BIO 102: Introduction to Biology, Scientific Method, and Evolution

Course Information and Logistics

• Course: BIO $102$ - Biology Lecture & Lab

• Instructor: Mr. Smith

• Office Hours:

  • In-person: Mondays $12:30$ PM - $2:30$ PM and Tuesdays $12:30$ PM - $1:30$ PM (location TBD)

  • Appointments also available upon request.

• Email Policy: Refer to Blackboard & Syllabus. Most responses within $2$ business days; no evening or weekend responses.

• Synchronous Components:

  • Live Lectures:

    • Section $002$: Mondays/Wednesdays $10:30$ AM - $11:45$ AM

    • Section $004$: Tuesdays/Thursdays $10:30$ AM - $11:45$ AM

  • Exams: Held in the Testing Center; students must schedule their time within the available window.

  • Laboratory: In-person or online; attendance is mandatory.

• Asynchronous Components: Plan on $10-15$ hours per week.

  • Homework: On Achieve, due Friday at $5$ PM, no exceptions. Start early.

  • Weekly Review Questions: Focus on key topics.

  • Self-Study Time: Dedicated personal study.

• Canvas Tour: An introduction to the Canvas learning management system will be provided.

Laboratory Requirements and Grading

• Requirement: Enrollment in the lab is mandatory for course credit.

• Course Grade Weight: BIOL $102$ Lab is worth $25\%$ of the overall course grade.

• Lab Manual:

  • For in-person labs: Purchase at the bookstore.

  • For online labs: Instant download available.

• Attendance Policy: $3$ missed labs will result in $0$ lab points.

• Identification: Students must know their LECTURE section and inform the Teaching Assistant (TA).

Defining a Scientist

• Core Activities:

  • Ask questions.

  • Follow repeatable methods.

  • Share knowledge.

• Course Goal for Students: By the end of the semester, students should consider themselves scientists, or at least scientists in training.

BIO102 Course Goals & Overview

• Mason Core Requirement: Natural Science with Lab.

• Primary Goal: To provide students with a framework for understanding and appreciating biological concepts and their connections to the larger world outside the classroom.

• Laboratory Role: Expands and illustrates the concepts taught in lectures.

• Enrollment: Both a laboratory and lecture section are required for course credit.

• Key Questions Explored:

  • What do we know about the diversity of life?

  • How do living organisms affect other organisms and the environment?

Instructor's Goals for Students

• Scientific Literacy: Learn how scientists construct and evaluate scientific knowledge.

• Biological Knowledge: Learn about the facts, concepts, and theories of biodiversity, evolution, and ecology.

• Application: Effectively organize, communicate, and use biological knowledge for personal, professional, and public decision-making.

Student Expectations and Responsibilities

• Active Learning: Students are encouraged to set personal learning goals and reflect on their progress.

• In-Class Activities:

  • Work in collaborative groups to discuss ideas and practice critical thinking.

  • Develop and test hypotheses.

  • Connect facts to theory.

  • Reason through biological problems.

  • Communicate in multiple forms.

• Preparation: Read assigned material before class.

• Attendance: Attend lecture and lab synchronously.

• Participation: Participate in class exercises.

• Ownership: Take an active role in personal education.

• Time Management: Know the due date for every assignment and exam.

• Announcements: Students are responsible for all class announcements of schedule changes, regardless of attendance. Check Blackboard and the class email list $3$ times per week.

• Study Hours: Expect $2-3$ hours of outside study per credit hour, totaling $10-12$ study hours a week.

• Honor Code: Adherence to the university's Honor Code is expected.

Week $1$: Introduction to Biology and the Scientific Method

• Learning Objectives: By the end of Week $1$, students will:

  • Understand the process of science as a method of seeking answers based on observation and experiment.

  • Distinguish between types of evidence useful for reducing personal bias and apply this to interpret scientific reports in media.

  • Describe the theory of evolution by natural selection.

What is Life? Defining Biology

• Definition: Biology is the scientific study of life.

• Challenge: Easier to describe than to define explicitly.

• Key Characteristics of Life:

  • Metabolism

  • Inheritance & Reproduction

  • Diversity

  • EVOLUTION

• Genetic Terminology:

  • Character (Trait): A feature, e.g., eye color.

  • Allele: A version of a character, e.g., the blue eye color allele.

Evolution by Natural Selection

• Definition: The increasing frequency of traits that enhance survival and reproductive success.

• Process - $3$ Steps:
  $1.$ Population with varied inherited traits.
  $2.$ Unequal reproductive success (elimination of individuals with certain traits and reproduction of survivors).
  $3.$ Increasing frequency of traits that enhance survival and reproductive success.

• Variation: Variation is typically present within populations, and sometimes this variation influences survival.

• Result: Evolution can eventually lead to new species, with natural selection being the mechanism.

• Darwin's Concept: