Laboratory Rules and Grading The Laboratory portion of BIOL 1107 is intended to extend and add to the lecture portion of the course and counts for 200 of the 700 overall course points toward your final grade. Laboratory exercises will usually consist of hands-on experiences with various types of laboratory equipment and materials. It is not always possible to cover the same areas and investigations in the laboratory at the same time they are being discussed in the lecture portion of the course. Labs are scheduled for TWO HOURS 45 MINUTES. Not every lab will require the full time but you should be prepared to be there for the full time period most of the time. Laboratory is a required portion of this course! It is expected that you will be on time for lab and will have read over the materials for the day's lab PRIOR to coming to the lab. You must attend lab to get credit for lab and you must pass both the lab and the lecture in order to pass the course. Laboratory Objectives The general and specific objectives that we hope will be instilled in laboratory include, but are not limited to, the ability to: Locate valid scientific information find, access, and use relevant information of historical, contemporary, and future oriented types in appropriate print and electronic media use experimental equipment and materials safely and to conduct experiments to completion by following both written and verbal instructions Additionally, students should have: a working knowledge of scientific methodology in general, and hypothesis testing in particular; an understanding of the relationship between observation/experiment and hypothesis formation; the ability to represent observations and results graphically, as well as the ability to interpret such graphs; an understanding of the role of controls in experiments and the ability to use them correctly; familiarity with the role of models in scientific studies; sufficient experience with lab equipment, standard procedures, and basic principles to allow students to explain unexpected results; the ability to interpret results of experiments in the context of broad principles." (Kilburn & Hutto. "Process-Oriented Lab Exercises: Learning How to Learn in the Lab," Discovery Notes, Fall 1992, No. 3, D.C. Heath & Company) In addition to the previously mentioned skills are some equally important interpersonal skills necessary for success in all fields: the ability to work effectively as a member of a team the ability to effectively manage a personal calendar/schedule, understand the importance of personal reliability, responsibility, professional ethics and consideration for others