“Why is the course taught this way, and what will I get out of this class?”

It is critical for students in biology or related fields to develop a strong conceptual foundation and  demonstrate their ability to use knowledge in contexts that may be novel to them.

This course is geared towards assisting students in achieving that goal.  We will use class time to cover the complex ways of thinking about molecular biology and practice the higher-order levels of understanding, with the benefit and guidance of the teaching team.

However, this means that you will need to have familiarity with the basic facts before coming to class. We will expect you to learn the relevant terminology, and review relevant material before coming to class by using the resources in this book and within the course site.

• Students in L211 will begin developing the ability to identify and articulate the key scientific and biological questions that are at the core of the course content.
• Students will learn and use correct technical vocabulary in their discussions of course content.
• Students will begin conceptualizing course content from a question-driven and problem-solving perspective.