Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Biology 101.   Feel free to suggest modifications or additions to the list of questions and answers by contacting  Prof. Toby Bradshaw,   Prof. David Ford, or  Dr. Susan Waaland.

How do I get into this course?

If you are not registered and wish to enroll, keep trying STAR.   This is the only way to guarantee a space. You may come to a lab section the first week of the quarter.   If there is room, you may stay.   However, this will not guarantee you a space in the course.   DO NOT ask the Instructors for an entry code. They are unable to give you one.

Can I change lab sections?

If you are registered for the course but wish to switch lab sections, come to the lab section you wish to attend and see if someone will trade.   Try the email discussion list bio101@u.washington.edu after you have received the welcome message in your email box.   Keep trying STAR.

What can I expect from the instructors? 

We, the Biology 101 teaching staff, will do our best to give you a solid background in the fundamentals of modern biology, using examples from current research progress in the life sciences.   We have spent a lifetime learning our subject, and by the end of the course we hope you will share our enthusiasm for biology.   We can help you further develop your own interests in biology by suggesting reading lists, contacting scientists with similar interests, and identifying opportunities for undergraduate research projects.

What do instructors expect from me? 

Our students are expected to make an honest effort to master the material presented in lecture, labs, and discussions.   We will be looking for evidence that students have prepared for the course by reading the assigned chapters from the textbook and Lab Manual.   We encourage students to ask questions and promote discussion in lecture, labs, and by email.   Even though the course teaching staff are all professional biologists, a quarter never goes by without a student teaching us something new -- that's part of the enjoyment of studying biology!

What are the exams like? 

Examsare a mixture of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay/drawing. Exams from previous years may be found in the back of the Lab Manual. Exams are not cumulative; that is, each exam only covers explicitly the material since the previous exam.

What if I disagree with an exam score?

If you notice a grading error, or an answer on the exam key which you believe is wrong, please follow this procedure: (a) Do not write on your original exam; (b) On a separate sheet of paper, indicate the questions you would like to be re-graded; (c) State clearly what mistakes you feel were made in our grading; (d) Staple your explanation to your original exam; (e) Turn in this request to the re-grade envelope in 318 Hitchcock Hall (Biology Office).