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MCB 150: MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BASIS OF LIFE
Lecture: 114 Smith Memorial Hall, 1:00 PM Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Mr. Brad Mehrtens (Instructor); mehrtens@uiuc.edu
Melissa Reedy (Course Coordinator); murray@life.uiuc.edu
Course Office: 252 Davenport Hall; 244-6239; (8:30 AM–5:00 PM Monday–Friday)
MCB 150 WEB SITE
Course Web site: www.life.uiuc.edu/mcb/150
Course Gradebook:
https://gradebook.atlas.uiuc.edu/courses/mcb150/fall08/index.html
REQUIRED & RECOMMENDED MATERIALS
The following items should be available and should be listed correctly at the Illini Union
Bookstore (IUB). They may not be available and it
is not guaranteed they will be listed correctly at any other bookstore. Please
pay careful attention to dates and editions when purchasing these items. Any items
(other than those specifically named below) listed by bookstores as optional
or recommended have not been previously approved by the course faculty.
REQUIRED TEXTS (updated for Spring 2008)
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Our required text for MCB 150 is from two different books. The first is Units 1, 2, and 3 (Chapters 1-21) of Biology, 1st edition, by Brooker, Widmaier, Graham, and Stiling. The second is The Cell: A Molecular Approach, 4th edition, by Cooper and Hausman. These resources will be packaged individually. There is a code required for accessing electronic content (from the Biology text).
SECTION CHANGE, ADD AND DROP INFORMATION
Students may use the UI Integrate System to add or to change MCB 150 discussion sections before 5:00 PM,
Monday, September 8, 2008.
Students must at all times attend the discussion sections in which they are currently enrolled. Students will not be allowed
to sit in other sections at other times for any reason without permission from the Course Staff in 252 Davenport Hall.
Friday, October 17, 2008 (5:00 PM) is the last day to drop the course or to elect the Credit/No Credit option.
To elect the Credit/No Credit option, students must apply in their College Office.
To drop the course after the drop deadline, students must petition a Dean in their college office and bring petitions to the
course staff in 252 Davenport Hall, for completion of attendance and grade information.
WHEN MCB 150 CLASSES BEGIN
MCB 150 lectures will begin on Monday, August 25, 2008 at 2:00 PM in 114 Smith Memorial Hall.
MCB 150 discussion sections will begin the week of Monday, August 25, 2008 in 422 (308) Natural History Building.
PROFICIENCY EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
The MCB 150 proficiency exam will be given on Tuesday evening, September 2, 2008. Students
may sign up for the exam in the Core Curriculum Office in 252 Davenport Hall until 12:00 PM
on the day of the exam.
EXAM AND CONFLICT EXAM INFORMATION
EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
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Exams I, II, and III will be given on Thursday evenings (see Course Policies: Examinations for
exam dates). Arrive early; the exams will begin at 7:00 PM sharp. The exams will cover material from lecture specifically
and discussion only as the two may overlap. Please see the MCB 150 Web site or the glass case outside of 252 Davenport Hall
(MCB 150 Information Case) for any further details concerning each exam.
-
The exams will be administered in various lecture halls and classrooms on campus and the section location assignments will
be posted on the MCB 150 Web site, in the discussion rooms, and in the MCB 150 Information Case several days prior to each exam.
You must take the exam with your assigned section.
-
Bring your University photo ID, several sharp #2 pencils, and an eraser. You will not need a calculator to complete these exams.
No calculators will be allowed in the exam room.
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Please do not bring to the exam any backpacks, purses, hats, bags, books, notes, papers, clipboards, musical instruments, or
anything other than the items listed in number 3 above; you will be allowed to enter the exam
room with these items, but they will be placed away from student seating during the exam. No one will be monitoring who deposits
and collects these personal effects, so thefts and mistaken identification of belongings can occur. We urge you not to bring valuables
to the exam room. You will be asked to place all jackets/coats completely under the chair in which you are seated. In the case that
the floor of the exam room is wet, you will be allowed to place jackets/coats at the front or back of the room during the exam. Cell
phones, pagers, ipods, audio equipment, and any other electronic devices must be turned off and placed away from student seating during
the exams.
The MCB 150 faculty/staff is not responsible for any of your personal belongings. We strongly suggest you do not bring them to the exam
site. The Illini Union Bookstore has lockers available for temporary storage of such items if you are unable to leave them at home prior
to an exam.
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If you have a University course that conflicts with the exam, contact the MCB 150 staff in 252 Davenport Hall by 5:00 PM, the Tuesday
prior to the exam. See the Conflict Exam Instructions section for further details.
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If you are ill or incapacitated on the day of an exam, you are urged to seek assistance at McKinley Health Center or elsewhere as needed,
and to miss the exam (your score will be prorated if your absence is excused). Do not call your TA. Call Alejandra Stenger or the MCB 150
Staff (244-6239) and advise them of your situation. When you are well enough to return to classes, go to the Office of the Dean of
Students. It is are located in various rooms of Turner Student Services Building, 610 E. John Street, Champaign; 333-0050. Inform the
Deans that you need confirmation of a confining illness to be sent to Alejandra Stenger. NOTE: If you choose to attend an exam while
suffering from illness, and you complete the exam, that exam determines your score.
CONFLICT EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
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Conflict exams are given from 5:00–7:00 PM on the regular exam day. You must make arrangements to take a conflict exam by 5:00 PM,
the Tuesday prior to the exam day. Use the MCB 150 Conflict Exam Request
Form to make these arrangements. You must make these arrangements for each exam.
Your request for a conflict exam will not be carried to subsequent exams.
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If your conflict is a regularly scheduled course for credit at the University, we will confirm your conflict on Banner. If your conflict
is caused by anything other than a University course, please bring written documentation supporting your claim of conflict.
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If you have a conflict with the regular exam time and the conflict exam time, see course staff in 252 Davenport Hall by 5:00 PM on the
Tuesday prior to the exam day. An alternate conflict exam time will be arranged.
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Conflict exams locations are provided via email after we have received appropriate documentation.
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You will be required to remain in the exam room until exactly 6:50 PM. Students taking the conflict exam are given the same exam as
students taking the exam at the regular time. In order to protect the integrity of the exam, conflict exam students are held until 6:50
PM. If you wish to use the remaining 10 minutes to complete your exam, you may.
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Students taking the conflict exam will not be allowed to take their exam booklet with them when they leave the exam room. These booklets
will be available for pick-up in 252 Davenport Hall on the day following the exam or in your discussion.
FINAL EXAM AND CONFLICT FINAL EXAM INFORMATION
FINAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
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The Final Exam will be administered Friday, December 12, 2008 from 1:30–4:30 PM.
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The exam location(s) will be posted on the MCB 150 Web site and in the MCB 150 Information Case by Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 9:00 AM.
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Bring your University photo ID, several sharp #2 pencils and an eraser. You will not need a calculator to complete this exam. No
calculators will be allowed in the exam room.
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Please do not bring to the exam any backpacks, purses, hats, bags, books, notes, papers, clipboards, musical instruments, or
anything other than the items listed in number 3 above; you will be allowed to enter the exam room with these
items, but they will be placed away from student seating during the exam. No one will be monitoring who deposits and collects these
personal effects, so thefts and mistaken identification of bags can occur. We urge you not to bring valuables to the exam room. You will
be asked to place all jackets/coats completely under the chair in which you are seated. In the case that the floor of the exam room is wet, you will be allowed to place jackets/coats at the front
or back of the room during the exam. Cell phones, pagers, ipods, audio equipment, and any other electronic devices must be turned off and
placed away from student seating during the exams.
The MCB 150 faculty/staff is not responsible for any of your personal belongings. We strongly suggest you do not bring them to the exam
site. The Illini Union Bookstore has lockers available for temporary storage of such items if you are unable to leave them at home prior
to an exam.
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In case of illness or personal emergency the day of the exam, contact a dean in your college. Only a dean can excuse a student from a
final exam.
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A conflict final exam will be given only for students who have met the requirements stated on the Conflict Final
Exam Instructions page. Complete a Conflict Final Exam Request Form before 5:00 PM on Monday, December 8, 2008 to arrange a
conflict final exam.
CONFLICT FINAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
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A Conflict Final Exam will only be given to individuals who find themselves in one of the following situations:
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Students with three final exams scheduled within a 24 hour period as defined in Section 82.A.4). Final Examinations of the
Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students which can be found at
www.uiuc.edu/admin_manual/code/.
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Students who have another final exam scheduled at 1:30 PM on Friday, December 12, 2008. The conflicting course's enrollment must
be lower than the MCB 150 enrollment in order for you to take the MCB 150 conflict final exam. Please see the MCB 150 Staff in 252
Davenport Hall for enrollment information.
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Students who have a verified personal problem, and who have received written permission to take the MCB 150 conflict final exam from
a dean in their college.
- Any student with one or more of the above situations should use the
MCB 150 Conflict Final Exam Request Form on the MCB 150 Web site and submit the form by 5:00 PM Monday, December 8, 2008. Students
should feel free to contact the MCB 150 office with questions or concerns about conflict final exams.
- All student requests will be reviewed and students will be contacted as soon as possible via telephone or e-mail regarding the status of
their request. Qualified students will be informed of the Conflict Final Exam time and location by Reading Day, Thursday, December 11, 2008 before 12 PM. Conflict Final Exams may be scheduled at any regular final exam time slot.
THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE TO 252 DAVENPORT HALL
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Enter Chemistry Annex through the main doors on the north side of the building, off the brick walkway between Chemistry Annex and Noyes
Laboratory.
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Take stairs just inside the main doorway to the second floor.
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Walk straight ahead down a short corridor through two doors. The second
door you will pass through is 243 Davenport Hall. Rm. 252 Davenport Hall
is the first door on your right.
Wheelchair Access
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Enter Chemistry Annex through the wheelchair access ramp on the southeast corner of the building.
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Take the elevator from the basement to the second floor. Turn right out of the elevator and right again to go down a short corridor.
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The second door you will pass through is 243 Davenport Hall. Room 252 Davenport Hall is the first door on your right.
For further information call 244-6239.
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GENERAL INFORMATION & POLICIES OF MCB 150
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The course faculty and the TAs are in charge of the orderly conduct of students in discussions and may exclude a student who does not
comply with a reasonable request in this regard.
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All students are assumed to have read and understood the Code Of Policies And Regulations Applying To All Students,
University of Illinois, and will be expected to act accordingly.
The Code is available online at: www.admin.uiuc.edu/policy/code/
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Concerns over exam grading, discussion teaching or grading, and exam or discussion absences should be taken up with Melissa Reedy.
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The deadline for grade corrections on all items is one week after corrected items are returned or grades are received.
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Excused class time compensating for evening exams is provided by cancellation of lectures.
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Reference letters and recommendation forms are to be submitted to the student's TA, whose evaluation will be reviewed and countersigned by
a member of the course faculty.
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The faculty and staff of MCB 150 are not responsible for any student personal belongings during examinations or class periods.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
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Attendance will be recorded at every discussion session.
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Students must attend their scheduled discussion section.
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Students who wish to have consideration for religious observances which conflict with exams or discussions, must present verification in
writing to course staff within one week of the first lecture, in compliance with the Code of Policies and Regulations
Applying to All Students (Rule 34.B.4). If the religious observance is such that the exact date cannot be determined in August,
contact course staff before the deadline and provide information about the approximate date or dates of absence(s).
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Conflicts with evening exams in MCB 150 should be presented to course staff by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately prior to the exam so that
a conflict exam can be arranged. Written evidence of the conflict must be provided (see Examinations section).
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Class absences before and after vacations (e.g. Thanksgiving Vacation, before Finals) are not excusable, except as
aforementioned.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU MUST BE ABSENT
Absence from Class
We know that students become ill and that family emergencies arise. In order to accommodate absences due to illness or emergency, we allow that a specified number of assignments and/or quizzes may be missed without penalty. These missed assignments and/or quizzes can be dropped according to the criteria set forth in the Course Policies for this course.
Extended Absence from Class
If you experience an illness (chronic, recurring or lasting three days or more) or other circumstance that causes an extended absence from class (lasting three days or more), please contact the Office of the Dean of Students. The office of the Dean of Students is located in the Turner Student Services Building, 610 E. John Street, Champaign, 333-0050. A representative of that office will provide us with the necessary information to address your circumstance. Please fill out an online absence form for your course which can be found on the course web site.
Absence from an Exam
If you experience an illness that causes you to miss an exam, you should go to McKinley or your private physician to seek assistance. Whether it is an illness or an emergency that prevents you from taking your exam at the appointed time, you should then contact the Office of the Dean of Students. The office of the Dean of Students is located in the Turner Student Services Building, 610 E. John Street, Champaign, 333-0050. A representative of that office will validate your visit to McKinley or your private physician and then provide us with the necessary information to address your circumstance. Please fill out an online absence form for your course, which can be found on the course web site.
Absence from a Final Exam
If you should experience an illness or emergency that prevents you from taking your final exam at the appointed time, you should contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 333-0050. If this occurs during normal business hours, you call will be answered by staff. If this occurs after hours, you will be given a phone number for the emergency Dean on call. There will always be someone available for you to call. Please fill out an online absence form for your course which can be found on the course web site.
MCB 150 WEB GRADEBOOK
The MCB 150 Web Gradebook can be accessed directly at:
https://gradebook.atlas.uiuc.edu/courses/mcb150/fall08/index.html
Scores on exams and assignments will be available for student review on the MCB 150 Web Gradebook. To check your scores, sign into the MCB 150
Web site and click on the Gradebook link and follow the instructions presented there. All students are responsible for checking their scores
on the Web Gradebook after each exam and assignment is returned to them. Each student is responsible for reporting possible discrepancies
to their TA and if immediate action is not taken, the student is responsible for bringing this to the attention of course staff within one
week of receiving their graded paper or exam score. Students are encouraged to keep all graded papers returned to them until after final
grades are issued.
The final deadline for Web Gradebook corrections is 5:00 PM, Wednesday, December 10, 2007.
No Web Gradebook scores will be altered after this deadline so please be certain to check all your scores before this time.
LON-CAPA ASSIGNMENTS
The LON-CAPA system will be used to administer two types of assignments. Instructions for accessing the LON-CAPA are contained in the Course Information Packet. There will be ten online assignments, Weekly Review Questions, worth 5 points each for a total of 50 points. Each assignment will cover material covered in the previous week in lecture. There will also be Pre-Lecture and Post –Lecture Questions before and after each lecture, worth 8 points each for a maximum total of 280 points.
Weekly Review Questions will be due at 5:00 PM each Friday, according to the schedule contained in the MCB 150 syllabus. Please be advised that difficulty accessing the server, inability to find an open computer lab, or other computer issues will not suffice to extend this deadline. Please be sure to finish your assignments early, to avoid missing the 5:00 PM Friday deadline!
A total of 330 points may be earned for LON CAPA assignments.
ATTENDANCE POINTS
There are thirteen total discussion section meetings during the semester. Students will receive 3 points per attended discussion section in up to
10 discussion sections for a total of 30 points. Students are urged to attend all discussion classes, but will not lose attendance points if
they are present for at least ten class periods. Students will not receive more than 30 total attendance points. Teaching
assistants will provide students with a clear indication of what is required in order to be counted present for a class session.
EXAMINATIONS
Evening exams and the final exam will be in the multiple choice and/or true-false format. Material for evening lecture exams will be drawn
from the lectures, lecture materials, associated text readings, and reserved reading, if any. The lecturer will provide students with
information regarding the content of specific exams.
All exams are computer graded and the grades are entered into the Web Gradebook electronically. Once the exams have been administered, they
become property of the students. Within one week of each exam, answers are posted, and errata grade sheets are provided to students. It is the
student's responsibility to make certain that the grade on the Web Gradebook is correct. If a student believes that an error has been made, it
should be brought to the TA's attention immediately. If an explanation cannot be found, the student and/or the TA should bring the problem to
the MCB 150 Staff in 252 Davenport Hall. All student scantron sheets are retained for grade confirmation if necessary. All students are urged
to keep their errata sheets until a final grade has been issued for the course.
The final exam is the property of the course and is not returned to students, nor are answers posted or made available in any way. Should a
student feel that an error has been made in the grading of the final exam, that student should contact Alejandra Stenger.
EXAM DATES
| Exam |
Time |
Day |
Date |
 |
| Exam I |
7-9 PM |
Thursday |
September 18, 2008 |
|
| Exam II |
7-9 PM |
Thursday |
October 16, 2008 |
|
| Exam III |
7-9 PM |
Thursday |
November 13, 2008 |
|
| Final Exam |
1:30-4:30 PM |
Friday |
December 12, 2008 |
COURSE GRADING
Student grades in MCB 150 will be based on total of 1000 points. Categories listed below are approximate, but should closely resemble the final
distribution.
| 3 Lecture Exams |
|
450 |
|
| Final Exam |
|
150 |
|
| LON-CAPA |
|
330 |
|
| Discussion |
|
70 |
|
|
| Total |
|
1000 |
points |
A more Specific Point Breakdown for MCB 150 follows:
| 280 points |
|
LON-CAPA Pre/post lecture questions (39 @ 8 pts each, max. total of 280 pts) |
| 50 points |
|
LON-CAPA Assignments (10 @ 5 pts each) |
| 30 points |
|
Lecture Review Worksheets (2 @ 15 pts each) |
| 10 points |
|
Virtual Lab Worksheet |
| 30 points |
|
Attendance/Participation (10/13 classes required) |
| 450 points |
|
Exams (3 @ 150 pts each) |
| 150 points |
|
Final Exam |
|
| 1000 points |
|
Total |
All point totals are estimates and may be altered slightly throughout the course of the semester.
The point totals contained in the following table represent the use of the plus/minus grading system coupled with a 4.0 grade point system.
The grade point values shown for each letter grade have been assigned by the University. Students who earn the points shown below (out of 1000
possible points), will be guaranteed the indicated letter grade. At semester's end, after the final exam, the faculty will analyze the course
grade distribution, and may decrease (to accommodate poor class performance on an examination), but will not increase the points needed for
each grade.
MCB 150 Standard Grade Scale
|
Letter Grade
|
Point Ranges
|
Grade Point Value
|
|
A+
|
1000–920
|
4.000
|
|
A
|
919–880
|
4.000
|
|
A-
|
879–840
|
3.667
|
|
B+
|
839–800
|
3.333
|
|
B
|
799–760
|
3.000
|
|
B-
|
759–720
|
2.667
|
|
C+
|
719–680
|
2.333
|
|
C
|
679–640
|
2.000
|
|
C-
|
639–600
|
1.667
|
|
D+
|
599–560
|
1.333
|
|
D
|
559–520
|
1.000
|
|
D-
|
519–480
|
0.667
|
|
F
|
479–0
|
0.000
|
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
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Science cannot exist without honesty. The faculty and staff of MCB 150 require students, as scientists-in-the-making, to hold the highest
standards of scientific and academic conduct. Any form of cheating on any graded work in this course is unacceptable, and will be dealt with
as outlined below, and in accordance with the University-wide standards in the Code of Policies and Regulations Applying
to All Students.
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We require that all graded work be entirely your own, and that anything you write using the words of other writers be correctly attributed.
Some specific points follow:
Exams
On all exams, the answers that your turn in for grading must be your own, formulated during the exam from your own
understanding of the material and without any supporting information, be it written, verbal or electronic. Copying the work of another student,
or allowing another to copy your work, or copying work from any other source, is unacceptable. Since we can not always monitor you as you
complete your work, we must rely upon appearance of your work from which to judge. If the work you submit resembles that of another student or
another source too closely, we may conclude that it was not your original work. Always make a conscious effort to complete your work on your
own and to protect it from the view of others, in order to ensure that it will be seen as your own.
Failure to adhere to these standards, for any portion of an exam, may result in a grade of zero for the entire exam, for
all persons involved.
Assignments
On assignments, the answers that you turn in for grading must be written in your own words, formulated from your own understanding of the
material. Copying or paraphrasing the work of another student, or allowing another to copy or paraphrase your work, is unacceptable. Since we
cannot monitor you as you complete your work, we have only the appearance of your work from which to judge. If the work you submit resembles
that of another student too closely, we may conclude that it is not your original work. Always make a conscious effort to complete your work
on your own and to protect it from the view of others, in order to ensure that it will be seen as your own.
Failure to adhere to these standards may result in a grade of zero for the entire assignment, for all persons involved.
On assignments, if you use another source to obtain the facts and/or opinions necessary to complete your assignment, you must credit the
source (see next point below) and rephrase the information so that your assignment is entirely your own words. A good practice is to read the
source until you have a thorough understanding of the material, and then put it away. Write your assignment as if you are explaining the
information you learned from reading the source to a classmate, member of your family, or to your teaching assistant. You may wish to look at
the source again for clarification, but be certain that you do not use statements taken directly from the text in your assignment. Your entire
assignment should be in your own words. Furthermore, paraphrasing does NOT mean replacing key words in a statement with synonyms. For an
example of proper paraphrasing of a statement, consult the University's Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students.
Failure to adhere to these standards may result in zero credit for the entire assignment.
On assignments, if you use the ideas and/or opinions from another author or source, you must provide the appropriate citation. That is, you
must, using APA format, place a parenthetical reference to the source that provided you the information necessary to complete that portion of
the assignment.
Failure to adhere to these standards may result in zero credit for the entire assignment.
On assignments, if you use a statement taken directly from any book or other publication, including the course textbook, you must provide a
citation. That is, you must put the text in quotes and, using APA format, place a parenthetical reference to the source at the end of the
quote. Direct quotations should be severely limited in your assignments; they should be used ONLY in the following situations:
- A definition of a term.
- A profound statement made by an expert in the field
Furthermore, any direct quotation should then be restated in your own words in order that your instructor may evaluate your understanding of
the material.
Failure to adhere to these standards may result in zero credit for the entire assignment.
HONORS CREDIT
Research papers written for MCB 150 honors must be approved by the instructor. Acceptable papers should meet the following guidelines:
- Topic. The paper must focus on a topic covered in one of the molecular genetic or cell biology lectures.
- Outline. An outline of the paper, including references, must be turned in for evaluation by date established when
the Honors Credit Learning Agreement (HCLA) is signed. The topic must be approved before beginning to write the outline. The paper may not be
used for another class in addition to MCB 150.
- References. The paper should include citations to articles or reviews in scientific journals (e.g. Scientific
American, Science, Trends in Biochemical Sciences, etc), not simply textbooks and non-science magazine or newspaper articles. A minimum of
three references should be cited in the paper. Each of the references should be thoroughly read before writing the paper. Full references
should be cited as follows:
- Maloy, S. 1987. The proline utilization operon. In F. Neidhardt, J. Ingraham,
K. Low, B. Magasanik, M. Schaechter and H. Umbarger (ed.), Escherichia
coli and Salmonella typhimurium: Cellular
and Molecular Biology. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
- Ostrovsky de Spicer, P., K. O'Brien, and S. Maloy. 1991. A membrane associated
dehydrogenase from Salmonella typhimurium that
binds DNA in vitro. J. Bacteriol. 173: 211-219.
- Maloy, S. 1990. Experimental techniques in bacterial genetics, pp. 17-21.
Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Boston, MA.
If you use information from the World Wide Web, give the title of the article, any author names associated with the article and the
complete URL (the http address).
- Length. The paper should be 6-8 pages long including references but not including the title page, typed with double
spacing. Figures can be used and are encouraged. The title page should include your name, email address, discussion section letter, and
phone number.
- Date due. All papers must be turned by 5:00 PM on the last day of instruction.
- Style. The paper must be well written. A well-written paper should be interesting and easy to read. Here is a list
of some important things to consider when writing a paper:
-
Before writing ask yourself, "Who is going to read this paper and why will they want to read it?" Make it clear to the reader why the paper
is worth reading.
-
Write as efficiently as possible. This doesn't necessarily mean you should write the shortest paper possible, but your paper should take the
shortest possible time for someone to read and understand. Include the rationale for experiments and transitions between thoughts so the
reader can easily understand the points that are being made and why they are important.
-
Be concise. Everything you say should be necessary to make the desired point. Don't include unnecessary details.
-
Be specific. Include sufficient details so the reader can evaluate the results independently instead of simply "taking your word for it."
Give concrete examples instead of making broad general statements.
-
Keep it simple. It shouldn't be necessary for the reader to reread each sentence or to constantly look up words in a dictionary to figure out
what you are trying to say. Avoid using big words when a simple word is appropriate. Don't include a long string of adjectives in front of
nouns. Avoid long, winding sentences, but avoid short, choppy sentences as well. Try to write like you would speak. This doesn't mean that
your writing should be informal, but rather that it should feel natural. Remember, the purpose of scientific writing is to inform the reader.
-
Avoid vagueness. Eliminate generic nouns ("factor", "condition", etc.) that don't have a concrete meaning. A pronoun should refer
specifically to the last noun used. However, "it", "this", and "these" are often used ambiguously, making it difficult to determine what they
refer to. Avoid phrases like "this shows that" or "these results indicate that" unless it is explicitly clear what "this" or "these" means.
-
Make your writing symmetrical. Symmetrical sentences clearly indicate similarities and differences. When discussing related experiments,
don't use different words or different sentence structures that can obscure the similarity to the reader.
-
Include figures where appropriate. Where figures can take the place of text, use them.
-
Proofread. Check your spelling and grammar. Please consult the LAS Student Handbook for details concerning the Honors Credit Learning
Agreement. All Honors Credit Learning Agreement paperwork must be returned to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences main office prior to
the end of the sixth week of classes (check with your College office for summer session deadlines).
MCB 150 Textbook Web Site Access
MCB 150 students can access the ebook for Biology at the following URL:
MCB 150 VHS Video Tapes on Reserve
During the semester, several VHS videotapes will be placed on reserve for student viewing at the Undergraduate Library Media Center. Excerpts
from some of these tapes will be shown during discussion section while others will not be shown in class, but do pertain to material covered in
the course. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to view these tapes, as they may serve as excellent sources of
information for written assignments in this class.
Please see the following Web site for more detailed information about the UIUC Undergraduate Library and its Media Center:
www.library.uiuc.edu/ugl/media/. The Media Center is located on the east side of the upper
level of the Undergraduate Library. There, you will find information about how students can reserve a time to view these tapes in part or
completely. The library staff recommends that students make reservation to view the tapes and that they consider viewing the tapes in group
of two to five.
NOVA Video: Cracking the Code of Life
Frontline/NOVA Video: Harvest of Fear
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