Grading:
Grades will be posted on canvas. I aim to have shorter assignments graded one week after the due date and longer assignments (i.e. Exams) two weeks after the due date. If you have a question about any of your grades, you have one week after the grade is posted to contact me and discuss the grade. After one week has passed there will be no discussion and you will receive the grade posted. Course grades are based on the following:
| Assignment | Point value | Total Points
| Assignments (50% of grade):
| 10 homework assignments | 10 @ ~40 points | ~400 points (approx.)
| Pop quizzes working in groups (TBD) | |
| Exams (50% of grade):
| Two Unit Exams | 2 @ ~200 points | ~400 points
| Comprehensive Final Exam | ~200 points | ~200 points
Purpose of Quizzes:
Quizzes are an integral part of this course, designed to help you reinforce and refresh the concepts you have learned. Quizzes serve as a valuable tool to prepare you for upcoming exams, ensuring that you have a solid grasp of the course content. Additionally, quizzes promote active learning and encourage you to stay up-to-date with the topics covered in class. They also offer an opportunity for collaborative learning, as you can discuss quiz content with peers, helping each other understand and apply the concepts more effectively. Through these quizzes, you will not only track your progress but also build confidence in your ability to succeed in this course.
Homework Assignments:
Homework assignments will be posted on Canvas. This assignment will be due a week later or the designated time. You must turn in your assignments in hard copy during the class time.
Exams:
Two Unit exams (each approximately 200 points) and one Final exam (approximately 200 points) will be administered throughout the semester. The Unit exams will be administered in the Testing Center; the Final exam will be administered in class on the date and time scheduled by the university. Unit exam will be on the material covered both in class and on the homework assignment since the last exam, each exam may include questions from previous topics, especially those that relate to the current unit.
The final exam is comprehensive and will focus on the application of your accumulated knowledge; this exam will be scaled to 200 points. The final exam will be administered on the date scheduled by the University; this exam will only be administered on this date; no early or late exams will be given so schedule any travel plans accordingly.
All exams must be taken on the scheduled date and time specified on Canvas.
Grading Policies:
The standard Canvas scale, shown below, will be used to assign letter grades to your work this semester:
| 94-100 A | 87-89.9 B+ | 77-79.9 C+ | 67-69.9 D+ |
| 90-93.9 A- | 84-86.9 B | 74-76.9 C | 64-66.9 D | < 61 F
| | 80-83.9 B- | 70-73.9 C- | 61-63.9 D- |
No grade pleading will be entertained. Your grade is exclusively your responsibility and is based on your level of work throughout the semester. The key to earning the grade you want is daily study, hard work, carefully following instructions, and submitting assignments on time. All assignments and all grading policies apply to the entire class as a whole; no special extra credit work or special considerations will be offered to individual students. To maintain the right that all students have to earn the grade that represents their level of effort and understanding, grades are not curved in this class.
Grade adjustments may take place at the end of the semester at the instructor’s discretion; these adjustments apply to the class as a whole and will never be applied selectively or on an individual basis. These adjustments will not be posted on Canvas; students will need to wait until grades are posted to the Student Information System (SIS) to see the final reported grade.
You are strongly encouraged to monitor your grades closely throughout the semester; if you see an error in grade calculations, please inform your instructor within 7 days of the grade posting. Requests for regrading/corrections must be submitted in writing within this time period. End of semester wranglings over points assigned on older assignments will not be entertained.
Disclaimer Statement:
Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Tentative Topic Schedule
Note: This is a tentative schedule that is subject to change depending on the needs of the class.
· Unit I
§ Introduction, History of Microbiology, and Nomenclature
§ Cell Theory
§ Microscopy
§ Microbial morphology
§ Prokaryotic cell structure
§ Eukaryotic cell structure
§ Exam 1
· Unit II
§ Microbial growth
§ Microbial metabolism overview
§ Microbial catabolism
§ Microbial anabolism
§ Geochemical cycles
§ Archaeal diversity
§ Exam 2
· Unit III
§ Fungi: Ecological roles
§ Fungi: Reproduction
§ Fungi: Major Phyla
§ Protists: Classification and roles
§ Protists: Major Groups
· Unit IV
§ Other optional topics (e.g., Bacterial diversity, Virology, Microbial Genetics)
§ Final Comprehensive Exam