Introduction to the Biology 101 Lab Experience

            Our goal is for your learning experiences in the Biology 101 lab to be both enjoyable and highly informative.  You will be introduced to knowledge about biological patterns, processes, structures and functions.  On several occasions you will be asked to consider the links between math, science and society.  You will also learn about the process of science by making predictions concerning the outcome of scientific procedures, in some cases, performing those procedures, and by interpreting and sharing your results.  We hope your Bio 101 lab experience is a good opportunity for you to become better aware of the skills (critical thinking, problem solving, and quantitative analysis) that will enable you to enjoy and succeed in the biology lab.  We also hope that this lab serves to positively reinforce these skills so that they may be applied in other courses and other aspects of your life!

            The topics of the weekly Biology 101 labs are not intended to overlap directly with lecture topics.  (Although what you learn in lab certainly will complement the lecture material.)  Therefore, your lab experience is organized in a way that best integrates the lab curriculum as an independent course.  Careful consideration has been given to both the sequence of labs and the time investment required by each, for the best possible learning experience.  The exercises are designed to help you build a variety of skills, including quantitative and critical thinking skills, in a context that demonstrates the relevance of modern biological science to your life.  By providing specific goals and practice before the beginning of each lab in a pre-lab assignment, we hope you will not only approach the lab exercise better informed and with a more active mind, but that you will also gain a greater appreciation for all aspects of the scientific method.