BIOG 1500

Investigative Biology Laboratory

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2014-2015.

Designed for biology majors to provide lab experience with emphasis on processes of scientific investigations and to promote communication, literacy and collaboration in science. Students gain expertise in methods including instrumentation used by biologists to construct new knowledge. Lab topics include genetics, evolution, ecology, biochemistry, and molecular biology.

When Offered Fall, spring, summer.

Comments Biological sciences majors must take course for a letter grade.

• The main course objectives are: To expose students to realistic scientific questions, encourage critical thinking and teach how to design hypothesis-based experiments, choose appropriate statistical test(s), analyze data and interpret results.
• To fill the students' scientific "tool box" by demonstrating mastery of modern lab techniques and scientific methods that will be applied across biological systems and scales.
• To demonstrate literacy by using appropriate library tools to find relevant scientific information and to communicate effectively using both written and oral formats.
• To teach the students how to think through a scientific process with their research group while acquiring conceptual knowledge and understanding the benefits and challenges of collaborative work.
• To teach how to use discovery science to explore patterns in nature, and understand the importance of accuracy and precision.
• To provide the students with the opportunity to learn and apply fundamental biological information in the context of the course modules.

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