COURSE OVERVIEWThe objective of this course is to enhance and extend your understanding of the nervous system and how it controls behavior. The 1990s were designated the “Decade of the Brain” because of the great strides being made toward understanding the function of the most complex organ known, the human brain. In spite of the astonishing advancements of the last decade, neuroscientists have just scratched the surface of what is to be learned about the brain. The material covered will include neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, neural signaling, neural plasticity, integration of sensory and motor systems, hormonal control of behavior, and other selected topics.
EXAM SCHEDULE AND IMPORTANT DATES
This series of related assignments will make up a major portion of your final grade. Each assignment represents a phase in the production of a term paper that you will write. The paper should investigate, in-depth, a neuroscience-related topic of your choice. The final paper must be written in APA style, double spaced, and be at least 20 pages long, not including the reference page(s) or any appendices you might include. I will provide you with a rubric that I will use to score your final paper. The Writing Center and the Speaker Center are both excellent resources for helping you to refine your paper and presentation. I recommend you take advantage of them. Annotated bibliography: This is a bibliography of sources you will use to write your major paper. An annotated bibliography consists of the citation for the source in APA style and a brief but informative description of its content. Only scientific and academic sources may be used. Websites are not allowed. You must use a minimum of 8 sources for your bibliography and your paper. First Draft of Paper: This should be approximately the same length of your finished paper. I will give you feedback on how to improve the paper for your final draft. This will require editing and revision in order to produce your final product. Final Draft of Paper: As mentioned above, it is expected that the final draft will represent a substantial revision of the first draft, not merely editing (i.e., correction of spelling and grammar). It must be written in APA style with appropriate citation of sources, both within the text of the paper and on the reference page. Presentation: This will be a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation of the topic over which your paper was written. There will be an additional 5 minutes for answering questions from the audience (i.e., your classmates and me). It should include relevant visual images (graphs, charts, pictures, etc.). A rubric for the presentation will also be provided to use as a guide. UNIT 1: Development & Anatomy
UNIT 2: Neural Signaling & Neuroplasticity
UNIT 3: Sensorimotor Systems & Hormonal Control
EXAMS & GRADING Final
course grades will be determined by your performance on exams, the
class presentation, term paper, and laboratory assignments.
Exams will consist of short answer, essay questions, and/or
identification (i.e., anatomy). Final grades will be assigned according to
the following percentages of the total points that can be earned. Grading
Scale
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