Introduction to the Lab

Lab Description

In this laboratory, we will investigate the principles of molecular and cellular biology and practice using the scientific method to explore biological processes. You will make observations, formulate your own hypotheses, collect data, and analyze your data to draw conclusions. These skills will be essential in your scientific career, but also in your ability to make informed decisions on scientific issues throughout your life. Throughout the semester, you will work as part of a team. With your teammates, you will graph and analyze data, present novel scientific research, and work together every step of the way to gain a strong foundation in molecular and cellular biology.

Lab Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Formulate hypotheses and predictions to address a scientific question
• Analyze data to evaluate a hypothesis and draw scientific conclusions
• Create and interpret graphs showing means and standard deviations
• Design an experiment that is appropriate for testing your hypothesis
• Research and communicate scientific concepts in an oral presentation
• Perform molecular techniques including pipetting, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequence analysis, bacterial transformations, PCR and dilution calculations

How will I prepare and participate in lab? 

In this lab, you are expected to take charge of your learning. Before coming to lab, you must prepare in advance by reading this online lab guidebook and the information on Canvas. Coming to lab prepared gives us a common starting point for each lab and allows us to utilize our time together most efficiently. You will record the observations and conclusions you make in class in your lab workbook.  You’ll complete individual assignments to help you more deeply understand key biological processes and generate graphs to share your results. Asking questions of your instructor if you are stuck at any point is highly encouraged. You will submit your assignments on Canvas—make sure you keep track of due dates and communicate with your instructor if any unexpected challenges in your life arise. We are here to support you!

Pre-lab Preparation

You’ll prepare for lab by your labs by reading this online guide. Your Canvas site will always keep you up to date on what you need to do before lab. Your pre-lab preparation will be assessed in pre-class questions included in your weekly group TRA.

Lab workbook

The printed lab workbook you purchased describes the procedures that will be performed each week in lab. It will be your guide to completing each lab, so be sure to bring it to lab each week. The workbook also contains questions, tables, and graphs that you are expected to complete during lab. Completing these will help you do well on the post-lab quizzes each week and will be assessed by your instructor for accurate completion at the end of the semester.

Canvas Assignments

Each week you will have an assignment to complete following your lab section. Assignments will be available on Canvas and cover topics including pre-lab preparation, in-lab discussions, and experimental results and conclusions. assignment are due the following week at 11:59 PM the night before your lab.

To succeed in this course:

• Use our Canvas site frequently: Course content, the schedule, and assignments for this course are always available online via Canvas.
• Working together with your teammates is a key component of this lab. Support your peers by showing up on time and prepared for lab. Attendance at lab is important; if you have to miss lab, you need to contact your instructor ahead of time to discuss your situation. Communication with your instructor and your group members is extremely important in this course. If you are facing challenges that could affect your success in lab, talk to your lab instructor as soon as possible.
• Schedule a consistent time each week to complete your lab exercises and turn in every assignment on time. Start early so that you have plenty of time to get help from your instructor if you get stuck. Communicate with us so we can best support your learning.

Attendance, participation, and late work policies

Attendance and participation in your in-person labs will be recorded each week. If you know you have to miss lab, discuss your situation with your lab instructor before you miss lab to discuss what alternative assignments and options are possible. During the weeks of the semester when you are not completing your group project, we allow you to switch for one week into a different lab section. This swap requires prior communication with both lab instructors to request permission to make the switch. Use the schedule on the first page of the syllabus to determine which section you can attend and email both instructors to discuss your situation. We will support you as much as possible as you navigate the challenges of this semester; however, we need you to do your part to prioritize your learning in this course. Before you begin this course, please ensure that non-emergency travel and work responsibilities do not conflict with your lab times.  Showing up to lab on-time is also essential; if you are late you prevent your group from effectively making progress. If you are late, you cannot earn the points from your group’s weekly TRA. Teamwork matters greatly in this course. At the end of the semester, team members and your instructor will evaluate each other on how well each person is contributing to the group’s success.

In the case of an absence due to sudden illness, COVID exposure, or an emergency, inform your instructor AND your group members as soon as possible. Attendance is critical so that you can successfully complete your group work during class. While we know that you may be juggling many responsibilities this semester, communication with your instructor and your group members is essential. If you miss lab for an unexcused reason, you cannot earn 4 pts from your weekly group TRA (team readiness assessment). Additionally, if you miss any more than one lab for an unexcused reason, you will lose an additional 5 points from your weekly lab assignment for each missed lab. We have this policy because working effectively as a group is a key goal of this course, and you must do your part to support your group and participate in the learning activities.

We recognize that this semester, there may be distractions from course work. We drop your lowest weekly Canvas assignment score and TRA score to provide additional flexibility this semester. Late assignments are eligible to earn up to 50% of the possible points if they are submitted within 24 hours of the due date. If you have extenuating medical or care-giving situations that prevent you from meeting the course deadlines, email your lab instructor before the due date to discuss your situation. We want each of you to succeed this semester, and we need you to do your part to monitor your progress in the course and communicate with us in a timely manner.

Code of Conduct

This class is about learning. Submitting work obtained from another source, including other students, is plagiarism. BSU and your instructors take this policy seriously. You will work with other students for data collection and analysis during lab. However, unless otherwise stated in this syllabus or by your instructor, the work you submit for grading must be your own. Discussing your work with teammates is encouraged, but you must write entirely in your own words and not share your individual assignments with other students. Posting of any course materials on Internet sites is not allowed and is a violation of copyright law. Learning how to responsibly conduct yourself as a scientist is a critical part of this course. When in doubt, ask! Students in this course are expected to uphold our standards outlined in the BSU Student Code of Conduct: https://www.boisestate.edu/policy/student-affairs/code-of-conduct/