Home | Announcements | Syllabus | Lectures | Labs | Exams | Term Project | Grades
Important Announcements
This page is for timely information about the course - reminders for exams, test result information, lab updates, and dealing with common problems. The date that anything was last posted on this page is given on the course Home page. Please check this page whenever there's anything new!
May 5, 2008
The grades for MB 451 have been submitted, and should show up on MyPack tonight. So, we're finished! I hope you found the course useful, and perhaps enjoyable. Each of you should be proud of how you did in this demanding class.
If you wish to pick up your exam, or any other graded work,you can either try to catch me in my office or let me know when you'd like to come by.
I'll see those of you who are graduating seniors on Saturday at the Graduation Ceremony!
May 6, 2008
The final grades are now posted on the Grades page. If you find an error, now is the time to let me know. I will submit these grades later today (Tuesday).
May 5, 2008
The Final exams are graded, and both your scores and the grade distribution is shown below. The average was 75.
As soon I can get he final grades sorted out, I'll post this info as well. When I do, I'll update the Grades page and post additional info.
May 2, 2008
The key to the Final exam has been posted on the Exams page.
April 26, 2008
MB 451 students:
ITEM #!: POSTED SCORES
All of the lab grades are now posted. PLEASE have a look on the Grades Page to make sure all of your grades are listed and correct. If you find a mistake, please bring it to my attention at the exam. Bring your graded lab write-up to that I can confirm the error.
I will have all of the graded lab write-ups that were turned in at the end with me at the exam. Be prepared to check these against your recorded scores in case of a mistake.
ITEM #2: FEEDBACK FORMS
If you haven't picked up a course feedback form, be prepared to fill one out after you're finished with the exam on Friday. If you wish, you can download a copy of the feedback form which you can fill out in your spare time (Ha!) before the exam.
ITEM #3: FINAL EXAM
Lastly, let me unnecessarily remind you that the exam is this Friday (May 2nd) at 8:00am in the regular classroom (220 Dabney). Unless you are an online student that has already arranged for an alternative exam time (Tiffany & Alyson) you should plan to be there.
April 28, 2008
The TAs have finished grading all of the lab write-ups they have in hand; you should have scores on the Grades page for every write-up you've turned in. If not, or if you have a score listed incorectly, please let me know ASAP.
April 28, 2008
The TAs have finished grading all of the lab write-ups except for a handfull that were turned in late (I expect these scores soon). Please go to the Grades Page to see your scores. You will be able to pick all of your graded work up at the Final exam, or if you happen to catch me in my office on Tuesday or Wednesday.
If you find any mistakes or missing grades, please let me know ASAP so we can sort it out.
April 26, 2008
This is a reminder that the Final exam will be on Friday (May 2nd) at 8:00am, in the usual classroom (220 Dabney Hall).
If you are an online student, you should either plan to take the exam with the other students at that time, or arrange ASAP fo another date and time.
April 21, 2008
I'd like to bring to your attention a 2 credit hour Special Topics class being taught this fall in Biology by a visiting Professor, James Hunt ( Jim_Hunt@ncsu.edu ), entitled:
Bio 495o (Section 003) : Evolution & Creationism in Science and Society.
Meeting on Wednesdays from 2:30 - 4:20 in 139 David Clark Labs.
The theory of evolution is the conceptual framework by which scientists understand the natural world. Among non-scientists, however, the theory of
evolution is often misunderstood. Why is an idea so basic to understanding life also so widely misunderstood? More than this, why are there continuing efforts
to remove the teaching of evolution from public school science classes?
In this seminar, students will read and discuss milestone writings in evolution, anti-evolution, and creationism from William Paley to the Dover decision.
Emphasis will be placed on understanding opposing viewpoints.
The seminar is open to students from all disciplines. It is particularly suitable, however, for future teachers and professors of biology, who will encounter
creationism among the students in their classes.
Enrollment will be limited to 20 students.
April 18, 2008
On Monday (April 21) I will have copies of the Course Feedback form in class. I'll also have these on Wednesday and Friday, as well as at the Final Exam. Your can take one and fill it out in class or at your lasure, and turn thm in at the latest at the Final exam.
If you wish, you can download the questionnaire below:
I would like each of you to fill out this form. This questionnaire is designed to obtain feedback from students for improving the course. Every substantial change I've ever made in this course has been the direct result of information gathered in these feedback forms.
Nothing you write on this questionnaire will affect your grade - I will not go through these completed forms until after your final grades have been turned in, and in any case your name is not on them.
This feedback form does not replace or fulfill the same purpose as the regular online Course Evaluation form. PLEASE FILL OUT A COURSE EVALUATION FOR MB 451 AS WELL. You can fill out course evaluations at the ClassEval URL: https://classeval.ncsu.edu . If you need help, you should contact classeval@ncsu.edu.
April 17, 2008
I've graded the Term Projects, and updated the Grades page with these scores. You can pick these up in class beginning Friday (tomorrow). Here is the distribution of scores for the project:
As you can see, overall the class did very well! The average score was 90,and the median score was 94.
FYI, this is the grading key I used:
Data
|
Microbiology |
Basic - 3 | 5 |
10
|
100
+2 for computer help referals |
| Details - 2 | |||||
Chromatogram |
Printout - 3 | 5 |
|||
| Highlighting - 2 | |||||
Database Search
|
SeqMatch
|
Printout - 5 | 10
|
15
|
|
| Closest relatives - 5 | |||||
Classifier |
Printout - 5 | 5 |
|||
Tree Construction
|
Phylum tree |
Sequence choices - 10 | 20 |
40 |
|
| Root - 3 | |||||
| Highlighting - 2 | |||||
| Annotation - 5 | |||||
Final tree |
Sequence choices - 12 (-2 for just adding seqs from SeqMatch) |
20 |
|||
| Root - 3 | |||||
| Highlighting - 2 | |||||
| Annotation - 3 | |||||
Write-up
|
Intro |
Subjective - 30 |
30
|
35
|
|
Results |
|||||
Discussion |
|||||
Citations |
Basic (1-2 refs) - 3 (RDP, MB451 excluded) |
5 |
|||
| Complete (>=2 refs) - 2 (RDP, MB451 excluded) |
April 13, 2008
ClassEval, the University’s online class evaluation system, is now open and will continue until 8 am on April 28, when finals begin. During this period, you are asked to evaluate each of your classes and labs by going to the website and completing brief questionnaires.
You can fill out course evaluations at the ClassEval URL: https://classeval.ncsu.edu . If you need help, you should contact classeval@ncsu.edu.
Please complete a questionnaire for this course.
Reminders will be sent every few days to those of you who have not completed all the class evaluations. You can stop receiving these reminders by completing all of your class evaluations.
April 12, 2008
This is a reminder that any remaining lab writeups are due by 1:20am (the start of class) this Friday (April 18th).
There will, of course, be no more lab sessions this semester; we're done!
April 7, 2008
This is a reminder that the Term Project is due by 11:20am (the start of class) this Friday (April 11th).
Labs this week will be informal - come on as 'as needed' basis at 1:30 on W, Th or F.
April 3, 2008
As you know, I've been fighting a sinus/cold/fever of some kind for the past couple of days, and I've been pretty-much out of it this afternoon & it's unlikely I'll be able to come into work tomorrow. As a result, the lecture (a discussion session) tomorrow (Friday) is CANCELED.
The Friday lab section will go as usual.
March 23, 2008
I need a volunteer to send me the microbiological data (colony and cellular morphology, & how it was isolated) and PCR number for one of their Term Project sequences. This info will go to a fellow student who unfortunately didn't get good sequence data.
And of course I need this right away.
If you provide this info for one of your sequences, you can go ahead and include it in your analysis for the Term Project, or not, as you see fit.
March 23, 2008
The second midterm exams have been graded and your scores posted on the Grades page. The Exams page has a copy of the key to the exam. Here is a graph of the score distribution:
One question, #2, was missed by so many students that I've decided to throw it out. Because some of you got it right, and deserve credit for this, rather than simply discard the question I've added 2 points to all of your scores.
I'll have these exams ready to pick up in claass on Monday, and in lab this week. PLEASE check the numbers over for mistakes. If you think one of your answers is correct, but was marked wrong, or if you think you deserve more credit than was given, please come and see me to explain exactly why this is so. Don't come & ask why something is wrong until you check into it yourself.
If you are concerned about how you're doing in this class, make an appointment to chat with me about it. However, keep in mind that students usually raise their grade with their lab scores, and in any case you have at least half of your grade for this class yet to go.
March 20, 2008
The last student has taken the make-up exam, and so the key to the second midterm exam has been posted on the Exams page. I hope to get these exams graded over the weekend, and I'll post the scores as soon as that's been done. You should be able to pick up your exams on Monday in class, or next week in lab.
March 10, 2008
This is a reminder that the second Midterm exam is next Monday, March 17th, at the usual class time & place. We will take the Friday "Discussion session" as a review session for this exam.
If you are an online student that cannot make this exam as scheduled, you need to arrange an alternative date/time/place with me as soon as possible.
March 7, 2008
The data from PCR #39 (Farah) and #48 (Alyson) came back looking very good, so we're going to have samples 25 & 26 (Rob) and 58 and 59 (Jen) repeated as well to see if we can get cleaner data. Otherwise the sequencing is finished, and the data posted is final.
March 5, 2008
The cleaned-up PCR products went to MWG for sequencing on Feb 28th, and today we got the data back. I've posted the data on the Term Project page. Most of you have at least one good sequence to do your Term Project with.
Most of the reactions that failed outright were the weakest PCR reactions, and the remaining bad sequences are from mixed templates - two sequences in one from mixed cultures. MWG will be re-sequencing 3 PCR products that may yet yeild data: PCR reactions 13 (Erin), 39 (Farah) and 48 (Alyson). The rest are finished, for good or bad.
As it stands, four of you do not have data for the project. If you have a friend in the class that has two good sequences, then your best bet is to ask them if you can use one of their sequences - this way they do one and you do the other. Otherwise, I'll poll the class & get someone to provide a sequence number and microbiological data for you to use. Please let me know either way as soon as possible.
February 25, 2008
The gel images from Friday & Monday have been posted on the Term Project page.
February 22, 2008
The gel images from Wednesday and Thursday have been posted on the Term Project page.
February 17, 2008
I've completely renovated the Term Project for this year, and this has been updated on the Term Project page. Of course we don't have any data yet, so no need to worry about this just yet, unless you just want to have a look & see what you're in for....
February 5, 2008
The first midterm exams have been graded and your scores posted on the Grades page. The Exams page has a copy of the key to the exam. Here is the distribution of sores:
Most of you did very well on this exam - the average was a high 84%! However, please keep these two things in mind:
January 28, 2008
As you know, the first midterm exam is fast approaching - this Friday.
If you are an online student, we need to arrange a time and date for you to make up the exam.
I will continue to run study sessions before lab this week; 12:30-1:30pm on Wednesday and Thursday in the Teaching lab (1522 GA). There will not be a study seesion on Friday after the regular exam time.
The exam will cover all of the material in the notes to date (including Wednesday's lecture), and will be worth 100 points (20% of your final grade). Plan on it taking 1 hour to complete; some will finish much faster, some may need a little more time than this. The format of the exam will be a mixture of multiple-choice, short answer, short essay, and problem-solving questions. Expect an exam very similar in format to the recent Midterm #1 exams posted on the Exams page of the MB 451 web site.
Your best approach to studying for the exam will be to:
January 19, 2008
I'll be running review sessions on sequence alignment, tree construction, and interpreting trees next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 12:30 and 1:30 in the teaching lab (1522 GA). These are primarily designeed for online students, who generally can't come to the problems sessions, but are open to any who wish to participate.
January 14, 2008
We've been able to move MB 451 lecture to a better-equipped room: 220 Dabney Hall. An added bonus, for those of us coming from Gardner, is that it's nearby!
This change is effective immediately - lecture on Wednesday will be in DAB 220, NOT Daniels Hall.
Labs will remain in 1522 GA.
January 14, 2008
The Lab Manual does not have the handout for this weeks lab in it, but this is available on the Labs Page, or you can go directly to it here for printing:
However, I'll have enough copies of this handout in lab for everyone.
December 13, 2007
CRITICAL INFORMATION TO START OUT THE LAB
The first labs are on January 16th (section 201), 17th (section 202), and 18th (section 203).
You need to bring the following material to this second lab (Jan 23-25):
And, for every week, be sure to bring:
All students in this course must register for one of the labs!