Spring 2004 Semester
Biology 300-01
Syllabus
Class Locations:
Lecture Classes are scheduled for Oxendine 2250
Labs are scheduled for Oxendine 2254
This page last updated on 19th August 2004
Instructor: Wm. Bruce Ezell, Jr.
Office: Oxendine Hall, Room 2215
Telephone: (910)-521-6421
E-mail: william.ezell@uncp.edu
Office Hours: Students are always welcome!
Formal Office Hours: Hours Hours are Posted on my office door.
Course Description: A student successfully completing
this course should be able to:
a) Demonstrate an understanding of the useful and destructive roles of insects in almost all ecosystems.
b) Demonstrate knowledge of the economic importance of insects.
c) Identify almost any insect to the level of order and in some cases to the level of family.
d) Demonstrate knowledge of the specialized branches of entomology (e.g., medical entomology, forensic entomology, etc.)
Text: Borror and Delong's An Introduction to the Study of
Insects (7th Edition) by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.
Website: A website (www.uncp.edu/home/ezell)
is provided to help each of you. In most cases, the material on the website is to
be used as a review after any given class. You are responsible for all material that appears on the website. In
general, quizzes shall correspond with the units listed
on the websites. This means that Quiz one shall cover material in Unit one.
Attendance: I expect of my students what I expect of
myself to wit, punctual, regular attendance, and diligent preparation. Class attendance is expected, and will be
monitored. No matter what the cause, an absence from class does not relieve the student from any course requirements.
There are no excused absences. You are allowed to miss four class sessions without penalty.
Please save these absences for real needs (e.g., visits to see a physician, medical
tests, etc.). Any absences beyond the four allowed shall result in a deduction of
four points per class missed from the students final average. The roll is kept on
a signature basis for each class. Students who fail to sign this role shall be counted
absent. Signing for another student constitutes an honour violation (see UNCP Academic
Honour Code).
Miscellaneous Concerns: Students may not receive cell
telephone calls during class. Make the members of your calling circle aware of the times you are in class. Do not
leave class for any purpose other than an emergency. Students leaving class early without permission shall be counted
as absent.
Evaluation: You are required to read the textbook prior
to the lecture and review the website after each class. There will be five exams during the lecture periods and
a comprehensive final during final week. The lowest
exam grade of exams 1-5 will be dropped. The four remaining exams and the final will count (20% for all exams)
towards your final grade. The 5th Exam is normally given on the same day as the final. You may not drop the final
exam. An exam missed for any reason will count automatically as one's drop grade. Missing two exams may result in an "F," or an incomplete grade for the course. If an incomplete
is assigned, the exams must be taken in the following semester. Student response sheets for all tests are retained for 7 days after the administration
date of the exam, and then destroyed. Any students concerns regarding any tests must
be expressed during this time period.
Grading Scale:
A = 93-100
C = 74-76
A- = 90-92
C- = 70-73
B+ = 87-89
D+ = 67-69
B = 83-86
D- = 64-66
B- = 80-82
D = 60-63
C+ = 77-79
F = below 60
Suggestion: Much of your academic work at this University
shall be dependent upon your willingness to develop the specialized vocabulary needed to understand any discipline. This is to say that there is a specialized "language"
associated with each field-of-study (e.g., entomology) The quicker you understand this, the better your chances
for success. It is not unusual for students to need to develop a working definition of 20-30 words peculiar to
biology per class period.
Special Note: In most
cases, I shall be asking you to learn a new word for
most classes. This is part of your "nickel knowledge." These appear on the websight for each class. These
words shall appear later on every exam. Therefore, these
are easy points for you to earn. .
Special Needs: Students
with documented disabilities needing academic adjustments are urged to contact the course instructor and the Disability
Support Services office early in the semester (preferably within the first week of classes). All discussions are
confidential. For additional information,please contact Ms. Mary Helen Walker, Disability Support Services, The
D.F. Lowery Building. The telephone number for this office 910-521-6695. This publication is available in alternative
formats upon request.
N.B. The syllabus
is not a contract. It is a statement of intent.
In most cases, the website shall be a better guide to our plans for the immediate future, as it shall be updated
frequently. The instructor reserves the right to change any and all information contained in this and other handout
materials in this course.
Emergency: The UNCP
hotline number for weather announcements and other possible emergency announcements is: 910-521-6888.
University Website:
The URL for the main UNCP webpage is www.uncp.edu
Good Luck!