Course Syllabus

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CHS3533L.013: Forensic Biochemistry I Laboratory

Chemistry, College of Science

1 Credit Hours

Table of Contents

IntroInstructor Information 

  • Instructor: Dr. Erin Hanson 
  • Office Location: CH305, Chemistry Building (primary); 324C, NCFS Partnership I Building in Research Park
  • Office Hours:  By appointment only 
  • Phone (Office): (407) 823-0642
  • Digital Contact (E-mail): Erin.Hanson@ucf.edu

Teaching Assistants 

  • GTA(s): Morgan Peters
  • Email: mspeters@knights.ucf.edu

 

InfoCourse Information

    • Term: Fall 2022
    • Course Number & Section: CHS3533L.012
    • Course Name: Forensic Biochemistry I Laboratory
    • Credit Hours: 1
    • Class Meeting Days: Thursday
    • Class Meeting Time: 3:30 - 6:20pm (in person labs will be held every week, but class will be split into two groups with only one group coming in per week)
    • Class Location: CH305, Chemistry Building
    • Course Modality: P  (will include online assignments, quizzes/tests)

 

 

 

ReminderEnrollment Requirements 

Course Prerequisites: 'C' or better in PCB 3063 (Genetics), PCB 3063L (Genetics Laboratory)
Course Co-requisites: None 
Course Prerequisite(s) or Co-requisite(s): CHS3533 Forensic Biochemistry I

Other Enrollment Requirements (if applicable): None

 

ExploreCourse Description

This course introduces students to the concepts and procedures of contemporary forensic biochemistry. It forms the foundation for more advanced studies in the area of forensic DNA analysis. Emphasis will be placed upon techniques and procedures that are used in operational crime laboratories throughout the United States. This laboratory will provide hands-on experimentation and experience with topics and techniques covered in CHS3533 (Forensic Biochemistry). 

 

ResourcesCourse Materials and Resources

Required Materials/Resources

  • Computer and access to Internet/Webcourses/Zoom/Adobe/Microsoft Office
  • Laboratory protocols and workskeets (will be posted on WebCourses)
  • PPE: Laboratory coat, safety glasses, closed-toe shoes and long pants
  • You are responsible for bringing your own lab coat and safety glasses. These will not be provided to you and you will not be permitted to enter the laboratory without these items. Gloves will be provided in the lab. 

Optional Materials/Resources

  • Binder or laboratory notebook for recording experiment results

Third-Party Accessibility and Privacy Statements

No third party tools will be used in the course

 

ObjectivesStudent Learning Outcomes

  • Students will perform laboratory experiments to learn the skills and techniques used in the identification of forensically relevant biological fluids. 
  • Students will read forensic journal articles and utilize critical thinking skills to evaluate each article in terms of purpose, experimental design, results and impact on the forensic community.  
  • Student knowledge of the course will be assessed through an exams and weekly module assignments.

 

ActivityCourse Activities

  • Laboratory experiments (in-person)
  • Module assignments (online: journal articles/discussions, quizzes, trainings)
  • Exam (November 10, 2022). This cumulative exam will be held in person. Each lab time will be split into two time slots, one for Group 1 and one for Group 2. The exam will be multiple choice and short answer format. 
  • Extra Credit opportunities are not guaranteed but might be available during the semester. 
  • All students should have regular access to the internet and plan on logging into the course several times each week.  For the online-module weeks, students should plan on spending an equivalent amount of time as the scheduled lab period.

 

Activity Submissions

In-Person laboratory weeks: Assignment will involve completion and online submission of the completed worksheet (provided as a Word document). All worksheets will be due by Sunday at 11:59pm on the week of the in-person laboratory. 

Online assignment weeks: Assignments will involve reading a journal article or other such document and completing an online group discussion assignment using Perusall. Alternatively, some online assignments involve completion of an online training course. All assignments will be due by Sunday at 11:59pm on the week of the online assignment. 

*Refer to course schedule for weekly schedules, assignment lists and assignment due dates. 

 

Attendance/Participation

Attendance is required as experiments cannot typically not be made up on other weeks. If you are more than 5-10 min late for lab, entry may be refused and you will receive a 0 for that week's laboratory. 

  • Excused absences require prior instructor approval (with few exceptions in extreme situations where this is not possible in advance). The Undergraduate Catalog states, “Reasons for acceptable absences may include illness, serious family emergencies, special curricular requirements (e.g., judging trips, field trips, professional conferences), military obligations, severe weather conditions, and religious holidays.” In instances where advanced notice cannot be given, students need to contact the instructor within a reasonable amount of time (e.g. a few days) to discuss the absence. 
  • To request or document an excused absence, please send me an email or webcourse communication at least 1-week prior to the missed week indicating the reason for the absence. This must be sent to me and not the GTA. I will determine if the absence is excused and will provide a response with this determination. Appropriate documentation must be provided, if applicable:
    1. personal illness (verifiable by a doctor’s note)
    2. death of an immediate family member (verifiable by an obituary or funeral program)
    3. military duty (verifiable by documentation from your supervisor)
    4. required engagements in university-sponsored activities (verifiable by documentation from your advisor)
    5. court-imposed legal obligations (verifiable by court documentation)
    6. religious obligations (notified two weeks in advance)
    7. severe weather conditions (as confirmed by university-wide statements and/or relevant media)

    Note that transportation issues and employment schedules are not on the list of excusable reasons.

 

Make-up Exams and Assignments

Per university policy, you are allowed to submit make-up work (or an equivalent, alternate assignment) for authorized university-sponsored activities, religious observances, or legal obligations. If this participation conflicts with your course assignments, I will offer a reasonable opportunity for you to complete missed assignments and/or exams. The make-up assignment and grading scale will be equivalent to the missed assignment and its grading scale. In the case of an authorized university activity, it is your responsibility to show me a signed copy of the Program Verification Form for which you will be absent, prior to the class in which the absence occurs. In any of these cases, please contact me ahead of time to notify me of upcoming needs.

 

AssessmentAssessment and Grading Procedures

The table shows the point and weight percentage of each course activity.

Assignment

Points

% of Grade

Group assignment 'quiz'

5

2.5%

Bloodborne Pathogens Training

15

7.5%

Pre-lab quiz (5 pts each x 4)

20

10%

Lab worksheets   (10 pts each x 4)

40

20%

Online assignments  (10 pts each x 4)

40

20%

Final Exam

75

37.5%

NIJ online training

5

2.5%

Total

200

100%

 

The table shows the range for each letter grade and uses a plus/minus system.

Letter Grade

%

A

91 – 100

A-

86 – 90 

B+

81 - 85

B

76 - 80

B-

71 - 75

C+

68 - 70

C

61 - 67

D

51 - 60

F

< 50

 

Consult the latest Undergraduate or Graduate catalog for regulations and procedures regarding grading such as Incomplete grades, grade changes, and grade forgiveness.

 

ScheduleCourse Schedule

Please refer to the course schedules (Group 1, Group 2) for a summary of the course activities and due dates. 

 

ResourcesUniversity Services and Resources

Academic Services and Resources

A list of available academic support and learning services is available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Academic Support and Learning Services" on the right-hand side to filter.  

Non-Academic Services and Resources

A list of non-academic support and services is also available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Support" on the right-hand side to filter.  

If you are a UCF Online student, please consult the UCF Online Student Guidelines for more information about your access to non-academic services.

Optional In-Class Recording Statement

Students may, without prior notice, record video or audio of a class lecture for a class in which the student is enrolled for their own personal educational use.  A class lecture is defined as a formal or methodical oral presentation as part of a university course intended to present information or teach students about a particular subject. Recording classroom activities other than class lectures, including but not limited to lab sessions, student presentations (whether individually or part of a group), class discussion (except when incidental to and incorporated within a class lecture), clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving student participation, test or examination administrations, field trips, and private conversations is prohibited. 

Policy Statements

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due