Organic Evolution (Biology 391) at UT Martin

Taught by Rebecca Irwin


Office: Clement Hall 314.  Office Hours Spring 2001: MWF 9-9:50, MW 12-12:50, M-F 2-2:50
Course description and goals: This course focuses on evolution as studied in extant (currently living, not extinct) species. The goals are to cover general principles of microevolution and macroevolution and to focus on certain areas that are currently being actively researched. Students are expected to learn to apply hypotheses and models of evolution to novel situations, and to evaluate evidence supporting conflicting hypotheses. Where relevant, evolutionary principles are applied to humans. 
Prerequisites: Biology 110 and 120. Biology 336 (Genetics) is strongly recommended!

Textbooks and Other Readings: You are required to have the textbook, Evolutionary Analysis, 2nd edition, by Freeman and Herron (2001).  You will be expected to print additional materials from the web to read and bring to class. The main additional materials to print from the web are chapters from the Evolution Lab Manual (see "Course Related Links" below.) Additional readings will alse be required; these will be placed on reserve in the library.

Grades are based on the following; click to obtain more information: Grades are based on the percentage of the possible points that you obtain: 90-100% = A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D, <60%=F. There is no "extra credit."
Course Policies: READ THIS CAREFULLY, IT'S IMPORTANT! Exams must be taken during the scheduled times. No make-up or early exams will be given. Your percentage on the final exam will substitute for one of the three exams if you must miss an exam or if the substitution benefits you. Outside assignments and homework must be completed by the deadline; late assignments will NOT be accepted unless you have a serious (medical or family emergency) excuse that you OK with me as soon as possible. Attendance and participation in lab sections is required. You will not receive participation or homework points if you do not attend; in addition, your grade will be dropped one letter grade for every three lab sessions you miss. Cheating and plagiarism are punishable by a grade of F in the course; note that it is as dishonest (and unfair to other students) to allow someone to copy your work as it is to copy someone else's work.

Information on Lab Sections: Most lab sections are discussion sections during which you will apply your knowledge of evolution (in ways in which you will also be expected to apply it on exams) by discussion of study questions or assignment results.  The study questions are available in the Evolution Lab Manual.  We will use most lab periods to get started working on the material in the lab manual; it is your responsibility to make sure you can answer all questions relevant to lectures and assigned readings, not just the ones we go through in lab.  You MUST print out the required chapter(s) and bring them with you each week to your laboratory section.  To prepare for lab, you SHOULD print them out ahead of time and try to work on the questions that cover the relevant lectures and reading before coming to lab; the more you prepare in advance, the better the labs will help you to learn the material.  Some lab sessions will cover other materials (other readings or other information from the web); this is indicated on the lecture syllabus. 

Information on Written Assignments:

    Homework assignments are questions that will require a brief written (or occasionally mathematical or graphical) answer.  They are designed to give you practice applying the material we are learning in the way that you will be required to do on essay questions on the exam.  They are like the questions from the lab manual and you can use them as a guide to helping you see the level at which you are expected to know all the lab manual questions.  The answer to one homework question is due almost every week.  You must turn it in at the start of your lab period; it must be handed in by you (you can't give it to someone else to hand in for you).  Homework assignments requiring a written answer must be typed, double spaced. Homework assignments requiring a mathematical answer may be typed or handwritten; in either case, they must be clearly organized and show all formulas and intermediate steps.  Homework assignments requiring a graph or figure may be hand drawn; the drawing must be clear and large. No late homework will be accepted; to receive homework credit you must be in your scheduled lab (or have arranged ahead of time with me to attend a different lab; in which case you can turn them in at the start of that lab) on time.  You must bring two copies of each homework assignment to lab as we will correct them in lab and you will be expected to make corrections on your copy of the homework as originals may not be returned; because corrections are made during lab you must attend the entire lab to receive homework credit.

    Other assignments (computer assignment, results paper, and critique): the final version must be handed in on paper, typed, double-spaced.  Rough drafts, which are optional but STRONGLY ENCOURAGED, can be submitted typed on paper, via e-mail, or, if you absolutely MUST do this (I'd rather you not!) handwritten -- if you submit something handwritten you MUST leave a blank line between each written line and it must be legible (if I can't read it easily I will not comment on it.)

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to KEEP A COPY of every assignment you hand in (paper, homework, graphs, rough drafts...) until you receive your returned, graded assignment; if I ever don't get something you think you handed in, and you can produce your copy immediately, I am very likely to accept it but if you CAN'T produce it I will not take it.

Course-related Web Links:
Course content: the following gives the tentative lecture schedule for Spring Semester, 2001.  As lectures are completed, they will be made available on the web; click on links to lecture topics to see the lecture (if they're not highlighted as links, they're not available yet.)  Under each week's set of lectures, you will find a link to the the HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT for the week.  EXAM times and DUE DATES FOR ASSIGNMENTS are also given.  This lecture schedule is tentitive: I may change topics/dates if I get behind or ahead.  Exam and due dates are very unlikely to change.  Assigned readings (readings from which you are expected to know material beyond what is covered in lecture) and lab manual chapters with questions about the lectures are also given; in your lab manual, it indicates what textbook chapters also cover material related to what is covered in lecture.  If an assigned reading refers to a chapter, it means a chapter in your textbook.  If it refers to a paper, the paper is on reserve in the library.  For labs: be sure to print out and bring with you all lab manual chapters relevant to all lecture and reading material covered prior to the lab (including chapters from previous weeks.)

Interesting Evolution-related Web Sites:

  1. An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology, by Chris Colby. Introduces the major areas of evolution; presents a strong (and rather strongly worded) argument against "Creationism."
  2. Five Major Misconceptions about Evolution, a site that clearly describes five arguments that have incorrectly been used in attempts to demonstrate that evolution does not occur, with explanations of what is wrong with these arguments.
  3. Observed instances of speciation. Descriptions of situations in which the formation of new species has been observed.
  4. Transitional Vertebrate Fossils. Description/discussion of fossils that demonstrate transitional changes between species/groups of vertebrates.
  5. An explanation of the concept of heritability
  6. The Tree of Life , designed to show (ultimately) what is known about the phylogeny of all life.
  7. The University of California at Berkeley Museum of Paleontology , with excellent virtual exhibits, clear information on the phylogeny of many groups of organisms, some good explanations of basic evolutionary processes, and more.
Send questions, comments, etc. to rirwin@utm.edu