Portland Community College - Cascade Campus

Portland Community College, Cascade P.O. Box 19000, Portland, OR 97280 BI 234, Microbiology Laboratory Syllabus Winter 2010, CRN #13144, Sa/Su 3:30-5 & #41808 in JH 216

Instructor: John Volpe, Ph.D. web site: http://spot.pcc.edu/~jvolpe/b/bi234/ Mailbox: Jackson Hall 210 office hours: Tu, Th 6-6:50 PM & Sat 5-6 PM, or by appointment Voice mailbox: 503-244-6111 ext 3057 (leave a message, but I forget to check it often) E-mail (best): jvolpe@___.edu

Texts: 1. Leboffe, Michael J. and Burton E. Pierce. A Photographic Atlas for the Microbiology Laboratory 3rd edition Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. Menlo Park, CA 2005. 2. (Optional) Pierce, Burton, E. and Michael J. Leboffe. Exercises for the Microbiology Laboratory 3rd edition Morton Publishing Company, Englewood, Colorado 2005.

Grading in Bi234 lab: The laboratory is an integral part of BI 234 and 30% of your grade will be earned in it. You must pass the lab to pass this course. Lab grades are awarded on points earned. An A is 90% or more of all points, a B is 80% or more, C 70%, D 60%. Unknown Assignment (100 pts., 10% of overall grade, 33.3% of lab) Poster (65 pts., 6.5% of overall grade, 21.7% of lab) 2 Lab Practicums (50 pts. ea., together are 10% of overall grade, 33.3% of lab) Weekly quizzes and a few assignments (35 pts., 3.5% of overall grade, 11.7% of lab)

This is the hardest biology class at PCC. With our workload, you cannot fall behind and succeed. My quizzes should assist you in your weekly progress. Quizzes will be at the start of lab and will be over the previous two day's assignments (or 1 week). Quizzes will be early in the week except maybe before a practicum.

Expectations: I expect you to make every effort to attend all labs. If there is room, you may attend another lab during the same week, but realize that other instructors often have a different schedule than ours. If attending another lab, let both instructors know it and realize it is your responsibility to make sure that things get forwarded to me. If you turn in any papers or quizzes, make sure you put my name and lab at the top of your papers so that the other instructor can forward them to me. You may also come in during an open lab, but realize some supplies may not be available. Due to the schedule, if you miss a Sat/Sun lab, you will need to make it up before you miss it. Absence from lab affects your LAB grade as follows: More than 3 absences Grade of not better than C More than 4 absences Grade of not better than D More than 5 absences Fail to pass the lab Late Work: Up to one week late, docked 10%, otherwise, 50% until I post answers. Missed quizzes cannot be made up without extenuating circumstances. Late work will not be accepted during the last week. Grade options: This class may be audited by sending the paperwork to your lecture instructor by the 4th week of class. Students are responsible for withdrawing themselves from class. I believe withdrawing can be done up till the 8th week of class.

Equipment: In addition to textbooks, paper and pen, you will need: • A scantron • A 3-ring plastic notebook for a laboratory notebook • A hair band (if you have long hair). Long hair can fall into Bunsen burners and catch fire. You MUST tie it back according to Federal regulations. • Wear old clothes. We will be handling stains in the lab. • Lab coat; latex gloves (optional, if you do not want stained hands) • Calculator and Colored pencils (both optional)

Keeping a Lab Notebook: Good record keeping is your key to success. You will find that keeping a lab notebook is critical to preparing the lab report on your unknown.  I suggest you get me to sign off on your observations in your notebook. Prep mistakes occasionally occur and you do not want to be penalized for them.  For each exercise module your notebook should include: o The objectives of the exercise o A brief description of procedures (you may cite the book) o Your results (including sketches) o Your conclusions  Make a worksheet with sections for each of the above and fill the pages in as you go! Check the main lab website for a template (Unknown Summary Record Sheet). Keeping your lab notebook up-to-date is critical to obtaining the information you’ll need for determining your unknown. Your lab notebook will not be turned in.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: If academic dishonesty occurs, I will act in accordance with guidelines contained in the Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook at PCC. If you are caught cheating or help someone else cheat (including allowing another to copy answers), you will receive 0 points for that assignment. If it occurs a subsequent time, you will receive an F in the course and will be referred to the Dean for further disciplinary action, such as expulsion from PCC. PLAGIARISM IS ACADEMIC DISHONESTY! If two people work together on a paper outside of class or a homework assignment, they must each turn in an independent product. I encourage you to work together, but you must write your own answers in your own words.

General Rules 1. Be courteous to your lab mates, class mates, and instructor. Help each other; you’ll be your best resources. 2. You are expected to have read lab materials before coming to class, lecture materials sometime before an exam. 3. No talking, phone or computer use during exams. In lecture and exams, turn cell phones off or to vibrate. 4. If you have a problem, speak to your instructor. Lab Rules and Procedures 5. Report spills and accidents to your instructor. 6. Wash your workbench before and after and your hands after each lab. This is good lab procedure and P1 rules. 7. No food or drink in the lab. Any food or drink must be in a closed container in your backpack at all times. No smoking, chewing gum, or chew is allowed. You must wear closed toed shoes in lab. In warm weather, many may not be wearing these, but you must switch your shoes before the lab. 8. Your gear, coats, backpacks, etc should be in the back of the lab and not at your workbench. Books, notebooks, pencils, may be at your bench. 9. Long hair has to be tied back for fire safety reasons. No exceptions when a Bunsen burner is used anywhere in the lab! 10. Assume every organism is hazardous. Do not put fingers, pens, or other objects in your mouth while in the lab. 11. Clean, carry, and maintain your microscope in the proper fashion. 12. Properly label all tubes and plates w/ your name, the date, and the nature of the culture (or the experiment). 13. Dispose of all materials properly. All cultures or items that have touched a culture are assumed to be hazardous and must be disposed of properly in a hazardous waste bag. If unsure, ask your instructor. 14. All contaminated disposable supplies, Petri dishes, and pipets should be placed in an autoclave bag kept by the back sink. All glass tubes should be placed in a rack and all slides should be placed in the used slide beaker containing bleach near the back sink. Noncontaminated disposable supplies should be thrown in the trash, unless they are glass, then they should be placed in the broken glass container. If unsure, ask your instructor. 15. Turn off your Bunsen burner when not in use. 16. No cultures can leave the lab for any reason. 17. The slide boxes stick. When opening, put a slide box on a table & carefully pry open the lid. Otherwise all the slides may fly out and break on the floor. 18. Handle all tubes and plates by gripping the tube or plate, not the lid! You also will need to wash some glassware. 19. Do not deviate from a taught technique w/o permission from the instructor. You will be taught techniques to minimize contamination of yourself and the surrounding environment as well as sterile techniques.