{"id":238,"date":"2019-01-14T17:44:46","date_gmt":"2019-01-14T17:44:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-rockland-biology\/?post_type=front-matter&p=238"},"modified":"2019-04-15T16:59:49","modified_gmt":"2019-04-15T16:59:49","slug":"preface","status":"publish","type":"front-matter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-ecology\/front-matter\/preface\/","title":{"raw":"Preface","rendered":"Preface"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\nBiology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today\u2019s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand\u2014and apply\u2014key concepts.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Welcome to Biology<\/em>, an OpenStax resource. This textbook was written to increase student access to high-quality learning materials, maintaining highest standards of academic rigor at little to no cost.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

About OpenStax<\/h1>\r\n

OpenStax is a nonprofit based at Rice University, and it\u2019s our mission to improve student access to education. Our first openly licensed college textbook was published in 2012, and our library has since scaled to over 20 books for college and AP courses used by hundreds of thousands of students. Our adaptive learning technology, designed to improve learning outcomes through personalized educational paths, is being piloted in college courses throughout the country. Through our partnerships with philanthropic foundations and our alliance with other educational resource organizations, OpenStax is breaking down the most common barriers to learning and empowering students and instructors to succeed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>

\r\n

About OpenStax\u2019s Resources<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n

Customization<\/h3>\r\n

Biology<\/em> is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) license, which means that you can distribute, remix, and build upon the content, as long as you provide attribution to OpenStax and its content contributors.<\/p>\r\n

Because our books are openly licensed, you are free to use the entire book or pick and choose the sections that are most relevant to the needs of your course. Feel free to remix the content by assigning your students certain chapters and sections in your syllabus, in the order that you prefer. You can even provide a direct link in your syllabus to the sections in the web view of your book.<\/p>\r\n

Faculty also have the option of creating a customized version of their OpenStax book through the aerSelect platform. The custom version can be made available to students in low-cost print or digital form through their campus bookstore. Visit your book page on openstax.org for a link to your book on aerSelect.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>

\r\n

Errata<\/h3>\r\n

All OpenStax textbooks undergo a rigorous review process. However, like any professional-grade textbook, errors sometimes occur. Since our books are web based, we can make updates periodically when deemed pedagogically necessary. If you have a correction to suggest, submit it through the link on your book page on openstax.org. Subject matter experts review all errata suggestions. OpenStax is committed to remaining transparent about all updates, so you will also find a list of past errata changes on your book page on openstax.org.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>

\r\n

Format<\/h3>\r\n

You can access this textbook for free in web view or PDF through openstax.org, and in low-cost print and iBooks editions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><\/section>

\r\n

About Biology<\/h1>\r\n

Biology<\/em> is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology<\/em> includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes clicker questions to help students understand\u2014and apply\u2014key concepts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>

\r\n

Coverage and Scope<\/h2>\r\n

In developing Biology<\/em>, we listened to hundreds of General Biology instructors who readily provided feedback about their courses, students, challenges, and hopes for innovation. The expense of textbooks and related items did prove to be a barrier to learning. But more importantly, these teachers suggested improvements for the textbook, which would ultimately lead to more meaningful and memorable learning experiences for students.<\/p>\r\n

The result is a book that addresses a core organizational reality of the course and its materials\u2014the sheer breadth of the topical coverage. We provide a thorough treatment of biology\u2019s foundational concepts while condensing selected topics in response to the market\u2019s request for a textbook with a scope that is manageable for instructors and students alike. We also strive to make biology, as a discipline, interesting and accessible to students. In addition to a comprehensive coverage of core concepts and foundational research, we have incorporated features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways.<\/p>\r\n

The pedagogical choices, chapter arrangements, and learning objective fulfillment were developed and vetted with the feedback of another one hundred reviewers, who thoroughly read the material and offered detailed critical commentary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n \t
  • Unit 1: The Chemistry of Life<\/strong>. Our opening unit introduces students to the sciences, including the scientific method and the fundamental concepts of chemistry and physics that provide a framework within which learners comprehend biological processes.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 2: The Cell<\/strong>. Students will gain solid understanding of the structures, functions, and processes of the most basic unit of life: the cell.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 3: Genetics<\/strong>. Our comprehensive genetics unit takes learners from the earliest experiments that revealed the basis of genetics through the intricacies of DNA to current applications in the emerging studies of biotechnology and genomics.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 4: Evolutionary Processes<\/strong>. The core concepts of evolution are discussed in this unit with examples illustrating evolutionary processes. Additionally, the evolutionary basis of biology reappears throughout the textbook in general discussion and is reinforced through special call-out features highlighting specific evolution-based topics.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 5: Biological Diversity<\/strong>. The diversity of life is explored with detailed study of various organisms and discussion of emerging phylogenetic relationships. This unit moves from viruses to living organisms like bacteria, discusses the organisms formerly grouped as protists, and devotes multiple chapters to plant and animal life.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 6: Plant Structure and Function<\/strong>. Our plant unit thoroughly covers the fundamental knowledge of plant life essential to an introductory biology course.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 7: Animal Structure and Function<\/strong>. An introduction to the form and function of the animal body is followed by chapters on specific body systems and processes. This unit touches on the biology of all organisms while maintaining an engaging focus on human anatomy and physiology that helps students connect to the topics.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Unit 8: Ecology<\/strong>. Ecological concepts are broadly covered in this unit, with features highlighting localized, real-world issues of conservation and biodiversity.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
    \r\n

    Pedagogical Foundation and Features<\/h2>\r\n

    Biology <\/em>is grounded in a solid scientific base, with features that engage the students in scientific inquiry, including:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n \t
    • Evolution Connection <\/strong>features uphold the importance of evolution to all biological study through discussions like \"The Evolution of Metabolic Pathways\" and \"Algae and Evolutionary Paths to Photosynthesis.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Scientific Method Connection <\/strong>call-outs walk students through actual or thought experiments that elucidate the steps of the scientific process as applied to the topic. Features include \"Determining the Time Spent in Cell Cycle Stages\" and \"Testing the Hypothesis of Independent Assortment.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Career Connection <\/strong>features present information on a variety of careers in the biological sciences, introducing students to the educational requirements and day-to-day work life of a variety of professions, such as microbiologist, ecologist, neurologist, and forensic scientist.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Everyday Connection <\/strong>features tie biological concepts to emerging issues and discuss science in terms of everyday life. Topics include \"Chesapeake Bay\" and \"Can Snail Venom Be Used as a Pharmacological Pain Killer?\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>
      \r\n

      Art and Animations That Engage<\/h2>\r\n

      Our art program takes a straightforward approach designed to help students learn the concepts of biology through simple, effective illustrations, photos, and micrographs. Biology <\/em>also incorporates links to relevant animations and interactive exercises that help bring biology to life for students.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

        \r\n \t
      • Art Connection <\/strong>features call out core figures in each chapter for student study. Questions about key figures, including clicker questions that can be used in the classroom, engage students\u2019 critical thinking to ensure genuine understanding.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Link to Learning <\/strong>features direct students to online interactive exercises and animations to add a fuller context to core content.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        Additional Resources<\/h1>\r\n

        Student and Instructor ResourcesWe've compiled additional resources for both students and instructors, including Getting Started Guides, an instructor solution manual, supplemental test items, and PowerPoint slides. Instructor resources require a verified instructor account, which can be requested on your openstax.org log-in. Take advantage of these resources to supplement your OpenStax book.<\/p>\r\n

        Partner ResourcesOpenStax Partners are our allies in the mission to make high-quality learning materials affordable and accessible to students and instructors everywhere. Their tools integrate seamlessly with our OpenStax titles at a low cost. To access the partner resources for your text, visit your book page on openstax.org.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

        About the Authors<\/h1>\r\n
        \r\n

        Senior Contributing Authors<\/h2>\r\n

        Yael Avissar (Cell Biology), Rhode Island College<\/p>\r\nJung Choi (Genetics), Georgia Institute of Technology\r\n\r\nJean DeSaix (Evolution), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\r\n\r\nVladimir Jurukovski (Animal Physiology), Suffolk County Community College\r\n\r\nRobert Wise (Plant Biology), University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh\r\n\r\nConnie Rye (General Content Lead), East Mississippi Community College\r\n

        Contributing Authors and Reviewers<\/h2>\r\n
        \r\n\r\nJulie Adams, Aurora University\r\n\r\nSummer Allen, Brown University\r\n\r\nJames Bader, Case Western Reserve University\r\n\r\nDavid Bailey, St. Norbert College\r\n\r\nMark Belk, Brigham Young University\r\n\r\nNancy Boury, Iowa State University\r\n\r\nLisa Bonneau, Metropolitan Community College \u2013 Blue River\r\n\r\nGraciela Brelles-Marino, California State University Pomona\r\n\r\nMark Browning, Purdue University\r\n\r\nSue Chaplin, University of St. Thomas\r\n\r\nGeorge Cline, Jacksonville State University\r\n\r\nDeb Cook, Georgia Gwinnett College\r\n\r\nDiane Day, Clayton State University\r\n\r\nFrank Dirrigl, The University of Texas Pan American\r\n\r\nWaneene Dorsey, Grambling State University\r\n\r\nNick Downey, University of Wisconsin La Crosse\r\n\r\nRick Duhrkopf, Baylor University\r\n\r\nKristy Duran, Adams State University\r\n\r\nStan Eisen, Christian Brothers University\r\n\r\nBrent Ewers, University of Wyoming\r\n\r\nMyriam Feldman, Lake Washington Institute of Technology\r\n\r\nMichael Fine, Virginia Commonwealth University\r\n\r\nLinda Flora, Delaware County Community College\r\n\r\nThomas Freeland, Walsh University\r\n\r\nDavid Gris\u00e9, Texas A & M University \u2013 Corpus Christi\r\n\r\nAndrea Hazard, SUNY Cortland\r\n\r\nMichael Hedrick, University of North Texas\r\n\r\nLinda Hensel, Mercer University\r\n\r\nMark Kopeny, University of Virginia\r\n\r\nNorman Johnson, University of Massachusetts Amherst\r\n\r\nGrace Lasker, Lake Washington Institute of Technology; Walden University\r\n\r\nSandy Latourelle, SUNY Plattsburgh\r\n\r\nTheo Light, Shippensburg University\r\n\r\nClark Lindgren, Grinnell College\r\n\r\nJames Malcolm, University of Redlands\r\n\r\nMark Meade, Jacksonville State University\r\n\r\nRichard Merritt, Houston Community College\r\n\r\nJames Mickle, North Carolina State University\r\n\r\nJasleen Mishra, Houston Community College\r\n\r\nDudley Moon, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences\r\n\r\nShobhana Natarajan, Brookhaven College\r\n\r\nJonas Okeagu, Fayetteville State University\r\n\r\nDiana Oliveras, University of Colorado Boulder\r\n\r\nJohn Peters, College of Charleston\r\n\r\nJoel Piperberg, Millersville University\r\n\r\nJohanna Porter-Kelley, Winston-Salem State University\r\n\r\nRobyn Puffenbarger, Bridgewater College\r\n\r\nDennis Revie, California Lutheran University\r\n\r\nAnn Rushing, Baylor University\r\n\r\nSangha Saha, City College of Chicago\r\n\r\nEdward Saiff, Ramapo College of New Jersey\r\n\r\nBrian Shmaefsky, Lone Star College System\r\n\r\nRobert Sizemore, Alcorn State University\r\n\r\nMarc Smith, Sinclair Community College\r\n\r\nFrederick Spiegel, University of Arkansas\r\n\r\nFrederick Sproull, La Roche College\r\n\r\nBob Sullivan, Marist College\r\n\r\nMark Sutherland, Hendrix College\r\n\r\nToure Thompson, Alabama A&M University\r\n\r\nScott Thomson, University of Wisconsin \u2013 Parkside\r\n\r\nAllison van de Meene, University of Melbourne\r\n\r\nMary White, Southeastern Louisiana University\r\n\r\nSteven Wilt, Bellarmine University\r\n\r\nJames Wise, Hampton University\r\n\r\nRenna Wolfe\r\n\r\nVirginia Young, Mercer University\r\n\r\nLeslie Zeman, University of Washington\r\n\r\nDaniel Zurek, Pittsburg State University\r\n\r\nShobhana Natarajan, Alcon Laboratories, Inc.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/section><\/section>","rendered":"
        \n

        Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n

        Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today\u2019s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand\u2014and apply\u2014key concepts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

        Welcome to Biology<\/em>, an OpenStax resource. This textbook was written to increase student access to high-quality learning materials, maintaining highest standards of academic rigor at little to no cost.<\/p>\n

        \n

        About OpenStax<\/h1>\n

        OpenStax is a nonprofit based at Rice University, and it\u2019s our mission to improve student access to education. Our first openly licensed college textbook was published in 2012, and our library has since scaled to over 20 books for college and AP courses used by hundreds of thousands of students. Our adaptive learning technology, designed to improve learning outcomes through personalized educational paths, is being piloted in college courses throughout the country. Through our partnerships with philanthropic foundations and our alliance with other educational resource organizations, OpenStax is breaking down the most common barriers to learning and empowering students and instructors to succeed.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

        \n

        About OpenStax\u2019s Resources<\/h2>\n
        \n

        Customization<\/h3>\n

        Biology<\/em> is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) license, which means that you can distribute, remix, and build upon the content, as long as you provide attribution to OpenStax and its content contributors.<\/p>\n

        Because our books are openly licensed, you are free to use the entire book or pick and choose the sections that are most relevant to the needs of your course. Feel free to remix the content by assigning your students certain chapters and sections in your syllabus, in the order that you prefer. You can even provide a direct link in your syllabus to the sections in the web view of your book.<\/p>\n

        Faculty also have the option of creating a customized version of their OpenStax book through the aerSelect platform. The custom version can be made available to students in low-cost print or digital form through their campus bookstore. Visit your book page on openstax.org for a link to your book on aerSelect.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

        \n

        Errata<\/h3>\n

        All OpenStax textbooks undergo a rigorous review process. However, like any professional-grade textbook, errors sometimes occur. Since our books are web based, we can make updates periodically when deemed pedagogically necessary. If you have a correction to suggest, submit it through the link on your book page on openstax.org. Subject matter experts review all errata suggestions. OpenStax is committed to remaining transparent about all updates, so you will also find a list of past errata changes on your book page on openstax.org.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

        \n

        Format<\/h3>\n

        You can access this textbook for free in web view or PDF through openstax.org, and in low-cost print and iBooks editions.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n

        \n

        About Biology<\/h1>\n

        Biology<\/em> is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology<\/em> includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes clicker questions to help students understand\u2014and apply\u2014key concepts.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

        \n

        Coverage and Scope<\/h2>\n

        In developing Biology<\/em>, we listened to hundreds of General Biology instructors who readily provided feedback about their courses, students, challenges, and hopes for innovation. The expense of textbooks and related items did prove to be a barrier to learning. But more importantly, these teachers suggested improvements for the textbook, which would ultimately lead to more meaningful and memorable learning experiences for students.<\/p>\n

        The result is a book that addresses a core organizational reality of the course and its materials\u2014the sheer breadth of the topical coverage. We provide a thorough treatment of biology\u2019s foundational concepts while condensing selected topics in response to the market\u2019s request for a textbook with a scope that is manageable for instructors and students alike. We also strive to make biology, as a discipline, interesting and accessible to students. In addition to a comprehensive coverage of core concepts and foundational research, we have incorporated features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways.<\/p>\n

        The pedagogical choices, chapter arrangements, and learning objective fulfillment were developed and vetted with the feedback of another one hundred reviewers, who thoroughly read the material and offered detailed critical commentary.<\/p>\n