General Biology II - Intro

Course Information

  • Course Title: General Biology II CRN 10523
  • Instructor: Prof. Matt Palmtag
  • Location: Whitaker Hall Rm 254
  • Office Hours:
    • Tuesday: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
    • Thursday: 12:30pm – 2:30pm

Course Structure

  • Course Introduction
  • Course Administration
  • Course Policies
  • Course Schedule
  • Weekly Assignments:
    • #1 Due: Thursday before class; covers everything discussed on Day 1

Common Student Behaviors (Average Grade < 70%)

  • Use of phones during class (e.g., social media, shopping)
  • Studying only right before exams
  • Lack of a weekly study and preparation strategy
  • Engaging in conversations with classmates during class
  • Not reviewing previous exams
  • Taking a passive approach ("wait and see") towards first exam results

Course Assessments

  • Weekly Assignments
  • Unit Quizzes
  • Unit Exams
  • Cumulative Final Exam

Scientific Method and Experimental Design

  1. Observation: Context of observing fruit flies and testing a new anesthesia named "Sleepy Time". The previous anesthesia, "Fly Nap", led to normal conditions, but this new one impacts offspring negatively (crippling deformities).
  2. Question: What is the specific impact of anesthesia on the flies’ offspring?
  3. Hypothesis: A proposed explanation to be tested. Must be falsifiable.
  4. Experiment Design:
    • Treatment Group: Flies anesthetized with "Sleepy Time".
    • Control Group: Flies anesthetized with "Fly Nap".
    • Independent Variable: Type of anesthesia used.
    • Dependent Variable: Offspring deformities.
    • Controlled Variables: Environmental conditions, genetic background of flies, and age.
    • Replication: Multiple trials to ensure reliability.
  5. Data Analysis: Different types of data must be analyzed (quantitative vs. qualitative).
  6. Discussion: Determine if the data supports the hypothesis.

Role of Scientists

  • Scientists are responsible for gathering evidence rather than relying on belief or faith.
  • Importance of scientific inquiries:
    • Geologists utilize isotopic chemistry to find oil and study climate changes.
    • Molecular geneticists develop DNA techniques for crime prosecution and common ancestry.
    • Cancer researchers investigate cellular mechanisms and treatments.
    • Virologists and immunologists study infectious diseases and their treatments.
  • Society’s perception of scientists and potential double standards in trust.

Experimental Design for Fish Medication

  • Context: Testing the effectiveness of a new medication, OO-Out, on fish infected with Oodinium.
  • Steps to Follow:
    1. Observation of infected fish.
    2. Question: Does OO-Out work?
    3. Hypothesis: The medication improves health outcomes in infected fish.
    4. Experiment Design:
    • Independent Variable: Presence of OO-Out.
    • Dependent Variable: Fish health outcomes.
    • Controlled Variables: Environment, fish species, and treatment procedure.
    • Control/Treatment Groups: One group receives OO-Out, while another does not.
    • Replication: Necessary to validate the results.
    1. Analyze Results: Collect and interpret data to confirm or refute the hypothesis.