BIO 208 MICROBIOLOGY - Syllabus and Course Policies
A. General Information
This course is a one-semester survey of microbiology required for Biology majors and minors, dietetics
majors, and public health majors.
B. Course Logistics
Meeting Times and Locations: Lectures meet Mon. and Wed. from 11:00-11:50 in Brooks 176. Labs are
scheduled for 2 one hour and fifteen minute periods per week in Brooks 130. Each lab section is limited to
18 students and the course is typically filled to capacity; as a result it is not possible to attend lab sections
other than the one for which you have enrolled unless someone drops and you are able to change sections
via the registrar’s office.
Instructor: Dr. Gregory Colores
email: color1gm@cmich.edu (note: this is the best way to reach me)
Office hours: Tues. and Wed. 12:30 – 2:30 in Brooks 185.
Phone: 774-3412
C. Materials Needed
1. Textbook: Tortora, G.J., B.R. Funke, and C.L. Case. 2004. Microbiology. An Introduction. Eighth ed.
Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Inc. Redwood City, CA. 898p. With CD-Rom. ISBN: 0-80537613-5. Alternatively, the Seventh ed. (white cover) is perfectly acceptable too.
2. Laboratory Manual: Course Pack.
3. Access to the World Wide Web and an e-mail account. I will be posting many class materials on the
Web, and expect every student to check the Web site for announcements at least once a week. I can be
reached more easily by e-mail than by any other method, and will reply to any concern or question you
raise if you have an e-mail account.
4. Microscope slides with cover slips.
5. Colored pencils.
6. Sharpie marker (black or blue ink)
D. Reading Assignments
Reading assignments in the text are listed with the topic outline. Readings and lecture will complement each
other. I cannot cover every detail in lecture and will expect you to supplement lectures with certain
information from the text. Don’t fall behind. Try to read the assignment before each class, or at the very
latest on the same day as class. Work with the "Learning Objectives" to focus your attention on the key
concepts in each passage and chapter end "Study Questions" to test your reading comprehension. Answers
to chapter end study questions will be posted on the web site.
E. Tests and Grades
Three lecture tests will be given. The final exam will cover the final unit of material in the course as well
as a cumulative review of important themes from the entire course. The 3 lecture tests will be given during
scheduled class times. Be on time! Since there is a class immediately before this one and a class
immediately following you will only have the allotted class time to complete the exam.
Makeup tests are available only to students who have a legitimate excuse for missing an exam, such as
personal illness or injuries requiring a doctor's visit, sanctioned athletic team event out of town, or death in
the immediate family. If you know in advance that you must miss a test, see me in advance and bring
documentation to support your anticipated absence. If you miss an exam unexpectedly because of lastminute illness or accident, contact me when you return to campus (or by phone or email if you will be away
for some time) with documentation of your situation. MAKE-UP TESTS WILL BE GIVEN ONLY FOR
EXCUSED ABSENCES AND ONLY ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 16 AND AT NO OTHER TIME IN
THE SEMESTER FOR ANY REASON.
Final Exam Policy
This is the University policy on scheduling of final exams: "Students scheduled for more than three
examinations on the same day may arrange to have the examination in excess of three [that means the 4th
one] rescheduled for another time during the examination week." Since our Final begins at 10am, I do not
anticipate rescheduling a final for anyone.
Grading
Three in class exams
Final comprehensive exam
Laboratory quizzes
Laboratory reports
Total possible
450 pts
200 pts
100 pts
250 pts
1000 pts
Grading Scale (Number of points required to obtain
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
930+
900870840800770740929
899
869
839
799
769
C700739
D+
670699
D
640669
D600639
E
0-599
Extra credit
There will be a number of extra credit opportunities announced in both lecture and lab. You can get up to a
maximum of 20 points.
In class assignments
There will also be unannounced extra credit opportunities in the lecture portion of the class. You can get up
to a maximum of 25 points and these points can replace your lowest laboratory quiz score (you can’t replace
a 0 though).
F. Laboratory
The separate lab schedule lists exercises to be done. You should come to lab having read the lab exercise
beforehand! You are expected to attend the laboratory section for which you have registered. You must
contact your lab instructor prior to an absence if you cannot attend a specific lab. You must bring
official documentation if you are missing a lab due to illness or other emergency to facilitate our record
keeping and aid in our evaluation. Please do not miss a laboratory unless there is a valid emergency. The
laboratory requires intensive preparation and it may not be possible for us to set up a missed laboratory for
you at a later time. The laboratory instructors may use their own discretion in allowing make-ups. Any
missed lab must be "made up" within 1 week of absence. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a
reduction or forfeiture of points for the missed laboratory exercises. Your grade for the lab will be
determined from a combination of quizzes and homework/laboratory assignments. In addition, laboratory
material will comprise approximately 30 - 40% of each lecture test. You must pass the laboratory portion
in order to pass the course. More detail regarding laboratory grading will be given by your TA.
G. University Policies
Students requiring accommodations
CMU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs,
activities or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in class activities or
meet course requirements should first register with the office of Student Disability Services (250 Foust Hall,
telephone #989-774-3018, TDD #2568), and then contact me as soon as possible.
Policy on academic integrity
In May 2001, the Central Michigan University Academic Senate approved the Policy on Academic Integrity,
which applies to all university students. Copies are available on the CMU website at
http://academicsenate.cmich.edu/noncurric.htm, and in the Academic Senate Office in room 108 of Bovee
University Center. All academic work is expected to be in compliance with this policy.
Classroom civility
Each CMU student is encouraged to help create an environment during class that promotes learning, dignity,
and mutual respect for everyone. Students who speak at inappropriate times, sleep in class, display
inattention, take frequent breaks, interrupt the class by coming to class late, engage in loud or distracting
behaviors, use cell phones or pagers in class, use inappropriate language, are verbally abusive, display
defiance or disrespect to others, or behave aggressively toward others could be asked to leave the class and
subjected to disciplinary action under the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Disciplinary
Procedures.
Detailed Information on this course is available on the course web page at:
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/color1gm/BIO208.htm
BIO 208 MICROBIOLOGY - Tentative Lecture Schedule
Date
M 8/29
Lecture Topic
Unit 1. The Microbial World and You
CH 1: What Are Microbes? What is Microbiology?
W 8/31
CH 1: How Did Microbiology Become a Science?
M 9/5
Labor Day – no labs or classes
W 9/7
Classification of Microbes / CH 3: How Do We See Microbes?
M 9/12
Continued
CH 4: Anatomy of Prokaryotic Cells
W 9/14
Continued
M 9/19
CH 4: Origin of Eukaryotic Cells / End Material For Test 1
W 9/21
TEST 1 - UNIT 1
M 9/26
Unit 2. How Do Microbes Grow?
CH 6: Characteristics of Microbial Growth
W 9/28
CH 6: Effects of the Physical Environment on Microbial Growth
M 10/3
CH 7: Control of Microbial Growth
W 10/5
CH 5: General characteristics of metabolism, enzymes, redox
M 10/10 CH 5: How to Get Carbon and Energy from Organic Chemicals;
Carbohydrate catabolism
W 10/12 CH 5: Fermentation / Aerobic Respiration
M 10/17 CH 5: Anaerobic Respiration / Autotrophy / Anabolism
End Material for Test 2
W 10/19
TEST 2 - UNIT 2
M 10/24 Unit 3. Microbial Genetics and Viruses
CH 8: Nucleic Acids / How Prokaryotes Replicate DNA
W 10/26 CH 8: Converting DNA into RNA and Proteins
M 10/31 CH 8: Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes/ Genetic Transfer
W 11/2
CH 13: Viruses - General Characteristics and Bacteriophages
M 11/7
CH 13: Viruses - Animal Viruses
W 11/9
Animal viruses continued / End Material for Test 3
M 11/14 Unit 4. Survey - Role of Microbes in Health and Disease
CH 27: Environmental Microbiology
W 11/16
TEST 3 - UNIT 3
M 11/21 CH 27: Environmental Microbiology: Continued
W 11/23 Disease and Epidemiology
M 11/28 CH 21: Microbial diseases of the skin
CH 22: Microbial diseases of the nervous system
W 11/30 CH 23: Microbial diseases of the cardiovascular and lymphatic
systems
M 12/5
CH 25: Microbial diseases of the digestive system; food poisoning.
W 12/7
Bioterrorism
W 12/14 Final Exam - Comprehensive 10:00-11:50 Brooks 176
Reading in Text
pp. 1-6, 16-21
pp. 6-16; 413-415
pp. 276-284; 54-66
pp. 75-78; 87-96
pp. 82-90; 69-73
pp. 96-106
pp. 139-144; 170-179
pp.156-163
CH 7: entire
pp. 111-122
pp. 122-124
pp. 132-134; 124-131
pp. 130-132; 136-138; 144148
pp. 47-49; 211-217
pp. 217-222
pp. 222-228; 234-243
pp. 376-384; 386-390
pp. 384-386; 390-402
CH 27: entire
CH 14: entire
pp. 590-597; 616-619
pp. 653-654
pp. 689-693
pp. 646-647 (box on 648649)
BIO 208 MICROBIOLOGY - Tentative Laboratory Schedule
Date
August
M,T - 29,30
August/Sept
W,R - 31,1
M,T - 5,6
W,R - 7,8
M,T - 12,13
W,R - 14,15
M,T - 19,20
W,R - 21,22
M,T - 26,27
W,R - 28,29
October
M,T - 3,4
W,R - 5,6
M,T - 10,11
W,R - 12,13
M,T - 17,18
W,R - 19,20
M,T - 24,25
W,R - 26,27
Oct/Nov
M,T - 31,1
W,R - 2,3
M,T - 7,8
W,R - 9,10
M,T - 14,15
W,R - 16,17
M,T - 21,22
W,R - 23,24
M,T - 28,29
Nov/Dec
W,R - 30,1
M,T - 5,6
W,R - 7,8
Unit 1. Microbes Are Everywhere
Laboratory Check-in. Start Exercise 1 - Microbes Are All Around Us.
Finish Exercise 1. Start Exercise 2 - Making Media.
Labor Day Holiday - no labs
Finish Exercise 2 and collect Exercises 1 and 2. Start and complete Exercise 3 - Observing Microbes.
Quiz 1 Labs 1-4. Collect Exercise 3. Start/complete Exercise 4 - Aseptic Technique and Simple
Staining.
Collect Exercise 4. Start Exercise 5 - The Gram Stain Technique.
Collect Exercise 5. Start and complete Exercise 6 - Acid-Fast and Structural Stains. TAs  Exercise 6
but will not collect. All graded exercises will be returned. End Material For Test 1 (covers labs 1-6).
Unit 2. How Do Microbes Grow?
Start Exercise 7 - Culturing Bacteria.
Complete and collect Exercise 7.
Start Exercise 8 - Control of Microbial Growth.
Complete and collect Exercise 8.
Quiz 2 Labs 5 - 9. Start Exercise 9 - Enzyme Action and Carbohydrate Catabolism
Complete and collect Exercise 9. Start Exercise 10 - Using Metabolic End Products.
Collect Exercise 10. Start Exercise 11 - Respiration.
Complete and collect Exercise 11. End Material For Test 2 (covers labs 7-11).
Complete and collect Exercise 12 - Autotrophy.
Unit 3. Microbial Genetics and Viruses
Start and complete Exercise 13 - Isolation of DNA. Start Exercise 14 - DNA electrophoresis.
Quiz 3 Labs 10 - 14. Collect Exercise 13. Complete Exercise 14.
Collect Exercise 14. Start Exercise 15 - Transfer of Genetic Information.
Complete and collect Exercise 15. Start Exercise 16 - Bacteriophages.
Complete and collect Exercise 16. End Material for Test 3 (covers Labs 12-16).
Unit 4. Survey of Microbes in Health and Disease
Start Exercise 17 - Microbiology and the Food Industry.
Complete Exercise 17. Start Exercise 18 - Microbial Ecology and Environmental Microbiology.
Continue Exercise 18. Complete and Collect Part I - Microbes in the Soil.
Quiz 4 Labs 15-18. Continue Exercise 18. Start and Complete Exercise 19 - Disease Transmission.
Thanksgiving break - no labs.
Complete and Collect Exercise 18 Part II - Bacteriological Analysis of Water Quality. Start Exercise 20
- Microbes of the Skin.
Collect Exercise 17. Complete and collect Exercise 20. Start Exercise 21 - Microbes of the Respiratory
Tract.
Complete and collect Exercise 21. Start Exercise 22 - Urinalysis and Microbes of STDs.
Quiz 5 - Labs 19 - 22. Complete Exercise 22. End Material for Lecture Final (covers Labs 17-22).
Laboratory checkout. All graded exercises can be picked up at your TAs office Friday, Dec. 9.