Shorter Version of Full Title(Double click here to change) 1

Full Title Should Say What This Lab Report

Is Presenting as a Conclusion (Determination of Unknown Bacter # as Bacteria Name)

Jane Smith

Los Angeles City College

Microbiology 20, Section Number XXXX

Dr. David J. Sanchez

Spring2017

Abstract

Please delete all these extra instructions in blue and replace with your text. The abstract should be typed here. This one page is only for this part and you must start a new page for the next part. The first sentence of this abstract is what the general topic of this report is (think generally with no details). The second sentence is what the question is that you are specifically undertaking in this work (think specifially with the actual unknown bacteria number). The third sentence is a summary of the overall method we used without directly explaining or naming the tests (If you could describe all the labs to identify the unknown in one sentence what would you say). The fourth sentence is what the overall results you found by stating what bacteria you determined your number to be (What are the main results you would imagine should be said about your bacteria along with the name of the bacteria Genus species). The fifth sentence is what are the implications of such a finding especially with respect to potential disease (Does the bacteria you determined your unknown to be cause or is linked to any disease in a human… if not does it have a similar bacteria that does cause disease). One point per sentence for a total of 5 points for the abstract. Notice this is on a separate page and nothing else is on this page except the Abstract. All blue text must be removed and replaced with black text you type. All red text must be removed from the final report.

Centered Full Title from the Cover Page

Begin with this short introduction. Just a few sentences is fine. Focus on the goal of this set of experiments: to determine the identity of an unknown bacteria. This will seem repetitive from the abstract and that is fine.

Scientific writing is not necessarily exciting nor creative. In this paragraph, you will summarize your findings. Explain the major characteristics of the bacteria: like “Unknown bacteria # is Gram +/- (Endospore or Acid Fast positive if it is gram positive).” (This is the information you were given). “We have determined that it ferments sugarA and sugarB” (That is what you did). Then say that “We have determined that Unknown bacteria #, is Genus species” as the last sentence. Notice this is on a separate page and nothing else is on this page except the introduction. This Introduction is 10 points.

Methods

This paragraph is a detailed explanation of the experiemental setup of determining an unknown bacteria. DO NOT PUT IT DETAILS LIKE: “Flamed a loop” or “Added three drops of hydrogen peroxide”. Instead say the outline of methods for how to determine the unknown uncluding 1) Streaked bacteria for a single colony 2) isolate a pure culture, 3) determined optimal temperature, 4) Phenol Red Tests, 5) Other metabolic tests. Everything must be named, and generally explained what you did.

This will take about 3 paragraphs at least. Please be sure to include if the items were tubes or plates and use the lab atlas to name the tests directly. This methods section is worth 10 points (not counting the safety section below).

The final paragraph needs to explain safety considerations that were undertaken during this experiment. Including the proper use of universal precautions, PPEs (which you used) and careful asceptic and sterile techniques. Additionally, how did you avoid contamination and how did you sterilize things such as the loop.This safety section is 5 points.

Results

This will be the longest part of the report including your individual observerations from what color the bacteria is on the tube to each tube color before and after use. So the best part is to start the section with something like what the test is in bold (Phenol Red Tests.) and a period. Show each observation and what that result means including the biological meaning such as motility means it can move with flagela, phenol red with bubble means it can ferment with ethanol fermenation, etc. Does it grow optimaly at 37 degrees+/-, does it ferment the sugar, etc. This will take several paragraphs. These results are worth 20 points.

Finally, include a table with your resutls. It has three collums, first with the test or stain name (Include the information that is given to you on the GoogleDoc sheet like Gram stain, Acid Fast, Endospore and Indole Results), next with the result (positive, negative, red, yellow, etc), thrird collumn with a summarized result outcome (Gram +, Ethanol ferments lactose, etc)

Every test must be here, including, Staining, Phenol Reds, Simmons Citrate, Motility, Kliger’s Iron Agar (fully explained), Gelatinase, Catalse Tests, etc. If you did not do one, email me and ask for your bacteria’s results, if you need help determining your bacteria than email me with you number and what you are confused about. This table is worth 10 points.

Some important points:

Start using the bacteria determination chart by focusing only on your Gram stain and shape… then focus on THOSE bacteria.

Also, remember that every experiment is a little different. Your bacteria will not always match all the tests 100% but you want to get the one that matches the best. The correction

Conclusion

The conclusion will begin with a reitteration of the results as you determine what your unknown bacteria is. Then, state definitely your conclusion. This will be about one to two paragraphs. Remember, this is scientific writing and not literature. It is OK and expected to be very repetitive. This conclusion section is worth 5 points. In addition, the correct identification of the bacteria by number is worth 10 points.

Finally, use at least two paragraphs to explain how this bacteria causes disease if it does. If it does not explain how it can be an opprotunisitc pathogen and cause disease in immunocompromised hosts. If it does not cause a disease, do other similar bacteria cause a disease that you can hypothesize would be similar in an immunocompromised host. Also, detail what organs or locations of the body could be affected. Is this bacteria part of the normal flora/microbiota? Additionally, add what could be used to treat this or a similar infection, including the possibility of it being drug resistant. In total, your conclusion will be at least four paragraphs. Connecting the bacteria to a disease here is worth 10 points. An additional set of 5 points is given for proper writing/gramar/spelling.

References

Fill in references such as (Notice this is a new page!) You must have a minimum of 4 references (3 references that you must have in your reference section are already here (!), in addition, you will need to find at least one reference about your genus/species of bacteria that is not Wikipedia. Wikipedia may be here, but it will be an additional reference): The Holt reference is for the charts to determine the bacteria, The Leboffe is for how the tests look (if you lab book you should use if you forgot what the tests do) and the textbook can be used to find more information on the bacteria). These references are worth 10 points.

INSERT BOOK REFERENCES AS IN THIS EXAMPLE INCLUDING TEXTBOOK AND LAB ATLAS

Holt, J.G., ed (1994) Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 9th ed. Lippincott,

Williams and Wilkins .

Keep the one reference here as this is the one that is for the bacterial determination charts.

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