clst 301 syllabus
DESCRIPTION
Syllabus 2013WTRANSCRIPT
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Welcome to Classical Studies 301
The Technical Terms of Medicine and the Biological Sciences University of British Columbia
Jan–April 2013
Instructor: Dr. Shelley Reid
Please see the file About the Instructor in this same folder for contact information and office
hours. You will also find information on the course TAs in a separate folder.
1. Course Objectives:
This course will introduce you to the Greek and Latin elements from which the majority of
medical and biological terms in English are created; the course will also provide a cultural and
historical context for this terminology.
Completion of this course will enable you to:
a) demonstrate a knowledge of the Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, suffixes, and terminations
upon which medical and biological English terminology is based;
b) employ the linguistic principles which guide the formation of this terminology, in order both
to “translate” it into good, standard English, and to turn everyday English into accepted scientific
terminology;
c) relate this terminology to basic anatomical structures and physiological processes;
A detailed knowledge of anatomy and/or physiology is not a requirement for this
course; it is assumed, however, that you have a basic understanding of human
anatomy and physiology.
d) demonstrate a knowledge of the history behind some of the Greek and Latin terms in the
course vocabulary, with reference being made to sources from the languages, mythology, history,
literature, or medicine of the ancient world, as appropriate;
e) discuss the historical and linguistic reasons for the use of Greek and Latin forms in scientific
English.
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2. Course Topics:
The course is divided into twelve modules. The vocabulary introduced into each module is
cumulative for the entire course; that is, in the final examination you are expected to know the
vocabulary of Modules 2–12. Note that the course begins with Module 2; Module 1 will be
covered after Modules 2 and 3.
Module 1:
A brief introduction to the history of the Greek and Latin languages and to classical medicine;
the use of Greek and Latin in scientific English. No vocabulary list.
Module 2:
The elements of biological terminology: roots, terminations and suffixes, connecting vowels.
Module 3:
The elements of biological terminology, cont.: prefixes, elision.
Module 4:
The vocabulary associated with the eye and the ear, the senses and the human being in general;
terminations concerning common medical procedures.
Module 5:
The vocabulary associated with the nervous system and particular medical pathologies.
Module 6:
The vocabulary associated with the respiratory system, common substances, and particular
medical pathologies.
Module 7:
The vocabulary associated with the reproductive system, as well as those concerning formation,
pregnancy, and birth. Adjectival roots.
Module 8:
The vocabulary associated with the cardiovascular and haematological systems. Numbers and
colours.
Module 9:
The vocabulary associated with the digestive system, including oral and dental vocabulary.
Prepositional roots.
Module 10:
The vocabulary associated with the musculoskeletal system.
Module 11:
The vocabulary associated with the urinary, endrocrine, and lymphatic systems.
Module 12:
The vocabulary associated with zoology, botany, and the natural world in general.
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3. Course Schedule:
Lectures are given on Mondays and Wednesdays for the first six weeks or so. Thereafter,
lectures are given less frequently. Tutorials begin the week of January 14th. Please read and
take note of the Schedule of Lectures and Tutorials in this same folder.
4. Course Evaluation
a) Tutorial Work 25%
You will attend six tutorials in this term. Note that you must attend the tutorial in which you are
registered. No circumstance will permit you to attend another tutorial section, so please do not
request this consideration.
The tutorials are run by the TAs: it is important that you remember both your TA’s name and
your tutorial number (e.g., T20), so jot both of these down.
The tutorial mark is the sum total of the marks earned in each of the following areas:
1. Short quizzes, employing vocabulary covered to date. They may be set in a variety of
formats (question/answer, multiple choice, or matching, for example), but are generally in the
question/answer format.
2. Tutorial exercises by which you will demonstrate your grasp of the course material and
vocabulary to date. Sometimes these exercises will be done with a partner, sometimes on your
own. Sometimes they will be open book (so bring your notes and vocabulary lists to all
tutorials); on most occasions, closed book.
Note: Vocabulary quizzes are not given the same marking weight as tutorial exercises; in the
latter, you must show your understanding of the grammatical rules and/or give consideration to
multiple factors, and thus the marks for tutorial exercises are automatically weighted more
heavily than the simple vocabulary quizzes.
3. Three short take-home assignments to be completed outside of the tutorial hour and
submitted for marking.
b) Midterm (25%) and Final (50%) exams
The tutorial quizzes, exercises, and assignments are designed to help you do well on the two
course examinations, which are:
1) a 50 min. midterm, covering Modules 1–6, inclusive.
The midterm will be held on Wednesday February 13th, in two separate sittings.
Those students who are registered in tutorials T15–T21 will sit their midterm in Hebb Theatre at
5:00 p.m. while those students who are registered in T22–T28 will sit theirs in Hebb Theatre at
6:00 p.m.
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2) a two and a half hour final, covering Modules 1–12, inclusive. The final examination will be
held during the regular examination period in April.
Please note carefully: you are responsible for all material covered in the course lectures and
tutorials, not just the course vocabulary lists.
5. Course materials:
There is no textbook for this course. Course materials will be provided in two ways:
a) lecture and tutorial notes, which you alone are responsible for taking; and
b) vocabulary lists and other materials provided on the Connect course home page. (Note that
the vocabulary lists for each module will be released as we proceed through the course, not all at
once.)
Please read the following carefully:
This is a 3rd
year Arts course which is run with the expectation that students at this stage in their
university studies have developed the appropriate skills for taking notes during lectures.
The course lectures proceed at a steady pace. You will not have the chance during them to check
an incoming text, talk to your neighbour, plan your evening, doodle, or otherwise be distracted.
You will be listening, reading, and writing/keyboarding all at the same time, which will require
your undivided attention for fifty minutes.
If your notetaking skills are rusty, take a look at this website for help:
http://learningcommons.ubc.ca/student-toolkits/
6. Policies on missed lectures, tutorials, and exams
Missed lectures
You should find a fellow student early in the term from whom you can acquire lecture notes
should you be absent or late. The instructor does not have a set of notes to give you.
If your absence extends over several lectures because of illness or serious personal
circumstances, you may present the instructor with a physician’s note (in the case of illness) or a
memo from your Faculty Advising Office (in the case of personal circumstances) and then
discuss how best to bring you up to date with the missed lecture material.
Missed tutorials
Absences from tutorials are excused only on the basis of a physician’s note (in the case of
illness) or a memo from your Faculty Advising Office (in the case of serious personal
circumstances).
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Students who miss a tutorial for either of these reasons will be allowed to attend a make-up
tutorial, which is usually held the following week.
If you miss a tutorial, you must contact the instructor (not the TA) through the Connect course
message system as soon as possible. For more information, read the information posted on the
course home page.
If your course schedule is such that you cannot make it to the tutorial on time because of having
to come from the far reaches of the UBC campus, please speak to the instructor before tutorials
begin.
Missed midterm
If the midterm is missed because of documented illness or serious personal circumstances, a
make-up midterm will be set.
Missed end-of-term exam
In the case of a missed end-of-term exam, the university requires you to apply to your own
faculty’s Advising Office for Deferred Standing, which, if approved, entitles you to sit the exam
at a later date.
If you missed the final exam, you should apply for Deferred Standing as soon as possible, and at
the same time contact the instructor.