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| Office:
Dow Science 314 |
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| Office
hours: MWR 10-11 AM; also by drop-in or appointment |
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| Lecture:
MWF 11:50 AM-1:05 PM, Dow 329 |
| Lab:
Thurs 12:30-4:00 PM, Dow 319 |
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Course Description
Study of the behavior and social organization of a variety
of animal groups ranging from insects to primates; analysis of
general principles of behavior modes; observation of animal behavior
in the field and laboratory.
NOTE: although this course can count as either a Natural Science
(NS) and a Social Science (SS) Area of Study requirement, you
may not double count the AOS requirement as NS and SS. Register
the course as BIOL if you wish it to count as a NS, and PSYC if
you wish it to count as SS.
Required texts
- Essential Animal Behavior by Graham Scott, Blackwell Publishing,
2005
- Assigned outside reading from primary research literature
and secondary sources
- NOTE: you will also need to purchase a small laboratory notebook
in which you can record laboratory and experimental conditions
and behavioral observations.
Course Goals
- to develop objective observation skills
- to gain an appreciation for the subtlety and complexity of
animal behavior and its application to applied fields (e.g.
animal welfare, conservation)
- to become proficient in field and laboratory methods used
in observing, describing, and quantifying the behavior of organisms
- to gain experience in the design, implementation, analysis
and interpretation of behavioral studies
- to gain proficiency in reading and critically evaluating
primary scientific literature and secondary literature from
the popular scientific press
Course Evaluation
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Tests |
Value |
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Test 1 |
150 |
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Test 2 |
200 |
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Assignments |
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Laboratory/Lecture worksheets |
300 |
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Lab notebook |
50 |
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Term paper and outline |
150 |
|
Journal Club presentation |
75 |
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Class and discussion participation |
75 |
| TOTAL |
1000 |
NOTE: You will be awarded
only one grade for this course. However, this same grade will
appear twice on your academic transcript, once as the course grade
(BIOL/PSYC 290) and once as the lab grade (BIOL/PSYC 291). Separate
lecture and lab grades will not be calculated.
Approximate Grading Scale
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A |
90-100% |
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B |
80-90% |
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C |
70-80% |
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D |
60-70% |
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F |
below 60% |
COURSE STRUCTURE
ATTENDANCE, PREPARATION AND EXPECTATIONS
You are expected to attend all lectures. Attendance is
mandatory for all laboratory sessions. You are expected to come
to class well prepared to critique and discuss assigned readings.
Lectures and the textbook provide grounding
in the theoretical, conceptual and empirical approaches to animal
behavior. Assigned readings, worksheets and discussions are designed
to promote understanding of course concepts, the scientific method
and communication of science, as well as to enhance critical thinking
skills.
Skim assigned textbook reading before class and more thoroughly
following class to supplement your notes. It is expected that
you will read assigned articles carefully and thoroughly (and
several times over) in preparation for class discussions. Guidelines
will be in some cases to help direct your reading.
Laboratories provide an opportunity to understand
better how animal behavior research is conducted. Labs involve
working with live organisms, during which you will observe, describe
and quantify behavior and employ the scientific method to test
hypotheses. Through data analysis and reading of scientific literature
you will acquire a better understanding of the use and interpretation
of statistics.
You will keep a lab notebook to record information
on experimental and animal rearing conditions, as well as experimental
conditions, procedures, data and conclusions. The lab notebook
will be handed in at the end of the course for evaluation that
assesses completeness of record keeping, summary conclusions,
legibility and organization.
MASTERING COURSE CONCEPTS AND SCIENTIFIC
LITERACY
One to two graded worksheets associated with
lecture and laboratory will be given weekly. Details for each
worksheet will be provided separately from the syllabus. These
worksheets are designed to promote learning and integration of
material presented in lecture and lab. Through a term paper, journal
club and additional course readings, we will also explore the
rich scientific literature of animal behavior, and in doing so,
we will learn more about experimental methodologies and analyses
used in behavioral studies and hone our critical thinking and
analytical skills.
There will be two tests that integrate lecture
and laboratory material. Consult the course schedule for specific
dates.
In the Journal Club you will work in pairs
to select, present and lead a short discussion
of a paper on a selected theme we will be covering during the
course. Each pair will choose a current paper (published in the
last four years) from the primary research literature (a peer-reviewed
journal) and prepare a 15-20 minute presentation that provides
background and context for the paper (what are the larger questions
that motivate the study, what background do we need to understand
the importance of this study), an overview of how the study was
conducted (the methods), the main results (you may focus on just
one aspect of the paper and not all experiments and results if
it is a multi-faceted paper), and some comments on the conclusions
and broader implications of this study. At the end, the leaders
will field questions and prompt discussion from class members.
More detailed guidelines will be provided separately from the
syllabus.
Because animal behavior covers such a broad range of topics,
ranging from genes to societies, it is impossible to delve into
any one topic in considerable depth. Thus, the term paper
+ presentation are designed to provide you with an opportunity
to explore an area of animal behavior in depth and to share this
new knowledge with other class members in the form of a short
presentation on your topic. More detailed guidelines and a list
of some suggested topics will be provided separately from the
syllabus.
Finally, discussion of ideas, experimental
methodology and data interpretation is a regular part of doing
science, and an important component of this course. Everyone is
expected to be an engaged, informed and active participant in
discussions. You should prepare for class and lab by doing the
assigned readings, paying attention to the speaker and being a
good listener, and generating relevant questions that demonstrate
critical thinking and insight. Note that quantity of questions
or remarks made by an individual does not necessarily equate with
the quality of remarks. You will be given a mid-quarter review
of your participation performance.
As leaders and participants of a discussion, the following should
be borne in mind:
- give others an opportunity to speak, and listen to what they
have to say
- respect differences of opinion and try to come to an understanding
of why such differences exist (rather than just saying more
loudly what you think, or simply changing your stance to avoid
conflict)
- your participation will be evaluated based on the relevance
of your contributions to the readings and questions at hand,
not on how long you spend talking
- your questions and comments should be informed, that is they
should demonstrate that you have read, at least attempted to
understand, and thought critically about the readings.
- some things that might demonstrate preparedness on a reader’s
part:
- suggest alternative interpretations for the authors findings
- look up words you do not understand as you work through
an article, ask yourself whether the authors present adequate
background to understand and justify the proposed research
- note elegant experimental designs, or alternatively,
perceived flaws in experimental design or data analysis
and suggest ways to improve on these
- note whether the data presented seems “solid”
or speculative; have the authors overstated or misrepresented
their results?
- suggest further research that would be interesting to
pursue
- discuss connections between the current paper and other
work you have learned about or are curious
- think about why the work being published is “novel”
– and whether/why it is ground-breaking
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING POLICY
Graded assignments are due at the beginning of class/lab
on the specified date, unless otherwise noted. Lecture and lab
worksheets must be handed in on the specified date or receive
a grade of zero. Late lab or project reports will lose
5% per day (weekend days included) from the assigned
value of the report. Reports more than 5 days overdue will not
be accepted and will receive a grade of zero. Late assignments
are to be delivered to Dr. Fraser’s office (Dow 314) with
the date and time indicated on the front.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Please inform me of any documented disabilities or handicaps
so that necessary alternate arrangements can be made if needed.
HONOR SYSTEM
This course operates under the Kalamazoo College Honor
System, a statement of values and responsibilities central to
our education. Group discussion of material is encouraged (except
during a test), but written work is to be completed individually
or in groups, as specified, with proper citation of all sources
of ideas or other information that is not your own. You are responsible
for learning how to cite appropriately works other than your own.
Information for citing sources will be provided.
NOTE: The use of electronic devices or headphones is
not permitted during tests
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