I'll be out of commo much of the weekend, so be sure to carefully read the explanation to clear up your uncertainties. I'll see you Tuesday.

The Autonomic Nervous System slide show has been updated.

IMPORTANT

You have until the day of the final examination to choose to withdraw from the course. If you choose to withdraw from the course, you will receive a W as your final grade. This will not affect your GPA. If you look at or touch the final examination, then you officially and IMMEDIATELY forfeit your right to withdraw. In that case, you will receive a letter grade (A,B,C,D, or F), which WILL affect your GPA. It is your responsibility to check the class standings and know whether you have a chance of passing. If you choose to withdraw before the final examination, let me know.

The Special Senses slide show has been updated.

At this point in the semester it becomes very important to keep your eye on the orange columns in the Class Standings and to understand the explanation.

Also, if two of your lecture examination scores are tied for the lowest score, then you'll need to email me and tell me which one (if any) you'd prefer to retake on the day of the final examination. Otherwise, I'll choose for you.

If you choose to withdraw from the course, you should email me to let me know. You should NOT assume that I will give you a W instead of an F if you simply stop attending.

When I told you during lecture that another name for the direct pathways is "pyramidal system", I forgot to mention that another name for the indirect pathways is "extrapyramidal system". "Extra-" means "outside of", as in"extraterrestrial" (outside of Terra, or Earth).

The handout for the Transverse Sections of the Human Brain was SUPPOSED to look like this:

http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/Biology/pfinkenstadt/BIO201/201Lab_word/Practical_Four/TransverseSections.pdf

You should replace your copy immediately. I'm sorry about the confusion.

I've added labeled and unlabeled versions of the Cadaver Cross Sections under Course Materials.

The Integration of Nervous System Functions slide show has been updated.

The rest of the scores will be posted soon. Don't panic if yours isn't shown yet.

The Brain and Cranial Nerves slide show has been updated.

The answers to PhysioEx 2 are posted under Assignments and Scores.

The Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves slide show has been updated.

Although the PhysioEx activities instruct you to print out your data, you should not do this. The only data I need are those that you write in the book. You should hand in only the pages of the exercises and the pages for the Review Questions. Remember that if you are not required to complete an activity within an exercise (according to the Laboratory Schedule), then you do not need to complete the Review Questions that pertain to that unassigned activity. Of course, you must complete the other Review Questions.

The Functional Organization Of Nervous Tissue slide show has been updated.

While I always recommend giving fake lectures as a way of studying, that is perhaps never more important than for this muscular system chapter. You should be able to explain, out loud and without notes, everything that happens (and all the structures involved) from the time that a neuronal action potential is initiated to the time that the muscle shortens (and then relaxes). Practice this over the weekend, trying to get more and more detailed as you repeat the process. Do the same thing for the hierarchical structure of a muscle.

The Muscular System slide show has been updated.

The BIO201 laboratory will be open from 0900 to 1100 on Friday 02 October 2009 C.E. for any last-minute review you might want to do for the impending practicum.

One of your colleagues noticed that the markers differ between the unanswered version and the answered version on Station 39 of the Appendicular Skeleton Practice Practicum. Don't be confused by this.

I've added a link under Assignments and Scores about make-up examinations.

The Articulations and Movement slide show has been updated.

The Skeletal System slide show has been updated.

Keep in mind that the Review Questions at the end of the PhysioEx chapters are required as well, except for review questions that have to do with activities that are not required according to the Laboratory Schedule. The Review Questions are broken into sections with headings that correspond to the titles of the activities.

The Integumentary System slide show has been updated.

To bring more widespread attention to the Saladin outlines, I've changed the Notes for Downloading page. You should take a look.

IMPORTANT

If you haven't already received my mass email, then be sure to read this important message:

http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/Biology/thoffman/CommonGlobal/Marieb.html

The Histology slide show has been updated.

I've updated the Membrane Transport slide show. I'll be updating the slide shows gradually, so that each is updated by the time I use it in lecture. Therefore, you should hold off printing each chapter's slide show until it is updated.

The official laboratory schedule has been added. The brief overview of laboratory topics (which appears on the Notes for Downloading page and which is NOT the official laboratory schedule) has changed. The schedule that appears on the course syllabus has changed as well.

There is now a link for Practicum Videos under Course Materials.

The Lecture Slide Shows might change between now and the beginning of the semester. If you intend to print them, you should save paper by holding off until the first day of class.

I've revised the Course Syllabus.

IMPORTANT END-OF-THE-SEMESTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. If you begin the Practicum, then you will NOT be allowed to withdraw (and you will receive a letter grade, which will affect your GPA). If you choose to withdraw instead of taking the practicum, please let me know. A withdrawal will appear as a W on your transcript, but it will not affect your GPA. It is your responsibility to check the class standings to see what score will be required for you to get your desired grade.

2. Pay close attention to the Blowoff Score and the Maximum Score. If they both lie within the same grade range, then taking the practicum (or not taking it) will make no difference. Your maximum score is what you will get if you take the practicum and get 100%. Your blowoff score is what you will receive if you take a zero on the practicum. So if both of those scores are within the same range (for instance the C range, from 66% up to 76%), then you might as well stay home.

The Sheep Brain Practice Practicum has been fixed (the hints and numbering now agree with the answer sheet). Be sure you're looking at the current versions.

I added the Sheep Brain and Sheep Eye Practice Practica. I also updated the checklists. The old checklists should no longer be used, because their numbers don't correspond perfectly to the practice practica.

I've updated the Potentially Useful Study Links. Specifically, I've changed the links under Websites for A & P Textbooks. If, despite my initial prodding, you've never bothered to check out the various resources available at those textbook sites, you should take a look. There are PowerPoint slide shows, study outlines, labeling exercises, et cetera.

I corrected a couple of spelling errors in the Cadaver Muscle Slide Show.

I posted a corrected version of the Appendicular Skeleton Practice Practicum. Station 35 had no Part A indicated, and Station 43 had "intercondylar" misspelled.

Practicum 2 (which, of course, will occur on Tuesday) will feature thirty-five answers. The practicum is worth a maximum of seventy-five points. Obviously, then, each answer is worth fifteen sevenths. Enjoy the weekend.

Since some students had already left the laboratory before I made this announcement, I want to repeat it here. Lecture Examination 3 is Wednesday, and you won't have a weekend over which to study. But you can "prestudy" over this weekend by listening to my muscular-system lectures from a previous semester. Just look under the Archived Lecture Recordings heading on the main page:

http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/Biology/thoffman

The recordings of 03 March and 05 March will correspond to the lecture I will give on Monday.

Enjoy the weekend.

The corrected versions of the Axial Skeleton Practice Practicum have been uploaded.

One of your colleagues astutely noticed last night that Station 21 of the Axial Skeleton Practice Practicum slide show uses a lumbar vertebra to indicate articular facets for the rib head and for the rib tubercle. Of course, only thoracic vertebrae feature those facets. I have sent notice of the error to the creator of the slide show, and I will post a new version when she makes the correction. For now, you should realize that the facets are indicated in the correct POSITIONS, but they should be on a "giraffe head", not on a "moose head".

Circa 23.8% of the class members have not yet submitted the Rules Consent Form. Those students' scores for the impending examination will not be available on the Class Standings page.

Sorry, folks, but I just noticed that the schedule listed on the Notes for Downloading page was wrong. I fixed it, and it now agrees with the syllabus. The most immediate effect is that Practicum 1 will occur on 16 June, not 11 June. Of course, the syllabus has indicated that all along.

I have added a mandatory form to be submitted from the main website.

IMPORTANT END-OF-THE-SEMESTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Read ALL of these, and act on all that apply to you.

1. You may opt to retake whichever lecture examination you scored lowest on, and if you opt to retake it, doing so can not hurt you. If you score higher the second time, I'll replace your original score. If you do not score higher, nothing will change. You will take the retake immediately upon submitting Examination 6, and the retake will be multiple-choice.

2. If you know that you will not be opting for the retake, it would be cool to let me know now, just to save a bit of paper.

3. If two or more lecture examinations are tied for your lowest scores, you must tell me which test you prefer to retake. Otherwise, I'll choose one.

4. The Final Examination will be given on 12 May at 4:00 pm (NOT 5:30). It will be given in the usual lecture room.

5. If you missed a lecture examination, you need to complete your make-up examination(s) by 13 May. If you complete a make-up examination before 12 May AND if that is your lowest test score, you may opt for the multiple-choice retake of that examination.

6. If you need to take a make-up examination, you must contact me and tell me whether you need to take it in my presence (in which case you'll need to make an appointment with me) or whether I should leave the test in the Testing Center, where you can take it any time they are open (as long as it's by 13 May).

7. If you look at or touch Lecture Examination 6, then you will NOT be allowed to withdraw (and you will receive a letter grade, which will affect your GPA). If you choose to withdraw before Examination 6, please let me know. A withdrawal will appear as a W on your transcript, but it will not affect your GPA. It is your responsibility to check the class standings to see what score will be required for you to get your desired grade.

For reasons out of my convenient control, Tuesday's lectures won't appear on the website until Wednesday.

Someone left its yellow, spiral-bound notebook in the laboratory. I'm putting it in my purse. Remind me to return it on Thursday.

A Sheep Eye Practice Practicum has been added, as well.

Notice that I've added a Brain Practice Practicum to Course Materials.

BEFORE coming to the laboratory for Week 15 (28 April), you must read through the Cranial Nerve handout, and complete the first two pages, including the first eight questions.

IMPORTANT:

All assignments (e.g., PhysioEx, BioPac) must be completed individually. Though you may work together to figure things out, all of your answers must be in your own words. Any future assignments submitted with identical answers will result in ALL students with identical answers receiving a zero for the entire assignment, with no possibility of making up the points. Be sure you fully understand this policy.

Thanks again to Heather for creating two more Practice Practicum Slide Shows for you. There's one for models and one for photographs. These are all brand new, so let me know if you spot any errors. I wanted to get them to you immediately, and I haven't yet carefully checked them myself.

Many thanks to Heather Rheinfelder, who just finished another useful Practice Practicum Slide Show, this time for the cadaver muscles. Look for it under Course Materials.

The due date for PhysioEx has been changed from Week 10 to Week 11.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I accidentally misspoke tonight while discussing the confusing terminology involving "fibers". I think I called a myofilament a myofiber. Just remember, a myofiber is a cell. Myofilaments are contained inside the cell.

I added a link to Visible Body under Course Materials. It's a fairly neato site.

There will be an open laboratory on Friday 6 March from 0900 to 1100 in DB109.

There have been some corrections made to the Appendicular Skeleton Practice Practicum.

Because at least one of you is having a problem with the VBR MP3's, I've replaced the High Quality versions of the lecture recordings with CBR's. If you've had any problems, then go back and download the replacements. If you don't know whether there's a problem, because you haven't yet downloaded any lectures since the last test, then you are way behind, and you should expect your next test score to reflect that.

See the new link about sound files cutting off (under Technical Issues).

I picked up the Klean Kanteen that was left in the lecture room on Thursday. It's now in my office. The owner should remind me to return it.

The problematic skull-lab lecture (that no one let me know about until today) is now fixed.

I'm sorry about not recording last night's laboratory lecture, and I hope you find the "Greatest Hits of Fall Semester" versions helpful. Also, be aware that there is an error on the practice practicum. The question for Station 14 (#4) should NOT include "in the orbit". Cross that out.

I've scrapped the idea of posting WAV's and MP3's on the Lectures page. All lectures are now MP3's, and you have a choice of High and Low Quality. The Low Quality recordings are the same as the MP3's were before. The High Quality recording are the same quality as the WAV's were, but since they're now MP3's, you should be able to use them on portable players.

There will be an open laboratory session for BIO201 students Friday morning (06 February) from 0930 to 1130. If you want to take another look at things in the laboratory (cadaver, etc.), stop by between those times.

You'll now find information about Practicum 1 under Official Information.

I'm glad that some students are already using the Anonymous Comments link. But I've received a couple of submissions that were questions needing answers. Keep in mind that the form is anonymous, meaning that I don't know who is sending it, and I therefore cannot respond. The form is there for you to speak your mind. If you have a question to which you need a reply, you will need to email me. Enjoy the weekend.

You should consider attending an information session that's being held Friday 23 January in DB223. It's about the expectations and rigor of the BIO201/202/205 classes and how to succeed using the various resources available to you, including the Success Center. Even if you can't make it to this 11:00 session, you should be aware of the Success Center.

Under Course Materials, I've added links to skeletal practice practica that you can use at home. Each practicum comes in answered and unanswered versions. DON'T make the mistake of thinking you don't need to practice in the laboratory with real bones!

I've added the official Laboratory Schedule to the website. Also, I've slightly changed the syllabus and the textbooks page:
http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/Biology/thoffman/CommonGlobal/textbooks.html

I've added a randomization feature to the vocabulary pages. I think this is important, because people tend to memorize terms in a list based on their positions in the list. Don't underestimate the importance of vocabulary. If you don't know the meanings of biological terms, you won't be able to make sense of many of my test questions. On the other hand, if you know the terms WELL, you'll probably realize that many of my test questions are really quite obvious. This can have a big effect on your grade.