PROFESSOR:        A. H. Burr

B8226
291-4803
burr@sfu.ca

LAB INSTRUCTORS:       Doug Wilson

B9239 291-3020
dwilson@sfu.ca

PRE-REQUISITES:   LOWER DIVISION CORE COURSES ARE ASSUMED, PARTICULARLY CHEM 103 AND 115, PHYS 102 AND BICH 221.
 

TEXT:  No text. Textual material is provided in the lab handouts.
 

The biologist is often faced with the task of measuring a complex biological phenomenon or some aspect of an organism's environment. How does one choose a technique that provides a quantitative scale that truly represents the phenomenon to be quantified? Once a measurement is obtained, how do we interpret it in the face of the uncertainty that surrounds any measurement? How do we report our findings to the scientific community?

The overriding goal of this course is to develop competence in biological experimentation. Some specific objectives are: (1) to provide experience in learning new techniques or instruments and to bolster confidence to do so; (2) to provide the understanding necessary for the intelligent application of a technique; (3) to provide experience in doing laboratory and field experiments, including planning and execution of experiments, record keeping, data analysis, data interpretation, report writing and oral presentations; and (4) to improve problem solving and numerical skills (5) to develop proficiency with computer applications.

The course involves two lectures per week and a lab period. During the first nine weeks, one lab topic will be covered each week with closely coordinated lectures. The last four weeks of lab will be devoted to research projects and 10 minute student talks on their research proposals.
 

EVALUATION AND GRADING:

Lab worksheets 18 %
Formal lab reports 18 %
Midterm I 10 %
Midterm II 12.5 %
Midterm III 12.5 %
Research proposal 4 %
Research Project and Report 20 %
Student Presentations 5 %