John M. D'Aurla, Raymond J.Chesin, and Evelyn T. Palmer Simon Fraser University Burnaby, B.C.. Canada V5A IS6
Projects in Freshman and Nonscience Oriented Laboratory Classes
The concept of a research project in a lower level or nonscience oriented chemistry lahoratory course is not new and has been attempted in a variety of ways elsewhere (1-5). In our opinion it can serve a useful role in the education process by helping to stimulate interest, demonstrating the true nature of lahoratory work as opposed to the conventional approach, and indeed increasing communication between students and instructors. We have been utilizing the concept of a project in two different types of lahoratory courses and the purpose of this article is to provide detailed information on the types of projects performed here for others interested in attempting similar approaches. Further we hope to present a critical analysis including strengths and weaknesses of projects as an educational tool. Laboratory Course for Nonscience Majors The laboratory course for nonscience majors has been described briefly in a previous report (6).I t consists of one lecture ( 1 hr) and one lab session (4 hr) per week for 13 weeks. In general the students spend the first nine weeks performing a variety of predetermined experiments primarily designed to acquaint them with chemical techniques and to increase their awareness of the role of chemistry in their lives. The last three weeks are devoted to a project of the student's own choosing which bas to he selected and approved six weeks after the course starts. In the past the majority of the scheduled experiments were taken from the manual of D'Auria, et al. (7). The general criteria utilized for approval of project proposals were cost and availability of chemicals and apparatus required, ability of the student to perform the proposed study, and safety considerations. Given these guidelines, the most popular areas for completed projects over the last four years have been photography, water pollution studies, and crystal growing. In addition the general area of consumer oriented studies of commercially available products ranging from various types of foods and drugs, to cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, and toothpastes have proven to he popular. Certain specific projects with useful references are given in Tahle 1. In addition various published lahoratory manuals (7-11) do contain a variety of useful experimental procedures. Further a number of applicable procedures, which can he modified, can he obtained from general reference texthooks (12-17). Following the completion of the project, each student oresents an oral summarv of his exoeriments to the entire class, and as well, submits a more complete written report. The uniaue characteristic of this course as o o ~ o s e dto the project section of the course described later i s t h a t the Table 1. Projects Performed by Nonrcience Students Title Preparation of Colmeticr. S h a m ~ o o r , Toothpaste Removal of Crude Oil from Marine Surfacer ~ e r f u m cExtracts from Natural Materiais iron Content of Breakfast Cereals A study of ShamPoor Anaivrir for Fluoride lnnr in Toothoaste
Useful References (18) (19) (20.31)
( 2 2 ) imoaified) (18.23 181
a Projects taken from raurcer other than references 17-11), 378 / Journal of Chemical Education
main emphasis was not the quality of the scientific studies hut the quality of the total student performance from the point of view of a nonscientist. Nevertheless, the maturity and high academic abilities of many of these individuals clearly lead to the achievement of projects of outstanding meril. Further, a clear and positive change of allitude towards scientific research was noticed on the part of these students. Laboratory Course for Firsi-Year Science Majors Due to the success of the use of projects in the course for nonscience majors as well as the success a t other universities, a similar approach was attempted in a first-year chemistry lahoratory course. This course, separate from a firstyear lecture course, is available to undergraduates in the physical sciences, biology, and kinesiology. Students have normally had two years of chemistry in a secondary school or the eauivalent. ~ntr;into the special project session was voluntary and of the aoproximately 170 students enrolled, 18 elected this option. ~ i h o r a t o sessions r~ were held once a week for four hours for 13 weeks, although the lahoratory was open a t other times. The first seven weeks were devoted to selected experiments from the regular (non-project) session to expose these students to techniques considered important. A certain degree of choice was allowed to encourage independence on the part of the student and the main techniques included use of an analytical halance, a pH meter, a spectrophotometer, a gas chromatograph, as well as procedures involving precipitation, crystallization, and volumetric analysis. Formal reports were required the week following completion of a particular study; a list of these experiments is given in Table 2. In preparation for this course and the special project session. considerable time and effort was devoted to com~iline . " a list of possible student projects including references from which the students could select a oarticular studv. The experiences with the project concept in the course for nonscientists as well as similar approaches used elsewhere proved of value in this preparation stage. Generally project suggestions were deemed suitable if they did not involve dangerous procedures, seemed practical considering the students' backgrounds, required apparatus and chemicals which were readily available, and might provide useful and interesting results in the time allowed. A number of these experiments were also attempted prior to the beginning of the course. Table 2.
Reouired Exoerimentr in Proieet SerrionY
Gar Chrornarorranhic Study of Air Determination of the Molecular Weight of a Gar from its Vapor Density study of Equilibria (a or b) (a) Equilibria in Chemical Reactions I b I Determination of a soiubilitv Product stbay of Inorganic Reactions of cbPPer volumetric Analysis of an unknown Acid oirtribution Coefficient of I, in a C C i d H 2 0 System Study of the use of Colorimetric Determinations (a or b) (a) Nickel complexes (b) Dissociation constants of cia-~ase indicators
a PrOcedUIeSa5 taken from a standard freshman cheminry laboratory manual assembled at Simon F r a w University.
T a b l e 3.
S u g g e s t e d P r a i e c t Areas
rea as Food Proteins vitaminr Minerals Additive6
Pollution Air Land Water
Drugs Caffeine Aspirin Nicotine
. . .
.
(7.51-56) (7.57-59) (8)
Properties of Matter Radioactivity Chromatography Freezing Point Deprarrlon Calorimetry
T a b l e 4.
(7. 6 0 ) (7, 8 . 5 5 . 5 6 . 6 1 , 6 2 ) Standard Freshman Laboratory Manualr (63), S t a n d a r d F r e s h m a n Laboratory Manuals
P r o j e c t s P e r f o r m e d (Fall, 19741
Title
P o t e n t i a l l y u s e f u l References
Useful References
Q u a n t i t a t i v e D e t e r m i n a t i o n f o r Silver i n P h o t o g r a P h i c Paper Sequence Determination of a Peptide b y Paper C h r o m a t o g r a p h y a n d TLC Separation a n d ldentification o f waterS o l u b l e v i t a m i n r b y TLC Study o f Chemilumine~cence A s p i r i n : Synthesis. A n a l y s i s . R e a c t i o n s Caffeine: G r a v l m e t r i c D e t e r m i n a t i o n a n d SDectrolcopy Caffeine: l r o l a t i o n a n d U V S ~ e c t r o s c o ~ y Chelate Chemistw: Glvcine. E D T A . a n d ~hthalocyaninei Study o f crystal G r o w t h Colorimetric Determination o f Copper in Salt Water Near a Pulp M i l l C O l O r l m e t r i c D e t e r m i n a t i o n of L e a d D e p a r i t e a on F o l l a g e Near a H i g h w a y Detsrmlnation o f Nltroqen Oxides I n Automobile Exhaust
(64-66) (67-69) (14. 70-73) (74-78) (14.57-59) 179-82) (52-54.83-89) 190-921
Synthesis KC1
Standard Freshman Laboratory Manuals
KBr, KBrO, Aspirin AZO D y e s Soalum ~hiosulfate
Table 3 presents our list of the suggested project areas while Table 4 indicates a selection of projects performed by the students. The material given to the students also included a general description of possible aims in a given area as well as an appropriate list of references. Few students made use of the material handed out; the majority chose their own areas of research. In both courses described, a brief written proposal was required summarizing the particular project together with a list of reagents and equipment. These were due three weeks before the initiation of the study. At the end of the course all students were required to present their results both orally to the entire class and in written form. Advantages and Dlsadvantages
As the advantages and disadvantages of the use of projects for both courses were quite similar, they will be discussed together. In our opinion the main advantages of the use of projects in low level and nonscience oriented chemistry laboratory courses are orovidine students with a more realistic concept of scieitific research, providing them with a good op~ o r t u n i t vfor creative and inde~endentintellectual activiiy, increased and more communication between students and instructors, and perhaps the discovery of interesting scientific results from individual projects. In both courses students r e s ~ o n d e dauite ~ositivelvin all of these areas and the) enco;raged the use b f p r ~ j e ~int sthe future. Some of the ~ r o i e c t sdid invohe so~histicatedamaratus which forced intkactions between the students a n d t h e entire department and did lead to a greater sense of identity with the department. The oral presentations proved to be of considerable value and are recommended strongly. The problems and disadvantages experienced for both courses were predictable and included the large and disproportionate amount of time and supervision required from the teaching staff, the disproportionate amount of time spent by some students to the detriment of their other courses, apparently higher costs for the required personal attention and special chemicals, and a sense of frustration created for some.students whose projects "did not work." In terms of the supervision required, in our opinion an instructor to student ratio of about 1% proved reasonable. An enrollment limitation of about 25 seems realistic given the facilities available here. Conclusion
The purpose of this article was to present reference in-
formation on the use of research projects in low-level and nonscience oriented undergraduate courses for others considering a similar approach. For the purpose references are provided for Tables 1and 3. Further it is our definite o ~ i n ion that the advantages are more persuasive than thedisadvantages and we would recommend that the use of projects be utilized a s a n educational tool in such courses as mentioned here. Acknowledgment
We would like to acknowledge the efforts of Ellen Koskinen in assembling reference information for suggested projects and the support funds from the.Provincial Government of British Columbia through its Experience '74 program. In addition the efforts of R. Lockhart and H. Gay in assisting the implementation of these projects are acknowledged. Literature Clted (11 Hoaks, P..and Duclal.J.,J. CHEM. EDUC..SZ. 175 11975). 121 Brown, D. B., and hiadman,L. B., J.CHEM. EDUC.,50.21d (19781. 131 The entire March iawe ofEdue. Chem,, 11 (19741. (dl C1ausen.D. F.. J.CHEM. EOUC.. 51.120 (19741. (51 Buonu,J. *..and Fasehing, J. L..J. CHEM. EDUC..50.616IlY73). 161 D'Auris, J..Cilehrist. A,, and Johnstone. J., J. CHEM. EDUC., d7.60811970). 171 DZuria, J., Gilehrist, A.. and Johnstone. J.. "Chemiatry and the Environment: A Lshuratory Experisnee: Ssunders Publishhe Co., Philadelphia. Pa., 1973. IS) Benaun, M. L.. and Jaattenmaki. M. K.."Quantitatiue Chemintry." Van Noetrand and Reinhald Pub. Co.. New York, 1972. I91 Nordmenn, J.. "What Chmista Do-A Laboratory Manual." Harper and Row PubLCo.. New York, 1974. I101 "Lab Bench-Experiments i n Chemistry." American Chem. Soe.. Washinnun, n c , .# o m I l l ) Jones, M. M., and Dawson, J. W.."Lshomtory M e n d for Chemiarry, Man and So. eiety." Saundma Pub. Co.. Philadelphia. Pa.. 1972. 1121 Snnddl, E. 8.. "Colorimetric Metal Analysis: lntsraeicnc~Pub. Inc., New Yurk. 1959. (131 Vogel, A. 1A ':, T e r t b w k of Quantitative lnarssnie Anslysis.ll 3 ~ Ed.. d Longmans, Green. and Co. Lrd.. London. 1961. 114) Strecher, P. G.. (Editor) The Merck Index, 8th Ed.. Merek and Co. Ine., Rshwsy, New Jersey, 1968. (161 "The United States Phsrmacopeia." Mack Puhlilhing Cu., Esston. Pa., 1970. 1161 Standen. A , (Edilori."Kirk-Othmor Encvclooedia of Chemiesl Technolorv:' . Intpr. aeienee Publishers. New York. 1963. 1171 Snell, F. D., end Ettre, L.. IEdiOn), "Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemical Anaiysis."lntpr~eisneePuhliaherr.N s r Ynrk ,966.
.-. .. -.
.
".
Co., New York, 1967. 1211 Naves, Y. R., and Mazuyer, C.. "Natural Perfume Materials: Reinhclld Pub. Co.. New York, 1917. (221 Lawlek. P. H.. J. Chem.Educ., 50,132 (19781. (23) Powers, D. H.. "Modern Cameticology,"lth Ed.. (Editor: Harry, R. 0.1, Leonard HillPub.,London, 1955,Chep. 19. 1241 Ruuth, J. I.Eymsn. . D. P.. "Expertmmts i n Gene~ei.Organic, and Biochemi~ry." Saundsrs Pub. Co., Philedelphis. 1970. I251 Marsh, O.C.,Jaeohs.D. L., Veenine. H..J, CHEM.EDUC..SO.626 119731. 1261 Lsswick, P. H.,J. CHEM. EDUC.,50.132 119731. (271 McCurmick, P. 0..J. CHEM. EDUC.SO.136 119731. I281 Chemiatry.42 ( I l l , 27 119691. (291 Glsuer.1. T..Johnson, F. T.. J. C H E M EDUC..50.426 119781. 1301 1hds.A. J., J. CHEM. EOUC., 51.296 (19741. (311 Chemistry, 41 ill,32 119681. 1321 Wartburg, A. F..Lodge. J. P.,Chemistry. 41 121.29 119681. 1331 MeFsrisnd. J. H., Benton,C.S., J. CHEM, EDUC.49.21 (19721. 134) Suplinksr,R. J.. J. CHEM. EDUC..49.2.1 lL9721.
Volu~?~ 53,Number 6, June 1976 / 379
