MICROBIOLOGY

(BIOLSC50LS-080)

GENERAL INFORMATION:

 

Fall Semester 2008, Tu & Th 6-7 pm (lecture) and 7:00 - 9:50 pm (lab) (First class 8/18/2008)

 

INSTRUCTOR:               W. Dirk Sikkema

OFFICE HOURS:           Tu & Th, 5-6 pm in classroom

PHONE:                        925-687-6460

E-MAIL:                        dsikkema@blacksage.com

 

TEXT:                           MICROBIOLOGY, An Introduction by Tortora, Funke & Case 9th ed

LAB MANUAL:              MICROBIOLOGY, Experiments & Lab Techniques by Alderson

MANUAL SUPPL.:         A PHOTOGRAPHIC ATLAS for the Microbiology Laboratory

SUPPLEMENT:             Supplement to the Lab Manual for Microbiology

 

 

GRADE CRITERIA:

 

1.         LECTURE EXAMS  (x4)                                     100 pts ea                           400

 

2          LAB PRACTICAL EXAM                                     160 pts ea                           160

 

3.         QUIZZES                                                          10 pts ea                             ~50

 

4.         LAB TECHNIQUES PRACTICAL                         50 pts                                   50

 

5.         LAB REPORTS (10 to 30 points each)                                                         ~300

            (If you are absent on the day that a lab is conducted you,

            cannot turn in a lab report for that day)

 

6.         LAB TECHNIQUE OBSERVATIONS (30 points)                                                30

 

7.         FINAL EXAM (comprehensive)                           160 pts                                160

 

APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF TOTAL POINTS                                                       ~1120

 

A          90%-100%

B          80%-89%

C          70%-79%

D          60%-69%

F          <59%

 

 

LAB REPORTS:

 

For each lab exercise, do the following for a lab report:

 

1.         Cover Sheet:  (typed or neatly written and not torn out of a spiral notebook) in  the following format:

a.         Purpose:  What are you going to learn in this exercise (one or two sentences).

b.         Results:  Drawings, charts or diagrams of data obtained from your work.  You may use the pages from your lab manual.

c.         Conclusion:  An explanation of your results and a discussion of what variables might have affected your results. Should be a paragraph or two.  Discuss what you think you have learned from this exercise.

 

2.         Questions:  There are usually questions at the end of each exercise.  Answer completely.  You may answer a separate sheet of paper or turn in the question sheet from your lab manual attached to your cover sheet.

 

On days that there are more than one lab, you must turn in a separate lab report for each lab exercise.  Lab reports are usually due one week from the date the experiment was performed in class.  Late lab reports will lose 10% per class period late no matter what the excuse. 

 

LAB TECHNIQUE:

 

The Microbiology Laboratory can be a dangerous place.  It is important to employ good technique in order to protect yourself and others.  Part of your lab grade will be based upon observations of the instructor regarding how you conduct your experiments.  This also includes clean up of your position and making sure the microscopes are returned (without slides on stage or oil on the lenses).