Course Prerequisites: Biology
141, 151, 200. Mathematics
123, 131 or CS 171 (or equivalent). Chemistry 120 or 135.
Course Philosophy: This course broadly exposes
students to evolutionary and ecological processes that promote the vast diversity
of behaviors found on our planet. A strong emphasis on natural selection and
the adaptiveness of behaviors pervades the course. The curriculum aims to define
and organize this diversity for upper-division undergraduate students by considering
two basic questions: How do animals behave (Ethology) and why do they behave as they do (Behavioral Ecology)?
Course Structure:
After a brief introduction to the general study
of animal behavior, the first part of this course focuses on how animals process
and respond to environmental stimuli, including treatments of physiology, learning,
memory, hormonal behavior, fixed action patterns, communication, and the ontogeny
of behavior. The remainder of the course examines the ecology of behavior, stressing
the links between environmental factors, behavior, and resultant patterns of
organismal distribution and abundance, including discussions of group formation,
territoriality, ungulate and primate dispersion, colonial breeding, and reproductive
ecology (life history theory). During the last part of the course we explore
the evolution of social behaviors, and includes topics such as sexual selection,
mating system evolution, parental care, kin selection, eusocial behavior, and
human sociobiology.
Lecture outlines will be available, on-line, prior
to each lecture. These are not intended as substitutes for lecture notes. Rather,
they provide an organizational framework to lectures that may help guide your
studies. Please contact professor Clifton, should you have any trouble accessing
this information.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this course you should be able to:
1) Recognize and understand basic terms
and concepts of animal behavior
2) Understand the basic ecological and evolutionary
processes that shape animal behavior
3) Understand the relevance of animal behavior,
both as a biologist and a human being.
4) Learn to use various sources professional
scientific journals to learn more about animal behavior.
5) Become familiar with the approaches used in
laboratory and field settings to obtain information about animal behavior.
6) Increase effectiveness in the written and
oral communication of scientific information.
7) Improve quantitative skills in the application of mathematical models and theories to the study of animal behavior.
8) Further develop the ability to apply critical thinking and logic to the solving of biological problems relating to animal behavior.
Assessment:
Assessment in Bio 352 will
be based on performance in four areas: examinations, class discussions, an assigned
paper, and performance in lab. This course will not be graded on a "curve" (i.e.,
there is no set number of A's, B's, C's, etc.). Thus, the grade you receive
will reflect individual, rather than relative, performance. Grade distribution as a function of percentage will be as follows:
92.5 - 100 % = A
90.0 - 92.5% = A-
87.5 - 89.9% = B+
82.5 - 87.4% = B
80.0 - 82.4% = B-
77.5 - 79.9% = C+
72.5 - 77.4% = C
70.0 - 72.4% = C-
67.5 - 69.9% = D+
62.5 - 67.4% = D
below 62.4% = F
Details for assessment exercises are described below, with the learning outcomes associated with a specific assessment exercise noted after each.
Three Exams: Two midterms covering
the first and middle parts of class, respectively, will each be worth 10%
of the final grade. The final exam will be worth 20 % of your grade. Material
in this course is hierarchical (i.e. ideas and concepts are developed via
increasing knowledge throughout the term), thus each exam, though focused
on a particular range of topics, is effectively cumulative. All exams will
have similar formats consisting of three sections. The first questions will
be short-answer, general information questions to determine whether students
recognize basic terms and concepts. The second set of questions will be short
essay questions that require original, critical thinking. The last set of
questions are longer (1 page) essay questions that will require synthesis
and, perhaps, some quantitative/mathematical approaches. These longer questions
typically only require simple algebraic solutions, however, they also demand
a through understanding of the lecture, discussion, and reading materials.
Click here to see a practice
exam
1st Exam (10 %): Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 8
2nd Exam (10 %): Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
Final Exam (20 %): Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
Discussions (mandatory,
student-led discussions of original research articles, in total, worth
14% of the final
grade): These are opportunities to discuss articles from scientific journals
that relate to course materials, thus providing students
with an exposure to the "end result" of most scientific studies of
animal behavior. For a given discussion, a team of four students will lead the evaluation
of different papers' strengths and weaknesses with regard to specific methodologies,
data, statistical analyses and conclusions. Each group will be given two "classic" papers on a subject and they are expected to also find a third paper that relates to these, but has been published in the last three years. Student leaders should meet with
Professor Clifton in advance of the discussion to help prepare. Students
will
receive up to 4 points for their role in leading an effective, stimulating,
and rigrous discussion. Participants (non-leaders) will receive up to two points
for each discussion if
they attend, with an expectation that for full credit, a student must contribute
to the discussion with ideas, comments, observations, etc. Students who attend,
but do not participate, will receive half a point.
To provide an example of how discussions should proceed, Professor Clifton
will lead a discussion of "The Selfish Gene" in week 3. Participation
in this discussion will be worth 2 points.
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Proposal Assignment (develop a
proposal to study some aspect of animal behavior, worth 10 % of the final
grade): Each student must write a concise (~ 5 pages double spaced; 1,500
word limit) paper in the form of a grant proposal to study some aspect of
animal behavior, including an introduction, methods section, expected outcomes,
and bibliography. This is a challenging assignment for
many students. Choosing a topic is often the rate-limiting
step, and students are encouraged to work closely with the instructor to develop
ideas and methodologies. Simple literature reviews are insufficient; successful
papers will demonstrate rigor, effort, and creativity in their proposal. Check
out the numbered links for three examples of outstanding student proposals 1, 2, 3. Click here for further information on the assignment
Learning outcomes 4, 5, 6, 8
Lab assignments: Laboratory
exercises are intended to expose students to the challenges of collecting,
analysing, interpreting, and presenting data on animal behavior. Outdoor
exercises are major component of the lab, but are obviously somewhat
weather dependent.
For off-campus exercises we will use college vehicles and depart immediately,
so please arrive promptly and dressed for outdoor work (good shoes,
warm/waterproof
jacket, etc.) for every lab. Various work in the laboratory
section of this course will cumulatively be worth 35% of the final grade. This includes an evaluation of participation based on attentiveness
during lab exercises (5%), your lab notebook (5%), and the submission of "reflections" (5%)
as well as four write-ups of lab exercises (worth, in total, 20%. See percentage breakdown below).
Lab 1 (2%): Learning outcomes 6, 8
Lab 5 (7%): Learning outcomes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Lab 6 (8%):
Learning outcomes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Lab 11 (3%) : Learning outcomes 6, 8
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A few notes
regarding attendance assignment deadlines, and exams:
Attendance in lecture is expected. Exam questions will draw heavily from material covered in lecture, so it is in your best
interest not to miss some or all of a class. If you do miss a lecture, try to get notes from another student and review what was covered. Then, if you have questions, please see the instructor. As a courtesy to both the instructor
and fellow students, please try to arrive in class on time. Late arriving students are not only a disruption, they may miss
important introductory announcements.
Assignment deadlines are strictly enforced.
If you submit an assignment electronically, you should receive an e-mail acknowledgement
of receipt. Contact your professor if acknowledgement is not received within
a reasonable time period. A 10% penalty accrues each day for materials submitted after a dealine, for
up to five days. Assignments more than five days late will not be accepted.
Time limits for exams will be strictly enforced (90 min
for midterms, 3 hr for the final). Diagnosis of a learning difference may
entitle you to additional time as well as other accommodations, however, to
receive this accommodation, you must contact Student Services early in the
semester to process your accomodation request. This information will be strictly
confidential. To ensure fairness, college policy prevents the provision of
special accommodation to anyone who does not submit the required forms in
a timely fashion. Please talk with Professor Clifton if you anticipate any
difficulties with meeting course requirements.
Festival of Scholars. The Festival of Scholars is a campus-wide celebration of student work that will be held on Friday, April 14, 2017. It is an opportunity to discuss research, to exhibit, perform, or appreciate art, and to cross disciplinary boundaries. Although this event will not directly impact lectures and labs in Animal Behavior, you are still expected to participate in the Festival by attending presentations by your fellow students. The instructor may require attendance of specific presentations that will contribute to your course grade.
An important point: To
verify that you've read this syllabus and have a functional e-mail connection
with Professor Clifton, introduce yourself electronically(clifton@lclark.edu) with
a brief description of your motivation behind taking this class. Do so
before 8:00 AM on Thursday, Jan 26, 2017 and receive your first point in
the class.
All students are presumed to be
familiar with Departmental
Policies regarding academic integrity. Refer to the College Code
of Conduct for additional information.
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