Microbiology 3 MCB3MA2 Practical Manual 2025.pdf

a microbiology document#

1. 1



Microbiology 3
MCB3MA2
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
PRACTICAL MANUAL

Dr Tendani Sebola

2025

Diploma in Biotechnology

2. 2



PRACTICAL AIM:

To provide an in-depth practical understanding of the requirements of a laboratory personnel
and introduce students to advanced techniques in Microbiology, Laboratory organization and
Management and problem-solving abilities.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

Students are expected to be able to keep neat and detailed records of laboratory activities, to
be conversant with general laboratory safety practices associated with working with biological
material and chemicals. To be able to maintain Good Laboratory Practices. Students are
expected to develop competence in hands-on experimental techniques, effective data collection
practices, analysis and interpretation, effectively communicate the findings.

MODULE INSTRUCTOR:
Dr T. Sebola
Contact information: [email protected] Phone [phone]
Office number: JOB 2206D (Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology)

TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
Mr. A Campbell
Contact information: [email protected] Phone [phone]


PRACTICAL ASSESSMENTS:

Practical Marks (%)
1. Practical Portfolio 20%
2. Poster presentation 10%
3. Practical Test 20%

3. 3

Practical outline

CONTENT Week allocation
Practical 1

Allocation of unknown bacterial specimen
Preparation of pure cultures
Maintenance and Storage of Stock cultures
Macroscopic analysis of unknown culture
Microbiological tests: Gram staining
Week 1-3




Practical 2
Susceptibility testing (disk diffusion test)

Week 4 -5



Practical 3
Biochemical Tests:
Carbohydrate test
Urease Test
H2S Test
Indole Test
MRVP Test
Citrate Test
Motility Test
Week 6-7




Practical 4-5

Poster Presentation
Unknown Bacteria Identification Project
Week 8-10 (Doornfontein Foyer)

4. 4

EACH STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING WHEN STARTING WITH A PRACTICAL
SESSION


VERY IMPORTANT
1. Check the list for your allocated session and adhere to your session dates (the space in the
laboratory is limited and we cannot accommodate extra students).
2. Students are not allowed to miss practical sessions, unless in case of an emergency (students
are expected to provide acceptable proof within three days after missing the practical). If the
proof provided is not satisfactory, or no proof is provided, students will be allocated zero for
the practical exercise.
3. Students are expected to be on time for the practical sessions and assessments. Late comers
will be penalized.
4. Plagiarism is a serious offence, and students are expected to keep good academic standards.


Laboratory emergencies
1. Corrosive chemicals are splashed in your eyes?
Immediately use the emergency eye wash fountain to flush your eyes with water. If you are
wearing contact lenses remove them immediately. Continue rinsing your eyes for at least 15
minutes. Obtain medical attention promptly.

2. Corrosive chemicals are splashed on your skin or clothing?
Immediately flush the affected areas with large quantities of water. If a large area is affected,
use the safety shower. Remove any affected clothing – this is no time to be modest! Obtain
medical attention if any pain or irritation is noted.

Lighters
Marking pen
Lab coat and closed shoes
Practical manual
A4 (1 Quire) Lab book

5. 5

3. You cut yourself?
Small cuts can be washed well with soap and water and then covered with a Band-Aid. Do not
work in the laboratory with any open cuts. If the cut is more serious, stop the bleeding by
applying direct pressure with a clean towel. Obtain prompt medical attention.

4. If you burn yourself?
For minor burns, you may put ice water over the affected area to relieve pain. You should not
put anything on the burn. For major or extensive burns, seek prompt medical attention.

5. If toxic gases are inhaled?
If you can do so without endangering yourself, move the victim to safety. Call for emergency
medical help.

6. Using a fire extinguisher (P.A.S.S.)
P: Pull the pin.
A: Aim the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the flames.
S: Squeeze trigger while holding the extinguisher upright.
S: Sweep the extinguisher from side to side, covering the extinguishing agent.

6. 6

Guide for recording practical notes
Each student is required to have a one quire hard cover (A4) book for recording all the practical
sessions. These books will be collected every day during the practical follow up slot and graded
based on the marking scheme shown below. The exercise aims to develop competent
laboratory practitioners who adhere to Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). In preparation for
the world of works, students need to learn that they have to record every detail in their
laboratory session to allow for route course analysis and optimization.

Practical Workbook Structure:
You will receive an agar plate/test tube with an unknown bacterial culture for identification
using different techniques. First exercise is to write the main aim of the project.

Aim: To identify an unknown bacterial species using microbiological and biochemical
techniques
Name and Surname:
Student number:
Specimen number:
Corresponding identification: (you will only fill this part once you have completed the
project and have identified your unknown specimen)

Then, for each practical session you will have to complete the following information which will
be graded according to the provided guide.
NB: Start each new practical session on a new page

7. 7

Grading Rubric:

Criterion Grading (marked out of 25)
5 3-4 2 0-1
Title of the practical,
Introduction/principle and
aims: To measure the ability
of student’s understanding of
the microbiological technique
used and how the student
outlines the aim. (5 Marks)
Short introduction/principle
accurately constructed with
adequate in text referencing.
All aims and objectives are
captured clearly.
Short introduction/
principle well-
constructed, in text
referencing is
acceptable. Aim is
clearly described
Short
introduction/principle
not properly
constructed, minimal
references. Aim not
described clearly.
No short
introduction/
principle and in
text references and
aims not captured
Methods:
To measure the student’s
ability to construct
methodology in a scientific
reporting format.
(5 Marks)
5 3-4 2 0-1
All methods are clearly
described in a proper format.
Figures and tables are
properly presented.
Most methods clearly
described in a proper
format. Figures and
tables presented well.
Some methods
described well and in a
proper format. Minimal
figures and tables
reported in a proper
format
No methods
described well and
in a proper format.
Minimal figures
and tables
reported in a
proper format
Results and discussion:
To measure the ability of
student to capture data and
scientific reporting, to discuss
and analyze results.
(10 marks)
9-10 7-8 4-6 0-3
All results presented well in
an acceptable format.
Figures and table properly
presented and labelled.
Discussion arguments well-
constructed with supporting
evidence from the literature
and adequate references.
Most results presented
well in an acceptable
format. Figures and table
properly presented and
labelled Discussion
argument construction is
adequate with some
supporting evidence
from the literature and
acceptable references.
Some results presented
well in an acceptable
format. Figures and
table properly
presented and labelled.
Discussion arguments
not well constructed
with minimal
supporting
evidence from the
literature and minimal
references
Few results
presented well in
an acceptable
format. Figures and
table properly
presented and
labelled. Discussion
arguments well-
constructed with
supporting
evidence
from the literature
and adequate
references
Conclusion and References:
To measure the student’s
ability to capture the essence
of the practical results.
(5 marks)
5 3-4 2 0-1
Conclusion well-constructed
based on evidence presented
All references used are
properly presented in a
uniform format.
Adequate based on
evidence presented. All
references are
adequately presented in
a uniform format.
Acceptable based on
evidence presented.
Some references
presented and not
all are in a uniform
format
Not well
constructed based
on evidence
presented.
Not all references
used are presented
and formatting is
not uniform

8. 8

PRACTICAL 1
Pure culture preparation, maintenance, and storage of stock cultures, and
differential staining

Introduction:
A microbiologist should have the skills and abilities to keep sterile cultures in accordance with
Good Microbiological Laboratory Practices (GMLP). This ensures that you have specimen that
is sterile, you maintain scientific integrity and save cost of purchasing new cultures. Improper
storage and repeated sub culturing of a microorganism can produce phenotypic alterations. A
phenotypic alteration occurs when a microorganism fails to produce known and predictable
growth, biochemical, physiological, or serological characteristics for which it was selected.
Maintaining stock cultures entails subculturing in appropriate medium and should ideally be
done four times a year to maintain culture viability.

Short-term Storage of Stock Cultures
For daily work, a working stock culture is maintained on a nutrient agar slant that is stored in
the refrigerator. After several days of use or accidental contamination, a fresh working culture
is prepared with an inoculum taken from a reserve stock culture, also a slant culture. A fresh
reserve culture should be prepared each month. These cultures are stored in a refrigerator at
4
o
C.

Long-term Storage of Stock Cultures
Two procedures are available for storing stock cultures for long periods of time:
Freeze-drying (lyophilization) and ultra-freezing. Since ultra-freezing can cause formation of
mini-ice crystals that can damage microbial cell membranes, a cryoprotectant, such as
glycerol, is included in the storage medium. Temperature for this storage ideally should be -
70°C.
Many bacteria stored at -200°C can be revived from cold storage for 1-2 years, after which they
must be re-cultured and prepared for another round of freezing. At -70°C, non-fastidious
bacteria maintain viability for about 5 years and fastidious bacteria for 3 years.

Materials and Methods

Unknown culture (in nutrient agar plate/broth)

Test tube slant medium

Gram staining reagents

Nutrient agar plate

9. 9



Part 1: Preparation of slant stock cultures:
1. Label the tube containing the slant medium with your name (or Group name), date
and unknown culture reference.
2. Using a sterile loop, streak your culture specimen provided into the surface of the
agar slant in the tube. Close the slant tube.
3. Incubate the agar slant at 37°C for 18–24 hours.
4. Record your results.


Part 2: Morphological characterization of unknown culture
You are provided with a nutrient agar plate containing your unknown culture. Use the below
diagram to define the colony morphology. Record what you observe.



Figure 1: Colony morphology characteristics

10. 10

Part 3: Differential staining using Gram stain
PROTOCOL (Gephardt et al, 1981, Feedback from ASMCUE ASMCUE, 2005),
1. Heat fix a smear of bacterial cells in a microscopic slide for 1 minute with crystal violet
staining reagent.
2. Gently wash the slide with a stream of tap water for 2 seconds.
3. Flood slide with the Gram's iodine and wait 1 minute.
4. Wash slide in a gentle and indirect stream of tap water for 2 seconds.
5. Flood slide with decolorizing agent and wait for 15 seconds or add drop by drop to slide
until decolorizing agent running from the slide runs clear.
6. Flood slide with counterstain, safranin and wait for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Wash the slide in a gentle and indirect stream of tap water until no color appears in the
effluent and then blot dry with absorbent paper.
8. Observe the results of the staining procedure under oil immersion using a Bright field
microscope.
9. At the completion of the Gram Stain, Gram-negative bacteria will stain pink/red and Gram-
positive bacteria will stain blue/purple.
10. Record your results.

Part 4: Streaking
1. Label the nutrient agar plate with your name (or Group name), date and unknown culture
reference
2. Loosen the cap of the broth containing your unknown culture (inoculum) and sterilize
the loop, then cool it.
3. Flame the neck of the tube containing the inoculum.
4. Withdraw the culture using the sterile loop and flame the neck of the tube and close it
(make sure that you hold the loop as steadily as you can).
5. Partially lift the lid of the petri dish and smear the culture.
6. Perform a 4-way streak, making sure that you dilute the culture to obtain single colonies.
7. Incubate the agar plates at 37°C for 18–24 hours.
8. Record your results

11. 11

PRACTICAL 2
Disc diffusion test

Introduction:
A disc diffusion susceptibility test, also known as the Kirby-Bauer test, determines how sensitive
bacteria are to different antimicrobial drugs. This helps to assist a physician in selecting
treatment options for his or her patients.
Microbiological test results serve as a strong support for the choice of the optimal therapy. The
pathogenic organism is grown on Mueller-Hinton agar in the presence of various antimicrobial
impregnated filter paper disks. The presence or absence of growth around the disks is an indirect
measure of the ability of that compound to inhibit that organism. An effective antibiotic will
produce a large zone of inhibition (disk C), while an ineffective antibiotic may not affect bacterial
growth at all (disk A).

Figure 2: Disk diffusion test is used to determine the susceptibility of clinical isolates of
bacteria to different antibiotics

Materials:

Sterile saline in 2-ml tubes
0.5 McFarland standard
Wickerham card
Mueller-Hinton agar plates, 100 mm or 150
mm Caliper or ruler Antibiotic disks
Forceps
Antibiotic disk dispenser (optional) 18- to 24-
Vortex
Sterile swabs
Inoculating loop

12. 12

Method:
1. Prepare the inoculum:
Prepare a standardized bacterial suspension of the test organism using a specific turbidity
standard.

2. Inoculate the plate:
Spread the bacterial suspension evenly onto the surface of a Mueller-Hinton agar plate.

3. Place the discs:
Using sterile forceps, gently place antibiotic discs onto the inoculated agar surface, ensuring
they are evenly distributed.

4. Incubation:
Seal and label plates and place them in a 37°C incubator for 18-24 hours.

5. Measure zones of inhibition:
After incubation, measure the diameter of the zone of inhibition around each disc using a
ruler. Record the observations.

6. Interpret results:
Compare the zone diameters to determine the susceptibility of the bacteria.

Results interpretation:
Clear zones of inhibition indicate a positive result (growth inhibition). An effective antibiotic.
No clear zones of inhibition indicate a negative result (no growth inhibition). Ineffective
antibiotic.

13. 13

PRACTICAL 3
Biochemical testing

To identify bacteria, we must rely heavily on biochemical testing. The types of biochemical
reactions each organism undergoes act as a "thumbprint" for its identification. This is based
on the following chain of logic:

• Each different species of bacterium has a different molecule of DNA (i.e., DNA with
a unique series of nucleotide bases).
• Since DNA codes for protein synthesis, then different species of bacteria must, by way
of their unique DNA, be able to synthesize different protein enzymes.
• Enzymes catalyze all the various chemical reactions of which the organism is capable.
This in turn means that different species of bacteria must carry out different and
unique sets of biochemical reactions.

When identifying a suspected organism, you inoculate a series of differential media. After
incubation, you then observe each medium to see if specific end products of metabolism are
present. This can be done by adding indicators to the medium that react specifically with the
end product being tested, giving some form of visible reaction such as a color change. The
results of these tests on the suspected microorganism are then compared to known results
for that organism to confirm its identification.

TESTS THAT WILL BE PERFORMED
1. Carbohydrate Test
2. Urease Test
3. H2S Test
4. Indole Test
5. MRVP Test
6. Citrate Test
7. Motility Test

14. 14

Carbohydrate Fermentation Tests (Phenol Red Broth)
Principle:

The test is used to determine the oxidation or fermentative metabolism of a carbohydrate or
its non-utilization. Fermentation is a metabolic process in which the final electron acceptor is
an organic molecule. Each medium has a single fermentable carbohydrate added to a peptone
medium. Phenol red is also added as a pH indicator. A small tube (Durham tube) is inverted and
placed in each larger test tube of liquid medium. The inverted tube can trap any gas products.
The indicator, phenol red will turn yellow below pH 6.8 and a darker pinkish red above pH 7.4.
If the organism metabolizes the carbohydrate, subsequent acid production will result in
lowered pH. If the organism does not ferment the carbohydrate, the pH may remain neutral. If
the organism does not ferment the carbohydrate and utilizes the peptone, accumulation of
the ammonia as a degradation product will raise the pH.

Materials and Method
Purple broth base
Durham Tubes
Lactose, Glucose, Sucrose and Mannitol
Inoculate with a pure culture and incubate at 37°C for 24 hours
Record the observations

Results interpretation:



Acid: (yellow) Acid production produces a color change from red to yellow, indicating that
the organism can metabolize the sugar in the tube.

15. 15

Acid, Gas: (yellow plus gas bubble) Fermentation of the sugar is indicated by a color change to
yellow. Gas is trapped in the Durham tube, replacing the medium in the tube. A bubble indicates
gas production.

Negative: Negative fermentation can be indicated two ways:
1. No color change in the tube means that the sugar was not utilized by the organism.




UREASE TEST

Principle:

The test is used to determine a bacteria’s ability to hydrolyze urea to make ammonia using the
enzyme urease. Urease is an enzyme that breaks the carbon-nitrogen bond of amides to form
carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. Members of genus Proteus are known to produce Urease.
Urease can be detected by plating bacteria onto an amide containing medium, specifically urea.
When urea is broken down, ammonia is released and the pH of the medium increases (becomes
more basic). This pH change is detected by a pH indicator that turns pink in a basic environment.
A pink medium indicates a positive test for Urease.


Materials and Method
Urea Agar base
Agar slant
Inoculate with a pure culture and incubate at 37°C for 24 hours
Record the observations


Results interpretation:
Positive result: bright pink color
Negative result: no color change (yellow orange)


HYDROGEN SULPHIDE PRODUCTION
Some organisms decompose sulfur-containing amino acids to form hydrogen sulphide among
the products. Demonstrating its ability to form a black insoluble ferrous salt usually tests for
the hydrogen sulphide.

16. 16

Materials and Method
Triple Sugar Iron agar or Kligler Iron Agar slants
Inoculate the slants with pure culture and incubate at 37
0
C for 24 hours
Record the observations


Results interpretation:
a. [K/NC] Alkaline slant with no color change: non utilizer for all sugars
b. [K/A] Alkaline slant/acid butt: glucose fermenter
c. [A/A] Acid slant/acid butt with gas production: glucose, sucrose and lactose fermenter
d. [K/A] Alkaline slant/acid butt with H2S production: glucose fermenter



INDOLE TEST

Principle

Indole is a component of the amino acid tryptophan. Some bacteria can break down
tryptophan to indole, pyruvic acid and ammonia for nutritional needs using the enzyme
tryptophanase.
When tryptophan is broken down, the presence of Indole can be detected using Kovacs'
reagent. Kovac's reagent, which is yellow, reacts with Indole and produces a red color on the
surface of the test tube. The test is used to differentiate species of the Enterobacteriaceae.

Materials and Method
Tryptone or Peptone water – Look at the recipe to prepare this broth
Kovac’s reagent.

17. 17

Inoculate the tryptone broth with pure culture and incubate at 37
0
C for 18 - 24 hours
Vortex.
Add a few drops of Kovac’s reagent to the culture, shake the tube gently and allow standing.
Record the observations.


Results interpretation
The development of a bright cherry red color at the interface within seconds in the upper
reagent layer indicates the production of Indole



Methyl Red and Voges-Proskauer Tests (MR/VP)

A. Principle of Methyl Red test

The test uses a combination medium, MR/VP broth, which includes peptone, glucose, and a
phosphate buffer. It is used to test the ability of bacteria to perform a mixed-acid fermentation
of glucose and produce large amounts of stable acids. The pH indicator, methyl red, is added
to a 48-hour culture. If the pH is less than 4.4, the indicator will turn red. A red color is read as
positive, a yellow color (pH greater than 6.0) is negative, and an orange color, indicating a pH
between the two, will usually require further incubation. It is a qualitative test used to identify
bacteria that produce stable acid end products by means of mixed acid fermentation.

Materials and Method
MRVP broth
Methyl Red indicator for MR test
Voges Proskauer reagents: A: 5% Alpha Naphthol & ethanol
B: Potassium Hydroxide; (3:1 ratio) & deionized water


1. Inoculate MRVP Broth with pure culture and incubate at 37
0
C for 24 hours
2. Add about 5 drops of Methyl red reagent.
3. Record the observations.

18. 18

Results interpretation
Positive: A reddish color is indicative of a positive methyl red test (pH below
6.0)
Negative: A yellow color indicates no acid production


B. Principle of Voges-Proskauer (VP) Test
This test is normally performed in conjunction with the methyl red test. Some fermentative
organisms do not produce enough stable acids to lower the pH of the medium. For these
organisms, the chief end products of glucose metabolism are acetoin and 2,3-butanediol. After
48 hours of incubation, Barritt's Reagent A (alpha-napthol) and Barritt's Reagent B (potassium
hydroxide) are added to the sample. After gently shaking the tube for aeration, formation of a
red color will indicate a positive reaction. No color change or a copper color are negative results.
To detect the production of acetylmethylcarbinol (actoin), a natural product formed from
pyruvic acid during glucose fermentation.

Materials and Method

MRVP MEDIUM
Inoculate with the organism and incubate at 37°C for 3 days.
Add approximately 3 ml of alpha napthol, followed by 1 mL of 40% KOH.
Mix well and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
Record the observations.

19. 19

Results interpretation


Precautions in Interpretation - After exposure to the reagents for over 1 hour, a negative VP
culture may show a copper-like color due to the action of the KOH on the alpha napthol. This
is not a positive reaction.



CITRATE TEST

Principle:

The citrate test is used to determine the ability of a bacterium to utilize citrate as its only source
of carbon. Bacteria can break the conjugate base salt of citrate into organic acids and carbon
dioxide. The carbon dioxide can combine with the sodium from the conjugate base salt to form
a basic compound, sodium carbonate. A pH indicator in the medium detects the presence of this
compound by turning blue (a positive test). A positive result is indicated by an increase in the
pH of the culture medium. Since the pH indicator used in Simmons citrate medium is
bromothymol blue, an increase in pH is indicated by a change in the medium from green (pH
6.8) to a deep blue color (pH 7.7). In negative tests there is no growth in the tube and no
change in color of the medium.

Materials and Method


Streak the inoculum on the surface of a Simmons citrate agar slant and incubate at 37
0
C for
24 hours.
Record the observations.
Pinkish red at the surface of the
medium

VP(+)
No change (yellow color at the
surface of the medium

VP(-)

20. 20



Results interpretation:
Positive: growth on the slant and the medium color change to blue



MOTILITY TEST
The motility test is used to determine whether an organism is motile or non-motile. Motile
organisms contain flagella which helps them to travel beyond the point of inoculation. Motile
bacteria are generally bacilli although a few motile cocci do exist. Motile bacteria move with
structures called flagella (a few exceptional bacteria move with the help of axial filaments,
which cannot be seen in the microscope). Motility test helps us to differentiate between genera
and species of bacteria.

Method
1. Prepare a semisolid agar medium in a test tube. Sulphide indole motility (SIM) medium
or motility test medium with or without TTC (triphenyltetrazolium chloride) or motility
nitrate medium can be used.
2. Inoculate with a straight wire, making a single stab down the center of the tube to
about half the depth of the medium.
3. Incubate under the conditions favoring motility.
4. Incubate at 37°C
5. Examine at intervals, e.g. after 6 h, and 1 and 2 days (depends on generation time of
bacteria). A freshly prepared medium containing 1% glucose can be used for motility
tests on anaerobes.
6. Record the observations.

Results

Hold the tube up to the light and look at the stab line to determine motility.

21. 21

1. Non-motile bacteria generally give growths that are confined to the stab-line, have
sharply defined margins, and leave the surrounding medium clearly transparent.
2. Motile Bacteria typically give diffuse, hazy growths that spread throughout the medium
rendering it slightly opaque.



Motile organisms will migrate out from the line of inoculation, causing visible turbidity
throughout the tube (corner tubes are motile). Non motile organisms will grow only along the
line of inoculation (observe the tube at the center).

22. 22

PRACTICAL 4-5
Poster Presentation

Prepare a poster describing how you identified the unknown species of bacteria.
The poster should include Title, Aim and objectives, Introduction, Materials and
Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusion and References.

The poster should also include the following.
• Correctly identifying the bacteria using the Bergey's Manual of Systematic
Bacteriology
• The disease the bacteria causes and its clinical manifestations
• Prevention, Control and Treatment measures for the disease the
identified bacteria causes.

23. 23

The following rubric will be used to mark the poster presentation

Criterion Grading (marked out of 50)
14-15 10-13 6-9 0-5
Title of the practical,
Introduction/principle and
aims: To measure the ability of
student’s understanding of the
microbiological technique used
and how the student outlines
the aim.

Was purpose of study clearly
stated?
(15 Marks)
Short introduction/principle
accurately constructed with
adequate in text referencing. All
aims and objectives are captured
clearly.
Short
introduction/
principle
well-
constructed,
in text
referencing
is
acceptable.
Aim is clearly
described
Short
introduction/principle
not properly
constructed, minimal
references. Aim not
described clearly.
No short introduction/
principle and in text
references and aims
not captured
Methods:
To measure the student’s ability
to construct methodology in a
scientific reporting format.






Was each technique used
described in appropriate detail?

(10 Marks)

9-10 7-8 4-6 0-3
All methods are clearly described
in a proper format. Figures and
tables are properly presented.
Most methods
clearly
described in a
proper
format.
Figures and
tables
presented
well.
Some methods
described well and in
a proper format.
Minimal figures and
tables reported in a
proper format
No methods
described well and in
a proper format.
Minimal figures and
tables reported in a
proper format
Results and discussion: 9-10 7-8 4-6 0-3

24. 24

To measure the ability of student
to capture data and scientific
reporting, to discuss and analyze
results.













Is there a complete table of test
results showing visiual AND
interpretive information?

Were all tests listing in order of
date?

(10 marks)
All results presented well in an
acceptable format. Figures and
table properly presented and
labelled. Discussion arguments
well-constructed with
supporting evidence from the
literature and adequate
references.
Most results
presented well
in an acceptable
format. Figures
and table
properly
presented and
labelled
Discussion
argument
construction is
adequate with
some
supporting
evidence
from the
literature and
acceptable
references.
Some results
presented well in an
acceptable format.
Figures and table
properly presented
and labelled.
Discussion arguments
not well constructed
with minimal
supporting
evidence from the
literature and minimal
references
Few results presented
well in an acceptable
format. Figures and
table properly
presented and
labelled. Discussion
arguments well-
constructed with
supporting evidence
from the literature and
adequate references
Conclusion and References:
To measure the student’s ability
to capture the essence of the
practical results.
(5 marks)
5 3-4 2 0-1
Conclusion well-constructed based
on evidence presented
All references used are properly
presented in a uniform format.
Adequate
based on
evidence
presented. All
references are
adequately
presented in a
uniform
format.
Acceptable based on
evidence presented.
Some references
presented and not
all are in a uniform
format
Not well constructed
based on evidence
presented.
Not all references
used are presented
and formatting is not
uniform

25. 25

Correct ID
Verified by instructor?
~ If unknown ID incorrect, was it
the result of student
error (technique or judgement) or
a factor out of the student's
control?


Was the unknown correctly
identified?
(5 marks)

5 3-4 2 0-1
Neatness, spelling, grammar,
nomenclature
~ Is presentation written in
professional, objective manner--no
personal pronouns
~ Have all scientific names been
written using proper
nomenclature?
~ Is grammar and spelling proper
and accurate?
~ Is presenation prepared in a tidy
fashion according to requirements?

(5 marks)
5 3-4 2 0-1