Updated 8/11/2009
Biol 6102: Neurobiology
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Course URL: http://www2.gsu.edu/~biopsk/bio6102
Fall
Semester 2009
CRN 80205
Course
Description | Grading | Policies
|
Professor: Also
available by appointment Lecture Time and
Location: Book: Purchase from the
following places: |
Course
Description:
This course
provides an introduction to how the nervous system functions. It will be
tailored to master’s students in biology. It should be of interest to
anyone interested in understanding how the brain works. The importance of
understanding the brain and nervous system goes beyond the quest for a general
understanding of ourselves and the animals around us. In order to keep apace of
medical advances for treatment of mental illness or to understand current
research into the role of genetics in determining behavior, a person must be
well grounded in basic neuroscience. The course discusses the facts about brain
science, the history of discoveries, and the methods used for making those
discoveries. It also tries to give a perspective on what the unanswered
questions are.
The course begins by
explaining the molecular basis for signaling in the nervous system: how action
potentials are produced, how neurotransmitters are released, and how they evoke
their effects. The 2nd Unit is on the sensory systems. The 3rd unit of the course is on The next part of the course deals with how the nervous
system changes during development and as a result of experience. Finally, the course will go over how
the nervous system collects information through the senses and how it acts on
that information.
Students will do
quantitative exercises, perform literature searches, and read primary research
literature. There will be a discussion
component to the course as well.
Grading:
Three Exams: 20% each (60%
total)
Final Exam:
20%
Assignments
and participation: 20%
The tests and exam are not
graded on a curve. There
is a certain amount of material that you are expected to understand when you
complete this course.
A+ > 93%
A 90-93%
A- 87-89%
B+ 84-86%
B 80-83%
B- 77-19%
C+ 74-76%
C 70-73%
C- 67-69%
D+ 64-66%
D 60-63%
D- 57-59%
F < 56%
How to do well in this class:
Read the book, attend class,
and do the assignments!
The tests will cover material
gone over in class. The book will provide a more detailed account of this
material and should be used as a supplement for lectures. If you do not read
the book, you will be unlikely to do well on the tests. You should read the
book prior to coming to class for the lecture.
Take notes in class. Read your
notes and go over the chapter again. Find a partner to study with. It helps to quiz each other. The expectation
is that you spend more time outside of class learning the material than in the
class.
Attendance:
Please arrive in class prior
to 1:00. It is disruptive to your classmates to have people arriving
late. Attendance will not be taken in class. However, the tests will
cover material presented in class, not all of which is in the textbook. If you
choose not to attend classes, then you will probably not do well on the exams.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to make up the missed material
from classmates and from lecture notes on the web. If you know in
advance that you will have a legitimate conflict with an exam, notify the
professor as soon as possible. Make up exams will not be the same format
as the regular exam and may include essay questions or an oral
examination. Please read the University
policy about attendance.
Academic honesty.
Please read the University
policy about academic honesty. When you hand in an assignment to be graded,
it is expected to be your OWN work. While it is permitted to seek help
for homework assignments, you are supposed to do the assignment yourself.
If your name is on the paper, then this indicates that you have produced this
work. If you sign your name to someone else's work, you are making a
false claim. If you copy or paraphrase someone else's work and pass it
off as your own work, you are committing plagiarism. The penalty for
plagiarism can be expulsion from the university. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!!!!!
Cell
phones and pagers.
Please turn off your cell
phones and pagers while in class. If a cell phone rings, then the
professor reserves the right to answer it.
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