2. Sources of “POINTS”

a. Examinations (Will provide 195 points or approximately 49% of your grade.)

1) There will be 4 such examinations.

2) Each will have a point value of 65 points.

3) Your lowest score will be dropped and hence you cannot “make up” these examinations. You may take the examination early in the Learning Center, if I have the examination available to give you.

4) The examinations will be 30% of a written nature and 70% Scantron questions. NOTE: It is your responsibility to have a suitable No. 2 pencil and eraser.

5) You may have 1, 3 X 5 inch standard index card, on which, you may put any information that you feel will help you with the examination. The information must be put on the card in PENCIL. Any violation of these rules; will result in a score of “0” for the examination and THIS SCORE WILL NOT BE DROPPED . I will check your index card (if you have one) during the examination for compliance with these rules.

6) It is possible that you will be assigned seats in a random fashion for these examinations.

7) Beginning with Examination #2, the examinations will cover materials previously dealt with. The value of this material will be 10% of the examination or 6.5 points out of 65.

8) In the event that an examination is not given on the date listed, be prepared to take it during the next regularly scheduled class meeting.

9) You can not take examinations if you arrive 20 minutes or later after the examination has started. Your score for the examination will be recorded as a zero and no make ups will be permitted.

10) TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EXAMINATIONS

#1. Feb. 7 (Th)
#2. Feb. 28 (Th)
#3. Mar. 27 (Th)
#4. April 21 (Th)

b. Final Examination (Will provide 105 points or approximately 26% of the total course points.)

1) If you miss this examination, it can be “made up”. However, it will need to be made up during the following semester and hence, I will issue an “I” grade. The “make up” will be entirely of a written nature.

2) This examination will be entirely Scantron in its format with the exception of dilution problems.

3) You may take this examination early in the Learning Center, providing I have it available.

4) This examination will be comprehensive in nature.

5) You may have 1, 5 X 8 inch; standard index card with any material that you feel will aid you during the examination. The same rules apply to this examination that were noted for the course examinations above.

6) You may be assigned seats in a random fashion for this examination.

7) This examination will be given on the last regular meeting of class for the semester.

c. Laboratory Unknown I (Will provide 20 points or approximately 5% of the total points.)

1) You will be presented with a culture tube containing a pure culture of a bacterial species in a liquid.

2) You will be asked to provide answers to certain questions about this bacterium such as its Gram Reaction.

3) You may have with you any materials that you feel will be of use to you in answering these questions. Hence you do not have to memorize the exact staining procedures.

4) If you miss this laboratory, you can make up this work. However, it will involve coming in early to class.

d. Laboratory Unknown II (Will provide 20 points or approximately 5% of the total points.)

1) You will be presented with a liquid culture containing a mixture of 2 bacterial species. Your first task will be to determine the Gram reaction and shape of each species. This phase of the unknown will be worth 6 points.

2) You will then proceed to set up a streak plate and then to examine the plate for the presence of isolated colonies. This phase of the unknown will be worth 6 points. These points will be awarded based on the quality of your streak.

3) You will examine your streak plate and locate isolated colonies. This phase will be worth 2 points.

4) You will then utilize a flow chart to identify one of your isolated bacterial cultures. This phase will be worth 6 points.

e. Laboratory Skills (Will provide 40 points or approximately 10% of the total points.)

1) During the course of the laboratory, you will be asked to do such laboratory activities as the Gram Stain for my inspection and grading.

2) Each of these activities will carry a point value of between 1 and 5 points.

3) These activities cannot be made up.

4) These activities are unscheduled. They will occur randomly during the course of the semester when it appears that time permits during the laboratory.

f. Laboratory Calculations (Will provide 20 points) or approximately 5% of the total points).

1) This group of points will take the form of a series of problems that will be included on your final examination.

2) The problems will involve the production of a specific amount of reagent or stain based on a “formula”, dilution problem, and the determination of size based on micrometry.

g. THE PROPER STORAGE OF YOUR MICROSCOPE

1) These instruments represent a considerable investment of funds and hence proper care must be afforded them. One aspect of this care involves the manner in which they are put away after class use.

2) PROPER CARE OF THE MICROSCOPE:

a) You are to return them with their dust covers in place to their storage area.

b) The cord is to be wrapped about the base in a neat fashion.

c) The stage is to be lowered as far down as possible with the coarse focus control.

d) All traces of immersion oil are to be removed from the objectives and stage of the instrument.

3) Failure to comply with the above mentioned rules: will result in the following penalties.

a) First occurrence – A loss of 2 points

b) Second occurrence – Loss of 4 points

c) Third occurrence – Loss of 8 points

d) Additional occurrences – A continuation of the doubling pattern.

3. Special notes concerning grading:

a. If you are a transfer student, you should consult an academic advisor concerning how the school that you are transferring to will “treat” a C- grade.

b. Your final course percentage will be calculated by taking the total number of points that you have obtained and then dividing by the total number of points possible. This number will then be rounded off “in the standard manner,” i.e. 95.5 = 96. This number will then be applied to the above mentioned table to determine your letter grade.