Syllabus

1.Students will be expected to submit their papers online using the Catalyst Tools developed by the university. While this is as simple as uploading an e-mail attachment, several students in the past have complained that the process is intimidating. If you are uncomfortable with the prospect of submitting your papers online, you can learn more about using the Catalyst tools in their student guide: http://catalyst.washington.edu/student/index.html

2. Students are expected to know (a) what constitutes peer-reviewed scientific literature, and (b) how to use the library resources to search for peer-reviewed scientific articles in our field. If you need help with this, contact the fisheries-oceanography librarian and set up a tutorial:
http://www.lib.washington.edu/fish/librarians.html

3. Students are expected to be familiar with Microsoft Excel. You are not expected to be an expert by a long shot; if you have used the program in previous labs (such as Fish 210) and didn't find it traumatic, this is sufficient experience. If not, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with this program before the first computer lab, most likely the first full week of class. Here are some suggestions:

(a) The university maintains a webpage with a self-guided introduction:
http://depts.washington.edu/sacg/services/workshops/computing_essentials/excel/index.shtml

(b) If you want a little human interaction and explanation, the university's free "walk-in workshop" schedule should be posted at the following address:
http://depts.washington.edu/sacg/services/workshops/schedule.php

(c) Excel is a good program to be familiar with, so while it's not necessary for Fish 323, you may consider taking a short course through UW Computer Training (these courses are not free):
http://www.washington.edu/computing/training/

If you find yourself unable to gain the skills listed above before the beginning of class, you should consider waiting to take this course until the following year.

Skills You Can Expect to Gain in the Course

The skill that I do plan to spend time teaching in this course is the writing of scientific papers. While experience is always helpful, you can expect to be walked through the process of writing a scientific article in this course.

We will write scientific articles in the style required by the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (CJFAS). If you are interested in looking ahead, CJFAS' instructions for authors can be found at:
http://pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/rp/rppdf/cjfas_instruct_e.pdf

Relevant University of Washington Policies

1. Academic Integrity: Plagiarism, cheating, and other misconduct are serious violations of your contract as a student. We expect that you will know and follow the University's policies on cheating and plagiarism. Any suspected cases of academic misconduct will be handled according to University regulations. More information, including definitions and examples of Academic Misconduct, can be found at: http://depts.washington.edu/grading/issue1/honesty.htm

2. Disability Accommodations: To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206)543-8924 (V/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you have a disability which requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to the instructor so we can discuss the accommodations needed for this class.