1. Survey patterns in the history of life and the diversity of the living world.
2. Examine the mechanisms that have generated those patterns and the nature of the evidence from which we have reconstructed the patterns and deduced the mechanisms.
3. Appreciate the discovery of evolution as one of humanity's great intellectual revolutions.

REQUIRED WORK

1. Three hour-long examinations consisting of short-answer essays or solutions to quantitative problems, two during the semester and the third as a noncumulative exam at the end of the semester.
2. Four "computer lab" problem sets to be done in the computer lab in your own time but which must be completed by specific deadlines.
3. One thesis paper that will consist of 5-8 double-spaced, typewritten pages in which you will address a specialized topic in evolutionary biology. 

CRITICAL DATES

• Examination #1: Wednesday, February 9, during class hour
• Examination #2: Monday, March 20, during class hour 
• Examination #3: Thursday, April 27, 1500-1700
• Computer assignment #1 due by Monday, February 7
• Computer assignment #2 due by Wednesday, February 23
• Computer assignment #3 due by Friday, March 17
• Computer assignment #4 due by Friday, April 14
• Thesis paper due by Friday, April 7

GRADE DETERMINATION

Final grade will be based on the cumulative point total from all required work. The accumulation of at least 90% of possible points will guarantee a grade of A; accumulation of at least 80% of possible points will guarantee a grade of B; accumulation of at least 70% of possible points will guarantee a grade of C. Grades below the level of C are not mentioned in polite company but will be assigned without hesitation if necessary. 

The instructor reserves the right to use discretion in individual cases that will not violate the rules given above. In other words, no student who accumulates the minimum percentage of points for a specific letter grade will receive anything below that letter grade, but in some cases I might award a specific letter grade to someone whose percentage total is slightly below the minimum for that letter grade. For example, no one who garners at least 70% of the possible points will receive a grade below C, but I might still give a grade of C to a student who accumulates less than 70% of the points. One example, of several possible, might be a student who starts poorly but shows steady improvement throughout the semester such that the poor start might deserve some forgiveness.

The required work will contribute to the cumulative points as follows:

1. Thesis: 19%
2. Each hour-long examination: 19%
3. Each of the computer exercises 1-3: 4%
4. Computer exercise 4: 12%

Expressed differently, the computer labs will, in total, determine 24% of your grade, the examinations 57%, and the thesis 19%. Thus, 43% of your grade will be determined by the quality of work you perform on your own, outside of class, on a schedule over which you have substantial control. This percentage should motivate you to work hard outside of class and lessen your apprehension about the in-class examinations.