Bot 470L Plant Physiology Lab

This lab will be largely experimental. Consequently, we can't always produce things the way we would like exactly when we would like. Some flexibility on your part and our part will be required. I have left the last two labs OPEN in case we need these to deal with unruly experiments.

You will be given Lab Handouts with Instructions at least a week prior to each Lab. These will be posted on the Class Website.

The first two labs will deal with basic aspects of Plant Cell and Organ Anatomy.
A Quiz on this will be given on Feb. 4. This will be worth 25 points!

We will be using an experimental system designed around lettuce seeds and seedlings. This will be introduced on Feb. 4. The experiments we set up with this system are not time consuming and will give us time to learn how to record and analyze quantitative data with Microsoft Excel.

Dr. Webb got a grant from Dean Hayes (Natural Sciences) to supply PCs for this class. Computers are extremely important instruments for scientific work. Most classes do not generate enough data to warrant statistical analysis & may not have sufficient computers for students to use.  Furthermore, most biologists do not use statistics properly. We are going to give you an opportunity to learn some basic procedures that will serve you well in whatever vocation you undertake. Dr. Webb is NOT a statistician and he will be making heroic efforts to help you, so please be kind to him!

Dr. Webb will devise some Quizzes on the Excel procedures you learn! These will be worth 100 points!

You will need to purchase "Data Analysis with Microsoft Excel, 2000, K. N. Berk & P. Carey, Duxbury (Thomas Learning). www.duxbury.com (ISBN 0-534-36278-8).

This can be purchased from Amazon.com . Select Books and Search for the TITLE. It costs about $40.00 BUT it is worthwhile.

I have indicated with Italics the lab periods in which Dr. Webb will go over the essential features of Excel in the designated chapters. This will occur in the lab. We will divide the class into groups. Group 1 may set up their experiment and analyze last week's experiment while Group 2 receives an Excel demonstration. Groups will switch about midway in the lab period.

The first paper on Lettuce will be due on April 8. This will be a short paper. The precise topic will be clarified well in advance! Guidelines for writing a scientific paper will be given to you. The emphasis will be on reporting your data in a correct and concise manner with a minimal amount of library research. This will be worth 100 points!

We will return these to you with comments that will help you write your second Lettuce paper!

The second paper on Lettuce will be due on May 6. This will cover the experiments of Plant Growth Regulators. This will be a more substantive paper and will be worth 200 points!

There will also be a paper on Photosynthesis. We will give you details on this. This is due on March 11. This will be worth 100 points!

There will also be announced Quizzes on factual materials like class data, given by the TA. These will be worth a total of 100 points!

Bot 470-Plant Physiology Lab Syllabus-2003

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