Tentative course schedule - CH111 - Fall 2018

You will get the most of lectures if you have done the appropriate preparation beforehand. In this course, the preparation ahead of lecture will include:

  • Reading the lab that will be discussed;
  • Watching some short videos (links in the schedule below are to helpful review videos that you should watch before lecture); and
  • Reading additional parts of the lab manual (LM), or the writing guide (WC) at the end of the lab manual.

Also, make sure to prepare for upcoming technique workshops during the labs by working through the sections in the Appendix for each technique/skill before arriving at the lab.

Date Details
W 9/5 Introductory lecture -- welcome to the course
  • Sections L1/L2 meet at 1:25pm in KCB 104
  • Sections L3/L4 meet at 5:30pm in EPC 207
Welcome to course, syllabus
  • Read section on "Professional standards" (LM)
Lecture on lab 1: tools, techniques, and approaches in quantitative analysis
M 9/10 Welcome to the course

Lecture on lab 1: tools, techniques, and dimensional analysis in quantitative analysis
W 9/12 Lab check-in, safety tour, and orientation (in the lab)
  • TopHat assignments on Professional Standards due before lab today
Lab #1: Tools of the trade for quantitative labwork
               (post-lab for lab #1 is due two hours before the start of lab on 9/13)

Techniques: as new techniques are being introduced in lab, you will be asked to work through the section of your lab manual about each new technique before lab. Then, in lab, there will be one-on-one workshops on each technique. Before lab 1, please make sure to review the material about:
  • Laboratory practices (LM: Appendix A.1)
  • Micropipettes (LM: Appendix A.4), and
  • Balances (LM: Appendix A.3; skip A.3.2 and A.3.4).
When lab 1 is complete (and submitted), review basic statistics and data handling (also see Top Hat):
M 9/17 Lecture on lab 2: estimating molecular size (and experimental design)
  • Make sure to complete the reading/watching related to lab 2 that is listed above
  • Preparing lab research notebooks (LM section on Notebook and Assignments, video)
  • TopHat pre-lecture assignment is due 1 hour before lecture (this will typically be the case for each lecture, unless otherwise announced)
Feedback:
  • Lab TFs provide detailed feedback and guidance on the post-lab assignments
  • Typically, TFs make an effort to have the feedback available by late Monday or Tuesday of the week following submission
  • Imporant details on how to access and interpret the feedback are presented in the "Turnitin Assignments - Getting Feedback" document posted on blackboard in the "Course Documents"
W 9/19 Lab #2: Determining the surface area of a molecule of stearic acid
               (post-labs are due two hours before the start of next lab, unless otherwise noted)

Techniques:
  • Glassware and measurement fundamentals (LM: Appendix A.2)
  • Glass transfer pipettes (LM: Appendix A.5), and
  • Vacuum filtration
Self-assessment of assignments: technical documents, especially in the sciences, can be challenging to perfect -- that is normal. A detailed rubric designed to help you polish your work is posted under "Course Documents" in blackboard. Use the "Post-lab Assignment Rubric" to help you assess and refine your work.
F 9/21 Lab lecture during normal lecture time (Friday, 21 September 2018 at 9:05am in SCI 113)

Lecture on lab 3: experimental design and gravimetric analysis
  • Principles of gravimetric analysis (video)
  • Hydrates(video)
Lecture on lab 3: statistical analysis of experimental data (1)
M 9/24 Lecture during normal lab lecture time (Monday, 24 September 2018 at 12:20pm) as well as the normal lecture time (9:05am)
W 9/26 Lab #3: Gravimetric analysis of calcium
               (post-labs are due two hours before the start of next lab, unless otherwise noted)

Techniques: Mass by diference (LM: Appendix A.3.2)
M 10/1 Lecture on scientific communication and argumentation
  • Introduction to scientific writing (WC 1)
  • Claims and Argument (WC 3, GRA1, GRA2)
  • Structure of scientific arguments (WC 4)
Lecture on light and matter interactions
W 10/3 Lab #3: preparing a convincing scientific argument
WR #1: preparing to make a strong argument (work on writing assignment #1 in lab, due next Wednesday)
  • Section L1 will meet at 12:20pm in CGS 313
  • Section L2 will meet at 12:20pm in CGS 321
  • Section L3 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 220
  • Section L4 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 322
Techniques:
  • Volumetric flasks and solutions (LM: Appendix A.6)
  • Benchtop spectrophotometers (LM: Appendix A.9)
  • Cary 60 Research-grade UV-Vis spectrophotometer (LM: Appendix A.10)
Meet one-on-one with lab instructors (TF and LA) to get progress update and feedback
M 10/8,
T 10/9		 No classes on Monday (Columbus Day), Tuesday follows a Monday's schedule at BU

Lecture on spectroscopy and light (lab 4)
W 10/10 Lab #4: Introduction to molecular spectroscopy
M 10/15 Lecture on lab 5: more fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy
W 10/17 Lab #5: Modeling conjugated dyes with the particle in a box model
M 10/22 Lecture on the structure of scientific papers and research
  • Review: structure of scientific papers (WC 4)
  • Conventions of scientific communication (WC 5)
  • Research and the scientific literature (WC 6, sections 6.1-6.3)
W 10/24 Lab #5: crafting a strong paper based on experimental results
WR #2: structure of scientific papers (due next Wednesday)
  • Section L1 will meet at 12:20pm in FAB 205
  • Section L2 will meet at 12:20pm in FAB 340
  • Section L3 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 220
  • Section L4 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 322
M 10/29 Lecture on lab 7: colorimetric analysis
  • Linear regression (using Excel)
  • Uncertainty from linear regression
  • Review: Solution preparation (videos 2.1-2.3)
  • It would be helpful to review the readings for lab 2 (LM).
W 10/31 Lab #7: colorimetric determination of iron
               (data analysis and questions for thought (no paper) due two hours before next lab)

Techniques: review volumetric pipettes and volumetric flasks
M 11/5 Lecture on lab 8: atomic spectroscopy and standard additions
  • Atomic emission/absorption spectroscopy
  • Standard additions
W 11/7 Lab #8: Determination of iron in food samples
WR #3: voice and style of scholarly papers (due next Wednesday)

Techniques: burettes (LM: Appendix A.7)
M 11/12 Lecture on lab 9: logistics of gas laws in the lab, back-titrations Lecture on advanced statistical analysis
  • Two-sample t-tests and comparing distributions
W 11/14 Lab #9: Stoichiometry of Mg and HCl reaction
               (data analysis and questions for thought (no paper) due by Tuesday 11/20 at 11:59pm)
               (polished paper due by Tuesday 11/27 at 11:59pm)
M 11/19 Lecture on statistical analysis of comparitive studies
  • F-tests for comparing variances of distributions
  • Two-sample (paired) t-tests for comparing distributions
W 11/21- Su 11/25 No classes, Thanksgiving recess
M 11/26 Lecture on scientific communication in groups and peer review
  • Effective strategies for self- and peer-review
  • Working with value rubrics for assessment
W 11/28 Lab #9: peer writing workshop
  • Section L1 will meet at 12:20pm in CGS 313
  • Section L2 will meet at 12:20pm in CGS 321
  • Section L3 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 220
  • Section L4 will meet at 5:30pm in CAS 322
WR #4: conventions in technical writing (polished draft due by Tuesday 12/4 at 11:59pm)
M 12/3 Lecture on lab 10: thermochemistry and calorimetry
W 12/5 Lab #10: Hess's law and calorimetry
M 12/10 Lecture on lab practical
W 12/12 Lab Practical

Sunday, September 9, 2018 6:39 PM