MCB 428

Course Information

MCB 428 Web site: http://www.life.uiuc.edu/mcb/428

Required Materials:

The following is a list of items required for MCB 428.  These items should be available at the Illini Union Bookstore (IUB).  They will not be available at any other bookstore.  Please pay careful attention to dates and editions when purchasing these items.  Lab Manuals from past semesters will not contain current information.

“Properties of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens, Fall 2007”.  Charles Pratt and Gail K. Grabner

Calculator

Note: A calculator should be brought to EVERY quiz and exam.

Course Web Site
http://www.life.uiuc.edu/mcb/428

The following information can be found on the course web site:

Announcements: Course announcements, changes and class-wide data will be posted to the course web site.  You should check this link periodically in order to be properly informed of any new course developments.

Syllabus: The current semester’s syllabus is posted here.  This link includes daily lab topics, pre-lab quiz due dates, quiz topics and dates, exam topics and dates, and lab report due dates and point totals.

Course Policies and Grading: A full statement of all the course policies regarding completion of exercises, lab absences, and grading may be found here.

Course Contacts: Contact information for Dr. Grabner (course instructor), Ms. Bannai (teaching assistant) is available via this link.

Experiment Lecture Notes: This link will give you access to all of the PowerPoint files utilized in the laboratory lectures.  Lectures will be available in two formats to accommodate student need: PowerPoint and PDF.

Exam and Quiz Answer Keys: Answer keys for all course materials will be found with this link.

Discussion Questions: A table displaying discussion question assignments is found here.  Also, answer keys to discussion questions will be posted on this site after the questions have been answered orally in class.

Formal Report: Information regarding the content, format, and due date for the formal report may be found here.

Helpful Links: Links to other web sites that are referenced in the lab manual or in lecture are also included to allow you to broaden your understanding of a particular topic.

LON-CAPA: This link provides direct access to the LON-CAPA web site and log in.  Students wishing to access the LON-CAPA network for the completion of pre-lab quizzes and quizzes must first log into this site.

Gradebook:  This link provides access to records of individual student grades for all aspects of the course and is password protected.  Students should check the Gradebook periodically to verify correct entry of grades.  Final course grades will be posted here at the conclusion of the semester.

LON-CAPA Information
http://www.lon-capa.uiuc.edu

We will be using LON-CAPA, or Lecture Online Network with Computer-Assisted Personalized Approach, in MCB 428.  The software was officially piloted in MCB during Spring 2005.  The program itself is a combination of learning assessment tools with course management capabilities.  You may be using LON-CAPA this semester to access and complete assignments and quizzes, in addition to using many other features the system supports.

Access Instructions: In order to use log into LON-CAPA you must have a username and a password.  Your username is your UIUC NetID (the first part of your University email address).  The password for LON-CAPA will have to be established by setting up an Active Directory (AD) password through CITES.  To set up your Active Directory password visit the following site: http://www.ad.uiuc.edu/accounts.aspx

Click on the “Change PASSWORD” box to set up your password if you haven’t already used Active Directory, then select the CITES Passwords box.  You will then need to enter your NetID and NetID password.  When setting the password be certain that ONLY the box for AD password is checked.  Uncheck the other password boxes.  Set up your Active Directory password (please make a note of it to avoid forgetting it later!).  Also note that if you have used the AD password in previous semesters, like in other LON-CAPA courses or for WebCT, it is a good idea to change your password for security concerns.

Once you have created an AD password visit our LON-CAPA website at:
www.lon-capa.uiuc.edu

This log in page will ask you to enter your LON-CAPA username (your UIUC NetID) and password (CITES AD password you created).  The domain, “uiuc” is already filed in for you.  After successful login, you will get to a screen with your currently available courses and roles, for example ‘student in MCB 301.’  Select the course you would like to access.  Once you have logged in you can access any of the LON-CAPA content by selecting ‘Main Menu’.  Inside the course, you can access your assignments by selecting “Navigate Contents” at the top of the screen or by clicking on the icon.  Clicking on the folders will display the contents within.  Once you have selected a problem in a folder you can move through the folder by clicking forward and backward on the arrow buttons at the top of the screen or by going back to Navigate Contents and clicking on each link.

Browsers: LON-CAPA functions using all common and current web browsers, like Mozilla, Firefox, and Safari on PC and Macs, as long as JavaScript and cookies are enabled in your browser.  Internet Explorer is not recommended as security boxes will pop up after each page loads.  If you have problems seeing figures or getting content to load on your computers, try switching to a different web browser.  If you still have problems contact the LON-CAPA Support Coordinator.

Course Material: The majority of the material for the course (including assignments) will be added and modified throughout the semester usually on a weekly basis.

Communication: LON-CAPA has built-in communication support (see on Main Menu).  You can send messages regarding the course content using the Feedback icon ( ) on each content screen.  You can choose different categories of feedback, including a contribution to the course discussion.  Normal feedback gets routed to the TAs and course faculty.  Course discussions are page-specific bulletin boards and come up right under the page that you are viewing.  You can choose to post anonymously, in which case only the course faculty can see your name.  It is also suggested that you create a screen name (for anonymous posts).  To send internal email or look at replies to your feedback, use the Communication icon.  Please use the built-in communication rather than normal email, since it automatically provides context for your questions and concerns.  This is particularly true for questions about specific problems.

Calendar: The calendar function ( ) under Main Menu will show you when folders are opened, when they are due, and when the answers will be available.

Preferences: Use the preferences icon ( ) under "My Space" in Main Menu to set up your own preferences including how LON-CAPA is displayed as well as setting up screen names among other features.  An important preference to set is “Change Message Forwarding and Notification Email Addresses”.  Here you can set up LON-CAPA messages to be sent directly to the email address you provide; this is highly recommended!  This ensures that you will not miss important messages about course assignments if you are not logged into LON-CAPA.

Logging out: Make sure you always exit LON-CAPA by either clicking on the exit link at the top right of the screen or by clicking on the exit icon ( ) under Main Menu; do not simply close the web browser!  If you share a computer or use a computer lab make sure when you are in LON-CAPA you see your name at the top right of the screen.

Troubleshooting: The major cause of problems in using LON-CAPA is students being unable to log in.  There are two common reasons for this: a ‘locked password’ or forgetting the password.  If the Active Directory password has not been used in a while it is ‘locked’ for security reasons.  The solution to this is to go to the Active Directory website (see above) and click on the ‘unlock ACCOUNT’ box.  If you have forgotten your password click in the “change PASSWORD” box used when the account was first set up, or contact the CITES Help Desk at 244-7000, and specify you have forgotten your Active Directory password.  As always when resetting the password make sure only the AD password box is checked.  Do not contact the MCB office or the LON-CAPA Support Staff for questions about forgotten passwords!  The AD passwords are handled by CITES exclusively.  Please contact Alejandra Stenger, LON-CAPA Support Coordinator, if you have any problems or questions about accessing the course LON-CAPA website at astenger@uiuc.edu (email is preferred) or call 244-7241 during regular office hours, M-F 8:30 AM-5 PM.  If your question is about a specific issue you encounter while in LON-CAPA please use the internal communication function, and specifically tell me your name, course, section letter, and question (include assignment number, problem number, etc., if applicable).

Attendance Policies

Absence and Late Arrival
The best way to handle laboratory attendance or arrival problems is to talk to the instructor about them as soon as possible.  If you know that you will be absent from a lab period or will be arriving late, please arrange your absence ahead of time with the instructor.  It will generally not be possible to make up work in 428 for technical reasons.  An unexcused absence will result in a 10-point deduction from your accumulated points.  Tardiness of 15 minutes or more will also result in a 10-point deduction from your course total for each occurrence.  Exceptions will be made only if appropriate documentation is provided and accepted by the instructor.

The Student Code states that “Excused absences include those resulting from:

1. illness, death in the family or other emergency, or other reasons beyond the student’s control; and
2. a student’s religious beliefs, observances, and practices.”

In compliance with the Student Code, students must provide dated documentation of a personal emergency, confining illness, religious conflict or graduate/medical school interview in order to avoid the penalty.  Students should check with Dr. Grabner regarding making up missed work. 

Make up exams
Students wishing to be considered for a conflict exam must speak directly with Dr. Grabner.  If you present an acceptable reason in writing or by e-mail you will be permitted to make-up the exam.

Students who wish to have consideration for religious observances which conflict with labs, exams or quizzes must present verification in writing to Dr. Grabner as soon as possible but no later than one week before the date of the quiz, examination, lab or due date of the assignment.  This is in compliance with the Student Code (1-501).

Class absences before and after vacations (e.g. Thanksgiving Break) are not excusable, except as aforementioned.

Basis of Course Grade

Grade Scale
Plus and minus letter grades will be used for semester grades.  Letter grades will be determined from a distribution curve of total points for the semester.  Total points will be averaged for the entire class (both sections).  This average value initially will be placed at the midpoint of the B range.  Your course letter grade will depend on the position of your total in the distribution and upon your participation in classroom discussion and use of good laboratory technique, as judged by the instructor. 

Pre-lab Quizzes
Students are responsible for completing a pre-lab quiz for each of the assigned laboratory exercises.  The intent of these quizzes is to ensure that you have at least read over the background material and are familiar with the steps and general goals of the lab.  They will be composed of 5 selection type questions (true/false/multiple choice) and are to be completed online individually using the LON-CAPA system.  Pre-lab quizzes for Section A are due by 9:00 am and by 12:00 pm for Section B.  PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST ACCESS THE QUESTIONS WELL ENOUGH IN ADVANCE TO COMPLETE THEM BY THE SPECIFIED TIME.  Students may use any computer to access and complete the assignments and are not limited to those in the MCB Learning Center.  You are welcome to the full use of the lab manual or any other material in completing the questions.  There is no time limit on these quizzes.  There are 7 pre-lab quizzes scheduled and the lowest score will be dropped.  A missed pre-lab quiz will be scored as “0.”

Quizzes
Quizzes are scheduled to be taken individually using the LON-CAPA system in the MCB Learning Center (425 Natural History Building) during normal operating hours.  Quizzes will be composed of 5 essay response questions, with topics indicated on the course syllabus.  Quizzes will be generally be available from Monday at 9:00 am through Saturday at 5:00 pm and must be completed by the end of the last scheduled period.  Students will be allowed a maximum of 30 minutes to complete the quiz; accordingly, students should plan to begin taking the quiz NO LATER THAN 40 MINUTES BEFORE THE LEARNING CENTER CLOSES.  STUDENTS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO AVOID WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, AS SPACE LIMITATIONS IN THE LEARNING CENTER COULD PREVENT YOU FROM COMPLETING THE QUIZ.  A Practice Quiz on course policies and laboratory safety is available to help familiarize students with format.  There will be a total of 7 scheduled quizzes throughout the semester and the lowest quiz score will be dropped.  A missed quiz will be scored as “0.”

Laboratory Exercises
There is no laboratory notebook required for this course.  Instead of lab reports, students will complete a Laboratory Results Sheet for each of the laboratory exercises.  Perforated copies of the results sheets are included at the back of the laboratory manual, which can be easily removed.  In this way, students can record their results as they proceed through the laboratory exercise and submit a separate results sheet for grading.  There are 7 laboratory exercises that comprise a total of 235 points.

In addition to laboratory work, students will participate in an exercise on using bioinformatics in the study of pathogens.  This web-based exercise will be provided separate from the laboratory manual and will contribute 25 points to the total score.

Exams
Exams will be given during the scheduled lab period, as specified in the course syllabus.  They will be composed of short answer and problem solving questions.  Examples of exams from previous semesters are included on the course web site.  Graded exams are normally returned in lab within one week.

Final Exam
There is no cumulative final exam for this course.  The third exam is scheduled during finals week to allow students more time to complete the exam.  Material to be covered on the third exam is specified in the course syllabus.

Make-up exams will be scheduled by Dr. Grabner.

Formal report
There will be one formal, type-written report on a subject of your choosing, so long as it relates to a pathogenic organism.  Details regarding content and format will be provided at a later date, well in advance of the due date.  NO LATE REPORTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Discussion Questions
Students will be assigned a total of four discussion questions throughout the course of the semester.  A printed copy of each assigned question will be provided to students in advance.  Students are responsible for finding a complete answer to the question in all of its parts and presenting it orally at the conclusion of the laboratory exercise (on the last day of each lab).  Responses will be graded on a 5-point scale to contribute a total of 20 points to the total score.  Students are welcome to use their notes in presenting their answers.  Please do not come to Dr. Grabner’s office 15 minutes before class to make sure your answer is correct.  Students should prepare their answers sufficiently in advance.

Graded Items

Your course grade will be determined primarily on the basis of the number of points that you accumulate.  The description below lists the assignments.  Your course grade will also be determined by your participation in classroom discussions involving the instructor and by your laboratory technique.  The number of points possible this semester is 800: