Class Meetings:     Tu, Th 12:40 - 2:00 p.m.        Science II, Room 119

Textbook:     Developmental Biology, 7^th edition by Scott Gilbert,  Sinauer Associates, Inc., 2003

Website:        http://www.public.iastate.edu/~zool.533/homepage.html

Course Goals:
There are two course goals. The first is to teach students fundamental concepts in developmental biology. The second goal is to teach and improve critical thinking skills by reviewing and discussing current primary literature.

Required Reading:
Assigned chapters in the text and supplemental materials provided in class.
Reading assignments, including journal articles, will be assigned during the semester.

Literature Discussions:

Ten of the class meetings will be devoted to discussions of primary literature.  Each will include discussions of a primary research article, assigned discussion questions, and, in some cases, published literature reviews.  Students are encouraged to discuss the assignments with each other outside of class, but the answers to discussion questions should be written independently. In addition, 2-3 students will be assigned to lead an in-class discussion of each paper. 

Exams:
There will be two in-class midterm exams and a final exam. The final will be cumulative with emphasis on the most recent material and general concepts from earlier material.

Grading:
Midterm Exams = 100 points each (200 points total)

Final Exam = 150 points

Discussion questions =  10 points each (100 points total)

Discussion leading = 20 points

Class participation = 30 points

Total = 500 points

533 Home