Biology 475 Topics in Applied Microbiology Biology 475

Biology 475 Topics in Applied Microbiology

Biology 475 Official Course Description BIOL 475 LEC, SEM 0. 50 Course ID: 1101 Topics in Applied Microbiology Students will explore a variety of topics in applied microbiology as reflected by journal articles in the current literature. [Offered W]. Prereq: BIOL 241, Level at least 3 A

Instructor Colin Mayfield Phone 519 -888 -4567 Ext 34640 Office Address Biology Building 1, Room 377 E Office Hours Wednesday 3 pm to 6 pm E-mail mayfield@uwaterloo. ca Personal Homepage: http: //wvlc. uwaterloo. ca/biology 447/modules/intro/in_a. htm

Website: All information is available at: http: //wvlc. uwaterloo. ca/biology 475 Posted Marks and announcements will be available on UW-ACE

Required Text None - original primary and secondary literature will be used for the presentations and the associated paper. Course Description Current topics in microbiology will be presented to the class by students. For 2010, they will include emerging and reemerging diseases, public health issues and nanotechnology aspects of microbiology

Biology 475 is a limited enrollment course for 3 rd and 4 th year students interested in advanced topics in microbiology. It is a tutorial/seminar course where students give presentations on selected topics. There a few lectures/presentations at the start of the course to provide a general overview of the chosen topics

Course Requirements 1. To present one 30 min Power. Point presentation on the chosen topic. The Power. Point presentation will be made available through posting to the website before the presentation is given in class. This will make up 45% of the total mark 2. To produce a more detailed paper/monograph on the chosen topic in a format suitable for publication and for posting on this course web site. This will make up 55% of the total mark 3. Student participation in course seminars/presentations and completing questionnaires. This will make up 10% of the total mark

Course Links For Marks and Overview see http: //uwace. uwaterloo. ca - Biology 475 For Course Materials, References, Announcements, etc. see http: //wvlc. uwaterloo. ca/biology 475

Grading Policy 1. Grading will be 45% on the seminar presentation (quality, content, organization, style and quality of presenting, quality and clarity of charts, graphs and slides) and 45% on the paper/monograph prepared on the same topic. Ten percent (10%) of the total course mark will be assessed for student participation in the seminar series. 2. The Seminar/Power. Point presentation will be assessed based on the choice, quality, suitability and scope of the chosen materials (70%), the quality, organization and clarity of the seminar (10%), and the style and clarity of the Power. Point presentation (10%). The presenter's answers to questions on the topic will be assessed (10%).

3. The Power. Point will be posted (at the latest) on the website on the Friday evening before the Wednesday presentation. This means they should be sent to me via email by noon on the Friday before your presentation 4. The required paper/monograph will be judged on quality of chosen materials (60%), depth and breadth of topic coverage (10%), originality (10%), organization (5% see details of paper organization required), writing and style of presentation (5%) and choice and presentation of reference sources (10%). The paper will be due before the last day of the term. This paper will be submitted in electronic format (Word document or HTML file) suitable for posting to this web site.

4. There will be 10% of the total mark for the course given for student participation in the presentations/seminars and completion of the questionnaire for each speaker. 5. The presentations will be scheduled on a random basis during the course. Questions on the marking scheme will be answered at the start of the course. All students will also take part in an assessment of all presentations though a questionnaire to be completed after each presentation. All comments will be provided anonymously to the presenters the week after their presentations

6. The paper should conform to normal Council of Biological Editors (CBE) standards for research publications except that it does not have to have the usual sections of Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and References. Instead, since it is a summary of research results, it should have an Abstract, an Introduction giving an overview of what is included in the paper, and some organizational structure to present the materials. A short summary of major conclusions, problems, opportunities for future research, etc, could also be included. A complete Bibliographic section is required. If web-based material is used it should be properly referenced. Help will be available from the library if required

Attendance Policy A sign-in sheet will be maintained for each seminar session. Some absences are permissible but should not exceed a reasonable number Exam Policy There is neither a final exam nor mid-term in this course

Questionnaire Title of Presentation…………… Date ……………. . 2010 Name of Presenter 1…………………………. . Name of Presenter 2 …………………………. Name of Presenter 3 …………………………. Provide both general, overall comments about all presenters and the presentation and specific comments about each presenter – you can use numbers (above) to indicate specific comments. • • Assess the quality, suitability and scope of the chosen materials (0 - 100%) Comment on the quality, suitability and scope of the chosen materials… ……. % • • Assess the quality, organization and clarity of the seminar (0 - 100%) Comment on the quality, organization and clarity of the seminar. . ……. % • • Assess the style and clarity of the Power. Point presentation (0 - 100%) Comment on the style and clarity of the Power. Point presentation. . …. . %.

Questionnaire 7. Make comments on the overall seminar presentation –(try to make these constructive comments) 8. List any revisions you think would improve the presentation or the paper to be prepared from the presentation 9. Give an additional comments not covered above: _______________________________ Title of Presentation: …………………………………………… Respondent’s Name : …………………………………………… Respondent’s Student ID#: . . . . . Note: Your name and Student ID will be removed before the sheet is given to the presenters

The Course WEBSITE: http: //wvlc. uwaterloo. ca/biology 475 See UW-ACE for marks Announcements will be sent to both websites

Website for Biology 475

UW-ACE website

See Download Seminar Presentations page for timetable of the course. In the first 2 weeks of the course, choose a topic from List of Topics for Seminars and enter your choice at Choose your Seminar Topic You can see a list of already chosen topics at: List of Seminars Chosen. All choices are timestamped by the server. Pick a topic that is not already chosen by another group – the earlier you choose, the more topics you will have to choose from!

Refer to the Announcements page at frequent intervals to receive more information as the term progresses (seminar timetables, changes to website, updates, etc. )