Chemistry 125 Course Information
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You will do most of your experiments in a group where you will combine and compare data, instead of competing with your classmates for the right answer. Moreover, for many experiments there is not even a single right answer. Rather, your goal is to learn techniques for analyzing and interpreting data. A key objective is for you to learn how to approach a particular chemical question (what data should you measure, what chemicals should you use, etc.). In general, you will get no credit for memorizing right answers. There is no curve in the course. Details of grading are given below. Overall, grades will be based on
No one is born knowing how to perform chemistry labs (not even the instructors). You don't need laboratory experience to do well in Chemistry 125. You do have to: prepare in advance for the labs; attend your laboratory section and work conscientiously and safely during the period; think about the experiments that you have done; and prepare in advance for the discussion. If you do these things, you should be able to get at least a B grade for the course. The inquiry lab environment can give you more than a good survey of General Chemistry. The recent Carnegie Report (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1998) indicates that many college students graduate without developing the crucial skills of how to think logically, write clearly or speak coherently. A major goal of this inquiry lab course is to facilitate development of students' qualitative reasoning skills. During this laboratory centered course you will be exposed to qualitative reasoning skills that chemists use when solving problems such as formulating hypothesis, organizing data, making inferences from data, and designing experiments. When conducting research to solve a problem, chemists do not know the outcome of experiments in advance. Educators refer to experiments with known outcomes as illustrations or traditional verification labs. You will conduct inquiry experiments where you are not expected to know the outcome in advance. While conducting the inquiry labs you can expect to experience confusion as you seek answers to problems. It is important to know that being temporarily perplexed is a natural state of problem solving. If you know immediately how to solve a problem, then it is an exercise and not a problem. Confusion is a signal that you need to invest time sorting through the information and thinking about implications of the results. Research indicates that your involvement in this process will facilitate development of your reasoning skills. Read the introduction to the lab manual for further information about the inquiry labs. The discussion section gives each laboratory section's teams a chance to confer about the implications of each experiment. The discussion will occur after the completion of the experiment and acquisition of the class data bank. It generally takes place during the initial hour of the next scheduled lab topic in order to allow you sufficient time to prepare well for the presentation. During this time each group will present their answer to an assigned question. Discussion questions appear at the conclusion of each experiment. Refer to the Group Learning section for more information on Discussion team guidelines for presentation.
Course Grades
are calculated on a points-earned basis. There is no grading curve in Chemistry 125.
Group WorkStudents perform much of the course work as a member of a team. Research has shown that students learn better, develop interpersonal skills and enjoy a course more when it is conducted in a group learning environment. This does not mean that students simply work side by side on a problem, or the more motivated students work while others watch. Rather, a group that is functioning well will exhibit interdependence. Everone contributes something to the group. The more effort that a student gives towards a group, the more likely they are to be rewarded in terms of skills learned, and ultimately in terms of their grade.When people work in groups, it is important that they be able to communcate with one another without conflict. Students are encouraged to realize that criticism of ideas is useful, while criticism of the person expressing the idea will generate hard feelings and affect group functioning. Win-lose situations are discouraged, as they can lead to conflict where one person's ideas dominate. Working as a group during the labWhen you are conducting an experiment everyone in the group should participate in conducting and discussing the lab. The goal is for all of you to cooperate and collaborate so that everyone in the group should understand and be able to explain the investigated problems and chemical phenomena.Division of Group Tasks during lab All team members should perform the experiment if there is sufficient equipment to do so. The likelihood of error will be reduced and learning maximized if all students engage in hands on experimentation. In order to promote a cooperative environment and acquaint all group members with varying experimental tasks, typical tasks are rotated with every experiment. Your instructor may ask your group to submit a plan regarding such tasks for some or all experiments. The typical management areas are described below. Tasks may be combined (e.g. safety and reagents and equipment tasks or some other combination) depending on the number of team (typically 3-4) members. Typical tasks associated with every experiment include:
Team Discussion GuidelinesQuestions for discussion are at the conclusion of each experiment in the manual. You and your team will be assigned questions to investigate and answer at the beginning of each new laboratory topic. Below are guidelines for your presentation:
Laboratory GuidelinesBefore-Lab PreparationStudents are required to prepare before lab. At a minimum, they should:
Students often find it helpful to work in groups when preparing for a laboratory. Since lab performance depends in part, on the data that group members collect, every one benefits when the entire group is prepared. If the objective of a lab or the background material is not clear, students are encouraged to seek guidance before the lab. Possible sources of assistance include the instructor, a GSI (graduate student instructor), and computer-aided instruction.
During LabPerform the experiment and record all of your observations. Chemistry is an experimental science. If you don't record your observations you aren't doing chemistry. If you only watch other students perform the experiment you are not doing science. The experiments contain empty spaces to record your data, hypotheses, or experimental plan. The lab manual also contains team data sheets. The team data sheets are a record of the group's consensus regarding all aspects of experimentation. If you cannot reach a consensus your team should indicate uncertain and why. These experimental data (together with other data measured by the rest of the class) will form the data bank for answering your discussion and post-lab report questions. Your laboratory instructor may initial the team data forms that you have completed (all of the data forms have a box for initials). Your data form should not be changed once your instructor has initialed it. Your data form is due to be turned in within 48 hours after its last experiment class is over.
During DiscussionThe discussion questions are given at the conclusion of each experiment. The purpose of the discussion is to confer about the implications of the experiment. The discussion will occur after the completion of the experiment and acquisition of the class data bank. It will generally take place during the initial hour of the next scheduled lab topic in order to allow you sufficient time to reflect on the data and prepare well for your presentation. Each group will generally present their answer to one question. You should record an outline for your presentation before reporting to discussion.After LabTeam Lab Report: Students need to complete a team lab report at the conclusion of a given experiment and turn it in within 48 hours after the conclusion of that experiment. It should be noted that you should talk to your instructor about what constitutes a day late. The information required for each lab report is given within the LabPack. Generaly, these involve further analysis of the data that students have collected. The lab report grade is the grade given to each team member.Discussion: Students need to complete an abstract to be turned in at the time the GSI has assigned in addition to a discussion presentation for the team's assigned question. Note:Comprehension of material covered in the dicussion sections and lab reports should well prepare a student for the course exams.
Laboratory ScheduleThe course begins with an introduction to laboratory skills, careful observations, and data analysis as the focus is on graphic relationships and the properties of solutions. Questions that the student seeks to answer are How do you use graphs to examine potential patterns in data? How do you identify a compound and determine how much of it is present in solution? During this part of the course, students prepare solutions that will be used for several different investigations. Next, the focus is shifted to determining what constitutes valid experimental design, data and data analysis as fundamental reactivity, properties, and structure are explored. Individuals work together in research teams where data is shared, evaluated, and discussed. In the final portion of the course, students design experiments to solve practical problems, such as identification of species, type of reaction, and product.The course syllabus has a complete laboratory schedule for this term. Helpful AdviceSince how well you do depends, in part, on the data that your classmates collect, everyone benefits when their classmates are better prepared. If the experiment or the background reading material is not clear, seek assistance before lab. Attend lecture. Course statistics indicate a correlation between attendance in lecture and course achievement. The lectures are a chance to address questions you may have regarding the assigned pre-lab reading material, experiment objectives, and the basic terminology and background information that are relevant to an experiment. Note that the lectures will not tell you what to do for the experiment or what results you will find -- part of your job is to figure out these details. Possible sources of assistance other than the lecture include the course instructor (office hours indicated above), any graduate student instructor (office hours held in Science Learning Center as indicated below), any general chemistry text, another student, and/or computer aided instruction (referenced below).The course is cumulative and therefore it is important that you do not miss a lab or discussion. If you think about and discuss the experiments while you are performing them, prepare well for and understand the lab discussion questions, study and understand the questions on the practice exams, you should be well prepared for the course exams. One of the best ways to determine if there are defects in your understanding and thinking before taking the exams is to join or form a study group and engage in dialogue about the laboratory and exam questions. Your instructor can help you form a study group. What is a Study Group? A group of students (perhaps one - two lab teams) who meet a minimum of 1 hour every week. Members of the group are willing to share their work and engage in dialogue for the goal of greater understanding. Study groups are formed at the Science Learning Center. You will find a link to form study groups on that webpage. Why? Sometimes we think we understand something (like a relationship) but our experiences (real life) tell use otherwise (a relationship severs, we lose a job, perform below expectations on an exam). Why not take preventative action and determine if there are defects in your thinking and understanding before the exams? Research indicates that one of the best ways to learn is through dialogue in a social setting where you can sort out the things you actually know from the things you think you know. One of the best ways to gain expertise in any area is by learning how to help other students achieve greater understanding. Agenda? Suggested assignments can be made by the study group, the course coordinator or any laboratory instructors. At every session, all group members should bring their work on the assignment and share, discuss, and give feedback on each others solutions. Group work does not mean that students simply work side by side on a problem, or the best student works while the others watch. Rather, a group that is functioning well will exhibit interdependence. It is important that all members of the group conduct the experiment, independently observe the chemical phenomena, and share and discuss your observations and results. A goal of this lab is to develop problem solving skills, not to engage in conflicts where one person's ideas dominate. Try to avoid win/lose situations. Everyone contributes something to the group. The more effort that you put into the group, the more you are likely to be rewarded in terms of skills learned and, ultimately, in terms of your grade. Follow the guidelines given in the lab manual regarding division of group tasks during the lab and the discussion presentation. This manual contains many appendices which you should find useful. Read both the experiment and the appropriate reference material from the sections Background information on chemical reactivity and/or Laboratory Techniques before doing any experiment. A section of Reference Figures and Tables will be useful to refer to as you analyze your data. Study the section on Laboratory Safety before doing your first experiment.
Course Help: Where to Find It.Graduate Student InstructorsGraduate Student Instructors (GSIs) have regular office hours, usually in the Science Learning Resource Center. A list of updated office hours is kept in a book at the front desk at the SLRC. An online schedule is updated a few times a semester. Check the SLRC schedule for up-to-date information. Computer aided instruction
Absence and Make-UpsSince the course is cumulative it is important that you not miss a lab. Occasionally, circumstances will arise that force you to miss a laboratory. In such cases, a make-up laboratory may be possible. There are several points regarding make-ups that you need to understand: Permission for make-up You must follow the instructions for makeup EXACTLY as given on Page 7 of the Lab Manual found AFTER the purple sheet in your manual (turn to the purple sheet, then page 7 after it). Check-out and breakage procedureAll students must check in and check out of lab. Failure to check-out will result in a charge (about $30) and credit withheld. Excess breakage charges must be paid at the Chem Stands. |
