HONORS PROBLEM IN QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
L. A. PAPPENHAGEN, MOUNTUNIONC O L ~ GALLIANCE, E, Orno In order to stimulate interest and enthusiasm in a course in quantitative analysis, an experiment has been tried whereby an honors problem has been substituted for the usual final examination. A student who has completed with average grade or better all the required exercises in the laboratory work for the semester is permitted to substitute for his final examination the quantitative estimation of some ion or element. He may choose any ion or element in reason, the only provision being that it has not been determined in the regular laboratory work. After a study of textbooks, reference works, and current literature if necessary, the student makes a list of the various ways in which the element may be determined quantitatively. From this list he chooses the method be wishes to use, and, armed with the reasons for his choice of method, with the equations for all the reactions involved, together with a knowledge of the general theory and procedure, he seeks a conference with the instructor. At this conference the student-now as employee-lays his plan before the instructor-now employer-defends his choice of method as to its practicability and states the theory involved and procedure he expects to use. After having convinced his employer that he is capable of managing the problem, he is granted permission to start the work. At the conclusion of the problem a written report is made, including a list of references, source of procedure used, and a discussion of the probable errors. In the writer's classes, the above experiment has been tried for the past two years and has been attended with considerable success. The opportunity to escape examination in itself is sufficient urge to keep the usual laggard up to the average of the class in work done throughout the semester, and the chance to analyze a chosen element as he wishes stirs his imagination with the thought of doing somethmg original and different from the rest of the class. The experience gained by the student in his attempt to sell his ideas to his instructor is alone worth the effort. The student puts fully as much work and twice the enthusiasm on his honors problem that he would on study for the final examination, and the instructor is called upon to spend no more than the usual time of grading a paper. The student feels satisfaction in his work, and the instructor has the pleasure of sounding out a live student rather than scanning a dead bluebook. The net result to the student is the pleasure in the responsibility of a piece of work, and the opportunity to show his mettle; to the instructor is the satisfaction of a semester rounded out with few, if any, laggards in laboratory work, and a class finishing a course with a bit of real enthusiasm for analytical work. This has been evidenced by the request of many
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students for the chance to do a second honors problem. The student acquires experience in explaining his problem to his fellow students, who, in their turn, see many processes used which are unusual in the regular course. And, after all, when a student has made a study of textbooks, references, and current literature, has made a decision as to the method he intends to follow, and then carries out his task successfully, has he not passed a worthy examination?
