BIO 205L Summer 2013

Section 001: 9:00 – 11:00, Mondays and Wednesdays Section 002: 2:30 – 4:30, Mondays and Wednesdays

Microbiology Laboratory Syllabus

Larry M. Weiskirch, Ph.D.

F-250 Ferrante Hall Office Phone = 498-2418 WeiskirL@sunyocc.edu ANGEL = http://sunyocc.sln.suny.edu

Office Hours: I’m usually around before class, after class, and on most Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Attendance and Participation Policy

Laboratory attendance is mandatory. Labs will be preceded by a brief lecture to provide background and introduce relevant new material, as well as to review important concepts from the previous week. Information presented in lab may not be contained in the text or lab handouts. It will not be possible to "make up" missed labs. It is important to be on time or early to each lab; labs will begin promptly. At the beginning of class, important instructions for the lab will be given. If, due to extraordinary circumstances, you are unable to attend the lab you are scheduled for, it might be possible for you to attend an alternate lab session (lab session times are listed in the upper right corner of this page); please make prior arrangement with the instructor. Attendance and participation in lab will contribute to the lab grade: points will be deducted for absences, late arrivals, or early departures; points may be deducted for unsafe or improper lab conduct. Please be aware that most labs can be completed within the scheduled time, but there are some labs that might require extra work before or after the scheduled lab class time. Different students work at different rates; being well prepared BEFORE coming to lab makes it easier to complete everything within the scheduled time. Also, most students find it helpful to make at least one extra trip to lab to work on the Unknown Identification Project.

Grading The lab grade contributes approximately 30% to the final course grade. A comprehensive Lab Final, given the last week of lab, will cover lab procedures, techniques, and results, as well as background material from the lab manual, handouts, and the instructor's presentations. A written report on the Unknown Identification project and the lab worksheets for each exercise will also be graded. Lab worksheets will be graded for completeness and effort. The Lab Conduct component of the grade will consist of adherence to proper safety, cleaning, and waste disposal procedures. In addition, lab procedures must be read BEFORE coming to class. Quizzes will cover material covered in previous labs, and will be closed-book, closed-notes. The approximate distribution of points for the lab course is summarized below: POINTS Lab Worksheets (12 worksheets total; up to four points per worksheet deducted if late or incomplete) = 50 Lab Quizzes (four, each 12.5 points) = 50 Unknown Identification Project (Report due in Lab on July 29) = 50 Comprehensive Laboratory Final Exam (In Lab on July 31) = 150 Attendance, Participation, and Lab Conduct (points may be added or subtracted) = 0 TOTAL = 300

Supplies Needed for this Lab Course The lab manual is a packet of handouts available at the bookstore; the individual labs are also available on the ANGEL site. In addition, you will need access to the lecture textbook (Microbiology: Principles and Explorations, by J. Black). Page numbers are provided for the 8th OR 7th editions of this book (page numbers for the 6th edition are also available). Other supplies: You will need a Lab Coat of some sort. You probably also will need a 3-ring binder to organize your handouts, notes, and diagrams. DO take notes each week at the beginning of lab!

Lab Safety and Lab Conduct Lab Hazards: In Microbiology Lab, we will routinely work with live cultures of microorganisms. While the strains we use generally are not pathogenic (disease-causing) forms of these microorganisms, you should keep in mind that a sufficient quantity of any microorganism can potentially cause disease. In many labs, we will also work with chemical reagents that may cause chemical burns to skin, eyes, and other body surfaces or damage your clothing. We will often work with heat sources that could burn you or possibly set your clothing, hair, or books on fire. For the safety and health of yourself and others in the lab, it is essential that you follow safety guidelines at all times in the lab. These guidelines are detailed in the Lab Safety handout, and in the instructions for Labs 1, 2, and 4. Your safe conduct in lab, including clean-up, will contribute to your grade. Flagrant disregard for safe lab practices may result in removal from the course with a failing (F) grade.

Study Habits: How to do well in Microbiology Lab

Microbiology is an intense, advanced-level course for most students. We will cover a great deal of material. Consider the following recommendations for studying:

1. Attendance is important. If you miss a lecture or lab, your grade will suffer directly, because attendance and participation affect lab and lecture grades. In addition, you will have a harder time understanding the material, and will have trouble on exams.

2. It is important to carefully read over the lab procedures before class, both for safety and so you can complete the lab work in a timely fashion.

3. Different study techniques work best for different people. You may need to experiment a little to find the best approach for you. I strongly recommend going back over the lab manual or ATLAS as soon as possible after lab class – preferably the same day. At this time, answer the study questions on the handouts, if you haven’t already done so in class. You may also find it helpful to answer these questions (perhaps on a notecard):

What procedures were performed? What are these procedures used for? What special reagents or techniques are employed? What is the underlying biological basis? What different kinds of result can be obtained? What do these results indicate? 4. While reviewing the material, think about it: if something didn’t make sense, review the text especially thoroughly.

If you have questions, the best time to ask is at the next lab. Chances are, others are also confused. 5. If you are unable to get clarification in class, feel free to contact me out of class. My office room number, email

address, and office phone number are listed on the first page of this syllabus. 6. Sometimes, it is helpful to hear material explained by another student. You can arrange for tutoring at OCC through

the Content Tutoring Center, C-372 (third floor of the Library Building); 498-2573. Faculty referral NOT required! 7. After you’ve studied your notes and text, you might find it helpful to study with other students in the class. 8. Don’t plan on studying by trying to cram in all of the information the night before the quiz or exam. Keeping up

with the material will require an ongoing effort. Expect to spend at least two hours reviewing lab material after each lab, IN ADDITION to the time you spend preparing for the next week’s lab. This may sound like a lot, but if you conscientiously read the lab manual, study your notes, answer the worksheet study questions, and review material with your study partners, you will find it easy to spend this much time. Plan accordingly!

9. If you aren’t doing well in the class, PLEASE SEE ME!!! Questions you may want to address include: note-taking skills, time management, study style and study habits, and whether a tutor or the Study Skills Center might help,

Test-Taking Tips: How to do well on Quizzes and the Exam The format of quizzes and the lab final will include a mixture of short answer (multiple choice, true/false, matching, and fill-in-the-blank) and short essay (questions that ask you to describe, diagram, compare and contrast, or problem-solve). You are probably familiar with these types of exam question format already. Here are a few tips to help you improve your exam performance:

1. For ALL QUESTIONS, be sure to read the whole question, completely, before you answer it. 2. For multiple choice questions, “all of the above” and/or “none of the above” are sometimes the correct answer. If

the first option on a question seems right, be sure that other answers are not also correct. If most or all of the choices seem correct, then “all of the above” is probably the correct answer.

3. For multiple choice and fill-in-the blank questions, you should always select or provide the best possible answer. If more than one choice on a multiple choice seems correct, but the answer is NOT “all of the above,” then try to choose the answer that is BEST.

4. For true/false questions, keep in mind that for the answer to be true, the ENTIRE statement must be true. If PART of the true/false statement is incorrect, then the statement is false.

5. For short essay questions, it is important to READ the question carefully. It is easy to skim over the question too quickly and accidentally make an incorrect assumption about what the question is asking. Also, many questions consist of several parts (define this, compare it to that, and discuss the benefits of each). It is important to answer each PART of the question. After you finish, re-read the question to verify that you answered it.

6. It is always a good idea to ask for clarification if you are unsure about something. 7. After you finish the exam, but before you hand it in, check your work. It isn’t necessarily a good idea to second-

guess yourself on every question – many students change correct answers into incorrect answers. But be sure that you answered every question.

Academic Honesty Briefly, academic honesty means that when you hand in a written project or exam, the work should be your own (or, if it is a group project, the work should be the work done by the members of the group). You are expected to adhere to principles of academic honesty. It is your responsibility to understand academic honesty and recognize inappropriate conduct. Examples of academic dishonesty include cheating on exams or quizzes, facilitating the cheating of others, and plagiarism. Plagiarism is the use of any sequence of words taken from another source without attribution. This means that if you use information from some source, such as a textbook, lab manual, newspaper or magazine article, or a web page, then you must indicate the source of the information by appropriately citing the source. If you use a sequence of words taken verbatim from another source, this direct quote must be enclosed in quotation marks, and the source must be appropriately referenced. This is true even if the sequence of words is less than an entire sentence. When writing a paper or lab report, you generally must cite the source of information even if you paraphrased or reworded the information. If you have ANY questions about proper academic conduct, please contact me to clarify. For additional information on Academic Misconduct policies, please read the Biology Department’s Policy on Academic Misconduct, which is posted outside of F-252 (Biology Department Office) and is also available in the CLASS FILES section of ANGEL, in the BASIC COURSE DOCUMENTS folder. OCC also has a campus-wide policy, found in the Academic Rules (Section IV – Academic Integrity). To download a copy of the Academic Rules, go to < http://students.sunyocc.edu/academics.aspx > and click on the Academic Rules link. Be aware that if you are caught cheating or plagiarizing in this class, you will receive a failing grade (F) on that assignment, exam, or quiz, and may receive a failing grade for the course. In addition, a description of the incident will be filed in the Office of Student and Academic Services.

Lab Schedule Note: If Lab is cancelled, we typically make up the missed lab the following lab session. Check ANGEL for updates. Dates to Remember: Friday, June 14 = last day to DROP this course (or Saturday, June 15 via WebAccess); Friday, July 26 = last day to WITHDRAW (or Sunday, July 28 via WebAccess).

Date:

Topic

Reading & Reference (Microbiology: Principles & Explorations, by J. Black)

Mon 6-03 Lab 1: Introduction to the Lab; Lab Safety & Microscopy

8th edition: 51 – 52, 57 – 58, 78 – 79, 80, 240 - 242 7th edition: 54, 59 – 60, 81 – 83, 241 – 242 6th edition: 53, 57 – 58, 78 – 80, 233 – 234

Wed 6-05

Quiz 1: Lab Safety and Microscopy Lab 2: Smear Prep and Simple Stain

QUIZ!! (on Lab 1) 8th edition: 76 – 77, 683 7th edition: 180, 678 – 679 6th edition: 77, 645 – 646

Mon 6-10 Lab 3: Gram Stain and Endospore Stain Deadline to DROP is June 14 (in person) or June 15 (online).

8th edition: 68 – 70, 79, 81 – 86, 164 - 166 7th edition: 70-73, 83 – 88, 163 – 164 6th edition: 68 – 71, 80 – 85, 158 - 159

Date:

Topic

Reading & Reference (Microbiology: Principles & Explorations, by J. Black)

Wed 6- 12 Quiz 2: Aseptic Technique, Smears, Simple Stain, Gram Stain, Endospore Stain Lab 4: Culturing Bacteria (begin)

QUIZ!! (on Lab 2 and 3) 8th edition: 11, 158 – 159, 166, 167 7th edition: 11, 158 – 159, 165 6th edition: 12, 153 – 154, 160

Mon 6-17 REVIEW for Lecture Exam 1 (Bring Questions!!!)

Review your lecture notes and the ANGEL study questions.

Wed 6-19 Lab 5: Determining Cell Number (begin) Lab 4: Culturing Bacteria (conclude)

8th edition: 150 - 152 7th edition: 150 – 152 6th edition: 145 – 147

Mon 6-24

Lab 6: Biochemical Properties of Bacteria (begin) Lab 5: Determining Cell Number (conclude)

8th edition: 125, 172 - 173 7th edition: 127, 170 – 171, 172 6th edition: 123, 165 – 166, 167

Wed. 6-26 Lab 7: Isolation of Normal Human Microbiota (begin) Lab 6: Biochemical Properties of Bacteria (conclude)

8th edition: 577, 683 7th edition: 577, 678 6th edition: 550, 645

Mon 7-01

Lab 8: Introduction to Unknown Identification Project Lab 7: Isolation of Normal Human Microbiota (conclude)

Handouts Distributed in Lab

Wed 7-03 Quiz 3: Culturing Bacteria, Determining Cell Number, Biochemical Properties of Bacteria, Isolation of Normal Human Microbiota REVIEW for Lecture Exam 2 (Bring Questions!!!) Lab 8: Inoculate slants, record culture characteristics.

QUIZ!! (Labs 4, 5, 6, and 7) Review your lecture notes and the ANGEL study questions. Flow Chart Due

Mon 7-08 Lab 8: Open Lab. Finish Gram Stain, Perform tests for Gm+ and Gm- Bacteria

Wed. 7-10 Lab 9: Control of Bacteria – Physical Methods (begin) Lab 8: Finish Gram Stain, Perform tests for Gm+ and Gm- Bacteria, Read test results.

8th edition: 338 – 341, 350 - 360 7th edition: 341 – 343, 352 – 361 6th edition: 328 – 330, 339 – 347

Mon 7-15 Lab 10: Control of Bacteria – Chemical Methods Lab 9: Physical Methods of control (conclude) Lab 8: Perform tests / Read test results

8th edition: 341 – 350 7th edition: 343 – 352 6th edition: 330 – 338

Wed 7-17 Lab 11: Eukaryotes: Fungi, Protozoa, and Helminths Lab 10: Chemical Methods of Control (conclude) Lab 8: Perform tests / Read test results.

(See pages listed on lab handout)

Mon 7-22 Quiz 4: Control of Bacterial Growth (Physical and Chemical Methods) and Eukaryotic Pathogens REVIEW for Lecture Exam 3 (Bring Questions!!!) Lab 8: LAST CHANCE to inoculate cultures.

QUIZ! (Labs 9, 10, and 11) Review your lecture notes and the ANGEL study questions.

Date:

Topic

Reading & Reference (Microbiology: Principles & Explorations, by J. Black)

Wed 7-24 Lab 12: Immunology: Agglutination, Precipitation, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbence Assays. Lab 8: Read final test results, discard cultures. Note: July 26 = last day to WITHDRAW (or July 28 online)

8th edition: 567 – 568 7th edition: 567 6th edition: 541

Mon 7-29 Review for Lab Final Exam Clean Up! Turn in Lab Coat for Autoclaving. All cultures should be thrown out. NOTIFY INSTRUCTOR if you still need unknown cultures saved.

Unknown Report DUE

Wed 7-31 Lab Final Exam – in lab at the time your lab section normally meets.

Mon 8-05 Wed 8-07 No Lab