Syllabus+Fall+2013

= = Bio 572 = = Plant and Microbial Biosciences Journal Club **__ Class Details: __** Meeting Time: Alternating Fridays from 3 – 5 PM Location: McDonnell 412 (Danforth Campus) Credit: 1 unit
 * Fall 2013 **

**__ Coursemasters __**** : ** Barbara Kunkel and Ivan Baxter ** Email: ** kunkel@wustl.edu ibaxter@danforthcenter.org ** Phone: ** Baxter: 314-488-1535  Kunkel: 314-935-7284 ** Office: ** Baxter: Danforth Center  Kunkel: Monsanto 319 **__ Discussion Leaders: __** Dmitri Nusinow, Lucia Strader, Wayne Barnes, Ram Dixit, Dan Chitwood, Becky Bart and Chris Topp

**__ Course description: __** A biweekly discussion of modern and classic research in plant and microbial biology, including topics in molecular genetics, development, biochemistry, physiology, and plant-pathogen interactions. Credit will be contingent on regular attendance and __active__ and __informed__ participation in group discussions and in an online format. **__ Goals: __** **__ Course Format: __** Faculty advisors will select a recent or classic paper for discussion, and distribute questions meant to stimulate discussion in advance of class via an online wiki. Students will take turns leading discussions of each paper. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss any aspect of the assigned readings. The focus will be both on big-picture themes, scientific rational, experimental approaches, as well as technical details of each of the figures in the research paper. **__ Required Reading: __** Papers for discussion and any relevant background material will be distributed well in advance of each class meeting.
 * 1) To develop students’ critical reading skills and prepare them for the peer review process.
 * 2) To provide an in depth discussion of both classic and important new papers in the area of plant biology.
 * 3) To give students experience in explaining scientific concepts in a casual atmosphere.

__**Absences**__
===**This class is based around in class discussion, so missing class will significantly inhibit your ability to learn the material. Students missing the class will be asked to write a full and comprehensive review of the papers under discussion, summarizing the conclusions and critiquing the methods**===

**__ Academic Integrity: __** Students are expected to abide by the Washington University Polices on Academic Integrity: Graduate Students: [] Please also observe standard classroom etiquette: turn off your cell phone, no email or texting during class, and listen to other students’ ideas with respect and without interruption.