Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff unit convenor Anwar Sunna anwar.sunna@mq.edu.au Contact via email 14EaR202 Monday to Friday - by appointment
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites CHEM1001 or CBMS107 or CBMS103
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status BMOL6401
Unit description	Unit description Microbiology is the study of microorganisms and underpins many other areas of contemporary sciences such as medicine and biotechnology. This unit introduces the role of microorganisms in natural environments and disease and the ways they have been employed for practical benefits across the life sciences and industry. This unit will also provide students with insights into the molecular processes of the living cell, and help students understand the central concepts of molecular biology. Lectures will introduce students to the world of microbes, covering their cell structure and function, genetics and biodiversity, growth, and relevance to medicine, environmental and industrial processes. The hands-on laboratory sessions provide the students with essential skills and techniques used in general and molecular microbiology and demonstrate principles taught in the lectures. This unit will be excellent for students majoring in chemical and biomolecular sciences, biology, environmental sciences and medical sciences.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

ULO1: Apply molecular and microbiological concepts to discuss aspects of medical, industrial and environmental microbiology from the level of molecules through to ecosystems
ULO2: Apply appropriate laboratory skills and techniques to be able to work confidently and safely in a molecular or general microbiology laboratory setting.
ULO3: Design and conduct independent scientific research in the area of molecular and general microbiology.
ULO4: Search for and use recognised sources of scientific information to extend knowledge within the discipline.
ULO5: Record molecular biology and microbiological experimental data, interpret and communicate this appropriately.

General Assessment Information

A. Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

- Achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%, and

- Participate in at least 9 of the 11 practical laboratory classes (hurdle activity).

B. Hurdle Assessments Assessment

Practice-based task (0%). Development of knowledge and skills requires continual practice at authentic problems in a laboratory-based setting. This unit has weekly laboratory classes and a continuous self-directed research project. You must demonstrate your progress in developing and communicating knowledge and skills in a minimum of 9 of the 11 classes. This is a hurdle assessment meaning that failure to meet this requirement may result in a fail grade for the unit. Students are permitted up to two absences. Additional absences will require a Special Consideration to be applied for (see below).

C. Late Assessment Submission Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration.

In this unit, late submissions will be accepted for the Scientific Report, which is a written tasks with a specified due date.

D. Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment.

Written Assessments: If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the written assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au.

Weekly practice-based tasks: To pass the unit you need to demonstrate ongoing development of skills and application of knowledge in 9 out of 11 of the weekly practical classes. If you miss a weekly practical class due to a serious, unavoidable and significant disruption, contact your convenor ASAP as you may be able to attend another class that week. If it is not possible to attend another class, you should still contact your convenor for access to class material to review in your own time.

Note that a Special Consideration should only be applied for if you miss more than two of the weekly practical classes.

E. Descriptions of Assessment Activities and other information

Pre-lab assessments

Due: Ongoing Weighting: 10%

Continuous Pre-lab assessments will be conducted throughout the semester on iLearn. The assessment will cover the practical materials of the week. You will have a set amount of time (30 min) to complete this online task. This activity will be available from the start of the semester (so you will have plenty of time to work on it), and deadline for submission is 1 hour prior to your lab session. You are encouraged to work on the pre-lab questions in the lab manual first before attempting the online assessment to avoid going over the time limit (30 min) This is a single attempt activity (no multiple attempts). This will contribute to 10% of your overall course mark.

Practical Skills

Due: Ongoing Weighting: 5%

You will be tested for two practical skills essential for Microbiology. You will have enough time to learn and practice these techniques during the laboratory sessions before being tested. This will contribute to 5% of your overall course mark.

Participation

Due: Ongoing Weighting: 0%

Short questions of the days lecture content will take place during lecture session.

Mid-Semester Examination

Due: 13/9/2024 Weighting: 20%

A multiple choice mid-semester test will be held during class time on 13/9/2024 (10-11am). The test will cover material (lectures and practicals) from Week 1 to 6 only (lecture 1-12). You will need to take a calculator into the examination. Only non-programmable calculators may be taken into the examination. This will contribute to 20% of your overall course mark.

Scientific Report

Due: 3/11/2024 Weighting: 20%

This exercise is an introduction to conducting and managing an independent research project. Students will work in pairs. This assignment is designed to allow you to develop and achieve the learning outcomes, graduate attributes and capabilities outlined in this unit guide. Thus groups/ pairs are empowered to own their research work and therefore are responsible and accountable for the design, performance and achievements resulting from the research.

This research task will be an ongoing exercise over which the group is to work together on the investigation, discussion and reflection of results. Towards the end of the practical sessions period each lab group will make a prediction of the identity of the selected unknown organism and the rationale behind their decision, and present their prediction in front of the class. Each presentation (Power Point) should take no longer than 3 minutes. After each presentation, the audience will be given an opportunity to ask questions or make suggestions to the presenters.

An independently written 4-page scientific report, based on your research findings, is to be submitted by each student on 3 Nov no later than 11:55 pm.

A rubric outlining what is expected regarding final report structure and a style guide is provided in the Laboratory Manual, which will be available on iLearn. The assignment should be uploaded onto iLearn as a pdf file – this is to avoid formatting discrepancies that may occur from using different word processors. This assignment will contribute to 20% of your overall course mark. Penalties will apply for work over the page limit and late submission.

Final Examination

Due: University Examination Period Weighting: 45%

The final exam will require students to apply terminology and concepts learnt in the lecture and practical components to answer a variety of questions of a critical thinking nature. You will need to take a calculator into the examination. Only non-programmable calculators may be taken into the examination.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Participation or Practice Based Participation	0%	Yes	Ongoing
Pre-lab assessments	10%	No	Ongoing
Practical Skills	5%	No	Week 6 and Week 7
Participation	0%	No	Ongoing
Mid-Semester test	20%	No	2024-09-13
Scientific Report	20%	No	2024-11-03
Final Examination	45%	No	University Examination Period

Participation or Practice Based Participation

Assessment Type ¹: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task ²: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 0%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

You are expected to participate in at least 80% of the practical laboratory classes to pass this unit. This is a hurdle requirement.