Monmouth College:  Fall-2 2016

CLAS-225-02 Scientific Terminology, .5 credit

TTH 12:30-1:45, WH 205

Instructor:  Dr. Wine, office WH 19 x2341; TuTh 11:30-12, MF 3-3:15

 

 

Course Description: 

This course examines Greek and Latin word elements in a variety of scientific language contexts, including biology, botany, and geography. It also considers ways to use technical dictionaries in order to understand and use scientific terminology and the Greek and Latin roots on which it is based. The course enables students to become more conscious of words and their history, to increase their English vocabulary through their study of how words are formed, and to practice using a dictionary effectively.

Texts:

Ayers, Donald M. Bioscientific Terminology: Words from Latin and Greek Stems. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1972. 978-0-8165-0305-6

Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. 21st ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 2009. 978-0-8036-1559-5

Class Goals, Format, and Evaluation:

Weekly quizzes count as 40% of the final grade, daily homework and participation as 30%, the final exam as 25% of the final grade, and attendance at both diagnostic exams as 5% with extra points for improvement.

 

Quizzes may be made up within two weeks for half credit. Quizzes taken on time may be corrected for half credit on points lost, if resubmitted within two weeks.

 

Participation in class doesn’t require all correct answers, but does require attendance and responding to questions.

 

 

Grading scale:  A (100-91), B (90-80), C (79-68), D (67-57).

 

 

Schedule:  The following schedule shows when material will be covered in class.  The instructor may make modifications announced in class, however, as necessary, based on class needs and preferences; it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of changes made in class.

 

 

Week 1. LATIN bases, prefixes

Tu/ Oct 18.      introduction: combining forms

Th/ Oct 20.      Chapters 21-24; diagnostic exam #1

 

Week 2. Latin prefixes and suffixes

Tu/ Oct 25.     25-28

Th/ Oct 27.      Quiz #1

 

Week 3. Latin nouns and adjectives

Tu/ Nov 1.      29-33

Th/ Nov 3.      34-40

 

Week 4. GREEK bases

Tu/ Nov 8.       Quiz #2

Th/ Nov 10.     Greek chapters 1-4

 

Week 5.  Greek prefixes, alphabet

Tu/ Nov 15.     5-8

Th/ Nov 17.     Quiz #3

 

Week 6. Greek noun-forming, diminutive, and verb-forming suffixes

Tu/ Nov 22.     9-14

Th/ Nov 24.     Thanksgiving break

 

Week 7. Greek suffixes, plurals

Tu/ Nov 29.    15-20

Th/ Dec 1.       diagnostic #2; review             

 

Week 8. Greek words from mythology, changes of meanings

Tu/ Dec 6.       Quiz #4  

 

Final Exam:  Monday, December 12, 3:00 pm 

 

 

Course Engagement Expectations

This course is scheduled to meet 2 days per week for 75 minutes for half a semester. You should expect to spend on course reading, homework, and assignments approximately three hours outside of class for every hour in class. Assigned activities may take each student a different amount of time to finish, but the weekly average for all students in the course should be 10 hours. Further estimates include:

 

In-class activities                                                         2.5 hours

Reading and studying of text                                     4.0 hours                                

Assignments                                                                2.0 hours

Review of course materials and class prep                 1.5 hours

Average per week                                                     10.0 hours

 

Academic Honesty:
Students in this course are encouraged to do their homework together (identical work which is submitted should be acknowledged).. All other classwork, especially quizzes and exams, must be the student's own work. Plagiarism, i.e., copying someone else's work without giving credit, is to be avoided. Such copying--from a book, another classmate's paper, or any other source--is dishonest.

At Monmouth College we view academic dishonesty as a threat to the integrity and intellectual mission of our institution. Any breach of the academic honesty policy – either intentionally or unintentionally - will be taken seriously and may result not only in failure in the course, but in suspension or expulsion from the college. It is each student’s responsibility to read, understand and comply with the general academic honesty policy at Monmouth College, as defined in the Scots Guide (http://department.monm.edu/stuserv/student-handbook/academic.htm) and to the specific guidelines for each course, as elaborated on the professor’s syllabus.
The following areas are examples of violations of the academic honesty policy:
1. Cheating on tests, labs, etc;
2. Plagiarism, i.e., using the words, ideas, writing, or work of another without giving appropriate credit;
3. Improper collaboration between students, i.e., not doing one’s own work on outside assignments unspecified as group projects by the instructor;
4. Submitting work previously submitted in another course, without previous authorization by the instructor.
(This list is not intended to be exhaustive.)

Writing Center:
The Monmouth College Writing Center offers unlimited, free peer tutoring sessions for students at MC. Peer writing tutors work with writers from any major, of any writing ability, on any type of writing assignment, and at any stage of their writing processes, from planning to drafting to revising to editing. We are located on the 3rd floor of the Mellinger Teaching and Learning Center, and we are open Sunday-Thursday 7-10pm and Monday-Thursday 3-5pm on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment necessary! Learn more about the Writing Center at our website http://writingatmc.wordpress.com/writing-center/ for more information.

Teaching & Learning Center (TLC):
The Teaching and Learning Center offers various resources to assist Monmouth students with their academic success. All programs are FREE to Monmouth students and are here to help you excel academically. Our services are not just for struggling students, but designed to assist all students to get better grades, learn stronger study skills, and be able to academically manage your time here. Visit them at the 2nd floor of Poling Hall from 8am-4:30pm or on line at http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/academics/support/tlc. They can also be reached at: tlc@monmouthcollege.edu or 309-457-2257. They want to help you – it’s COOL to get the help early!

Disability Support Services:
Monmouth College wants to help all students be as academically successful as possible. It is the goal of Monmouth College to accommodate students with disabilities pursuant to federal law, state law, and the college’s commitment to equal educational opportunity. Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation should speak with the Teaching and Learning Center. The Teaching and Learning Center is located on the 2nd floor of Poling Hall, 309-457-2257, or http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/life/disability-services.

 

Caveat:
This syllabus is subject to revision by the instructor, provided that written or verbal notice is given in class.