Biology for the Informed Citizen

Additional Book Details

Biology for the Informed Citizen by Donna M. Bozzone and Douglas S. Green, more than any other non-science majors biology book, helps student connect the concepts of biology to the consequences of biology - the consequences that students can and should see in every facet of their lives, if only trained to identify them. This text aims to teach the concepts of biology, evolution, and the process of science so students can apply their knowledge in their everyday lives as informed consumers and users of scientific information.

The book's Cases, Concepts, and Consequences approach connects the concepts of biology to the consequences of biology through the text's major themes - the process of science and evolution - which help to show students not only "what we know" but also "how we know what we know."

Cases: An engaging biological issue opens every chapter and is revisited throughout

Concepts: Foundational biological ideas are introduced within the context of important cultural and social issues

Consequences: The concepts and consequences of biology are connected to enhance students' abilities to make informed decisions about biological issues

This version of the text does not feature Physiology. For more information about Biology for the Informed Citizen with Physiology, please search for ISBN 9780195381993.

Features

*Rich Case Studies open each chapter to highlight an issue or challenge with biological significance and focuses on the consequences of biology. These cases motivate the material in each chapter and demonstrate ways in which conceptual understanding of biology can be used to make informed decisions about important issues. Cases in the book include "Sickle Cell Disease, Malaria, and Human Evolution" (Chapter 4), "The Infidelity Gene" (Chapter 1), and "Lactose Intolerance and the Geographic Variation of Human Traits" (Chapter 9).

*The Process of Science is also demonstrated throughout the text in two types of short, high-interest essays in each chapter:
--Scientist Spotlight essays show the process of biology with biographical information and historical context about the real individuals whose scientific discoveries have made tremendous impacts on all of our lives. Scientists profiled include Rosalind Franklin (Chapter 4) and Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher (Chapter 9).
--How Do We Know? essays look beyond memorizing facts to get students thinking critically about how we know what we know. These essays include "Pedigree Analysis" (Chapter 4) and "Constructing Evolutionary Trees" (Chapter 9).

*Real -World Application essays help students learn and reinforce biological concepts. The intersection of global issues, ethics, and social responsibility with biological research, ideas, and knowledge help students understand our culture in a fuller context through two types of essays:
--Life Application essays, like "The Effectiveness of Genetic Screening" (Chapter 4) and "Public Acceptance of Evolution" (Chapter 9) present specific real-world examples illustrating how biological knowledge can be used to help individuals and society make informed decisions.
--Technology Connection essays like "Electrophoresis" (Chapter 4) and "Genbank" (Chapter 9) describe specific methods and tools of scientific research are being used to shape the world in which we live.

*Every chapter in Biology for the Informed Citizen includes carefully crafted pedagogical tools to help students learn and reinforce biological concepts.
--Chapter Learning Objectives at the start of each chapter (based on Bloom's taxonomy) correspond to the main headings and provide a framework for the key concepts to help students focus on what is most important.
--Questions-Based Chapter Titles and Section Headings model the spirit of inquiry at the heart of the scientific process.
--Simple and Clear Illustrations in each chapter help students visualize important concepts. The art program uses a consistent format to help guide students through complex processes.
--Marginal Glossary defines key terms in the margins of the pages on which the terms appear, so students can easily find definitions and explanations when preparing for exams.
--Chapter Summaries at the end of each chapter are organized around the chapter learning objectives, numbered chapter sections, and highlight and reinforce the main concepts.
--Review Questions at the end of each chapter offer multiple choice and short-answer, asking students to recall core information presented in the chapter. Answers to the multiple choice questions appear at the end of the book.
--The Thinking Citizen advanced questions at the end of each chapter ask students to think critically and analytically about the main chapter concepts.
--The Informed Citizen advanced questions at the end of each chapter ask students to apply biological concepts to relevant cultural and social issues.

*The book is written with the foundational concepts that comprise a standard non-science majors biology course but it is organized on a "need-to-know" basis, placing biological topics within the context of important cultural and social issues, but without excessive detail, organized into four units.
--Unit 1: The Scientific Study of Life
--Unit 2: Reproduction, Inheritance, and Evolution
--Unit 3: Interacting with Nature

*Biology in Perspective sections place the chapter concepts in larger context.