Biology 555: Vertebrate Zoology

Description.- This course will be about the scientific study of vertebrate evolution. I strongly believe that science is an active, dynamic process, and so this course will focus on active examination and constructive criticism of ideas, hypotheses, and data. Learning is an active process; to encourage active participation, I  have students present many of the topics in class. Students will be required to think in an interactive way, not simply memorize from a text or lecture. Students will also learn to put their ideas on the line, either in discussions in class or in written form during tests and papers. Labs will be a mix of surveys of vertebrate groups, mostly in the field, and experimental approaches, mostly with live vertebrates. By the end of the term each student should come away not just with an appreciation of the diversity of vertebrates, but also an understanding of the process of evolution and the ways in which people with an active and creative curiosity about the world have sought explanations for this diversity.

FALL 2000 STUFF