purdue prohibits "dishonesty in connection with any University activity. Cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University are examples of dishonesty." [Part 5, Section III-B-2-a, Student Regulations] Furthermore, the University Senate has stipulated that "the commitment of acts of cheating, lying, and deceit in any of their diverse forms (such as the use of substitutes for taking examinations, the use of illegal cribs, plagiarism, and copying during examinations) is dishonest and must not be tolerated. Moreover, knowingly to aid and abet, directly or indirectly, other parties in committing dishonest acts is in itself dishonest." [University Senate Document 72-18, December 15, 1972] More specifically, the following are a few examples of academic dishonesty which have been discovered at Purdue University. substituting on an exam for another student substituting in a course for another student paying someone else to write a paper and submitting it as one's own work giving or receiving answers by use of signals during an exam copying with or without the other person's knowledge during an exam doing class assignments for someone else plagiarizing published material, class assignments, or lab reports turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet obtaining an unauthorized copy of a test in advance of its scheduled administration collaborating with other students on assignments when it is not allowed obtaining a test from the exam site, completing and submitting it later altering answers on a scored test and submitting it for a regrade stealing class assignments from other students and submitting them as one's own destroying or stealing the work of other students Plagiarism is a special kind of academic dishonesty in which one person steals another person's ideas or words and falsely presents them as the plagiarist's own product. This is most likely to occur in the following ways: using the exact language of someone else without the use of quotation marks and without giving proper credit to the author presenting the sequence of ideas or arranging the material of someone else even though such is expressed in one's own words, without giving appropriate acknowledgment submitting a document written by someone else but representing it as one's own” CLASS ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
In accordance with University policy, you are expected to attend every scheduled class. If you have a valid reason for missing class such as a University-sponsored activity, religious observances, illness, or family emergency, the instructor or TA will assist you in obtaining information and materials you may have missed. Students who skip class without a valid excuse should not expect the instructor or TA to supply class notes or provide www.purdue.edu/odos/services/classabsence.php and http://www.purdue.edu/studentregulations/regulations_procedures/classes.html Group discussion is critical component of this class. Consequently, tardies and
absences will both recorded. Students that are more than 5 minutes late to class
will be marked as tardy. Students that are more than 10 minutes late to class will
be marked as absent. Three tardies will count as an unexcused absence. 2
unexcused absences will result in drop in equivalent of 1 letter grade for total
participation score. Furthermore, greater than 2 unexcused absences will result in
a failing grade for the course.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

You are expected to complete all reading and/or writing assignments before class on the date indicated. An electronic copy of each writing assignment is due by midnight the day before class to Blackboard.
USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Use of laptop computers, cell phones, pagers, calculators, and other electronic
devices is not permitted in class. Electronic devices may be brought with you to class,
but they are to be closed and off during the class.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. To get information about changes in this course consult the class Blackboard site or e-mail or phone the instructor. ON-LINE COURSE EVALUATIONS

During the last two weeks of the semester, you will be provided an opportunity to evaluate this course and your instructor(s). To this end, Purdue has transitioned to online course evaluations. On Monday of the fifteenth week of classes, you will receive an official email from evaluation administrators with a link to the online evaluation site. You will have two weeks to complete this evaluation. Your participation in this evaluation is an integral part of this course. Your feedback is vital to improving education at Purdue University. I strongly urge you to participate in the evaluation system. NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT
Purdue University’s non-discrimination policy will be upheld in this classroom. Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life. Purdue University views, evaluates, and treats all persons in any University related activity or circumstance in which they may be involved, solely as individuals on the basis of their own personal abilities, qualifications, and other relevant characteristics. For more information, see http://www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/human_resources/nondisc_pol.html LECTURE SCHEDULE (meant very much as a rough outline – may be altered significantly
including addition of new topics and/or removal of listed topics based on progress/interests of
class and material covered in BCHM 463)
Week Topic
Introduction/overview of class Analysis of science in popular press Ciliate follow-up on RNA genome/ Behrens paper on MBD3

Source: https://ag.purdue.edu/biochem/department/Syllabi/BCHM%20465%20Syllabus%202014.pdf