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Year 1 Practical Chemistry - CHE00018C
- Department: Chemistry
- Module co-ordinator: Dr. Peter Rayner
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: C
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
- See module specification for other years: 2021-22
Module summary
This is a compulsory module, in which students learn fundamental techniques for Practical Chemistry.
NB In addition to the below, "Practical skills 1: labwork assessment for Year 1 Practical Chemistry" and "Safety Quiz" are non-credit-weighted assessment tasks for this module. They must be passed in order for students to progress to Stage 2.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
-
To introduce students to practical laboratory work at degree level.
-
To inculcate and reinforce core elements of practical work, such as working safely in the laboratory, understanding and practice of key manipulative skills, making accurate records etc.
- To develop the students' abilities, and build their confidence in all of these areas, so that they are prepared for the challenges of more advanced practical work in subsequent years of the programme.
Module learning outcomes
Subject content
-
To understand the foundational principles of practical work in Chemistry
Academic and graduate skills
-
to understand and practise general laboratory skills
-
to understand and gain proficiency in general synthetic skills
-
to understand and gain proficiency in general analytical skills
-
to understand and gain proficiency in general data-handling skills
- to consolidate these skills, and gain experience of pair-work, team-work and problem-solving in the context of practical chemistry
Module content
Assuming no prior knowledge, this module introduces Year 1 undergraduate chemists to the practical laboratory, and teaches them the practical skills that are associated with laboratory practical work. The practical skills are taught via a series of structured experimental exercises. These exercises are designed to train elementary practical skills at the start of the module; these elementary practical skills are then extended, developed and combined as the module progresses, providing multiple opportunities for students to practise and improve. The module content is developed primarily through laboratory sessions across all three terms. The laboratory exercises are overseen and taught by laboratory demonstrators. Information is provided in a variety of formats, including introductory lectures, instructional videos, experimental scripts, experimental briefings, notes and interactions with the demonstrators.
Module content:
- General laboratory skills
Introduced at the start of the module, and developed throughout, including lab familiarisation, safely handling substances, weighing solids, measuring liquids, appreciation of risk assessments, lab book usage
- General synthetic skills
Introduced at the start of the module, and developed throughout, including use of glassware, filtration, reflux, extraction, distillation, recrystallisation, use of rotary evaporators etc.
- General analytical skills
Introduced at the start of the module, and developed throughout, including use of volumetric glassware, use of UVvis/IR spectroscopy, preparation of NMR samples, use of GC and HPLC instruments etc.
- General data handling skills
Introduced some way through the module, then developed throughout including accurately recording data, processing data, appreciation of accuracy and precision, appreciation of uncertainty in measured results etc.
- Consolidating skills
Developed at the end of the module in the Integrated Chemistry Projects, which act as a "capstone" element to the module; this involves practising and developing the fundamental laboratory skills in "real-world"-type scenarios, planning experimental work, drawing conclusions, and developing broader problem-solving skills in individual, pair-work and team-work situations.
Assessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Online assessment : Online assessment |
N/A | 25 |
| Practical Practical : Integrated chemistry practicals in Summer weeks 8, 9, 10 |
N/A | 25 |
| Practical Practical portfolio : Practical portfolio |
N/A | 25 |
| Practical Practical skills assessment : Practical Skills Assesment 2 |
N/A | 25 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
The ICP course runs after the Summer assessment period. Students will work in groups to collect and analyse data, and will submit group data and slides for the group presentation.
In addition to the practical assessment listed in the assessment section, students must complete "Practical skills 1: labwork" and a "Safety Quiz" assessments. These are non-weighted components of this module but must be passed in order for students to progress. This "Practical skills 1: labwork" assessment task is recorded under the module catalogue entry "Practical skills 1: labwork assessment for Year 1 Practical Chemistry" (CHE00020C).
Reassessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework Online assessment : Online assessment |
N/A | 25 |
Module feedback
Throughout the laboratory exercises, students will receive verbal feedback on their performance, which they can use to improve their skills, in advance of the assessments.
In Practical skills assessment 1 (CHE00020C), students will receive individual feedback, by email, on their performance and some more generalised feedback, by email, within 20 working days. Any students with unsatisfactory performance are required to attend a retraining session where they would also have multiple opportunities to retake this assessment. Practical skills assessment 1 also acts to familiarise the students with this method of assessment, in advance of the credit-bearing summative Practical skills assessment 2.
In Practical skills assessment 2, students will receive a mixture of individual and generalised feedback, by email, within 20 working days.
The practical portfolio will be marked and returned to students, by email, within 20 working days.
The Integrated Chemistry Practicals consist of lab sessions, with additional group work sessions, finishing with a group presentation. Students receive feedback within 20 working days on their presentations.
Students receive a full breakdown of the module marks with their Year 1 marks, and an examiner's report is written for the module.
Indicative reading
Practical Skills in Chemistry; Dean, Jones, Holmes, Reed, Weyers and Jones
Practical Organic Chemistry; Vogel
Experimental Organic Chemistry; Cranwell, Harwood and Moody
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