Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

General Microbiology Lab (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 3015-03

Course: BIOL 3015-03
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: BIOL
CRN: 30888

Course Description

Lab to accompany BIOL 3010. The student will use aseptic techniques and applied methodologies to isolate, cultivate, stain, and identify unknown bacteria. Laboratory exercises will include a survey of microorganisms and a demonstration of microbial properties. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 3010 Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Required Texts
  • BIOL 3015 Laboratory Manual (Download from Canvas and print)
Required Materials
  • Gallon Ziploc bag
  • Safety goggles
  • Composition notebook
  • Black fine-point Sharpie/permanent marker

Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world
    • Upon the successful completion of this course students will be able to:
      ▪ Demonstrate the proper use of the brightfield light microscope to view bacterial and eukaryotic microorganisms
      ▪ Use proper aseptic technique to maintain and transfer cultures to and from Petri plates, broths, stabs, and slants
      ▪ Use proper aseptic technique to successfully isolate bacteria using the streaking for isolation, spread plating, and pour plating methods
      ▪ Estimate bacterial numbers using optical density and dilution plating techniques
      ▪ Visualize bacterial cells and cellular features using important staining techniques
      ▪ Correctly prepare media, including broths and Petri plates, for the growth, isolation, and enumeration of bacteria
      ▪ Explain the principle of differential media
    • How these learning objectives will be achieved:
      ▪ Prepare for and carry out each laboratory protocol
      • Watch the introductory videos
      • Review the lab protocols
      • Write the protocol in your lab notebook before coming to class
      • Take notes in class over explanations and demonstrations
      ▪ Take responsibility for your own learning and participate in class as an active learner
      • Attend class each day and actively participate in lab discussions
      • Ask questions about anything you do not understand
      • Work through each protocol carefully
      • Build upon your understanding throughout the semester, seeking to master each technique
      • Keep your mind focused on understanding the underlying principles for each step and each protocol
      • Maintain a proper lab notebook, recording your procedures, observations, results, and drawing appropriate conclusions
  • Intellectual and practical skills
    • Upon the successful completion of this course students will be able to:
      ▪ Design and carry out novel microbiological research, including:
      • Experimental design
      • Isolation of environmental bacteria
      • Biochemical testing of environmental isolates
      • Genomic DNA isolation
      • Amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA gene
      • Sanger dideoxy sequencing of amplified 16S rRNA genes
      • Analyze sequencing results and perform a BLAST search to identify closely related species
      • Deliver an oral presentation introducing and explaining all aspects of your project as a logical narrative
    • How these learning objectives will be achieved:
      ▪ Develop familiarity with the equipment and techniques used by researchers in a microbiology laboratory
      ▪ Seek to master aseptic technique and the various sampling and staining methods to isolate and differentiate between different microorganisms
      ▪ Use the skills you learn in the first part of the semester to identify bacteria isolated from environmental samples during the second part of the semester

Course Requirements

Pre-requisites: BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615

Co-requisites: BIOL 3010

Assignment | % of Final Grade
Syllabus Quiz | 2.88%
Lab Safety Quiz | 2.88%
Weekly Lab Notebook Entry | 36.89%
Weekly Check Out Points | 41.50%
Oral Presentation | 14.41%
Final Lab Notebook | 1.44%

Description of Assignments
Syllabus Quiz: To help encourage study and understanding of the syllabus, a syllabus quiz will be administered on Canvas. You may reference the syllabus while you take the quiz, but please complete the quiz alone.

Lab Safety Quiz: The first lab listed in the Lab Manual is over Lab Safety. To help ensure that everyone understands the lab safety expectations, a detailed open book quiz, administered on Canvas, will be given over this material. Each student must pass this quiz with a score of 90% or better. This quiz must be passed before the Aseptic Technique I lab.

Optional Lab Notebook Preparatory Quiz: The ability to read and to follow instructions is crucial in science, when it comes to following protocols, in applying for grants, and in submitting reports. Accordingly, very detailed instructions have been provided for the Laboratory Notebook in the appendix of the Lab Manual. This optional Preparatory Quiz will be administered on Canvas to help you better understand the expectations for this assignment.

Weekly Lab Notebook Entry & Final Lab Notebook: A crucial skill in science is maintaining a complete and accurate Laboratory Notebook; it is from this notebook that scientific reports, papers, and presentations are created. Accordingly, each student will be expected to submit the Laboratory Notebook in which they maintained their record for the isolation and characterization of the microbes studied in the research project. This notebook should represent a complete record of every procedure and every observation made relative to the research project throughout the semester. For a detailed description of items required in the Lab Notebook, please consult the instructions for the Laboratory Notebook, available in the appendix of the Lab Manual.
  • Weekly Lab Notebook Entry: Rather than turning in the Lab Notebook all at once at the end of the semester, you will submit a photo of the Lab Notebook entry/entries you make each week, due Fridays at 11:59pm. You’ll receive feedback on each entry so that you can improve your subsequent entries and ultimately become proficient in keeping a Lab Notebook. Rubrics based on the Lab Manual’s instructions for the Lab Notebook and any specific expectations for each entry can be found with the assignment on Canvas.
  • Final Lab Notebook: At the end of the semester, you will submit your Lab Notebook for review of requirements that aren’t possible to review in the weekly entries. Requirements such as your index, your personal information on the cover of your Lab Notebook, and printed photos pasted/taped into your entries will be checked.

Optional Weekly Attendance Quiz: An optional Weekly Attendance Quiz will be available on Canvas before each lab. These quizzes are meant to help you gauge your preparedness for the lab and to help you identify key information related to the lab, including information required to be recorded in your Lab Notebook. Prepare for this quiz by reading and taking notes over the lab Introduction, Precautions, and Procedure in the Lab Manual, and watching the preparatory videos.

Important note: If overall class preparedness for labs is insufficient, Weekly Attendance Quizzes will become mandatory, at the instructor’s discretion. Once mandatory, quizzes will be administered at the start of class; attendance and timely arrival will be required to take the quizzes. Quizzes will be worth 10 points each and will be closed-book, closed-note, and taken individually.

Weekly Checkout Points:
Each day you come to a scheduled lab you will be scored on the following:
1. Advance preparations
a. Timely arrival
b. Wearing lab coat
c. Having a printed copy of the lab manual in your possession
d. Writing the protocol(s) in your lab notebook before coming to class
e. Wiping down the bench with disinfectant before beginning your work
f. Placing bags and personal items at the front of the classroom or far back within cubbies (not on the bench top or in aisles)
2. In class activities
a. Actively working on the assigned protocol during the scheduled lab session
b. Recording all updates to the protocol and all observations as the procedure is performed (the listed date for all entries must be made on the same day the action is performed)
c. Behaving in a safe and ethical manner, using proper aseptic techniques, and carefully following printed and verbal instructions
d. Being considerate of others
e. Properly labeling all cultures
f. Maintaining a clean and safe work environment throughout the lab session
3. Cleanup
a. Returning all chemicals and tools to their designated locations (if you don’t know where they belong, please ask)
b. Wiping down the bench and sink areas
c. Placing all trash, spent media, and disposables in appropriate receptacles
d. Washing your hands after all work and cleanup is complete
e. Following the provided check-out list

If you do not attend lab, you will receive a zero for checkout points. Points will be subtracted for infractions of lab rules (deduction values will vary based on the severity of the infraction).

Oral Presentation: You are being asked to bring all your evidence together and present a well-constructed argument for the positive identification of one specific bacterial species. Your audience is competent microbiologists; imagine that you are giving this presentation as a genuine researcher at a scientific conference. You will create a slideshow and submit a recording of yourself presenting your slideshow. Detailed instructions are available on Canvas.

Course Outline

Lab I: Getting Started
Lab II: Aseptic Technique 1
Lab III: Aseptic Technique 2
Lab IV: Microscopy
Lab V: Negative Staining
Lab VI: Gram Staining
Lab VII: Biochemical Testing
Lab VIII: DNA Isolation
Lab IX: Polymerase Chain Reaction
Lab X: Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
Lab XI: Endospore Staining
Lab XII: DNA Sequencing

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

  • Assignments are due at the date and time listed on Canvas. In general, late assignments will automatically receive a 10% deduction for every 24 hours late, beginning 1 minute after the due date & time.
  • Technical difficulties are NOT a legitimate excuse for submitting late work. If you are having Canvas issues, please email your completed work to me prior to the deadline.
  • Opportunities to make up missed work will only be provided for legitimate emergencies – see emergencies policy below.

Attendance Policy

Attendance and timely arrival is required in this class. You are also required to stay for the full duration of each lab session, unless otherwise instructed.
  • Lab activities are interdependent throughout the semester, so missing any lab will set you back in all subsequent labs. For this reason, regular attendance is essential for successful completion of this class.
  • If you are sick or experience a legitimate emergency, please contact me ASAP. I will arrange for you to attend a different section to complete your work.

Grading Policy

The following grade scale will be used to assign letter grades to your work:
A: >= 94%
A-: 90-93.9%
B+: 87-89.9%
B: 84-86.9%
B-: 80-83.9%
C+: 77-79.9%
C: 74-76.9%
C-: 70-73.9%
D+: 67-69.9%
D: 64-66.9%
D-: 60-63.9%
F: < 60%

  • If you identify an error in your grade, please inform me within 7 days of the grade being posted. After 7 days from the initial posting of the grade, the grade becomes final.

Emergencies Policy

  • I am willing to make reasonable accommodations for you, at my discretion, if an emergency arises.
  • It is your responsibility to contact me about an emergency as soon as possible. When you contact me, please provide documentation of your emergency. For example:
    • If you are physically or mentally ill, please provide a doctor’s note.
    • In the unfortunate event of a death in your family, please provide a death certificate, obituary, memorial service, or other form of documentation.
  • The following list includes, but is not limited to, examples of non- emergencies: family trips (whether planned or spontaneous), inclement weather where campus remains open, technical difficulties prior to a deadline, roommate disagreements, weddings, your job, etc

AI Policy

  • Use of artificial intelligence for any reason is not allowed in this course.
  • Use of artificial intelligence will be treated as academic misconduct according to SUU Policy 6.33.

Statement of Safety / Risk Assumption

There is inherent risk associated with any laboratory course, and this Microbiology Lab course is no exception. Risk in this laboratory includes, but is not limited to, thermal burns, cuts, eye damage, chemical burns & poisoning. Following stated safety guidelines; heeding verbal warnings; and wearing closed-toe shoes, gloves, and safety goggles will help minimize risk and help keep you and your classmates safe.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

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.