Microbiology: An Introduction, 13th Edition

Features and Benefits

  • ASM guidelines: The American Society of Microbiology has released six underlying concepts and 22 related topics to provide a framework for key microbiological topics deemed to be of lasting importance beyond the classroom. These topics identify what students should understand at a deep level, including the big-picture ramifications of those concepts and how they relate to other issues within the field.  The 13th edition explains the themes and competencies at the beginning of the book and incorporates call-outs when chapter content matches one of these 22 topics. This approach helps students and instructors focus on the enduring understandings of the course and provides a teaching tool for instructors to assess students’ understanding and critical thinking skills. Mastering Microbiology content is tagged to these statements in addition to book-specific and global learning outcomes.
  • Each Big Picture spread includes an overview that breaks down important concepts into manageable steps and gives students a clear learning framework for related chapters. Each spread includes Key Concepts that help students make the connection between the presented topic and previously learned microbiology principles. Each spread is paired with a coaching activity and assessment questions in Mastering Microbiology. 
    • Three Big Picture spreads focus on important fundamental topics in microbiology: 
      • Metabolism
      • Genetics
      • Immunity
    • Eight Big Picture spreads focus on diseases and related public health issues that present complex real-world challenges: 
      • NEW! Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
      • NEW! The Hygiene Hypothesis
      • NEW! Vertical Transmission: Mother to Child
      • NEW! Bioterrorism
      • Neglected Tropical Diseases
      • Climate Change and Disease
      • Cholera After Natural Disasters
      • STI Home Test Kits

Help students connect course content and their future career

  • NEW! Exploring the Microbiome boxes illustrate how research in microbiology has changed our understanding of human health and disease. These boxes highlight the possibilities in this exciting field and present insights into some of the newly identified ways that microbes influence human health. In addition, they provide examples of how research in this field is done–building on existing information, designing fair testing, drawing conclusions, and raising new questions. 
  • Clinical Content is included throughout the chapter:
    • Each chapter opens with an In the Clinic scenario and includes Critical Thinking Questions, which encourage students to think like nurses and spark student interest in the forthcoming chapter content. These scenarios are supported by new In the Clinic Video Tutors in Mastering Microbiology.
    • Clinical Cases woven through every chapter help motivate students to think critically about the chapter content and provide them with practical application to their future careers in allied health. Each case segment includes critical thinking questions that students should be able to answer after reading the chapter material. Each clinical case has an accompanying Mastering Microbiology coaching activity.
    • Clinical Focus boxes present clinical scenarios based on real-life cases. Students are asked to think like microbiologists, asking and answering questions as they proceed through the cases

Give Students Opportunities to Practice and Study

  • Check Your Understanding Questions and Figure Questions emphasize critical thinking rather than memorization. Check Your Understanding questions appear at key points throughout the chapters, encouraging students to engage interactively with the text and self-assess their understanding of the corresponding Learning Objectives.
  • Study Questions at the end of each chapter align with Bloom’s taxonomy, and help students progress from knowledge and understanding to analysis to clinical applications and evaluation.
    • Name It activities give students clues about the physical and biochemical nature of a microbe, signs and symptoms of the disease the microbe causes, information about vaccines, etc., and then asks students to identify the microbe.
    • Draw It activities ask students to answer questions by either producing their own sketches or identifying elements of an illustration.