The three laboratory projects will be done in groups of three students (same groups all class). Each person will assume the following roles once each:
Manager: The manger is ultimately responsible for the work of the group and will be the only one in the group presenting the group data. The manager will also be responsible for the written report and any communication with upper management. All problems and responsibility ultimately lie with the manager. As such the manager's grade will count twice as much for the manager on the experiment that they manage.
Chemist: The chemist is responsible for all solution preparations. The manager should insure the competence of the chemist.
Instrumentation Specialist: The instrumentation specialist is responsible for learning how to run the instrument by reading about the instrument as well as reading the appropriate manuals for the instrument. As much data analysis as possible should be done with the instrument's software, but results should be verified with a spreadsheet analysis.
Though the manger is ultimately responsible for the work of the group, all group members should be involved with the calculations. All calculations must have an appropriate error analysis. Poor analyses will be repeated (possibly in your own time on weekends!).
The analyses will be evaluated as follows:
Presentation
Accuracy
Precision
Statistical analysis (verification)
Method selection
Appropriate amount of data
All class projects will require a written report and an oral presentation. The written reprts will be subject to initial peer review by two students outside of your lab group and one from inside the group.
For the written report, the following guidelines may prove useful: