BIOL BC3310

In my lab, I've only mainly gained technical skills to perform experiments. This course really trained me to have the critical mind of a scientist scientist. I gained the skill of being able to deeply analyze a paper, propose further steps and experiments, and defend my proposal

Weekly quizzes on the lecture material, three midterms (open note, lowest one dropped), and a final

Two midterms and a final, plus a presentation on a disease at some point during the semester (you pick the date). The midterms are hard, and each covers maybe 150-200 pages of the textbook. Final is cumulative but focuses on the last third of the semester material. If you can read the textbook sections before each class, you'll have a much easier time studying for the exams, but if not, it's not impossible to cram for a few days before -- I'd suggest giving yourself three or four solid days to study. I'd say it is harder than Intro Bio, but not as hard as Orgo.

2 midterms, journal club article reviews about once every two weeks, one group presentation on a journal article, a technique paper that's 3 pages long and a final, (sounds like a lot but is very manageable).

I learned about cellular process, and ways we can observe and study cellular interactions.

Due to this being a 4000-level class, I was worried that it would be incredibly difficult and stressful. While the material is challenging, Prof. Racaniello makes this class fun and accessible and truly wants to see his students succeed. Every class we delve into a new, incredibly interesting topic related to viruses. He’s an engaging lecturer, and if you can’t make class he posts the slides online and films the lectures. Highly recommend to any biology major, this class is relevant and enjoyable.

The bad reviews of Wallenfang on here are really surprising to me. Maybe he's improved a lot in recent years? All I can say is that as of fall 2009, he an excellent teacher. Most of the reviews that criticize him seem to be written by people who aren't interested in biology or haven't taken many bio classes before. DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS IF YOU ARE NOT PREMED OR A BIO MAJOR. That being said, if you are premed or a bio major, TAKE THIS CLASS. Wallenfang is insanely, insanely smart. He talks through cellular signalling pathways like they're nothing, he can answer 90% of the questions he's asked, and most importantly, when he doesn't know the answer, he will say so right away. That is the mark of a truly bright person. He's very helpful, nice, and reasonable, and can even be funny at times (although there isn't much time for humor in such a dense class). Like a previous reviewer mentioned, Wallenfang does not mess with your head. Questions on the exams will not come out of left field. They will be what you expect. It's not impossible to do well, and it's a lot easier to do well if you pay attention in class and look over your notes often. Of course you have to do the immense amounts of reading as well, but that's the nature of an upper level bio class. I would suggest printing out the slides before class really large, one to a page, and taking notes on those instead of the 4-to-a…

Definitely take a class with Goldstein while she's still here. She's very young and innovative and engaging in the way she teaches. What she says will stick and you have to do very little studying outside of lecture. Reading the text is a pleasure because she chooses wisely but not necessary at all for retaining what she's taught. She also does journal club reviews which, although a pain in the ass sometimes, make you feel very connected to the scientific process. This was the first class I've taken that I've actually felt like a biologist and not just a stupid undergrad puddling my way through scientific jargon. She's leaving at the end of this year, so definitely definitely take a class with her in the spring if you can.

Probably the most important thing I got from this course is an intuitive sense of scale, in time and space, when it comes to cellular processes. Select cellular processes and organelles were covered in some detail, but a fair amount of subject matter was glossed over in favor of shoving us all off the deep end into the big scary world of original research articles. I think the experience of being forced to critically evaluate original research was invaluable, especially for those of us who are going into research careers.

3 exams, each 30%. Lecture quizzes that are worth 10% that can be postponed until the last day of class (I wouldn't recommend it). We also had an optional extra credit assignment that was worth up to an additional 2% of your grade. Since everyone is doing it, it's probably in your best interest to do it as well. So much for optional.