CHEMISTRY 0113

General Chemistry1 Laboratory

Dr. Bell-Loncella - TPL

Spring 2002

A FEW MATTERS OF POLICY

Every Course has some kind of policy -- even a lab course. The links on this page will help answer ansy questions you might have about this lab course.
 

Things you might want to know
  • Grading: Exams, Quizzes and Homework 
Attendance:When you registered for this class you made a commitment to attempt all of the work that may be assigned. Attendance is not mandatory. However, it is difficult to take a laboratory course if you do not come to class. Hence, you will find that punctual and regular attendance is vital in order to carry out this commitment. Moreover, cutting lab -- for whatever reason -- shows a lack of respect for your fellow students and the professor.
Academic Integrity: Honesty and integrity are qualities we respect in ourselves and others. Therefore, you are expected to be fully aware of your responsibility to maintain a high quality of integrity in all of your work. Furthermore, you are expected to have read and understood the University Guidelines for Academic Integrity.

The following should help to define the term cheating.

  • Sharing information on a problem set such that two or more answers are identical
  • Using unauthorized materials during a test or exam.
  • Passing off as your own the ideas, words or products from some other source (better known as plagiarism).

    • Cheating of any form will not be tolerated!

    If you are suspected of cheating, you will be allowed due process as established by the Academic Integrity Guidelines. In the event that the accusation is found to be true, a first offense will result in a grade of zero on that assignment (Lab Report, Homework, Quiz or Exam) . Verification of a second offense, will result in a failing grade for the entire course. In either case, the Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, your advisor and the Disciplinary Board will be notified in writing.

    Class Participation: Class participation will not directly affect your grade. However, if your final grade falls in that "gray area" your class participation may count in your favor. Class participation involves a willingness to answer questions asked during the pre-lab discussion. Remember "there are no wrong answers". We can all learn from an incorrect answer. You are encouraged to volunteer an answer even if you are not sure. As you will see, learning why an answer is not correct is often more valuable than just knowing the right answer.

    Cooperative Lab Activities: Many of the laboratory exercises lend themselves to cooperative activity. We will select the groups the first lab meeting. In a cooperative lab, different people perform different tasks. However, everyone in the group is responsible for recording all of the data and maintaining a complete record of the experiment in the laboratory notebook. As a group you will analyze the data, observations and results and draw a conclusion. You will frequently be asked to submit a group self-assessment with your lab report. For many of the cooperative labs the group will submit only one lab report; this will be a composite lab report containing different sections from different students' laboratory notebooks. You will not always know who will turn in what. Therefore it is in the best interest of the entire group for everyone to maintain accurate records and contribute 100%. The comments with respect to Academic Integrity apply to cooperative laboratory activities. Details will be provided with specific labs. To learn more about working in teams see the page A Few Words about Cooperative Learning in Chemistry.  Cooperative Labs will include a Group Assessment. You can find a copy of the Goup Assessment on line. You can also download a copy (MSWord) from the BlackBoard page.

    GRADING -- EXAMS, QUIZZES & LAB REPORTS: There will be a quiz each week. The quiz will cover material from the experiment performed the previous week and the reading assignment for the day's experiment. Be sure to check the Web site. You will be allowed to use your lab notebook for the quiz; this means you should keep an accurate and complete notebook. Some weeks there will be a Pre-Lab assignment instead of a quiz.

    Your final grade will be based on your Lab Reports (40%), your Quiz grades (30%) and the Final Exam (25%).

    Special accommodations: Students with disabilities who require special testing accommodations or other classroom modifications should notify their course instructors and register with the Learning Resource Center no later than the fourth week of the term. Students may be asked to provide the LRC with documentation of their disability to determine the appropriate accommodations. To register for disability services, students should call extension 7109 or come to the Learning Resource Center, 133 Biddle Hall, to schedule an appointment with Kurt Bouman, Director of the LRC.  You may also contact the LRC by email.
     

    Other Useful Links



    Thank you for visiting this web page.
    Last Updated:  01/07/02