Final grades are now posted on the Grade tracker
Based on a class vote, the final (a standard 100 point exam) will be given the last day of Class, 6 May. Remember that you do not have to take the final if you are happy with your present grade (see grade tracker for this).
Exams
Grading:
Each presentation is worth up to 50 points. You will be scored on the following (5 points each)
Each presentation will get two scores using these, one from me, the other from the class (I'll use the average totals, throwing out the lowest and highest score).
Contact information for speakers:
Useful websites
Lecture Time and Place: Tuesday/Thursday Bio W 208
Instructor: Bruce Walsh
Reading Material: No Assigned text. However, you will be responsible for reading assignments posted here (the official course website).
Grading: Your class grade will be based four items
Missed exams will be awarded a zero.
Assignment of Final Grades: The second highest total in the class will be set equal to 100. If you get 90 percent (or higher) of this total you get an A, 80 percent a B, 70 percent a C, 60 percent a D.
Class policy on "academic integrity": Your academic work (exams and problem sets) must be your own; do not copy answers to problem sets or anything else; cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you are caught, any combination of the following will occur (UA Code of Academic Integrity): a zero grade will be assigned for the work; course grade dropped one letter grade; course grade of F; disciplinary probation from University; suspension from the University; notation "Declared guilty of violation of the Code of Academic Integrity" put on student's permanent record.
Date | Lecture number | Topic | Practice Problems | Readings |
17 Jan | 1 | Introduction |   |   |
22 Jan | 2 | no class |   |   |
24 Jan | 3 | no class |   |   |
29 Jan | 4 | Intro to Genetics | Practice Problems--- Solutions |   |
31 Jan | 5 | Intro to probability 1 |   |   |
5 Feb | 6 | Intro to probability 2 | Practice Problems-- solutions |   |
7 Feb | 7 | Intro to DNA structure and sequencing | Practice Problem-- solutions (corrected and updated Feb 14) |   |
12 Feb | 8 | DNA Markers |   |   |
14 Feb | 9 | Review |   |   |
19 Feb | 10 | Guest Speaker: DNA- Beyond CSI, Barbara Fransway, Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory, U of A |   |   |
21 Feb | 11 | Exam 1 -- key -- curve |   |   |
26 Feb | 12 | Guest speaker : Jelena Myers from the Tucson crime lab -- powerpoint |   |   |
28 Feb | 13 | Match probabilities and NRC | Practice Problems -- solutions |   |
4 March | 14 | DNA databases: Structure, history, and concerns |   |   |
6 March | 15 | Admissibility of Scientific Evidence, Statistical Mistakes in the Courtroom |   |   |
11 March | 16 | Discussion |   |   |
13 March | 17 | .NO CLASS -- meet with your group to work on group presentation |   |   |
18 March |   | Spring Break |   |   |
20 March |   | Spring Break |   |   |
25 March | 18 | Y Chromosome and mtDNA Markers |   |   |
27 March | 19 | DNA Mixtures | Practice Problems |   |
1 April | 20 | Famous DNA cases |   |   |
3 April | 21 | Famous DNA cases |   |   |
8 April | 22 | Review |   |   |
10 April | 23 | Exam 2 |   |   |
15 April | 24 | Guest speaker: Elizabeth Wood, GATC Group of Arizona Research Laboratory: MMDD: Missing Migrant DNA data base project: powerpoint -- pdf |   |   |
17 April | 25 | Beyond CIS: I. Genetic markers for disease |   |   |
22 April | 26 | Beyond CSI: II. Using DNA predict hair and eye color, ancestral origins |   |   |
24 April | 27 | student presentations:
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29 April | 28 | student presentations:
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1 May | 29 | student presentations:
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6 May | 30 | FINAL |   |   |