Eastern Nazarene College Biology Department BI-104L: Introduction to Ecology and Diversity Lab Laboratory Syllabus: Grading Policies

Grades will be calculated in the manner described in the table below:

Method	Percentage of Final Grade	Description
Draft Research Reports Final Research Reports Powerpoint Presentations Lab Quizzes Lab Assignments Lab Portfolio and Journal	5% 25% 25% 10% 10% 25%	You will prepare draft research reports for your two independent research projects.  The due dates are provided in the lab schedule. Your team will conduct its own independent research project and prepare two research reports.  Guidance will be provided on how to complete these reports.  The report due dates are given in the lab schedule. Your team will prepare a Powerpoint presentation for each of the independent research projects and present it in lab to the rest of your class.  The due dates for these presentations are in the lab schedule. There will be lab quizzes given on the dates shown on the laboratory schedule.  These quizzes will cover the current material and the material from the previous week. There will be team assignments given that must be completed during the week.  These assignments will enhance the learning process, and in particular, help you to learn new methods for ecological research and gain practice in writing lab reports. You will prepare a laboratory portfolio as described separately.  You will also have to keep a complete and accurate scientific journal which will be reviewed near the end of the semester and returned to you.

I realize that grading by nature is subjective.  However, every effort is made to be objective and fair in the administration of grades.  If you feel that a grade has been assigned incorrectly or arbitrarily and would like it reviewed, please submit your written petition to me within two business days of your receipt of the grade and make an appointment to go over the entire assignment.  Your submission should include:  a copy of the graded assignment, a detailed description of the problem and a valid reason for the proposed change including any pertinent references.  Please note that completion of this petition process does not guarantee that your grade will be changed.  Furthermore, your grade may change either positively or negatively following this review since other items on the assignment could be found to be incorrect that were originally marked as correct.  Finally, any item handed in late the same day is subject to a 25% deduction.  Assignments turned in the following day are subject to a 50% deduction.  Assignments more than one day late are not accepted.  In fairness to fellow students there will be no exceptions to this policy so plan your work accordingly.

Grades will be calculated as an absolute percentage of a possible score.  The grading scale is as follows:  (NO ROUNDING)

Basic Standards of Academic Integrity

At Eastern Nazarene College, integrity and honesty are expected and required in all activities associated in any way with academic course work.  While it is not prudent or practical to attempt to specify an exhaustive list of unacceptable behaviors related to academic integrity, examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:

* Cheating (e.g., using any unauthorized materials or devices during an examination, allowing other students to submit your work under their name, changing responses on an exam after it has been graded, etc.).

* Plagiarism, which is presenting the work of others as your own, either directly or by implication (e.g., not giving credit to the original source for any thoughts, ideas, quotations, charts, and so forth that may be included in one's own work, etc.).

* Falsifying information (e.g., reporting of undocumented data, fabricating a set of data, fabricating volunteer hours required for a course, signing the attendance sheet for an absent student, etc.).

* Stealing and/or distributing exams which have not been authorized for release or otherwise taking advantage of dishonest behavior for the purpose of gaining an unfair academic advantage.

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