Students will also be given a bacterial culture to identify. Most of these will be organisms we have used in exercises. ALL students will perform 5 tests in total: a Gram stain, fermentation tests (fermentation tests for glucose, sucrose, and lactose are considered a single test), and then 3 other tests (enzymatic or selective/differential media) on the unknown sample (these are selected by the student, must represent logical/critical thinking for which tests are to be performed, and MUST be approved by Dr. Hollier prior to being performed). You must perform and interpret the results of the tests, record the results in your lab notebook as you perform the experiments, and ALL the actual results (not the table in your notebook, but the actual test result in the tube/on the plate) MUST be shown to Dr. Hollier. A final report for the unknown identification must be turned in as a LAB REPORT by the date stated in the class schedule. Unknowns are graded in two parts:
(i) 100 points for technique performance. For each test you perform incorrectly 10 points will be deducted from the 100 points (example: you have to perform the gram stain 2 times to get it correct = 10 points lost for the first incorrect result; have to perform the gram stain three times = 20 points lost for the first and second incorrect results). This section is designed to assess your ability to perform the techniques you have learned in the course. Follow instructions in the handout “Unknown Identification”.
(ii) 100 points for the laboratory report. Follow instructions in the handout “Unknown Identification”.
The rules and regulations for assessed work, references, and cheating and plagiarism still apply. Remember, this unknown identification (technique performance and report combined) is part of your course grade that cannot be made up / extended (see course grade part of the syllabus for value), so do it correctly and follow the instructions described. You will lose points if you do not follow the directions above!
The unknown identification is used by Dr. Hollier to assess your ability to perform the tests correctly, follow directions in the laboratory manual, photographic atlas, & exercise introductions, and to critically think. As such, if Dr. Hollier catches you asking for help performing any test, helping another student perform any test, asking another student for help in selecting your tests, or helping another student select their tests for them as they are struggling, then BOTH individuals will lose 10 points from your “performing test correctly” grade of the unknown. This will be applied as many times as you are caught. Students MUST learn to perform tests themselves and learn critical thinking skills for themselves. Students will use the unknown handout, information in the lab manual, photographic atlas, and exercise introductions to help you select which 3 tests you need to perform. You have to use critical thinking skills when selecting tests, as tests MUST be approved by Dr. Hollier. You may need to justify why you selected a specific test. You will be turned away to critically think if you just start listing tests in the hope of selecting an appropriate test (you will also have to fully justify and explain why the tests you eventually select are appropriate if you are turned away for this reason). Dr. Hollier will NOT give any assistance with the tests (if you do it wrong Dr. Hollier will watch you do it wrong and not tell you what you did wrong afterwards) or the unknown report (Dr. Hollier will not check any unknown reports, you must learn to follow the directions the handout “Unknown Identification”).
Failure to complete all tests and identify the organism by the last date listed as unknown tests in the schedule will result in a zero grade for the entire unknown grade for the course. You must actually learn in this laboratory course and show that you have learned. Not knowing what you are doing and thus taking longer than this time demonstrates that you have not learned the techniques in this course.
The first file you upload will be the one graded. Make sure you have followed all directions in the handout “Unknown Identification” in iCollege and upload the correct file.