Honors Integrated Sciences - Spring 2012
HON 2406-H01 TR 9:30-10:50
Instructors
Dr. Jeff Lee Dr. Mark McGinley
Holden Hall 209a McClellan Hall 215
Mail Box: Holden Hall 248 mark.mcginley@ttu.edu
E-mail: jeff.lee@ttu.edu. OH: MWF- 11 – 12 or by apt.
Office hours: M 9-9:50 or by appointment.
Textbook
Lee, J. A., 2000, The Scientific Endeavor, Benjamin Cummings.
Course Web Page
Course materials are available on the class web page, found at www.blackboard.ttu.edu These include study guides, and the lecture notes. Login with your eraider name. If you have problems, see the Blackboard home page or call the Texas Tech IT Help Desk at 742-HELP.
Course Blog for Dr. McGinley’s Section (both lecture and lab)
http://honorsintegratedsciencettu2012.blogspot.com/
Grading
Your grade for HON 2406 will be made up of three parts
Biology Lecture Section (Dr. McGinley) 37.5%
Earth Science Lecture Section (Dr. Lee) 37.5%
Lab (Dr. McGinley) 25.0%
Dr. Lee’s Portion of Lecture Grade:
Your grade in this portion of the class will be based on your scores on two exams and weekly assignments. The exams will be essay and the written assignments will be given during the semester.
You will read the assigned chapters in Scientific Endeavor each week and answer the questions at the end of each chapter. Each week you also will have one or more readings, each with questions to answer. On Thursdays, you will turn in your written answers (chapters and other readings) and we will discuss them in class.
The grade you earn in this part of HONS 2406 will be based on a total of 200 points. There will be two exams worth 67 points each. The other 66 points is divided between book questions (8 points per week, total 48 points), article questions (3 points per week, total 18 points).
Dr. McGinley’s Portion of the Lecture Grade:
Your grade in my portion of the lecture course (200 points) will be based on your performance in two exams (worth 75 points each) and one paper (worth 50 points). More details coming about the paper.
Schedule
Week of
19 January Introduction
23 October Systems; Origins
Thursday: Ch. 1, 2; Galileo
30 January Plate Tectonics
Thursday: Ch. 3; Wegener; Hutton
6 February Hydrology & Streams
Thursday: Ch. 4,5; Powell; Marsh
13 February Exam 1: Tuesday, Solar Energy
Thursday: Ch. 6, Milankovitch
27 February McGinley
5 March Solar Energy & Seasons, Energy in the Atmosphere
Thursday: Ch. 7; Darwin; Huxley; Wallace
12 March Spring Break
19 March McGinley
26 March Winds & Precipitation
Thursday: Ch. 8, 9; Global Warming
2 April Global Climate Change
Exam 2 Thursday
9 April McGinley
16 April McGinley- Exam 1 (Thursday)
23 April McGinley-
30 April McGinley
7 May McGinley (Final Paper Due)
Second McG Exam scheduled during the Final Exam Period
Thursday readings for Dr. Lee’s portion are in Scientific Endeavor (“Chapters”) and Encyclopedia of Earth (www.eoearth.org).
Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangement to meet course requirements should contact the instructors as soon as possible to make the necessary accommodations. Students should present appropriate verification from Disabled Student Services, Dean of Student’s Office. No requirement exists that accommodation be made prior to this approved University process.
A student who is absent from classes for the observation of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later than the fifteenth day after the first day of the semester, the student has notified the instructor of each scheduled class that the student would be absent for a religious holy day.
Honors Integrate Science Lab
Required Book
The Process of Science. By Mark McGinley (get them from me, not the bookstore)
Grading
Chapter Reviews, Participation, Assignments 30%
Statistics Exam 20%
Research Project/Presentation (more details coming) 50%
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to:
1. Define science and describe the process of science. Assessed by performance in quizzes and class discussion.
2. Discuss how scientists generate hypotheses. Assessed by performance on quizzes and class discussion.
3. Discuss when and why scientists need to use statistics and apply the appropriate statistical tests. Assessed by performance on quizzes and research project.
4. Develop a testable hypothesis and collect data to tests these hypotheses. Assessed by performance on research project.
5. Analyze the data and draw appropriate conclusions. Assessed by performance on research project.
6. Report your findings to a wider audience. Assessed by performance on research project final report
Course Schedule
January 24- Introduction
January 31- Chapters 1 and 2
February 7- Chapters 3 and 4, Appendix 1 (t-test)
February 14- Chapter 4 revisited and Chapters 5
February 21- Chapter 6 and 7
February 28- exam on statistics
March 6- Begin projects
March 13- Spring Break
March 20- work on projects- first project report
March 27- work on projects,
April 3- work on projects- second project report
April 10- work on projects
April 17- finish projects
April 24- prepare project reports
May 1- Student Presentations
May 8- Student Presentations
