Bi 122: Genetics

Monday, 6:00–7:00 pm — Chen 362

Tuesday, 9:00–10:00 am — Chen 362

Illness reported with a valid notice from the Health Center, and other life-impacting events, are accepted as reason for late work without penalty. Tell the TAs and Professor Hay in a timely manner and we can work with you to find a solution.

Bi 122. Genetics. 9 units (3-0-6); first term. Prerequisites: Bi 8 or Bi 9, or instructor's permission. Lecture and discussion course covering basic principles of genetics. Not open to freshmen. Instructors: Hay, Staff.

Welcome to Bi 122! This course covers a broad range of topics in genetics, from the classic experiments of Mendel to the modern sciences of gene regulation and genomics.

Lectures are usually supplemented with handouts summarizing the material covered. Because a good deal of what is presented in class does not appear in the book, it is worth attending at least a few of the lectures.

Chapters 7–9 should be reviewed — skimmed for terms and general sense — if you have not taken Bi 8. If you are unsure of your mastery of the Bi 8/9 material, or came from another department or school without an equivalent course, read those chapters. For some parts of the course the book does not provide adequate information, or presents it with a slant different from what is covered in class.

Problem sets are handed out on Thursday after class and due back by the following Thursday at 11:59 pm — except the last, handed out on a date to be determined.

Sets less than 24 hours late lose 10% of the grade; up to 48 hours late, 20%. In general they should not be handed in later than that. Sets are graded from 0 to 100%, the lowest score is discarded, and the remaining seven count equally toward 60% of the final grade.

If a test turns out much harder than intended, the conversion may be shifted so that a score lower than 91% counts as an A, and so on; any such change is announced. It is never shifted the other way — under any circumstances a 91% is an A.

Problem sets. You must work completely independently on each problem set for three hours. After that you are free to discuss the problems, and may use visual aids — the digital equivalent of chalkboards, marker boards, or scratch paper.

You may not use another student's answer to any problem when it is in its final form, ready to submit. You must write up your solutions independently of others, and not use any recorded notes of discussion sessions. There is to be no division of effort.

Exams. No collaboration, either verbal or written. Personal calculators are permitted. Each exam counts for one-fifth of the final grade.