Chapter readings are in Stern, unless noted otherwise. We will be covering only a small portion of many chapters even when all pages of the chapter are listed here.

General Instructions

Plant Biology 102 will be conducted in much the same way as 101. The General Instructions are reprinted here mainly for the benefit of those who took 101 with a different instructor or at another institution.

 1. The syllabus is intended to be a PLAN for the direction of the course. We may go faster in some sections, slower in others.

 2. Classes will be conducted in a lecture/discussion format. This means that the instructor will guide you through the topics but YOU will be expected to join the teaching/learning experience by participating in the discussion. The following suggestions will help you to prepare for class:

• SCAN (it isn't necessary to read every word at this stage) the textbook assignment BEFORE class, paying attention to the outline at the beginning of the chapter, headings, photos and diagrams (and their captions), and new words (boldface type). WHILE YOU SCAN, make a list of questions you want to ask in class and some answers to questions you think the instructor will ask. Make a game of this!

• AFTER covering the material in class, READ that section in the textbook. You will notice that the instructor has skipped over some parts of the text and added material that is not in the text. CORRECT your notes and add to them as you read, remembering that the points covered in class are the important points for your learning.

• consider this quarter as one in which you will be especially observant and inquisitive about the plants in your environment...then BRING YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS TO CLASS TO ENRICH THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US.

• ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS read Study Tips for Plant Biology Students on the web site for this course.  Follow its advice.
  

4. WARNING: STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND CLASS DO NOT DO WELL IN THIS COURSE.

5. COMING LATE TO CLASS IS DISRUPTIVE AND DISRESPECTFUL. Allow plenty of time to park and walk. STUDENTS WHO LEAVE THE ROOM IN THE MIDST OF CLASS MAY NOT BE PERMITTED TO RETURN.  If you have a problem which might require you to leave class, notify the instructor.

6. ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES MUST BE TURNED OFF DURING CLASS OR SIGNALS TURNED TO "VIBRATE" MODE. "Beepers" and ringing phones are disruptive and disrespectful to your fellow students as well as to the instructor.  Leaving the room to answer phone calls disturbs everyone in the room.  If you are expecting an emergency call, tell the instructor before class.  Communication devices of any kind may not be used during examinations.

7. This is a laboratory course. The laboratories are designed to give you an opportunity to see the material we have discussed in class but, more importantly, to let you use the methods of science to experience the joy of discovery.  We will examine concepts from 101 and 102. Use laboratory sessions to review class material and get answers to your questions. You are expected to read the laboratory exercises BEFORE you come to the lab session so you will know what to do and can make the most efficient use of your time. We frequently will be doing the lab exercises as a team. EVERY STUDENT WILL BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF THE TEAM. Do not shirk your responsibilities!

BE SURE THAT YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS YOU TO ATTEND ALL OF THE THREE-HOUR LAB. POOR ATTENDANCE AT LABS CAN RESULT IN A FAILING GRADE FOR THE COURSE REGARDLESS OF TEST SCORES AND TOTAL POINTS EARNED.  YOU SIMPLY CANNOT EARN CREDIT FOR A LABORATORY SCIENCE IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND THE LABS.

8. Each student will keep a Laboratory Journal. This should be a 3-ring, loose-leaf notebook in which you can record daily progress of your experiments. Keep a section for each experiment. Record everything you do with each experiment, e.g., materials used, methods applied, measurements taken, etc., AND the date. There is no need to repeat in your Journal what is already written in the lab manual because both will be turned in for grading. For example, your lab manual will have the completed and initialed "Thinking About..." sheets for each lab. The lab manual and Journal will be turned in for grading (25 pts) at the beginning of the Final Exam and returned at the end of the Exam.

9. Midterm examinations and the final examination are REQUIRED. If work or military duties force your absence from a scheduled examination, YOU MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS IN ADVANCE. Even in case of ILLNESS OR SOME OTHER EMERGENCY on the day of the examination, YOU MUST NOTIFY DR. KRAMER (419-755-4344) OR OSU-M (419-755-4011) BEFORE EXAM TIME.

10.  Each student will write and present a term paper on a plant of his/her choice.  The plant must have significant economic importance as a source of food, fiber, building material, medicine, dye, etc.  Every student must write on a different plant.  The term paper assignment is explained in detail in the Lab Manual (Appendix B) and also on the web at http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/~dkramer/Term_Paper_Assign.html

Grading

Grades will be based on the number of points earned. There are 500 total points:
 

2 Midterm Examinations (100 points each)	200
1 Laboratory Journal	25
2 Laboratory Reports (25 points each)	50
1 Report on a plant of economic importance (75 content, 25 presentation)	100
1 Final Examination	125
TOTAL POINTS	500

Letter grades are assigned only at the end of the course, not to each examination. Each graded exam paper will show the number of points earned and the student's rank in class, i.e., how many students scored higher on that examination.

E-mail Communication and World Wide Web

All students at Ohio State University have an e-mail address. If you are a new student you need to activate your account (there is no fee). You can activate your account online: Just go to

Then, when you have questions about the "mechanics" of the course (e.g., "Will the next exam cover photosynthesis?" or "May I come to your office at 2:00 next Wednesday to review photosynthesis?") or the course content (e.g., "I'm confused... what is the difference between pistil and carpel?"), you can ask your question in class or send it to Dr. Kramer by e-mail! His e-mail address is kramer.8@osu.edu . Student questions and instructor answers may be shared (anonymously) with the entire class if it would be useful.

There is a "homepage" for this course on the World Wide Web (WWW).  Go to it regularly to check for announcements, study aids, etc.  The "Botany in Cyberspace" link should be useful for many parts of the course, especially for resources for your term paper research.

The Department of Horticulture and Crop Science maintains an excellent web site of learning resources for H&CS 300 (a course with content similar to this course):

Several introductory plant biology books have excellent web sites with learning aids.  Web sites for the textbooks are:

Required Textbooks
Stern, Kingsley R. 2006. Introductory Plant Biology. 10th Ed. New York, NY:  McGraw-Hill

Kramer, David W. 2007. Manual and Study Guide for Plant Biology 102. Mansfield, OH: OSU Mansfield

Instructor

Dr. David W. Kramer
Assistant Professor of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Ovalwood Hall 333
Ohio State University at Mansfield
1680 University Drive, Mansfield, OH  44906-1547
(419) 755-4344
kramer.8@osu.edu

Office Hours

Before and after class and.....
M,T,W,R 9:00 - 10:30 AM
M          1:00 - 3:50 PM
Other times BY APPOINTMENT