Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General

WEEK 1: It's the first day of lab. What do I need?

You are required to complete all pre-lab assignments before coming to every lab meeting, including the very first day of class. You also need proper PPE to stay in lab. This includes a lab coat, chemical splash goggles (like these), closed toe shoes, and long pants. If you have long hair, it must be pulled back. TAs will take the first 15 minutes of lab to ensure you have met all these requirements, and if you have not, you will be asked to leave and will receive an unexcused absence for that week.

WEEK 1: I won't be able to attend lab the first week, will I be dropped? 

Submit a Support Ticket here as soon as possible and someone from our team will help you.

WEEK 1: I scored less than 70% on the pre-lab during the first week, will I be dropped from the class? 

No. If you have attempted the Pre-lab Quiz 1 in Labflow, but did not pass it with a 70% or higher, you will receive an unexcused absence and you will NOT be dropped from the class. 

WEEK 1: I'm enrolled in a lab section, but I have another conflicting class. Can I change sections?

No. This is a highly impacted class and it is important to not double enroll while registering for your courses. You may add yourself to the waitlist for the sections you are able to attend. We do not allow student's to switch sections at any time during the quarter. 

WEEK 1: I would like to switch lab sections with another student enrolled in the course. My lab time works for them and theirs works for me, so we just want to switch into each other's section. Is there a way we can be given the add codes for our respective sections so we may switch labs? 

No. We are not giving out add codes, nor are we allowing switches to occur. Again, under no circumstances will we be allowing switches between students for EEMB 2LL. If your scheduled lab section no longer works for you, you may drop the course and add yourself to the waitlist for a time/section that does.  We offer EEMB 2LL in the Fall and Spring quarters. Should you have any questions regarding your academic plan, please reach out to, and schedule a meeting with, your academic advisor. 

WEEK 1: I'm on the waitlist, what does that mean and how will it impact me if I do get in?

Be sure you are only on the waitlist for sections you can actually accommodate, as we do not allow sections switches between students after you're offered a spot. If you are added to the lab course...

• And your class has not yet happened: Complete the Module 1 Quiz with a 100%, register for LabFlow, and complete the Week 1 Pre-lab with a 70% or better before the start of your section. You must also have the appropriate PPE to enter lab.  
• After it's already met (eg. your section is scheduled for a Tuesday and you were added on Wednesday). You will receive an extension for completing the, Module 1 Quiz, the Pre-lab Quiz, and a virtual workbook assignment. Your absence will be excused for the first week, but it is worth noting that this absence will count towards the, "three absences = F" policy.  

No matter what category you fall under, you will receive a welcome statement when you're added to the class. Read that carefully! It outlines what will be required for you.

I have a question regarding lab that is not content related. (e.g. What do I do if I want to change my lab time?; How do I late-enroll in lab?; I'm sick and need to miss lab?; etc.)

The quickest way to get your administrative question for lab answered is to submit a Support Ticket here and someone from our team will help you with your request. 

I have a question regarding my lecture that is not content related. (e.g. I am a DSP student, how do I get my accommodations?; My exam score is missing, is there a reason why?; etc.)

The quickest way to get your administrative question for all lecture courses answered is to submit a Support Ticket here and someone from our team will help you with your request. 

I have a question regarding content discussed in my lab or lecture course. Who do I go to for an answer?

The Intro Bio Team deals with administrative issues, so we unfortunately will not be able to answer your content questions. Here are our suggestions for how to get your content question answered: For lecture: whether about a lecture topic or a midterm question, attend the faculty member's office hours to ask the faculty for clarification. For lab: you can attend your TA's (or any TA's) office hours, or Dr. Nguyen's student hours, to get feedback on drafts, to ask questions about pre-labs, etc.

Grades

Is MCDB 1LL/ EEMB 2LL graded on a Curve?

No. There is truly no curve given, nor any grades adjusted for these courses. The course is graded on a points based system. Check your syllabus for grade cut offs. 

I got a 89.98% can my score get rounded to a 90% 

No. First, it's worth mentioning that we do not utilize percentages, we look at the total amount of points earned and have designated cutoffs for grade allocations. Secondly, we do not round. Every point and fraction of a point matters, as does every extra credit opportunity. That being said, boundaries must exist somewhere and they must be honored.  

When are Final grades posted?

You can check here for grading deadlines

When will my assignment grades be released?

TAs are instructed to grade hand written assignments within one week from when they were originally due. Grades are often withheld when a great percentage of TAs have not met this grading deadline. Please be patient, your TAs are student's too! 

Why was my workbook assignment score changed to a zero? 

Workbook assignments are only graded if you were present throughout your entire lab, or if you have been granted an extension through our excused absence policy. Any workbooks submitted for individuals with an unexcused absence will not, and should not be graded. A TA sometimes will mistakenly grade these assignments. This also applies for situations where you may have shown up late (past the 15 minute rule in which you are not allowed to stay), or were dismissed for not having proper PPE. 

Am I docked off points on my assignment for having an excused absence? 

No. With an excused absence you may be given an extension. You can get up to full credit for assignments submitted within the extended period of time given. If you miss the extended deadline, or, if no extension was granted, you end up missing the  original deadline you may be subject to any late penalty. Please note, not all assignments have late penalties. 

My TA gave me a different deadline than what's posted on Canvas/Labflow? Who's right?

TAs are not authorized to change any existing deadlines for a singular student, their section, or the class; therefore, we do not honor deadlines changed by TAs. If this has happened in your section, promptly reach out to the intro bio team.   When in doubt, check the syllabus for all deadlines and contact an intro bio administrator by submitting a support ticket. 

What's the difference between a User error and a Technical Error?

User error - something within your control or the result of something that you did or did not do (Not reading instructions carefully, not submitting the right document to the right location before the deadline, simply forgetting deadlines, not verifying submissions, etc.)

Technical Error/Issues: Circumstances that are beyond the user's control (Canvas/Labflow/Gradescope system outages, incorrectly posted deadlines, on campus wifi/LAN outages etc.) 

As we understand there is a lot of technology involved with this course, we are always happy to help with a potential technical or formatting issue before the deadline. Similarly, these questions can be answered before the due date in a TA's or Dr. Nguyen's office hours. However, once that deadline has passed, we cannot make an exception to policy. We understand that initially this might not seem fair, as you may consider this a minor mistake. This is why we strongly recommend that students do not wait until close to the deadline to turn in assignments; however, it is your responsibility as the student to turn in your assignment before the deadline and double check that it is the correct, complete assignment with proper formatting.

I missed my deadline but I have proof that I haven't worked on my assignment since. I can also provide a google doc link where you can check the history. Can I still turn it in for a late penalty?

No. If you missed your deadline we will not grade your submission. What you submit, where you submit it, and when you submit it, matters. 

Absences

Why the 3 Absences = F policy? 

Three absences (excused or unexcused) is more than 30% of the course. The instructors feel this is simply too much hands-on experience missed, and would detrimentally impact the intended experience and curriculum. 

How can I get my absence excused?

First, check the policies document in Canvas to determine if your absence can be excused. Although not exhaustive, we do have a list of examples of absences that would, or would not, be excused. Then, send in a support ticket with your associated documentation. Please allow for 3 business days to hear back from the Intro Bio Team regarding their decision.

What does it mean to have an excused absence?

An excused absence allows you to complete all in-class work without penalty. An extension is usually (but not always) granted for the work missed. An excused absence DOES count towards the three absence = F policy. 

What does it mean to have an unexcused absence?

An unexcused absence does not allow you to complete any in-class work. If in-class work is submitted and you have an unexcused absence for that week, your grade will be changed to a zero for those assignments.   An unexcused absence  counts towards the three absence = F policy. 

My TA let me stay even though I did not pass the pre-lab why was my grade changed?

You and your TA are acting against our policies and expectations outlined in our statement of expectations and syllabus. Any work completed will not be graded. If it is mistakenly graded, your grade will be changed to a zero for those assignments and you will be given an unexcused absence. If you've accumulated three absences, you will receive an F in the course. 

My TA said my absence can be excused, why am I still being marked as unexcused?

You and your TA are expected to follow the policies outlined in our course. A TA is not authorized to unilaterally excuse an absence. 

I have a scheduling conflict and can't make lab. Can I just switch to another lab section for one week?

Unfortunately, no. To ensure a fair and safe learning experience for all students, attending another lab section during the week is not permitted under any circumstances. While we understand that scheduling conflicts may arise, we are unable to make any exceptions for students who have concurrently enrolled in courses.

Labflow, Gradescope, & Canvas

I can't access the documents in Module #1 on Canvas, I'm getting an error. 

You are likely logged into a personal email account alongside your UCSB account. Unfortunately, things get wonky when you're signed into multiple accounts and google gets confused. Log out of all other accounts before logging into your @ UCSB email in order to access all documents on the site. Launching Incognito Mode in Chrome and logging into your @ UCSB email will sort out the issue. 

When I try to sign up for LabFlow, I get the following message: "This course is only accessible as a link from your school's primary learning platform." What should I do? 

In order to gain access to LabFlow the correct way, you must first complete module #1 in Canvas. Once you do, you will open up the rest of the Canvas site, including the correct link to LabFlow. From there, please use the instructions linked in the syllabus to sign up for LabFlow.

I don't know how to find my enrollment code for Labflow.

In the eLab Manual module, you'll see a link for instructions on how to sign up for LabFlow. In part B, it describes how to look up your enrollment code. (If you are enrolled in the course, you have an enrollment code.)

How do I verify my submission on Gradescope.

When you submit your work, you will receive an automated email from Gradescope that includes the date and time you turned in the assignment, the assignment due date, the late due date (if your instructor set one), and a link to your submission. The email also reminds you that you can resubmit work as many times as you need to until the due date passes or the timer runs out (if your assignment is timed).

Check the email to make sure you submitted your work to the right assignment! 

Do I have to sign up for Gradescope?

No, you are automatically added to the course.

How to access my Gradescope Assignments?

Click the Assignment in Canvas, a Gradescope portal should automatically launch.