Before the first class you should have an idea of one or two topics on which you would be interested in focusing. (Read on to get ideas). There is no formal textbook for the class. You will need a ZIP disc. The lab we will meet in for web workshops s equipped with Mac G3's which do not have 3 1/2" disc drives ('normal discs'). You can purchase a Mac or an IBM formatted ZIP disc, either will work in a Mac. If you are totally opposed to working on a Mac I should be able to arrange for access to departmental Dells although NOT during scheduled class periods.

During the semester you prepare two presentations (using Powerpoint), lead a discussion of a journal article, make a personal homepage, prepare a web site as a class, and prepare a final webproject that explores your topic in depth.

I do not expect that you are proficient in Powerpoint presentations or that you have ever made a webpage before. The course includes instruction in those areas. I do expect that you are relatively comfortable using a computer (word processing, familiar with the fact that the wwweb exists) and that you know how to access your Davidson NT server space ('Louise'). If any of these are not the case please speak to me and/or the helpdesk. For Webauthoring I will provide instruction using Netscape Composer. Macromedia Dreamweaver is available through the department and you may use it (or any other) program but since I have not used it I cannot  provide support for Dreamweaver.

A MAIN POINT: All topics must include a discussion of how the substance acts at the cellular level. Such as why is Botox good at getting rid of 'crows feet' wrinkles? What does it do to the cells? Do we know why or what part of St John's Wort causes it to be effective in maintaining 'mental stability'? Other areas for discussion could include pros' and cons of using the substance (uses and abuses in some cases) and any controversy over the topic (public opinion vs. reality, inappropriate good press, inappropriate bad press, who can patent what and why)

The class project will include discussion of drug testing --what the process is and how it works. A twist on this topic could be to include the treatment of syphillis and government experiments in the 40's where people were (unknowningly) exposed to the disease. Besides discussing the trouble with getting 'test subjects' and the obvious ethical implications of that work, you would need to include a discussion of what syphillis is and why it ends up making people 'go mad'--what happens at the level of the neuron?

Individual projects: The entire semester will be used to develop an individual project related to the course theme.  For example your topic could be the identification and development of taxol (from the Yew tree) as a chemotherapeutic drug. Your individual project will consist of a series of webpages devoted to exploring/explaining your topic. You project must have a 'homepage' that introduces the topic, how it relates to the course and where you will be going with it. Each individual project must contain at least one webpage (that you wrote--not just a link) that discusses the specific cellular mechanism(s) effected by the compound (perhaps a discussion of how taxol effects microtubule formation). All webpages should be backed up by appropriate research and in text references (included on the site). No more than 50% of your references should be websites. The entire site must contain least 6 (but no more than 9) additional pages that you wrote (not just outside links). The entire project is due by 8pm on Monday December 3rd .

Grading: This is a seminar, therefore, a good deal of participation is expected and is a major component of your overall evaluation. Your group will have meetings outside of formal 'class time' and your preparation, attendance and participation at those meetings also forms part of this evaluation. Your numerical grade will be based on the following categories.

Group assignments (2 presentations, project proposal and group project website) will receive one evaluation (with comments) per group. Each member of the group is expected to have contributed equally to the preparation and presentation of the material. Peer evaluations will also be used (completed both by group members and classmates).

Your numerical evaluation will be converted into a course grade using the following scale:
 

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