Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Instructor Name: Dr. Dahiana Arcila
Assistant Curator of Ichthyology, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History & Assistant Professor, Department of Biology University of Oklahoma
Office Hours: Wed. 10:00 – 11:00am & 2:00 – 3:00pm (Only by appointment)
Email: dahiana.arcila@ou.edu
Graduate Teaching Assistant: Emily Troyer
Ph.D. student, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History & Department of Biology University of Oklahoma
Office Hours: Tues. 2:00 – 3pm & Fri. 1:00 – 2:00pm (Only by appointment)
Email: emily.troyer@ou.edu
Syllabus PDF
Course Details
Course Prerequisites
Prerequisite: ZOO 1124, or ZOO 1114 and ZOO 1121; and BIOL 1134.
Course Materials
Textbooks (optional)
The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology (Helfman et al. 2nd edition: ISBN-10: 1405124946).
Fishes of the world: (Nelson, J. S. 2006: John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken)
Fishes of Oklahoma (Miller and Robison: 2004)
Course Website
Course materials (lecture slides), quizzes, assignments, discussion boards, and other information will be posted on Canvas.
Helpful Websites:
Dictionary of Ichthyology
Brian W. Coad and Don. E. McAllister: The Dictionary of Ichthyology is a helpful online glossary of terms spanning the breadth of the field!
FishBase
FishBase is probably the most complete online clearinghouse of data on fish species, including scientific names, life history information, and photographs. Be a little careful in using it, as there’s no guarantee that a curator has verified that all the photos are correctly identified in any given taxon. That said, its accuracy is pretty good overall.
Catalog of Fishes
The definitive source for scientific names of fishes, including information on who described them, when, and in which journals
Course Description
This is an upper-division course that will focus on the evolution, diversity, ecology, and biology of fishes. With over 33,000 species, fishes constitute an incredibly diverse group, accounting for more than half of the total vertebrate species. It would be impossible to cover all we know about fishes in a semester. Instead, the course will survey their phylogenetic diversity, emphasizing major families, key traits, and adaptations. Other aspects covered include anatomy, freshwater fish identification with emphasis on species and families found in Oklahoma, life history, physiology, and biogeography. Model and non-model fish groups will be used to illustrate these concepts. This course will also feature a brief history of ichthyology as a science.
Course Objectives
The three main goals of this class are:
- Have a perspective of the fish diversity
- Comprehend the phylogenetic relationships among major fish groups and understand the basis for their classification
- Identify major aspects of fish anatomy and describe their evolutionary origins and physiological functions
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
- Recognize and identify major fish groups
- Identify the diversity of freshwater families, genera, and species present Oklahoma
- Understand present-day patterns in the distribution and habitat utilization of fishes one earth as well as the major historical processes shaping these patterns
- Describe key adaptations in the evolutionary history of fishes
- Follow standard protocols for curation and examination of fish material, including collection, preservation, sorting, and identification
Grades
Breakdown
Quizzes (100 points)
Starting August 28th, each Friday afternoon before I leave the office, I will activate a quiz in Canvas that will cover the material from that week. You will have until the following Monday at the end of the day (midnight) to finish the quiz, which will consist of questions in multiple-choice, multiple answers, true or false, and fill-in-the-blank formats. Since you will take them outside the class, the quizzes are open book, but you will have only 30 minutes to complete each one once you begin. The timer will be activated when you start your quiz in Canvas, and it will automatically end at the end of the allowed 30-minuted window. Each quiz accounts for only a small portion of your final grade, and their purpose is to familiarize you with the material and help prevent you from falling behind. I understand that technical difficulties arise, that you might need to be away for an entire weekend, etc. Therefore, your lowest quiz score will be dropped, with no questions asked.
Exams (400 points)
There will be 2 exams (1 midterm and 1 take-home final), which will consist of a combination of multiple-choice, fill in the blanks, and short answer essay questions. The midterm will be on October 6th and the final will be on December 10-15th. You will be given a few days to complete the final take-home exam, and you MUST WORK ALONE. The final exam will be made available on Canvas on December 10th and you will have until December 15th (5:00 pm) to submit it via email. The final exam will partially cumulative in the sense that it may draw on some of the concepts presented in Unit One. Both exams will account for 40% of your overall course grade. If it was not discussed in class, then it will not be on the exam BUT there will likely be critical thinking questions.
Final project and presentation (250 points)
Ichthyology is a dynamic field, with new discoveries reported all the time. For the final project, your writing task will consist of a five-page paper summarizing, contextualizing, and explaining a recent (2018 or later) scientific publication in ichthyology that reports new results. I will also provide a list of alternative projects that you can select, or you may choose your own with my prior approval. You will need to submit a brief summary of the final project selected by October 1st. ALL final projects will need to be summarized as previously indicated and submitted electronically by December 8th. One way or another, you should pick something that you think is interesting and exciting, as a substantial part of your grade will depend on how well you explain why the project is interesting and important. All final projects will be conducted individually and presented at the end of the course on December 1st, 3rd and 8th. Each presentation should have a duration of 15 minutes and include a brief introduction of the topic/project selected, results, discussion, and conclusions.
Lab component (200 points)
Each student should keep and have a notebook at all times to record information discussed in the lab (which may be included in the mid-term and final exam). Information recorded will also be helpful when compiling the Lab Reports. There is one lab practical exam, which will focus on specimens and material presented in the preceding labs on October 30th. Bring a dissecting kit to the lab if you have one.
Class participation (50 points)
You are expected to attend class regularly, arrive on time, complete all assignments, ask questions (if you have them), and focus during each class session. This means that cell phones should be silenced and that except for emergencies, you should not be texting, emailing, Facebooking, Twittering, catching Pokémon, surfing the web, etc. during class. I may ask you to leave class if I find you focused on topics outside of it. You should come to each lecture and lab prepared and ready to be an active participant when you are here. Active Participation can include listening carefully, speaking thoughtfully during the discussions, contributing to the Canvas online discussion board, or otherwise helping to foster a rewarding discussion that involves all of your classmates.
| Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| Weekly quizzes (10 quizzes) | 100 |
| Midterm | 200 |
| Final exam | 200 |
| Final project and presentation | 250 |
| Laboratory | 200 |
| Class participation | 50 |
| Total | 1000 |
Scale
Earning at least the total number of points specified below will earn you the corresponding grade.
| 900 - 1000 | A |
| 800 - 890 | B |
| 700 - 790 | C |
| 650 - 690 | D |
| Below 650 | F |
I may curve grades upwards if a given assessment ends up being too hard, but I will never curve grades downwards. You are not in competition with one another.
Course Components
Lectures
The class will meet twice per week for one hour and fifteen minutes. During the first session of the semester, I will present the general structure of the course and materials on ichthyology. You are encouraged to bring internet-capable devices for use in class at times we designate, but this not required. Attendance in lecture and laboratory is required and is included in your participation grade (below). You will be responsible for anything that is presented or discussed in class. There is no text, only two optional/suggested books covering the global fish diversity and a field guide to Oklahoma fishes. I will provide outlines summarizing major fish groups, but you should take detailed notes in class to complete these outlines with in-class information. If you miss class, a written medical or other legitimate excuses will be required when you return if you want to make up a missed assignment of the test (see make-up policy below). Any re-grades must be requested within one week.
Laboratory
The laboratory component will include fish morphological identifications and examination of major evolutionary fish groups. The Graduate Teaching Assistant, Emily Troyer, is a graduate student here at OU pursuing her doctoral degree. Emily received a B.Sc. in Zoology from Ohio State University and a M.Sc. in Marine Science from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in Saudi Arabia. She is interested in fish evolutionary ecology, diversity, and taxonomy. She will be primarily responsible for the lab component of this course, with the participation of the instructor and support and participation from the SNOMNH Ichthyology Collection Manager, Sara Cartwright. Labs are mandatory (see make-up policy below). In order to better appreciate the complex mechanics of bony fishes' skulls, you are required to disarticulate and recompose a fish skull. It is recommended that students work on this project in groups of two (no more). You will then need to draw the skull. Then you will label each bone ON YOUR DRAWING, no need to label the skull. The skull will get a single grade (everybody gets the same grade for the skull of their own group), but each drawing gets its own grade, so people in the same group may get a different overall grade.
Discussion Boards:
If you have questions regarding general course logistics or the course material, please post your question to one of the discussion boards that I’ve set up on Canvas. This will allow me to respond where the whole class can benefit from the answer. Personal concerns, extension requests, etc. can of course come through email.
Fieldtrips (optional)
The course includes two field trips which we have designed to mimic the experience of the OU campus field trips to the degree possible online. For the first, you will go into the field virtually by examining various field sites, and specimen photographs. For the second, you will visit any location in which you can see many types of live fishes, such as a public aquarium or a pet store. More details on these assignments are found on Canvas.
Course Policies
Communication
- Please check the Announcements area and the course syllabus before you ask general housekeeping questions (i.e. how do I submit assignment step 3?). If you don't see your answer there, then please contact us.
- If the answer to your question would be relevant to everyone in the class, ask it by posting on the Canvas site, not via personal email.
- We will try to respond to all course-related emails sent during the work-week within 48 hours. Response times may be longer over the weekend; believe it or not, we don't always work on Saturday! If more than 48 hours elapses during the work-week and you have not received a response, please feel free to send a gentle reminder.
- We aim to have all work graded within one week of submission, with the exception of the final writing assignment, which may take two weeks to grade and return.
- Remember that online threaded discussions are public messages, and all writings in this area will be viewable by the entire class. If you prefer that communication to be private, send it by email, and be sure to identify yourself and the class.
- All communications with others in the course need to be composed with fairness, honesty, and tact.
Late Policy
Late assignments will be marked down by 5% for every day (24-hour period or portion thereof) that they are late. Short extensions can be granted without penalty in some circumstances. Extensions must be requested at least three days in advance of the existing deadline to be considered, though I reserve the right to bend this rule in the case of a true catastrophe. Quizzes cannot be submitted late. Make-up exams must be scheduled in advance. Make-up exams will only be allowed for students who have a substantiated excuse approved by the instructor. Leaving a phone message or sending an e-mail without confirmation is not acceptable. Labs are mandatory. Make-ups for missing a lab consists of a 1 paragraph summary of a recent biology journal article highlighted in the news AND a 4-minute PowerPoint presentation on the article to the class. Any other missed labs will result in zero credit for that lab.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalogue.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding of the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.
If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Title IX Resources
For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no-contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.
Copyright Policy
It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.
Registration and Withdrawal
If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Student Grievances
In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.