DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL COMMUNICATIONS

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

HSC302H5S LEC0101
Biocommunication Visualization
Course Outline - Winter 2024
Class Location & Time Mon, 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM CC 3160
Instructor Sophia Marie Huebel
Office Location Health Sciences Complex, room 327
Office Hours Friday 12-2
E-mail Address sophia.huebel@mail.utoronto.ca
Course Web Site https://q.utoronto.ca/courses/336442

Teaching Assistant Juno Shemano

E-mail Address juno.shemano@mail.utoronto.ca

Course Description
This course covers analysis and development of visual media for medical or scientific topics. Lectures include: light/form;
proportion/scale; scientific visual conventions; media appropriate for target audience and reproduction. Topics may include:
physiology, anatomical/biological subjects, patient education or health promotion. Classes consist of lectures with computer lab
explorations. [12L, 24P]

Prerequisite: HSC200H5
Exclusion: HMB304H1 (SCI)
Distribution Requirement: SCI

The UTM Calendar states that students who lack the prerequisites for a course can be deregistered at any time

Objectives
Upon completion of this course students should be able to:

• Create competent, accurate line-drawings of biological subject matter.

• Represent three-dimensional form using tone when drawing biological subject matter.

• Use digital colour in the accurate, representational depiction of biological subject matter.

• Observe conventions of depiction, layout, labelling, and other aspects of image organization in creating observational illustrations
of biological specimens.

• Demonstrate an understanding of basic design concepts for print media.

Demonstrate an understanding of assigned readings and lecture material by appropriate application of content in class activities,
assignments, and quizzes.

Required Textbook and Materials

Readings

There is no textbook for this course. Required readings, available through the UTM library (online) or as handouts, will be assigned
throughout the term. Links will be provided on Quercus.

Software

The software used in this course is Adobe (Illustrator and Photoshop).

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 The Mac workstations in CC3160 are equipped with the Adobe Creative Suite for your use.

Other supplies

You will need the following materials to work on the illustration assignments at home:

• pencils: #2, or HB (wood or mechanical)

• eraser: Pink Pearl or white vinyl (block or stick)

• photocopy or printer paper

• removable digital storage media-e.g. large capacity USB key, for regular backup

• masking tape

Assessment and Grading Policies

Type Description Due Date Weight
Assignment Labeled skull specimen illustration line art 2024-01-29 20%
Assignment Labeled specimen illustration tonal art 2024-03-04 20%
Assignment Labeled multi-part botanical illustration 2024-04-01 30%
Quiz Skull and insect morphology 2024-02-05 10%
Quiz History of natural science and medical illustration 2024-03-11 10%
Quiz Plant morphology 2024-03-25 10%
Total 100%

Notes on Assessment Items

The following is an overview of each assignment. More detailed instructions will be provided during the term.

NOTE: Assignments 1, 2, and 3 require a digital upload of all preparatory work (sketches completed in class) and final files.
Incomplete submissions will be graded out of 75%.

Assignment 1: Labelled skull specimen illustration, line art (20%), due January 29, 1 p.m. EST

Complete an accurate line drawing of an anatomical specimen (small mammal skull, provided), using traditional media and
techniques covered in class. Execute your sketch as a vector illustration in Adobe Illustrator, and submit the completed, labelled
illustration as a digital le suitable for print reproduction, along with preparatory sketches. Guidelines for labelling and instructions
on le preparation will be given in class.

Assignment 2: Labelled specimen illustration, tone art (20%), due March 4, 1 p.m. EST

Based on lecture material, lab work, and readings provided, complete an accurate tonal rendering of a large scarab beetle using
digital media and techniques covered in class. Label your drawing and submit the completed, labelled illustration as a digital le
suitable for print reproduction, along with your preparatory sketches.

Assignment 3: Labelled multi-part botanical illustration (30%), due April 1, 1 p.m. EST

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 Based on lecture material, readings provided, research, and observational drawing, create a multi-part layout to represent the
habitus and diagnostic characteristics of a specific flowering plant. In Adobe Photoshop, render the illustrations in colour, include
scale bars, and submit the completed, labelled layout as a digital file suitable for print reproduction, along with all of your analogue
preparatory sketches.

Quizzes (30%), throughout the term

3 quizzes (10% each) will be given throughout the term at the beginning of class. Quizzes will be based on lectures in previous
classes.

Teaching Methods and Academic Supports

You have enrolled in this course and your attendance is expected at lecture, tutorials, labs, and tests.

Lectures:
Most classes will consist of about an hour's lecture on topics listed in the course schedule. The remainder of the class (~2 hours) will
involve a variety of demonstrations, exercises, and discussions.

Labs:
Drawing labs will be held in DV2059 on January 15, February 5, and March 11.

Procedures and Rules

E-Mail Policy
The University's official method of correspondence with students is through their University of Toronto e-mail accounts. It is the
student's responsibility to keep his/her @mail.utoronto.ca account active and check it on a regular basis.

All e-mails from students must include your full name and student number as well as have the course code in the subject line.

Re-Mark Policy
Requests for re-evaluation of course work must be made in writing to the instructor no later than one month following the return of
the work. Re-evaluation may result in a grade increase, decrease, or no change.

Religious Observance
Information about the University's Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious
Observances is at http://www.viceprovoststudents.utoronto.ca/publicationsandpolicies/guidelines/religiousobservances.htm

Missed Term Work and Absence Declarations

You are expected to complete and submit all assignments on time.

Students may use the ACORN Absence Declaration Tool only once per academic term, for a single absence period of up to
seven consecutive days. Access to the Absence Declaration Tool can be found in ACORN. Students may use this one-time
absence declaration if they miss an academic obligation during the term at their discretion for circumstances such as, but not limited
to: illness or injury; a personal or family emergency (e.g., unanticipated and unavoidable beyond the student’s control);
bereavement; chronic health matter; documented disability; or other University sponsored event (e.g., field trip, award ceremony,
university athletic obligations). The one-time declaration is not intended to be used for: personal social obligations; travel not
related to academic programs; technological issues; avoidance of assessments or deadlines; and, any matters that require a
petition (e.g., final exam/final assessments). Please note that students may also not be able to use this one-time absence
declaration for some assessments in a course, such as a test or a quiz, in which case the student would be required to provide
supporting documentation and the specifics of the required documentation will be outlined in the course syllabus. For any other
absences during the term, the student must follow the missed work policy outlined in the course syllabus and may be asked
to provide supporting documentation (e.g., Verification of Student Illness or Injury Form-VOI). If the instructor is requesting
medical documentation, please provide this to the course administrator or Diane Matias in Room DV3057.

If you miss a quiz or assignment: Contact the instructor within 48 hours to reschedule.

All assignments are due at the dates and times specified above. Work submitted after the due date and time will be considered
late. Unless you have documentation from Accessibility Services or have declared your absence on ACORN and contacted
your instructor within 48 hours of the assignment due date (see below), there will be no exceptions.

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 Submission of late work will affect your final grade at a rate of 5% for every day (including weekends) that your work is late.
Missing assignments will be given a grade of zero.

Documentation and Procedures:

1. Declare your absence on ACORN and contact your professor via email within 48 hours of the missed quiz/test/assignment.
2. If you have already used your one time declaration of absence for the semester or if you are not eligible for it as described in
the above paragraph, submit an explanation in writing within one week, detailing the University-approved circumstances,
beyond your control, that caused you to miss the quiz/test/assignment. The explanation must be accompanied by proper
documentation (originals, in hard copy) and should be submitted to the Department of Biology to Diane Matias
(d.matias@utoronto.ca). Include your name, your student number, your @mail.utoronto e-mail address, your phone number,
the course designator/ code, and a description of the item you missed (e.g., Quiz #1). The standard Verification of Student
Illness or Injury is the appropriate documentation to submit if you were ill.

The written explanation and documentation that you submit represents an appeal from you, requesting the opportunity to make up
that portion of your grade in some other manner. If an appeal is not received, or if the appeal is deemed unacceptable, you will
receive a grade of zero for the item you missed. If the appeal is granted - that is, your reason for missing the test is considered
acceptable - then a mechanism for making up the missed item will be offered.

If your appeal is accepted, it may be considered appropriate to do a weighted average of your other term marks to make up for the
missed item, rather than setting a makeup date. If a makeup is offered, the date will be determined by the course instructor, and you
will be notified. The general format and content of the makeup will be similar to the original test, but the specific format and
content may not be the same.

Academic Integrity
The code of Behaviour on Academic Matters states that:

The University and its members have a responsibility to ensure that a climate that might encourage, or conditions that
might enable, cheating, misrepresentation or unfairness not be tolerated. To this end all must acknowledge that seeking
credit or other advantages by fraud or misrepresentation, or seeking to disadvantage others by disruptive behaviour is
unacceptable, as is any dishonesty or unfairness in dealing with the work or record of a student.

- University of Toronto Mississauga Academic Calendar

It is your responsibility as a student at the University of Toronto, to familiarize yourself with, and adhere to, both the Code of
Student Conduct and the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.

This means, first and foremost, that you should read them carefully.

The Code of Student Conduct is available from the U of T Mississauga website (Registrar > Academic Calendar > Codes
and Policies) or in your print version of the Academic Calendar.
The Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters is available from the U of T Mississauga website (Registrar > Academic
Calendar > Codes and Policies) or in your print version of the Academic Calendar.
Another helpful document that you should read is How Not To Plagiarize, by M. Proctor.

Honesty and fairness are considered fundamental to the University's mission, and, as a result, all those who violate those principles
are dealt with as if they were damaging the integrity of the university itself. When students are suspected of cheating or a similar
academic offence, they are typically surprised at how formally and seriously the matter is dealt with and how severe the
consequences can be if it is determined that cheating did occur. The University of Toronto treats cases of cheating and plagiarism
very seriously.

Examples of offences for which you will be penalized include (but are not limited to):

Using any unauthorized aids on an exam or test (e.g., "cheat sheets," cell phones, electronic devices, etc.)
Representing someone else's work or words as your own (plagiarism)
Falsifying documents or grades
Purchasing an essay
Submitting someone else's work as your own
Submitting the same essay or report in more than one course (without permission)
Looking at someone else's answers during an exam or test
Impersonating another person at an exam or test or having someone else impersonate you

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 Making up sources or facts for an essay or report.

As a student it is your responsibility to ensure the integrity of your work and to understand what constitutes an academic offence. If
you have any concerns that you may be crossing the line, always ask your instructor. Your instructor can explain, for example, the
nuances of plagiarism and how to use secondary sources appropriately; he or she will also tell you what kinds of aids-calculators,
dictionaries, etc.-are permitted in a test or exam. Ignorance of the rules does not excuse cheating or plagiarism.

This information is taken from a series of University of Toronto policies written to help students understand the university's rules
and decision-making structures. To view these policies, please go to <www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.htm>. All of the
policies and procedures surrounding academic offences are dealt with in one policy: "The Code of Behaviour on Academic
Matters." Students should also thoroughly review the information at the Academic Integrity web page,
<www.utm.utoronto.ca/academic-integrity>.

Visual work poses specific challenges when it comes to academic integrity. Lectures will cover copyright law as well as strategies
to ensure that your visual work is entirely original. Visual plagiarism, like textual plagiarism, will not be tolerated.

Additional Notes
Digital files

Corrupted data files are not an excuse for late work. You are expected to back up your work appropriately and verify that submitted
files are intact. If you submit a corrupted or un-openable data file, your assignment will be subject to the late penalty of 5% per day
until an intact file is submitted in its place.

Data backup

All students are responsible for the safety and integrity of their data. You must make regular and complete backups of your work in
progress, whether to the cloud, a second hard drive, or USB key. Failure to hand in an assignment due to hardware failure, data
corruption or data loss will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment.

Other Resources
AccessAbility
The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the AccessAbility Resource Centre. Please let me
know in advance, preferable in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. To schedule a
registration appointment with a disability advisor, please call the centre at 905-569-4699 or e-mail at: access.utm@utoronto.ca.
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/access/

Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre

Students can visit the Academic Skills Centre to consult with one of its strategists about understanding learning style, developing
study plans for upcoming tests/exams, or discussing papers. Special Diagnostic Assessments are also offered and are designed to
help you learn exactly where you stand with respect to critical academic skills.
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/asc

UTM Library (Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre)

The University of Toronto boasts the biggest academic library in Canada and the second biggest in North America. Various services
are available to students at the UTM Library and across the UofT library system. Services including borrowing, interlibrary loans,
online references, laptop loans and the RBC Learning Commons. For more information, visit http://library.utm.utoronto.ca.

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 Course Schedule
Schedule

Date Lectures (L) and tutorials Readings (links available on Quercus) Due dates
(T)

8 Jan Course overview

L: Skull anatomy and

morphology

T: Observational drawing;
introduction to sighting
with a grid

15 Jan L: No lecture today;
tutorial runs 1:10-4:00
DV2059 Drawing Lab
T: Drawing lab for
assignment 1
Pages 148-151, 153-155, figures on pages 158, 159 in:
De Iuliis, Gerardo and Dino Pulera. 2010. The
Dissection of Vertebrates: A Laboratory Manual.
Amsterdam: Elsevier.

22 Jan L: Line drawing

T: Working with vector

tools (Adobe Illustrator)

29 Jan L: Insect morphology; Holzenthal, Ralph W. 2008. Digital illustration of Assignment 1 due
tonal drawing insects. American Entomologist 54(4): 218-221.

T: Observing light on form;

working with paint tools
(Adobe Photoshop)

5 Feb L: No lecture today; Quiz 1:

tutorial runs 1:00-4:00
DV2059 Drawing Lab skull and insect
T: Drawing lab for project morphology (Jan.
2 8 and 29 lecture)

12 Feb L: History of scientific Wall, S. and D. Mazierski. 2017. Observation and

illustration: representation: Natural science illustration, 1450-1900.
natural science illustration In The History of Illustration, ed. Susan Doyle, Jaleen
Grove, and Whitney Sherman. London: Bloomsbury-
T: Tonal rendering Fairchild Books. pp. 138-153.

Reading week

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 26 Feb L: History of scientific
illustration: medical
illustration and its relation
to the evolution of
medicine and scientific
inquiry
Wall, S. 2017. Visualizing bodies: Medical illustration
from the Enlightenment to the nineteenth century, 1420-
1860. In The History of Illustration, ed. Susan Doyle,
Jaleen Grove, and Whitney

T: Review of layout and

composition

4 Mar L: Plant morphology; "Stem structure", "Leaf types and arrangement" and Assignment 2 due
conventions in botanical "Flower structure" from: Glimn-Lacy, Janice and Peter
illustration B. Kaufman. 2006. Botany Illustrated. New York, NY:
Springer.
T: Review of colour
theory, project workflow
for multi-part composition

11 Mar L: No lecture today; Rauh, Dick. The science of botanical art: Dissection. Quiz 2: history of
tutorial runs 1:00-4:00 Reprinted from The Botanical Artist 18(2) by the natural science
DV2059 American Society of Botanical Artists. (webpage) and medical
T: Plant dissection and illustration (Feb.
Drawing Lab drawing lab for assignment 12 and 26 lecture)
3

18 Mar L: The ethics of image use

T: Working with reference

images; painting with
digital colour

25 Mar L: Contemporary practices Mazierski, D. 2017. Medical illustration after Gray's Quiz 3: plant
of scientific illustration Anatomy: 1859-Dearly 2000s. In The History of morphology (Mar.
Illustration, ed. Susan Doyle, Jaleen Grove, and 4 lecture)
T: Work on final Whitney Sherman. London: Bloomsbury-Fairchild
assignment Books. pp. 464-483.

1 Apr Assignment 3 due

Last Date to drop course from Academic Record and GPA is March 11, 2024.

Every attempt will be made to follow this syllabus, but its content are subject to change, according to the rules as outlined in the
UTM Instructor's Handbook, section 3.2.2.

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