COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• to learn about how nervous systems function in animals and humans, and how neuroscientists study nervous systems.
• to introduce you to the major techniques of electrophysiology
• to review the basic concepts of how the nervous system functions
• to impart a sense of how knowledge is generated and to foster critical thinking
• to familiarize you with the scientific process including scientific communication
• to have FUN figuring out how nervous systems function

REQUIRED:

(0). Prerequisites: Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better), CHEM 1450 or 2450, PHYSICS 1420 or permission on instructor.

(1)-Foundations of Neurobiology, 1st ed., Fred Delcomyn, (December 1998)
W H Freeman & Co.; ISBN: 0716732955

(2)-laboratory notebook- flat bound pages with lines (not spiral bound)

(3)-YOU MUST CHECK YOUR UCA EMAIL ACCOUNT FOR IMPORTANT COURSE INFO.  Such as extra credit opportunities and other course announcements.
You can check it from any computer on the web at this address [http://bearmail.uca.edu/] by following these instructions.  If you do not want to use the UCA system, just click on "Rules" and forward any email your receive to any other account you check regularly.

  STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE:  A. Three lectures per week, and one 4-hour laboratory session per week.
  1. At least two of the lectures will cover basic concepts in neurobiology; one of the lectures may also cover the laboratory exercise by providing background about techniques.
2. Laboratory sessions require preparation beforehand.  Be sure to read the laboratory exercise ahead of time, have your notebooks prepared (see web page Lab Notebook Guidelines).
3. Each week, homework exercises will be assigned, and will be turned in with your lab notebook at the end of each week (Friday).  It will be advantageous for you to make sure you were able to come to the correct solutions.  Feel free to work on the problems in groups.  I am always happy to help you understand the study questions, so if you need help after working through them, please contact me.

B. Students will work in pairs (or triples if necessary) at a physiology rig.  Introduce yourselves and choose a partner.  1. Laboratory notebooks. [100 pts.]    i.  Each student should have a lab notebook. [10 pts/week**]
   ii. Bring it to Monday lectures and lab, and leave it after lab for grading.
    [**First week the lab books are graded normally but grades will not be recorded. Lowest grade is dropped.]
   iii. Record observations, data, analysis and documentation of data, improvements, conclusions about the data, what you did in the course of the afternoon.
    Two purposes:
     (1) to be able to reconstruct your actions while you were in the lab
     (2) to summarize your conclusions and interpretations  

GRADING:

	Each	Semester
Three In-class Exams	100 pts * 3	300 pts
Comprehensive Final Exam	100 pts	100 pts
Lab Notebook	10 pts * 10	100 pts
Laboratory Reports	50, 200 pts.	250 pts
[Term Paper (grad students*]	[250 pts]	[250 pts]
	TOTAL	750 [1000*] pts

Any time you wish to know your grade during the semester, you may add up the points you earned and divide that sum by the total points available.

TERM PAPER: [for graduate students enrolled in BIOL5425]
Each graduate student will write a term paper review of a hot topic in experimental neuroscience.  The paper will include references to at least 15 primary literature source papers on the subject, and will summarize and explain what is currently known about the subject.

EXTRA CREDIT:
(1) Find typographic errors or broken web links (in web pages, the book, the CD, or my handouts) for 1 pt each, up to 10 pts total.  E-mail the exact problem, and whoever finds the problem first will get the point.  Extra credit will only be granted to errors that are not already reported in the textbook errata.

(2) Participate in the class discussion on line.  Points are earned for discussion of class material (reading, lecture, questions) and how it relates to our culture, health, ethics, and everyday life.  See here to sign up: http://www.topica.com/lists/experneuro

ATTENDANCE:
Your performance in this course will be greatly impacted by your attendance. Some material covered in lecture will not be in the textbook. Attendance will be taken indirectly and sporadically. A student with a poor attendance record may not be eligible for any grade curving conducted at the end of the course.  See "Exams" above for policies on missing tests.

HONOR CODE:
A student in this course is considered to be a mature adult whose attitude and conduct are compatible with the ethical standards of the health professions.  All academic work is conducted under an honor code, which states: "I have neither given nor received aid for this work, nor am I aware of anyone giving or receiving aid for this work."  Any student caught cheating or giving assistance on a quiz or exam will be dropped from the course with a WF.  The admissions committee for the student's proposed major will also be notified.

DISABLED STUDENTS:
Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and Disability Services (450-3135) at the beginning of the semester.

modified 8-24-07