CBN 5000: Seminar in Neuroscience

Course Information

• Meeting Time: TR 2:20pm-3:35pm
• Location: Bartley 024
• Zoom Meeting Link: https://villanova.zoom.us/my/toscano
• Course Website: http://wraplab.co/courses/cbn5000
• Instructor:
  
  Dr. Joe Toscano
  Email: joseph.toscano@villanova.edu
  Phone: 610-519-4755
  Office: Tolentine M52
  Availability: Please use Dr Toscano's calendar to schedule appointments outside class.

Course Description

This course is a seminar in neuroscience and the capstone course for the CBN major. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of major debates in the field and current issues in neuroscience research that inform how we approach the science of the brain and behavior.

Objectives

Through this course, you will gain the following knowledge and skills:

• A background in current debates and recent reserch in neuroscience, informed by class discussions and lectures from faculty in different areas of neuroscience.
• Training in responsible conduct of research, including discussion of peer review, authorship, data ownership, and mentor/mentee responsibilities.
• Experience with scientific writing, particularly in the form of a literature review and experiment proposal on a topic in neuroscience.

Course Materials

All reading material will be posted on the course website. There is no required textbook for the course.

Course Requirements

Assessments

Course assessments will focus on using what you have learned to demonstrate your skills in making oral and written arguments supported by evidence, which are key skills for every scientist. Half of the course grade is based on in-class material, and half is based on a research paper that you will complete over the course of the semester. Start working on your paper early! The sooner you begin working on it, the more opportunities you will have to receive feedback on your work.

Please submit all assignments in PDF form by email to the instructor and teaching assistant.

If you have any concerns about completing these assessments, please let me know as soon as possible. I am happy to work with you to find alternative ways for you to demonstrate your knowledge in the course, but the sooner I know, the better.

Grading Scale

Research Paper

At the beginning of the semester, you will select an area of neuroscience to focus on for individual study. This topic may correspond to a research project you are working on in a faculty member's lab (indeed, this is encouraged!). You will review the literature on a specific topic in your area and write a research report describing a proposed novel, empirical study on that topic.

Instructions and additional resources for writing your paper:

• Paper Instructions/Guidelines
• APA Reference Examples
• Sample APA Paper
• Choosing a Hypothesis Test
• Writing a Method Section
• Tips for Scientific Writing

Participation and Class Discussions

Discussing research with other scholars is an essential skill for every scientist. Therefore, a large part of the course grade is based on attending class and participating in discussion. Please arrive on time to class. If you must miss class, I will be happy to meet with you to go over any material you missed. Just send me a message. Many of our class periods will be devoted to discussion of current research and debates in the field, centered around one or more journal articles on the topic.

Each discussion will be led by several students in the class. Everyone should be prepared to contribute to the discussion of the readings and how they fit with one or more broader theories in neuroscience. It's okay if there are things in the article you don't understand—that's why we discuss the material together. I am also happy to meet with you before class to answer any questions. If you must miss class for some reason on a day you are scheduled to lead discussion, please meet with me to make up the work.

Because of the hybrid format of the class, half of the class will be in-person and half will participate via Zoom on any given day. Please see the schedule to know which days you are expected to attend in-person versus on Zoom, determined alphabetically by last name. Both groups of students will participate in the class discussion. If you are unable to attend in-person for any reason, you may participate via Zoom.

At the end of each class, we will reserve a few minutes for everyone to write a brief response reflecting on the topic we discussed that day. In addition, for guest lectures, you will write a short (1 page) response paper on the lecture and associated readings.

Course Policies

Standard Villanova Course Policies

• Office of Disabilities and Learning Support Services: It is the policy of Villanova to make reasonable academic accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Go to the Learning Support Services website (http://learningsupportservices.villanova.edu) for registration guidelines and instructions. For physical access or temporarily disabling conditions, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 610-519-4095 or email Stephen.mcwilliams@villanova.edu. Registration is needed in order to receive accommodations.
• Academic Integrity: All students are expected to uphold Villanova’s Academic Integrity Policy and Code. Any incident of academic dishonesty will typically result in an "F" for the assignment and will be reported to the appropriate university officials. See the statement of the full policy on the Graduate Arts and Sciences website. You can view the Academic Integrity Policy and Code, as well as other useful information related to writing papers, at the Academic Integrity Gateway web site: http://library.villanova.edu/Help/AcademicIntegrity
• Absences for Religious Holidays: Villanova University makes every reasonable effort to allow members of the community to observe their religious holidays, consistent with the University’s obligations, responsibilities, and policies. Students who expect to miss a class or assignment due to the observance of a religious holiday should discuss the matter with their professors as soon as possible, normally at least two weeks in advance. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the absence. https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/provost/resources/student/policies/religiousholidays.html

Course-specific Policies

• Masks and Social Distancing: As it is every member's responsibility to contribute to the creation of a healthy and safe community, students are required to comply with University health and safety directives, guidelines, rules, regulations and protocols in times of emergency and/or public health concern. Violations may be referred for action under the Code of Student Conduct.
• Late Assignments: Except for in-class response journals, an automatic 3-day grace period applies to all assignments, such that any assignment submitted within three days of the due date will be graded without penalty. Assignments submitted after this grace period without prior approval will lose 25% of the total points, and assignments submitted more than two weeks after the due date without prior approval will receive zero points. If you will not be able to submit an assignment by the due date, let me know so we can work something out.
• Laptop Use: You are welcome to use your laptop for in-class activities (e.g., taking notes, viewing articles, looking up material we are discussing). Web surfing, texting, browsing Facebook, etc. is not allowed. Please be courteous to your fellow students, as it is very distracting if you are not focused on the course material.
• Modifications to Syllabus: If any information in the syllabus changes during the course of the semester, an updated version will be posted on the course website (i.e., this webpage).

Course Schedule