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421 BISC - NEUROBIOLOGY DISCUSSION - FALL 2008 Welcome! The discussion section is an opportunity for students to ask questions about the lecture material in a smaller, more intimate setting. This setting also provides a chance to study neurobiology in a format different from lectures as well as offer more interaction with fellow students. In addition to discussing the lecture material, you will be given assignments and quizzes. Remember, this discussion section is designed to help you succeed in the course. Take advantage of it! TEACHING ASSISTANTS Ginger Hazen Jennifer McGrady hazen@usc.edu mcgrady@usc.edu Office hours follow each discussion section or by appointment. Discussion Group A: M, Discussion Group B: T, Discussion Group C: W, Discussion Group D: Th, Discussion Group E: Th, Discussion Group F: F, 2:00 - 3:50, 10:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:50, 10:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:50, 2:00 - 3:50, ZHS 360 (VB) ZHS 360 (GH) ZHS 360 (VB) ZHS 360 (GH) VKC 158 (JM) VKC 158 (JM) Points 50 15 25 10 100 points total Varuzhan Balasanyan varuzhan@usc.edu ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING One in-class presentation Three in-class quizzes @ 5 pts each Written assignment Participation/Attendance PRESENTATION The oral presentation can be done singly or in groups of up to 4 students. Each presentation should be 10 minutes long/presenter, including 2 mins. Q & A. Each group member must be in the same discussion section and must participate in the presentation. Each person in the group will receive the same grade. Presentation Topics: Neurological disease where the students must present all, but not limited to, the following: o Background and discovery of disease o Symptoms, effects on the brain and prevalence of disease o Known and speculated cause(s) of disease (must include primary literature references) o Current treatment and research of the disease (must include primary literature references) up to two presenters for this part Hot or historical journal article from a top publication (Science, Nature, Neuron, Cell) and present a journal club. Each group member will cover a section of the article: o Background o Methods o Results up to two presenters for this part Presentation topics must be approved in advance to avoid multiple presentations on the same topic. Remember, this presentation has a time limit of 10 minutes/student. Do not go over the allotted time. Therefore, it is important for the student to be concise, yet informative. In addition, students in the audience will be critiquing each presentation that will be given to the group. These presentations can be really fun for you and entertaining for the rest of the class, so let your creative side out! QUIZZES Three quizzes will be during given the semester. Quizzes will be worth 5 points each and be administered during the discussion class. No make-up quizzes will be offered. Each quiz will usually test the lecture material covered up to that quiz date from last quiz. For example, the material tested on the first quiz will not also be tested on the second, etc. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT You will have a choice of three papers that will be picked from the primary literature on a neurobiological topic relevant to the lecture material. Each student must read her or his chosen paper and answer the following questions: What is the big question? (Hypothesis) What is known and unknown about that question? (Background) Why did the investigators choose certain experiments? (Methods) What are the important experiments? Why? (Results) What are the main findings of the investigators' work and what questions remain to be answered? (Discussion and Future Directions) The paper will be up to 2 pages in length (not including references). Anything beyond the 3rd page (with the exception of references) will not be considered. All references (journal articles, books, textbooks, not wikipedia!) must be properly cited (like those found in any scientific paper). This assignment is due by noon (end of lecture) on Nov. 14. Papers may be turned in earlier at discussion section during the week of Nov. 10. Only a hardcopy of this assignment will be accepted. Note on plagiarism: Please review rules on plagiarism. For minor infractions points will be deducted; Major infraction will be dealt with in consultation with the Course Director. PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE You re going to learn the most by attending discussion and actually being verbal. Whether you re asking a question yourself or explaining to a fellow student how a concept works in your head, hearing the words out loud will help solidify the ideas in your brain. Attendance will be noted, but to get full credit for this we need to hear you speak!!! SCHEDULE Week of Sep 01 Week of Sep 08 Week of Sep 15 Week of Sep 22 Week of Sep 29 Week of Oct 06 Week of Oct 13 Week of Oct 20 Week of Oct 27 Week of Nov 03 Week of Nov 10 Week of Nov 17 Week of Nov 24 Week of Dec 01 No Class Labor Day (Sep 01) Discussion sections begin Review lecture material Presentation sign-up Quiz I Presentations I Exam on Module I (Oct 1) Presentations II Presentations III Quiz II, Presentations IV Review lecture material Exam on Module II (Oct 31) Presentations V Presentations VI Written Assignment Due by the end of lecture (Friday, Nov 14 @ noon) Presentations VII No Discussion sections - Thanksgiving Quiz III; Presentations VIII Cumulative Final Exam 11 am 1 pm (Dec 10) *Schedule subject to change

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