Welcome to Biology 48! Please read through the following information carefully. In this syllabus you will find descriptions of what you can expect from this course, from me as your instructor, and perhaps most important, what is expected of you.

Instructor: Mr. Nathan Norris
Office: SM 55E
Phone: (408) 741-2634
E-mail: Nathan Norris Click to Contact

As your instructor I am here to facilitate your education by (1) presenting you with the material that you need to learn, and (2) by assisting you in your learning of the material. I will try to make it fun and I will do everything I can to help you, however, I cannot learn it for you - that is your responsibility. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask. With effort you will learn and be successful - the effort, however, is up to you.

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General Course Information (return to top of page)

Biology 48 is a semester length five (5) unit lecture and laboratory course. It is designed to satisfy the requirements for degrees in Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Human Performance, Nutrition, Dental Hygiene, and others. It is acceptable for credit by the University of California and the California State Universities (caution: if you plan to transfer it is your responsibility to confirm with the department / institution to which you wish to transfer that this course meets their requirements, they have the final say).

Human physiology is an exciting and dynamic field of study that brings together multiple disciplines leading to the understanding of the function of the human body. Over the semester the function of the various systems making up the human body will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the physiological principles of normal function, the mechanism of action, and the regulation of function. There is a lot to learn and it will be challenging, but I hope you will find it as exciting as I do.

Prerequisites: Completion of a college anatomy course (i.e. Bio 47) and college chemistry course with a grade of C or better. Students are expected to read and write at the college level and know enough mathematics to use elementary algebra, graphs and charts to solve problems.

Note: If you have a learning or physical need that will require special accommodations in this class you need to notify me in writing of your accommodation needs. West Valley College makes reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. College materials will be available in alternate formats (Braille, audio, electronic format, or large print) upon request. Please contact the Disability and Educational Support Program at (408) 741-2010 (voice) or (408) 741-2658 (TTY) for assistance.

Texts and Support Materials (return to top of page)

Required:

Silverthorn, D.U. Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach, 5th ed., Pearson Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA, 2010. ISBN: 0-321-55980-0

Norris, N. Biology 48: Human Physiology Course Manual.

Optional:   

Kapit, Macey and Meisami. Physiology Coloring Book. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA. ISBN: 0-321-03663-8

Sackheim, G. Introduction to Chemistry for Biology Students. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA. ISBN: 0-8053-3075-5

Note: Particularly useful materials include a medical dictionary, calculator, physiology coloring book, and colored pens or pencils. In addition a three ring binder is very helpful to hold and organize all of your materials.

Web Pages:  

Purchasing Course Books: Several options are available to you. West Valley Campus Bookstore: You can Purchase all of the required books listed in the course syllabus directly from the bookstore located on West Valley campus. The bookstore also provides an online service in case you do not want to go there in person (http://www.bkstore.com/westvalley). Note: bookstore profits help fund the campus center – purchasing your books from the campus bookstore will help support the campus center. Ordering Online (new or used): I am aware that new book prices are high and that this can place an undue burden on student budgets. One option to save money is to order books online from discount suppliers. The down side to this option is that, depending on the vendor, it can take several days to weeks for your books to arrive, and you will need the "required books" on the first day of class. Consequently, unless you have ordered your books several weeks in advance, this option may better serve you for the purchase of the "optional books" listed in your syllabus. Possible online sources are listed on this course website (home). Alternative Texts: In some instances the use of an older edition or a different textbook entirely may be possible. In general this is not an ideal option for several reasons, not the least of which is the difficulty in identifying the appropriate reading assignment. However, if this is an option you would like to pursue please contact the instructor to see if your alternative text is suitable for this course. Other Local Bookstores: A less commonly successful but useful alternate is to search the local new and used bookstores in the area (including other campus bookstores) for the books you need. I have periodically found useful resource books at a significant discount at used bookstores.

Course Objectives (return to top of page)

describe the normal function of the human body and the organ systems that make it up,
describe and explain the function of the regulatory systems that maintain homeostasis,
understand and explain the alterations of normal function that lead to disease,
understand the experimental process and be able to draw conclusions based on experimental results,
locate, read and understand primary research papers on human physiology, organize experimental data and present conclusions both orally and in written form.

Nature of the Course (return to top of page)

The Human Physiology class meets for 9 hours each week, 3 hours are scheduled for lecture while 6 hours are devoted to lab activities. The amount of time you spend in and outside of class will, in large part, determine how well you do in the course. In addition to the scheduled class meetings plan on spending time in the library, the technology center and in study groups reviewing class material. To get the most out of this class you should plan on devoting as much as 20-25 hours of your time each week, both in and out of class. Physiology is a demanding discipline that requires hard work and diligence to master. The rewards are, however, well worth the effort.

Lecture:
During lecture the concepts of Human Physiology presented in the textbook will be discussed, and expanded on where appropriate. Although this portion of the course will follow a traditional lecture format, questions and class participation are encouraged. If, during the lecture you have a question raise your hand and I will try to get to you (If you don't understand something it is likely that others don't also). Asking questions not only ensures that you get the information you need, it can also help create a more dynamic and interesting lecture. Your participation, in effect, can enhance your interest in the course.

To best prepare for each class meeting it is expected that you read through the assigned reading in your text and/or supplementary material prior to the class meeting time and that you take good notes. To assist you with this you will be provided with lecture outlines to use as a guide to the assigned reading, the lectures and the material you are expected to learn. Lecture outlines used effectively can be a beneficial study aid and are highly recommended. Generally you will not need to bring your textbook to class, however, you might find it beneficial to have it available.

If you feel it will be helpful you may tape the lectures, however, I have found that students who tape the lectures often do not listen as attentively and must spend additional time listening to the taped lecture again. Your time would most likely be better spent reading the assigned material and studying your notes rather than listening to a lecture you have already heard. If you do choose to tape the lectures, DO NOT substitute the tapes for attentive participation and note taking in class.

Finally, be considerate of other students in the class. Please turn off cell phones & pagers and refrain from talking during the lecture (other than to ask questions). Even minor disturbances can significantly impact the ability of others to concentrate on the lecture and such behavior is inappropriate for a college level course.

Laboratory:
During lab you will further your understanding of material discussed in lecture through hands on experience. The principle reason for laboratory work in physiology, as in other disciplines, is to become personally involved in the subject. In fact, our current understanding of physiology comes principally from laboratory investigation. Working as a group and/or individually, you will physically explore the function of the human body through experimentation with live animals and/or human volunteers*. Thoughtful, disciplined hands on work in the lab is often the most effective method for learning physiology, for most students this is where things start to make sense. How much you gain from this depends on your involvement and participation.

*Note: Physiology is concerned with the functions of living animals and of necessity the material studied in this course must be alive. For many of the experiments conducted in lab you will serve as the experimental subject. Depending on the particular experiment, some individuals with medical conditions will not be required to volunteer as a human subject, participation as a subject is voluntary.

For a several experiments live animals will be used - this is not a right but a privilege, one which can be granted only if certain moral and ethical responsibilities are understood and accepted. The animals with which you will work are sentient beings; they can be used only if extreme care is taken to ensure that they are handled gently and feel no pain. The taking of life should be done with high purpose. In this case, the knowledge and experience you gain.

In addition to exploring basic physiological principles, a secondary aim of the lab is to introduce you to the methods and techniques of physiological exploration and research. This will include activities that involve learning to use fairly sophisticated laboratory equipment (spectrophotometers, chart recorders, oscilloscopes…), performing mathematical analysis of laboratory data and searching and reviewing primary research literature. It is not expected that you become "expert" in any of these techniques, however each individual should familiarize themselves with all of the activities in the lab. Do not shy away from procedurally challenging or equipment intensive activities. You can only learn by participating and by doing it.

Just as it is important to prepare ahead of time for each lecture, it is equally if not more important to prepare for each lab. It is expected that you read through the assigned reading in your lab manual and/or handouts prior to the lab meeting time. You will need to bring your lab manual and handouts to every lab meeting. During the introduction to the lab verbal modifications to the lab handouts are sometimes given as well as important supplemental information. An important laboratory objective for you to learn is to integrate multiple sources of information.

One feature of physiology that students often find frustrating is the variability inherent in physiology. The concepts that will be presented in lecture and the text are based on statistical analysis meaning they apply in general but cannot always be demonstrated in each experiment. For this reason inter-table interaction and discussion is strongly encouraged. Prior to each exam, time has been set aside for discussion and review of the lab experiments (see "Review" labs in the lab schedule). During these lab periods the data collected during preceding labs will be reviewed and discussed. It is expected that all students will have worked through all of the data from the preceding labs and be ready to participate in the discussion. Note: Review labs are a class activity, this is your last chance to get your questions answered before the exam. Attendance and participation in review labs is mandatory.

At the end of the lab it is your responsibility to be sure that all materials are clean and put away, and that the tables are wiped down. Please leave the laboratory cleaner than it was when you came in. The following guidelines may be helpful:

1. wash all glassware with an appropriate detergent (i.e. alconox, not hand soap) and rinse thoroughly
2. turn off all electrical equipment (coil cords and put away as appropriate)
3. wipe off any equipment that is soiled (unplug first)
4. clean, rinse and dry all surgical instruments
5. clean lab tables with a damp sponge and disinfectant
6. dispose of all waste IN THE APPROPRIATE CONTAINERS

Note: Eating, drinking, and smoking within the lab room is strictly prohibited. These are health and safety issues - violations may result in loss of points. No visitors in the lab.

Evaluation (return to top of page)

Writing Assignment:
Each student is required to turn in one formal written report (see supplemental handout: "Writing Assignment"). The writing assignment is worth 35 points.

Lab Reports (Worksheets):
Eight labs are designated as "report labs" in the lab schedule. Lab reports (aka worksheets) will be due approximately 1-2 lab meetings after completion of the laboratory activity and are worth 10 points each. Each lab report will consist of graphic presentation and analysis of class data. You will be expected to answer questions based on the class data and solve related case history problems.

Quizzes:
There will be eight quizzes given during the course. Four of the quizzes will be given at the beginning of lecture on dates indicated in the lecture schedule by a “Q”, and four of the quizzes will be given in the lab on review days. Each quiz will be worth 15 points. Your one lowest quiz will be thrown out (only seven quizzes will be counted towards your final grade). Quizzes will consist of true/false, multiple choice, fill-in, and short essay questions.

Note that quizzes will allow you to determine how well you understand the material before the exam is given. If you are doing poorly on the quizzes be sure to request help before the exam.

Laboratory Practicals and Final Exam:
There are three practical midterm exams that will be given on the dates listed on the lab schedule and a comprehensive final exam (approximately 60% new material and 40% comprehensive). Exams are composed of true-false, multiple choice, fill-in, and essay questions including stations (with displays that you will need to be able to identify, name, describe, manipulate and/or explain). Exams will cover material from both the lecture and the lab.

Please bring a scantron (form #882) and #2 pencils to each exam. They can be purchased at the Bookstore. No exams will be dropped.

Exam Guidelines: Arrive early so that you may start the exam on time. Bring all items needed for the exam with you (scantron #882, calculator, #2 pencil and an eraser). Turn cell phones and pagers off and put them away. Put all materials not needed for the exam (i.e. books, binders, notes and other loose materials) away inside your backpack. Put your closed pack out of view under your seat or at the front of the room. Leave anything you don't want in the classroom in your car. Sit far apart (i.e. in the lecture hall sit in every other row). You may not leave the room for any reason once the exam has started. Use the restroom before the exam starts. If you must leave the room you must turn in your exam and forfeit your remaining time. Once the first person leaves the room, no latecomers will be admitted to take the exam. Cheating will result in a zero on the exam and probable expulsion from the class. Put your name and exam form number on both your exam form and your scantron (#882). You may write on your exam. READ the questions! If you don't  understand a question, ASK. Erase mistakes completely.

Warning: DO NOT miss an exam! Make ups are typically NOT offered. Only rarely, under extreme conditions, are make up exams given. To qualify for a make up exam you must contact the instructor immediately and provide a documented reason for missing the exam (i.e. doctors note). At the instructors discretion and convenience a make up exam may or may not be offered. If given, make up exams may include oral and/or essay components. Exams cannot be made up after grades have been posted. Note: Missing an exam will most likely result in failure of the course.

Participation:
Participation shall be evaluated through attendance records and periodic checks of lab activities. Some ways in which to lose participation points are 1) violation of lab procedures, 2) leaving the lab work area in disarray or dirty, 3) demonstration of continued lack of preparation for lab, 4) failure to complete lab activities, and 5) poor attendance. Note: gross lack of participation may result in additional point loss (see attendance section).

Extra Credit:
Extra credit assignments are not offered. If you are not performing as well as you would like, increasing your workload with extra credit assignments will not help. If you are having trouble please come see me and we can discuss possible alterations in your current study practices that may help.

Writing Assignment (return to top of page)

This paper may cover any physiological topic that you find of interest as long as it is narrowed enough to be covered in detail effectively in a short paper. Start by thinking of several questions you would like answered. For example, you might be curious about the effects of caffeine. Since caffeine has a significant number of physiological effects answering this broad question could quickly become overwhelming. Do some basic research (i.e. review your text) to get an overview of the effects produced by caffeine, then use this information to focus your question. Be sure you will be able to emphasize the physiological aspects of your topic, what happens, and more importantly how it happens. For example you may now ask “How does caffeine stimulate the nervous system?”or “How does caffeine stimulate the heart?”

Provide a single typed page with your name, lab time, and list of topics (each phrased as a question). Prepare 2 copies - one to turn in and one to keep for your records. Before you start writing, you need to see me for approval of your topics/questions. Usually this just means ensuring that the topic/question is not too broad, that it is appropriate to the assignment.

(2) Preliminary Research and Outline:

At this point you are ready to start your literature search. You may still have several possible topics that have been approved and that you will need to select from. Start by referring to your textbook, and learning what you can about each topic. Look for key words that you can use during your literature search. Next do some preliminary literature searches to see what is available relative to you topic.

Before you start your literature search review the libraries basic literature search tutorial. This tutorial will introduce you how to use ProQuest to search for scholarly articles. Go to the library website (http://www.westvalley.edu/library/). Select “Research Guides” then “Learn the Basics of Searching”. Next select “Basics of Searching Databases” and watch the tutorial.

Once you have viewed the tutorial, get started. For our purposes I recommend that you utilize ProQuest as your primary search tool. ProQuest can be accessed online from campus or home on the library webpage: http://www.westvalley.edu/library/ (select the “Find Articles” button). Note: when you start your search be sure to select the “limit search to scholarly journals” checkbox. There are a lot of sources of information out there, thus there is a lot of information available. Some sources are appropriate, some are not. For this assignment you are required to include at minimum of three peer reviewed research articles and/or review articles found in scholarly research publications such as:

Types of Scientific Journals where information may be found (a brief list):

1. American Journal of Physiology - http://ajpcon.physiology.org/
2. Journal of Physiology - http://jp.physoc.org/
3. Annual Review of Pharmacology - http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/loi/pharmtox
4. Journal of Neurophysiology - http://jn.physiology.org/
5. Annual Review of Physiology - http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/loi/physiol
6. Physiology Reviews - http://physrev.physiology.org/
7. New England Journal of Medicine - http://content.nejm.org/
8. Nature - http://www.nature.com/
9. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/

• See the course resources page for a more extensive list of research sources

Types of Journals / resources that are not acceptable for use as a primary reference in a scientific report:

1. Newspapers
2. Time / Newsweek or similar
3. Omni / Discover or similar

Note: most clinic journals (i.e. J. Nursing) will not provide the physiological mechanisms needed for your report and therefore are often not acceptable as a primary reference.

Finding articles should not be a problem, however, sifting through them to find articles that will help you answer your specific question might be. You will most likely discover that you cannot find a definitive answer to your question(s) easily in any single article. You will need to consult several articles to get a complete answer to your question (the broader your question, the more articles you will need to consult).

Beware, most of the scientific literature is heavy reading, but you can learn to pick through it with practice. Don’t wait to start. Read abstracts for an overview to sort through the articles you find. When you find an article that looks promising turn to the body of the article. You will find that you can often skip reading the methods sections of most papers and focus on the introduction and discussion sections primarily. Review articles are also a great source of comprehensive information but often are not as current as research articles.

Not all articles are available on in full text on ProQuest. If you find a reference to an article that is not full text or available on ProQuest you may have to visit the reference stacks in a library. Peer reviewed scientific journals can be found in most college libraries (including West Valley, San Jose State, Santa Clara, UCSC etc.) and various health and medical libraries in the area. Many articles may also be accessed online directly from the publisher (see links above and on the course resources webpage). Note: some publishers charge a fee to read and print articles - use ProQuest or go to a library instead of paying for the article.

You will need to provide a 1-2 page “Topic Outline” with your name, topic (phrased as a question) and list of preliminary research articles. Include a short summary (1-2 sentences) of each article indicating what information contained in the article contributes to the answer to your question. You will be bound to this topic once approved, so be sure you have done some preliminary research. Narrowing your topic is very important, as is selecting an exciting topic. Prepare 2 copies - one to turn in and one to keep for your records.

(3) Final Paper:

Your goal on this assignment is to find at least three peer reviewed articles that provide information that directly pertains to your question and provides a step towards answering that question (note: your goal is to find as much as is known, even though it may not fully answer your question). Once you have found the necessary articles, write a two to three page paper summarizing the information in the articles and explain how it helps to answer your question.

Science papers are essentially presentations of facts and figures and as a result science writing is predominantly presented in a formal third person format. A good paper will present the information that is known with reference to the origin of each fact. For example, much of what you will include in your paper will come from your literature research - be sure to cite the source of all facts. However, quoting sources is discouraged, instead you should paraphrase what you have learned from your sources. In fact, a big part of preparing your paper will be organizing the information you acquire from your literature research and presenting that information in a cohesive fashion. See the instructions below for the proper paper format.

Format: Reports should range from 2 to 3 pages in length (7 at most) not including the bibliography. All papers must be neatly typed and double spaced with one inch margins and a font size not to exceed the print on this page (12 point). Papers must be proof-read for grammar and spelling. Papers with excessive grammatical and/or spelling errors will not be accepted.

Your report should consist of the following components:

No title page is necessary. The first page should include the title of the paper, your name, date and an abstract of your topic.

ABSTRACT: Abstracts are like movie previews, they provide enough information to permit a reader to decide whether or not to read further. In your abstract you should briefly summarize the entire paper, including conclusions. This is often the last part of the report that is written and should be no more than 1/2 - 3/4 page in length.

INTRODUCTION: The introduction should be no more than one page in length. It should present the topic/question that will be discussed in the paper and provide a brief physiological background/review to provide the reader with a sufficient physiological foundation to understand topic (i.e. prepare the reader for what you are about to discuss).

DISCUSSION: This is the most important part of the paper. In this section the details of your topic should be discussed including a detailed discussion of the physiological phenomena involved. In this section you should provide the evidence needed to “answer” to your topic question. Each of the points and/or ideas that you discuss should be supported by descriptions of the underlying physiological principles in an understandable fashion. There should be a logical and organized flow to your ideas. Hint: write your paper for readers with some physiology background (i.e. your classmates).

You will need to use several sources (see below) to put your paper together. Cite your sources / references liberally throughout your paper with parenthetical citations following the format below (APA). All statements of fact must be cited in the text of your report using the following citation format:

• Cratchet et al. (1995) found that cold toilet seats interfere with micturition.
• Exposure to cold toilet seats interferes with micturition (Cratchet et al., 1995).

Citing sources is very important as is proper citation format. Please see the APA guide available on the library website for more information. Go to the library website (http://www.westvalley.edu/library/ ), select “Research Guides” then “APA Style”.

A minimum of three refereed scientific articles should be cited as primary references, and at least one must be less than 5 years old.

CONCLUSION: This section can be as short as a paragraph or as long as a full page. In this section you should recap the main points of your report, explain the significance of your findings relative to the original question and effectively answer the original topic question. You should also suggest any limitations to your conclusion and what further investigation is necessary (i.e. what is still unanswered).

BIBLIOGRAPHY: This section should consist of an alphabetical listing (by primary author) of all references cited in your report. Each listing should include author(s), title, journal name (if applicable), pages, and date. See the format used by the journals cited for examples and refer to the APA Style guidelines (http://www.westvalley.edu/library/research-guides/apa.pdf).

WARNING: DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! Copying any material word for word is plagiarism unless it is in quotes and the source is given credit. Even borrowed ideas and statements of fact that are reworded must be acknowledged. Plagiarism is cheating!