Syllabus: Entomology 108 Insects, Science, and Society Fall 2009

Location: 15 Richards Hall

Time: 1:30-2:20 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Final Exam: by 5:00 Monday, Dec. 14 (or before, the final will be take home)

Instructor: Dr. Leon G. Higley

Office: 706 Hardin Hall (on the NE corner of Holdridge and 33rd St), East Campus

Office Hours: by appointment, just talk to me after class,  or after class most Wednesdays in the City Union (coffee sessions)

Home: 486-3901 (no calls after 11 p.m. please)
Cell Phone: 402-560-6684

E-mail:LHIGLEY1@UNL.EDU

Teaching Assistant: Sheri Svehla; 472-8697 or 472-8698
Course Web Site: http://drshigley.com/lgh/ent108/

Course Objectives
After completing the course, you should be able to:

(1) recognize major insect groups and understand basics of insect biology,
(2) understand current controversial issues involving insects and develop informed opinions on these,
(3) recognize how insects have and are influencing human culture and history, and
(4) understand the process of modern scientific inquiry and features of conflict between science, technology, and society through entomological examples.

About the Course
The intent of this course is to provide entertaining information about insects while also exploring topical issues in entomology and fundamental issues in science. Lectures discuss specific features of insect biology and specific interactions of insects with man. Material is presented in an informative, but non-technical manner, with particular focus on encouraging interest and inquiry. The breadth and diversity of topics possible in entomology allows the development of many broader objectives including:

        (1)  a basic understanding of entomology and a knowledge of important current issues such as:
                (a) insecticide use/environmental concerns/food safety
                (b) introduced pests (e.g., Med fly, killer bees
                (c) diseases (e.g. Lyme disease, malaria)
                (d) threats to ecosystems, and

        (2) using entomology as a focus and forum for addressing basic issues in biology and science such as: 
                (a) the scientific method including modern approaches to scientific inquiry
                (b) the influence of biology and biological imperatives on human populations, societies, and culture
                (c) science versus technology, the relationship of science to society, and associated ethical questions.

Major themes pursued through the course include diversity, evolution, biology and history, the nature of scientific inquiry, and conflicts of science, technology, and society. In learning about insects, you will better understand a ubiquitous group of animals which you will encounter throughout your lives. Because many aspects of entomology are particularly topical and controversial, you will become better informed on many important issues. Also, you should develop a better understanding and appreciation for the natural world and the interrelationships of that world with human society. Further, my intent is that the course will help you develop the fundamentals of scientific literacy essential for members of our society.

Materials and Course Web Site
There is no required text. A recommended references include O'Toole, C., ed. 1986. The encyclopedia of insects. Facts on File, NY, (which is now unfortunately out of print) and Dethier, V. To Know a Fly (various editions and publishers). Occasional readings will be provided by the instructor. I regard the web site (at http://DrsHigley.com/lgh/ent108/) as an essential resource for the course, which means you need to check it on a regular basis. Lecture notes, assignments, exams, and various references are available over the site. Additionally, the course blackboard site is available for on-line discussion, about assignments, exams, and lectures.

Grading and Course Activities
Lecture is an integral part of class, and attendance will be considered in grading. Class assignments will be due one week after the assignment date unless otherwise indicated. Late assignments will be down graded (-5 points), and assignments more than one week late will not be graded, unless arrangements are made with the instructor (me) prior to the due date. Examinations will include all lecture material prior to the exam except the lecture immediately before the exam, unless otherwise announced. Life is (mostly) take home and open book, and so are the exams (including the final). Examinations will be essay format, with ten questions of ten points each (and possibly a bonus question).

Points and number of class assignments are tentative and subject to change. For group assignments, a group can consist of no more than four individuals, unless I approve other arrangements. Letter grades will be assigned based on a scale no harsher than straight percentages of 100-90% A range, 89-80% B range, etc.; however, I reserve the right to use a more lenient grading scale. Plus and minus grades will be assigned based on 0-2 for minus, 3-6 unchanged, and 7-9 for plus scale (e.g., 90-92 =A-, 93-96=A, and 97-99=A+). The maximum number of bonus points you can have is 10% of the total points for the course (i.e., 50 points). 

Field Projects. The field projects are out of class activities involving insects. You need to participate in at least three of these and write a report on your activities (see below). You can do up to three additional activities for extra credit (10 points each). I will arrange a number of opportunities for you, and I will provide more details in class. The tentative list of field opportunities includes the following. (Many of these are in September, because we have to do them before the first frost while insects are still active). For each field activity you must provide a brief report (ca. 500 words) indicating your reaction to the activity relative to your understanding of insects. Indicate the activity, date, and you name on these reports. Movie nights are all from 6:15 until whenever. Movies are on the second floor of the Plant Industry Building, Room 214, on East Campus. Not the Plant Sciences Bldg -- Plant Industry, just west of the East Campus Union. Feel free to bring a friend or date, as long as we have room (seating is limited). If you can't make the movie nights, can you watch these films on your own, and still do the report? Sure, but you'll miss my insightful comments, and soto voce comments on particularly noteworthy (i.e., stupid) cinematic features. Actually, if my comments were really soto voce ("under the breath") how could you hear them? Ok, you've got me there.

Bonus Assignments. One of the mechanisms I employ to avoid feeling guilty when assigning poor grades is to provide students ample opportunity to work their way out of academic difficulties. The nature of this "work" program is to offer various bonus questions on exams and to accept field assignments beyond the three required. So, if you do more than the minimum amount of work, you can earn bonus points, up to no more than 10% of the total points in the course (as I mentioned previously.)

Attendance. Unless you are ill, I expect you to be in class. You’re paying money for this education, and I can’t teach you if you aren’t in class. For years I've said I don't want to do Mickey Mouse sign-in sheets because you are adults. After 10 years of fighting attendance (and late or missing student assignments, come to that), I've finally realized that most fourth graders have superior attendance and work habits than most undergraduates. I apologize if you find this comparison insulting, but I've been insulted by working hard at teaching and not having students approach their studies with equal seriousness. Nevertheless, last year's TA, Tim prevailed upon me to change my of taking attendance, so I'll give this a go for the first few weeks this semester. If attendance remains high, then we will all be saved from insulting attendance tedium.

Cheating. Here's a topic I was hoping I wouldn't have to address, but events have proven otherwise. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a clear, succinct, and reasonable policy about academic dishonesty, as indicated in the student code of conduct, if you can find it! (Apparently, you can read it here in the undergraduate bulletin which is a pdf, but it isn't sufficiently important to merit being converted into html on its own page.) As a student at UNL, you enjoy rights and protections under the code and are obligated to conduct yourself in compliance with the code. One area where students occasionally have some confusion regards plagiarism (which is especially important in this course, as most assignments and exams involve writing). The key concept here (and in other misconduct) is misrepresenting the work of another as one's own. I found a good discussion of this and other issues in academic integrity at the Office of Undergraduate Studies (on a page linked here,  appropriately called Academic Integrity.) (Actually, I think this page is incorrect in its discussion of procedure; I think the code of conduct specifies that the proper protocol with a grade reduction is to notify the Office of Student Judicial Affairs is notified, not the Office of Undergraduate Studies -- gosh, maybe I could be a lawyer...wait a minute, what did I just write? The horror. THE HORROR.) As the Student Code of Conduct indicates, academic sanctions for misconduct (subject to appeal) are at the discretion of the instructor, and may include giving the student a failing grade for the course. I'm mostly a death penalty advocate when it comes to issues of academic dishonesty. In this course, the least penalty I will impose for misconduct is a one letter grade reduction in the course grade plus a zero on the assignment; however, in most instances the penalty for cheating in Ent 108 will be a failing grade in the course.

Citations. Because there is plenty of writing in this course, you might suppose there would also be plenty of opportunities to reference the works of other writers. You suppose correctly! I highly recommend citing everything you use, and using quotation marks for direct quotes. These observations on the need for quotation marks and citations apply as much to web-based references as paper-based references (in the somewhat unlikely event you find something worthy of citing in the mélange of hearsay, opinion, and frass that passes for information on the internet.)

Coffee and Other Out-of-Class Interactions
The last few years I've occasionally met with students after class for coffee. This has been a great experience for me, and it couldn't have been too bad for the students, otherwise they wouldn't have come back. So this year I'm going to make this a more regular event by planning to spend every Wednesday afternoon after class in the City Campus Union. You are welcome to come by and chat about class or whatever else interests you, and if you see me reading or writing by all means interrupt. There will likely be the occasional opportunity to come by my house for a vaguely insect-related event. Last year, 108 students joined us for the annual Tie-Dye Party and later for an Insect Origami Holiday Party. It isn't as scary as you might think, there is typically free food, and last years' students really enjoyed looking at the insect art (and that was before the new painting Phyllis was hung!)

Permissions
Every time my boys wanted to do anything in school or sports or whatever, Phyllis and I have to fill out permission slips. I assume this has to do with the dominance of lawyers as a social force in the United States. As it turns out, college isn't much different. Two kinds of permissions have to do with protecting your privacy and rights. As indicated below, I will take picture of students in an effort to learn everyone's name. This is optional, and if you don't want your picture taken, no problem. I also ask for background information (why you are taking the course), student phone numbers, and e-mails. This data is so I can better relate material to student interests and contact students as the need arises (typically "the need arises" when I stop seeing a student in class and I want to make certain they are still alive). Again, this information is optional. I may occasionally post outstanding student essays on the web site, but only with student permission. Finally, I may want to collect data on student performance, etc. in class for improving my teaching or studying teaching methods. If I do this, I will be seeking your permission. The bottom line with all this is that you always have the right to say "no", and nothing will be done without your permission. Whew!

Statement on Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor (Leon) for a confidential discussion of their individual needs for academic accommodation. It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to provide flexible and individualized accommodation to students with documented disabilities that may affect their ability to fully participate in course activities or to meet course requirements.  To receive accommodation services, students must be registered with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office, 132 Canfield Administration, 472-3787 voice or TTY. 

(I have always worked with students (with or without disabilities) to help them succeed in class, .so if you have any special (or regular) needs or concerns, just let me know. I should point out that I was required to put the previous paragraph in my syllabus, based on the argument that "The Office of Civil Rights requires ADA information to be included in all syllabi" I don't know what the "Office of Civil Rights" is, I don't know what their authority is to "require" me to do anything to my syllabus, but I do know what happens when you have a university run by lawyers. Don't be surprised if you are required to sign a notarized copy of your course syllabi at some point in the near future.) 

Photos
When I was an (unhappy) junior at Cornell University, my first entomology professor, George Eickwort, once referred to me by name in class. This was noteworthy because it was only the second or third time since I'd been at Cornell that a professor showed any indication he or she knew who I was. Given my almost total alienation as an undergraduate, I’d like to do things differently. I have a horrible memory for names, so I’ll need to take pictures of you and memorize these if I am to have any hope of getting to know you. I’ll take pictures of students in class, but if for any reason you do not want your picture taken, just let me know and I will naturally respect your preferences (but don’t count on me remembering your name). By the way, if you ask questions or offer comments in class, I will almost always remember you.

Class Schedule
Like most things in class, this is subject to change (actually, I know this schedule will change, but I don't know exactly how as yet). Actually, a more honest assessment of the schedule is that these are probably the topics we will discuss, and this may be the approximate order of topics, but there is no other relationship between lecture topics and dates. On the other hand, assignment and exam dates are firm. So we have another clear illustration of the principle of "do as I say, not as I do", which so permeates human relations.

General References

Atkins, M. D. 1978. Insects in perspective. Macmillan Pub. Co., Inc. New York, NY.  - This introductory entomology text I used as an undergraduate sadly is now out of print. I still think it is one of the most balanced overviews of entomology, even if dated in many areas.

Desowitz, R. S. 1991. The malaria capers. Norton and Co., New York, NY. - A superb volume on the human cost of disease, including many that are transmitted by insects. I especially enjoy the personal perspective Desowitz offers regarding practical issues of research and disease, and I like his "fictional" chapters that put a human face on disease in the third world. I still get goose bumps when I read the last sentence of Chapter 2.

Dethier, V. G. 1962. To know a fly. San Francisco Holden-Day, Inc.- Possibly the best book ever written on doing science. Short, beautifully written, and extremely funny. I've never met anyone who read it and didn't enjoy it. I'm amazed (and disappointed) that it's out of print -- if it wasn't I'd almost certainly be requiring for this course.

Evans, H. E. 1978. Life on a little-known planet. E. P. Dutton, New York, NY. - Another great overview of entomology that's great fun to read.

McNeil, W. H. 1976. Plagues and people. Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, NY.  - A landmark book by a major American historian on the influence of biology (including insect-borne diseases) on human history.

Medawar, P. 1990. The threat and the glory. Harper Collins, New York, NY. - This wonderful collection of essays by Mediwar (a Nobel laureate for his work in immunology) explores science, society, and scientists. His writings are full of insightful observations.

O'Toole, C., ed. 1986. The encyclopedia of insects. Facts on File, New York, NY - A well illustrated introduction to insects, with a focus on insect diversity by order. Surprisingly inexpensive, with outstanding photographs and text.

Perutz, M. 1991. Is science necessary?  Oxford. Univ. Press, New York, NY - The answer to this book's question better be "yes" or I'm out of a job. Here, Perutz (a Nobel laureate in chemistry for his work on hemoglobin) examines the how science has contributed to society for good and ill.

Shermer, M. 1997. Why people believe weird things. MJF Books, New York, NY - Michael Shermer is among the ranks of James Randi, Martin Gardiner, and Penn and Teller as a leading skeptic. In this book he debunks such idiotic notions as denial of the Holocaust, alien abduction, and creationism, as well as the role of the media in promoting stupidity. However, I included it in the reference list because of its great first three chapters that explain how science works.

Zinsser, H. 1934. Rats, lice, and history. Little, Brown, and Co., New York, NY - To the best of my knowledge, Zinsser's book is the first to consider the impact of disease on history. It is wonderfully entertaining, and offers a unique perspective on history. As Zinsser puts it, he wrote a biography of a disease -- typhus. 

Other Information

Labs and More Entomology. For students wanting (needing) additional instruction in entomology and (or) laboratory credit hours in science, a one-credit entomology introductory laboratory course, Ent. 116, is available (and I highly recommend it). Also, for those of you who fall in love with entomology (that will be all of you, right?) you might consider taking Ent 115 (Insect Biology) (we coordinate Ent 108 and Ent 115 to minimize overlap in the two courses), or my Forensic Entomology course, Ent 414/814 (3 hr) next semester (there is also a new, 1 hr optional Forensic Entomology Lab).

General Education Requirements. If the following confuses you, all I can say is join the club. If you are not a freshman, then you will be pleased to learn that Entomology 108 is designated as an Essential Studies (ES) and Integrative Studies (IS) course. If you are a freshman (and are getting your degree under the new, general education requirements), I'm sort of in the process of submitting materials for Ent 108 to meet the ACE requirements in biology and ethics, with "sort of" meaning I should have done it a year ago but I put it off. Much of my tardiness here stems from my uncertainty about whether or not the course will be offered in the future.

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