For microbiology, we have to identify three unknown bacteria, out of 41 possibilities. We are going to be given two tubes of broth inoculated with bacteria. One is mixed, the other will be pure culture. We have to separate the mixed one. (Oh, and we won't know which is mixed when we get it!)
So to do this efficiently, we each had to come up with a yes/no scheme (I guess that's why it's a dichotomous scheme ;) that starts with a few large categories and works its way down to each specific bacteria. At each level, we perform a test and follow either the yes or no leg till we find out what we have. Some tests are as easy as inoculating a tube, growing it overnight and seeing if it's turned different color. Others are more involved, like the spore stain, and others are just tricky to get riight. Some are definitely going to be easier to identify, so some of us are going to get lucky with bacteria that grow certain colors, or are defined with just a test or two.
There are 6 pages of the scheme. I was having a really hard time working with Microsoft Word's hierarchical structures (it really stinks, actually!), and Porter suggested this program. It costs $100, but it comes with a free 15 day trial. I had two weeks to finish the assignment. How cool is that!?
That looks mighty good!
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