Preceptors

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frequently asked questions for biology 1401

1. Where is the mailing address for the Lab Investigations?
   
   The mailing address is located at the top of each Data Sheet, in the paragraph below the line where you write your name.
   The address is:
   
   Biology Online
   Business, Science, and Technology
   3030 N. Dallas Ave.
   Lancaster TX 75134
   
   Be sure to put enough postage on both envelopes: the one sending the lab to us and the one enclosed for us to return the graded lab to you. The minimum postage for an 8½ by 11 envelope is 57 cents and might be more depending on the weight of the contents. Check with the Post Office if you are not sure how much is necessary.
    
2. What is the grading scale for the course?
   
   Final grades are determined by the total number of points accumulated by a student during the semester. With 1000 points possible, the grading scale is:
   
   A = 900-1000 points
   B = 800-899 points
   C = 700-799 points
   D = 600-699 points
   F = 0-599 points
    
3. What does the Assessment Average on my grade page mean?
   
   The Assessment Average is a statistic automatically generated by the software that only serves to confuse students. We do NOT use the Assessment Average for determining grades. Unfortunately, we are not able to stop it from appearing, so please ignore it.
    
4. What is the difference between a Target Date and a Deadline?
   
   The Target Dates are provided as goals for completing the course assignments in a timely manner and are evenly spaced over the semester. There is no penalty for “missing” a Target Date.
   
   Deadlines are firm due dates. Assignments are to be received in our office on or before a Deadline. There are penalties for assignments turned in after a Deadline.
    
5. What is the Research Report supposed to be about?
   
   Details about the research project and report, including possible topics, can be found in Investigation 7.
    
6. Are Investigation 7 and the Research Report the same thing?
   
   No, these are two separate assignments, though they are closely related. Investigation 7 (worth 40 points) serves as an outline for the project that you will do for the Research Report. Ideally, Investigation 7 will be turned in first and returned to you with comments before you complete the project. The Research Report (200 points) is written after completing the research project that you outlined in Investigation 7.
    
7. What format am I to use for the Research Report?
   
   There is a link to a sample format for the report given under Topics 8, 9, and 10 (instead of a link to an Investigation). The exercises in Investigations 2-6 are designed to help you organize and write each of the sections required in the report, so review the directions if you aren’t sure what each section contains.
   
   Here are some suggestions for avoiding common mistakes.
    
   1. Double-space your paper.
   2. Make sure the Title describes what your experiment is about.
   3. Be sure to include a heading (Abstract, Introduction, etc.) for each section.
   4. Graphics (tables, charts, etc.) are to be included in the body of the paper (usually in the Results section), not attached to the back of the paper.
   5. The Results and Discussion sections are often too brief. Be sure to include all of your results and thoroughly discuss your findings.

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