Recent updates:
This class is inperson Tue & Thu at 2:00-3:15 PM in Knight Physics 112.
Office hours are Tue 4:30-5:30 at my office in Cox 188. If you require another time or online venue, please make an appointment.
Workshop is every Thu at 3:30-4:45 pm. Your workshop leader has provided you with the meeting details for your group.
Contact information:
Kevin G. McCracken BIL/RSMAS/HGG 188 Cox Science Center (1st Floor, North Side) University of Miami Coral Gables, FL 33146 email: kevin.g.mccracken@gmail.com
Location & time of lecture:
Tue & Thu 2:00-3:15 PM, Knight Physics 112
Workshop:
Thu 3:30-4:45 PM, details to follow
Requires copy of:
The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World and Us (2017) Richard O. Prum. 1st Edition. Anchor. New York. ISBN-13: 978-0385537216
Office hours:
Thu 4:30-5:30 PM at my Cox 188 office, or by appointment.
New course requirement:
In addition to completing the traditional coursework involving lectures, exams, and readings --- each student must view during the semester at least five of the following documentaries available on Netflix or elsewhere.
Chasing Ice - 2012
A Plastic Ocean - 2016
Before the Flood - 2016
Chasing Coral - 2017
Stars in the Sky: A Hunting Story - 2018
Our Planet - 2019
A Life on Our Planet - 2020
Brave Blue World - 2020
Seaspiracy - 2021
Breaking Boundaries - 2021
Burning - 2021
This course will provide you with a broad survey of evolution and biodiversity. Students completing the course will achieve an overview of evolutionary theory and thinking replete with examples from history, population genetics, phylogenetic systematics, diversity of life, and ecology, as well as societal issues pertaining to biomedical ethics and the environment. This course should be fun. You should enjoy the material because life is amazing.
How is the course structured?
The topical lectures listed above comprise the sequence by which material will be presented. Ideally, we will cover the majority of the topics and skip only one or two as time permits. As the course itinerary progresses, each lecture will be uploaded to this course website, where you can download the Powerpoint slides and study them before class. You will be provided updated course material on this website at least twice weekly. This course's itinerary is a living document, continually updated, more similar to the way you might journey somewhere new than a conventional syllabus.
Are there prerequisites for this course?
The sole prerequisite is BIL 150 (General Biology). However, prerequisites may be waived with instructor and departmental approval.
When are the exam dates?
There will be 4 exams total, each weighted 20% of your grade. The remaining 20% of your grade will come from the workshop (see below).
The exam due dates are as follows:
14 Sep Thu 20 Oct Fri 10 Nov Fri 13 Dec Wed
Take home exams will provided to you electronically 1 week prior at the end of each lecture segment with instructions. At least one exam will be written in class.
30 Aug = last day to add 06 Sep = last day to drop without a "W" 10 Nov = last day to drop with a "W"
How are office hours handled this year?
You may visit with your instructor in person on Tuesdays at 4:30-5:30 PM at his office in Cox 188, or make an appointment to meet at another time or meet online by WhatsApp or Facetime.
What is the requirement for the peer-led workshop?
The peer-led workshop takes place Thursday 3:30-4:45 PM. Note this is almost immediately after class.
You must participate fully in the workshop to complete the course. Skipping the workshop or even most of it may result in failure of the course.
This year the workshop will take place outside, with details to follow how to meet your discussion leader and join your discussion section.
In this workshop, your fellow colleagues who have signed up for BIL-382 will relate to you what Peer-Led Team teaching is about. For continuity we will read through and discuss topics related to evolution and sexual selection in animals and humans in a new book called The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World and Us (2017) by Richard O. Prum (1st Edition. Anchor. New York. ISBN-13: 978-0385537216). The author Rick Prum is the William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology and Head Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University and a MacArthur Fellow. The Evolution of Beauty received both a Pulitzer Prize and the New York Times Top #10 Best Books of 2017. Reading of this book in prior workshops has been immensely popular.
The reading/discussion schedule is as follows:
Introduction 31 Aug Chapter 1 07 Sep Chapter 2 14 Sep Chapter 3 21 Sep Chapter 4 28 Sep Chapter 5 05 Oct Chapter 6 12 Oct Chapter 7 19 Oct Chapter 8 26 Oct Chapter 9 02 Nov Chapter 10 09 Nov Chapter 11 16 Nov Chapter 12 30 Nov
Which books do I need to buy?
Campbell Biology (2017) Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain, Steven A. Wasserman, Peter V. Minorsky, Jane B. Reece, Neil A Campbell. 11th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. New York. ISBN-13: 978-0134093413 *Highly recommended but not required for Tuesday & Thursday lectures.
The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World and Us (2017) Richard O. Prum. 1st Edition. Anchor. New York. ISBN-13: 978-0385537216 *Required for the online workshop.
Is additional web content available?
Numerous study questions, homework problems, and practice exams are available on the publisher website. I encourage you to take advantage of all these resources. Campbell Biology, 11th Edition, My Pearson Store
You MUST complete all 4 exams and fully participate in the required peer-led workshop discussions to receive a passing grade.
Exams 1-4 comprise 80% of your grade; workshop participation† the other 20% of your grade for a total 100%. Skipping workshop can destroy your overall grade. Numerous students have received D or F for skipping workshops.
†Your participation in the workshop is graded by your peer workshop leader – perfect attendance & your full participation are required. This means reading ahead, attending every online workshop and being prepared, participating and asking insightful questions about what you read in the Evolution of Beauty. Missing more than one workshop results in loss of grade points. Not reading and being silent or not knowing what you are talking about does not count as participation.
Students with a final rank in the highest 50 percentile will earn a minimum final grade of A in this class. Students with a final rank in the following 50 percentile will earn a minimum final grade of B. Students not completing tests or attending workshops may earn a grade of C or lower. Skipping workshops can result in failure of the course.
Grades are averaged and percentiles calculated at the end after all tests and assignments have been completed.
Your attendance is mandatory (two unexcused absences are allowed from lecture and one from workshop; in addition to these, religious, U.S. military, and student athletics and other excuses such as med school interviews are allowed, but please inform me).
If you do not take all of the required exams or attend the required workshops, you may receive a C or lower including the possibility of a failing grade (F) at the discretion of the professor, or receive an incomplete (I) depending on special circumstances, if beyond your control. Each of these cases will be looked at specifically as to whether you can complete the assigned work and have tried to do so diligently and timely.
I reserve the option to give positive (+) grades at my discretion to a contiguous set of top-performing students in upper quantiles (e.g., 10%) of the A and B category. I generally do not give minus (-) grades for “A” or “B”. Grades of C or lower are at the discretion of the professor based on the circumstances.
Exams in this course are designed to be challenging, and it is not uncommon for raw scores to be low (e.g., means of 55-65%), but remember your final letter grade is based on your percentile not your raw score or some arbitrary cutoff. You will know exactly what your grade is for each test.
Your grades will be posted on my OFFICE WINDOW or CANELINK or Blackboard following each exam depending on the format.
No writing credit is available for this course.
What is the make-up exam policy?
Make-up exams are not generally given. If circumstances are such that you are unable to take the exam, please contact me by e-mail (kevin.g.mccracken@gmail.com) in advance of the exam. Otherwise, no make-up exam could be given and your grade will be zero for that exam.
Can I receive an incomplete at the end of the semester?
Incomplete (I) grades are discouraged and will only be authorized under exceptional circumstances. Your performance and participation in the course will factor into this decision. I will require you to complete all exams and the mandatory paper before a grade can be issued.
What will happen if I cheat or plagiarize?
Students are subject to the UM Student Honor Code. Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. All cases in which students participate or appear to participate in these types of activities will be referred to the UM Honor Council, Dean of Students. Finding of a violation by the UM Honor Council will result in failure of the course not just the assignment.
How am I protected from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation?
Regretfully, implicit bias (def. attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions without intending to do so) is pervasive and all too often affects a great deal of even the good things we strive to do as humans. In this course I will strive to provide a positive learning environment that is free from such bias and inclusive for all persons from all backgrounds. Understanding the value and beauty of all biodiversity is a kindred goal.
Federal and state laws require that the University of Miami not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood, or genetic information. Retaliation by the university against those opposing discriminatory practices is prohibited. This affects employment policies and actions, as well as the delivery of educational services at all levels and facilities of the university. If you find any serious concerns about your experience at the University of Miami (in class or otherwise) please bring them to the attention of your instructor so that he/she can assist you and guide you to helpful resources.
Needs of students with disabilities will be accommodated in a confidential and respectful manner following university and federal policies pertaining to ADA accessibility with efforts to make all possible reasonable accommodations. Please talk to the instructor if you require any special assistance. The Office of Disability Services in the Academic Resource Center, N201, Whitten University Center provides disability services; 305-284-2374 (Voice), 305-284-3401 (TDD).
How may I get a recommendation letter?
I generally do not write recommendation letters for students I did not get to know exceptionally well during the class, as reporting only your grade in such letters is not generally in your interest. Ways to get a letter include: 1. Take 2 or 3 of my classes including an advanced class 2. Be a workshop leader for BIL-160 for the whole semester 3. Do undergraduate research in my lab