Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

General Microbiology Lab (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 3015-05

Course: BIOL 3015-05
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: BIOL
CRN: 30983

Course Description

Instructor:
Name:  Dr. Xiaoben Jiang                                                                
Office: SC 131C                                                                               E-mail:  xiaobenjiang@suu.edu

Office Hours:  
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Monday
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Monday  

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

Lab manuals can be downloaded from the Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:
-         Practice safety in the lab and safe handling of potentially dangerous organisms.
-         Use a microscope, stain bacteria, and describe the shapes and arrangement of cells.
-         Correctly identify a Gram + and a Gram - bacterial unknown.
-         Perform a basic streak isolation of mixed bacterial organisms.
-         Demonstrate proper aseptic techniques when working with microorganisms.
-         Demonstrate and understand the use of differential and selective media when culturing microbes.
-         Understand and interpret the significance of metabolic by-products of different microbes.
-         Master basic molecular microbiology skills such as DNA extraction, PCR, and Agarose Gel   Electrophoresis
-         Determine the bacterial composition of an unknown mixture of microorganisms.

Course Requirements

Materials (Required):
-         Lab coat
-         Safety glasses
-         Composition notebook
-         Black fine-point Sharpie marker
-         BIOL 3015 Laboratory Manual (Download from Canvas and print it out)

Course Outline

Grading:
Grades are based on quizzes, identification of unknowns, and various other assignments as listed. It is important that you don’t miss any labs. In addition, a lack of appropriate microscope care, lab neatness, preparation for the lab, and completion of lab activities may result in a reduction of participation points. 
The lab will account for 100% of the Biol 3015 course grade with grading as follows:  
(The final grade will include “+” and “-” for each letter grade.)      

             8 quizzes              80 points

              Notebook                10 points

              Hand in assignments

                      Gram Stain Slide              20 points

                      Streak Isolation              10 points

              Attendance, care of equipment, neatness              10 points

              Homework and proposal/flowchart              20 points

              Blast exercise              10 points

              Final Report (more details in class)    40 points

              Total              200 points
 
Grading Scale
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- |  

Laboratory Format
Most laboratory sessions will begin with a short (10 -15 minutes) introduction, which will be used for explaining new material as well as to answer questions from previous labs. You will be responsible for this material, and the quizzes may include information from them as well as the material covered by the instructor. Students may work in pairs, unless otherwise stated. Please note! When using the microscopes, you MUST have your instructor check your microscope when you are finished (before you put it away) to ensure that you have properly cleaned the lenses and prepared it for storage. Failure to do so, and any problems found later with your scope, may result in a loss of participation points.

General Safety Procedures      
Lab Safety Quiz
The first lab listed in the Lab Manual is Lab Safety. To help ensure that everyone understands the lab safety expectations, a detailed open book quiz will be given over this material. Each student must pass this quiz with a score of 90% or better.
It is required that all students learn these procedures and adhere strictly to the rules as outlined by your instructor.
1.      All bacteria are potential pathogens; therefore, always use aseptic techniques. Wipe down your workspace with the disinfectant provided before and after lab, wash your hands at the beginning and end of each lab, and always wear your lab coat.
2.      Report any spills or accidents to the instructor immediately. Do NOT attempt to clean them up by yourself.
3.      Never eat, drink, chew gum, or put anything into your mouth (i.e., pens, pencils, fingers, etc.) while working in the lab.
4.      Tie back loose hair.
5.      Wear gloves (provided for you) during the laboratory session.
 
Disclaimer Statement
Information policies 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 Schedule (Tuesday Lab)
| Lab # | Date | Day | Exercise
| 1 | 2/Sep/2025 | Tuesday | Getting Started (Introduction & Lab Safety)
| 2 | 9/Sep/2025 | Tuesday | Aseptic Technique I
| 3 | 16/Sep/2025 | Tuesday | Aseptic Technique II
| 4 | 23/Sep/2025 | Tuesday | Microscopy
| 5 | 30/Sep/2025 | Tuesday | Negative staining
| 6 | 7/Oct/2025 | Tuesday | Gram staining
|   | 14/Oct/2025 | Tuesday | Fall Break (no classes)
| 7 | 21/Oct/2025 | Tuesday | Biochemical Testing
| 8 | 28/Oct/2025 | Tuesday | DNA Isolation
| 9 | 4/Nov/2025 | Tuesday | Polymerase Chain Reaction
| 10 | 11/Nov/2025 | Tuesday | Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
| 11 | 18/Nov/2025 | Tuesday | Endospore Staining
|   | 25/Nov/2025 | Tuesday | Thanksgiving (no classes)
| 12 | 2/Dec/2025 | Tuesday | DNA Sequencing

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

Late/Makeup Work
All assignments are due at the date and time announced in class and/or listed on Canvas. You should always turn your assignments in on time. Late assignments will not be graded. Makeup homework will be only allowed for excused absences. 

Attendance Policy

Attendance
Attendance in all labs is required. There are no excused absences; if you must miss your specific lab, you need to get permission from the professor in advance. Each absence thereafter will result in a loss of 10 pts from your total grade.

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.