BIOLOGY 499 (2000/2001)
General Guidelines
BIOL 499 projects vary in the same way that research varies across a department as diverse as ours. Therefore, these guidelines allow for flexibility and we must rely on experts in the various research areas to maintain standards appropriate to those areas.
With respect to the assessment process, this should include input from your supervisor and some other BIOL 499 supervisors to ensure that no student is evaluated in isolation. The supervisor/second reader arrangement is of major importance in this regard. Also, oral presentations should be done in logical peer groups. These may be within a RIG (one or more groups) or across RIGs. The peer groups for orals will each have a group coordinator who should let the Assoc. Chair know the composition of his/her group some weeks in advance of the event. Students who are not included in one of the above evaluation groups will have to be placed in one (or a new group formed). This "fine tuning" will be coordinated by the Assoc. Chair. Once all students have been placed in an oral presentation group, Student Services will provide a list of groups, coordinators, students, topics, times and locations.
The oral presentations will take place before exams begin, the actual dates being set by the group coordinators. The final written report will be due on the last scheduled examination date. Depending on the supervisor, other opportunities to measure your progress may be provided, such as a mid-year presentation, a trial presentation of your oral, a review of your written draft. Be sure to ask your supervisor which of these, or other, opportunities are available. Deadlines for these will be set by the supervisor.
Co-supervision allows BIOL 499 students to do their work in a research laboratory outside Biological Sciences while still being supervised by a member of this Department. This practice provides opportunities for various positive interactions and collaborations. When the work is done in a lab outside Biological Sciences, the co-supervisor must still come from Biological Sciences, and is responsible for ensuring that the student is well hosted and that all appropriate procedures are followed.
With respect to what to do with work achieved and skills gained during summer employment, our current model emphasizes the quality of the research done more than the time period in which it is done. Basic guidelines are as follows: (1) work done and skills gained during the summer may be used in the project. (2) significant work, beyond writing up, must be carried out during the two terms in which the student is officially enrolled in BIOL 499. Be sure to acknowledge work completed outside the two terms in which BIOL 499 is taken, in both your final oral and written presentations.
Procedures and important dates
By October 15:
Students must have their supervisor and second reader/co-supervisor selected, and these names and the project title should be communicated to the undergraduate office (Student Services, 3rd. floor) using a copy of Part I of the BIOL 499 form. [Note: the original form should remain with the student so that subsequent deadlines can be noted as they are met]. Student Services will then provide a list of BIOL 499 students, supervisors, co-supervisors, second readers and project titles to all faculty members.
By January 15 (or the nearest Monday):
Students must submit a written progress report to their supervisor. The BIOL 499 form should be signed/dated as appropriate. A copy of the form is NOT required in Student Services at this time, but the supervisor's signature must be obtained then.
On or before three working days after the end of classes:
Oral presentations must be complete.
By the last regularly scheduled examination date:
Students must submit the final written report to their supervisor and second reader/co-supervisor.
Also by this date:
Students must hand in the BIOL 499 form with the final section signed by the supervisor or co-supervisor (must be a faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences), indicating that the final report has been received. The course will be considered incomplete until the completed BIOL 499 form, with all required signatures, is submitted to the Assoc. Chair (Undergraduate).
Note to supervisors re communication of final grade
Within three working days after the last regularly scheduled exam, a final grade for BIOL 499 must be submitted to the Associate Chair (Undergraduate), Department of Biological Sciences. This is necessary to allow entry of grades, signing of forms and transmission to the Registrar, all of which must be accomplished by no more than six days after the last regularly scheduled exam.
Missing this deadline will jeopardize graduation for many students.