How do microbes contribute to the quality of human life?
The Signature Assignment is an essay, where you will address the question, “How do microbes contribute to the quality of human life?”, by writing a 3-page (double-spaced 12 size font) essay. The audience for your essay is a friend or family member. You should have both positive and negative examples that cover distinctly different topics from the course. In the opening paragraph make it clear who you are addressing.
How to score points:
Use the correct scientific name (genus species) for at least one of the organisms that you are discussing.
I want to hear about four examples in some detail rather than listing a variety of diseases.
Make the person that you are addressing real (one or two details), if they are child (what are their hobbies or what grade they are in). If they are grandparent or parent, are they working or retired?
Make it clear why you think it is important or interesting to talk to them about microbiology.
For example:
…Grandpa while you were working as a machinist, I noticed those cuts that you would get on your hands, no doubt from shards of metal. I remember that you would sometimes use a tweezers to pick out the pieces of metal and then apply tincture of Iodine…
So, with this type of beginning, you have made it clear who you are talking to and just as importantly, something about them so that you have defined your audience.
Also, you have a launch point to talk about inhibiting microbial growth or opportunistic pathogens or the immune system.
