CH380:
Prerequisites
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Course Delivery Model: In-person
Students will perform laboratory research in-person (unless the College suspends in-person operations) for three hours per week per credit hour.
Contact Information
Various chemistry journals accessible through the Watson Library / OhioLINK, such as Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, etc. Various books available through the Watson Library that are relevant to specific projects.
Course Goals and Objectives: Students will gain experience in:
- Original scientific research methods.
- Scientific literature research.
- Research decision-making and problem solving.
- Instrumental methods of data collection and analysis.
- Oral and/or poster presentations and scientific writing.
This course addresses the following objectives in the chemistry major: (a) have an understanding of the principles of chemistry in relation to chemical and physical properties, chemical nomenclature, and chemical reactions; (b) be able to make calculations and solve problems (using computer technology when appropriate) in relation to items in (a); (c) be able to properly collect and record scientific data; (d) be able to setup and operate appropriate equipment and instrumentation relating to the chemistry discipline; (e) be able to appropriately analyze and interpret instrumental/experimental data; (f) be able to report findings in proper written and oral formats, using computer technology where appropriate; (g) retain and apply knowledge of chemistry throughout courses and the entire chemistry program at Wilmington College and after graduation.
TBD. Student is expected to work three hours per week per credit hour carried. Work includes laboratory work, literature research, preparation of presentation materials, and presentations.
Course Grades:
Grades for Research Participation will NOT be determined by the actual scientific outcome(s) of the research the students performed. Rather they will be determined mainly from the student’s effort put forth toward her/his research project, including the quality of the required assignments listed below. Students may determine their own research schedule (pending the instructor’s approval) and are expected to devote approximately 1 session (typically 3 hours, although this may be split into multiple sessions or combined with out-of-the-lab research.) per week (per credit hour carried) to working on their project. Time is generally spent actively doing laboratory research; related activities such as library/literature research and the preparation of presentations may qualify as time spent working on the project outside the classroom. Also, the student should meet periodically with her/his research advisor to discuss any issues in the project or the course. The required assignments are as follows:
Work performed on project / Laboratory Notebook (70% of course grade)*:
Each student will keep a laboratory notebook, which will serve as the primary evidence / indicator for the work, effort, and time devoted to the project/course. The laboratory notebook must detail of ALL laboratory work performed by the researcher, including items such as detailed experimental procedures, data, original or copied printouts of any instrumental data, as well as file names of electronically saved data. The style of the laboratory notebook is not specified but should follow accepted conventions. Notebooks that (1) are messy, (2) are missing varying amounts of experimental details/ data, or (3) show little evidence of proper work on the project (as described above) will result in a reduction of the student’s grade for the course. Notebooks which (1) are sufficiently neat and organized, (2) contain the proper amount of experimental details/data, and (3) show that the student has performed the appropriate amount of work for the course should receive full credit for this portion of the grade. Students should make sure that the pages of the notebook are appropriately dated to reflect when the work was done.
Unless otherwise directed, students must present their research notebook to their research instructor after each experimental session in the lab. In the absence of the instructor, another chemistry faculty member may sign. A signed notebook is proof of research activity (but not the only criterion) that will be used in determining a student’s grade. It is the student’s responsibility to get his/her research notebook signed in a timely manner. If no faculty member is present to sign, then the students should make a note in the notebook at that time.
In addition, the instructor will maintain a time-card or log (typically in a binder in the laboratory, but the form may be different), which will log the number/date/time of a student’s research sessions. To receive full credit for this portion of the grade, the student must complete at least nine (9) “sessions” of at least one hour (per credit hour) in the laboratory (or other instructor approved research activities); sessions shorter than one hour may be combined. 10% of the course grade will be deducted for each session below 9 (e.g., 7 sessions = -20%).
Presentations (30% of course grade)*:
Each student will present the end-of-Semester results of her/his research by giving a final research presentation. Presentation grades will generally NOT be based on the actual outcomes of the experimental research, but rather the quality of the presentation (quality of visuals, quality of discussion, answers to questions, evidence that the student knows and has worked on the project). These final oral presentations will be given by research students near the end of the semester (at a date and time to be determined, usually during the last week of classes or Final Exam week). Students will prepare slides (using PowerPoint, presented electronically) of their research results and give an approximately 10-15 minute talk (including a Q&A session by the Chemistry faculty). Students will receive feedback on their final presentation. Students must submit a copy of this presentation to the instructor. SPECIAL NOTE: YOU MUST DO THE PRESENTATION TO PASS THE COURSE. Failure to do the presentation (except with the exemption of the instructor) will result in an “F” for the course grade. (This does not mean that only doing the presentation will earn a passing grade.)
Dates/times/locations of the presentations are TBD. Typically, a day/time is chosen either during the week of final exams or the week before final exams, such that all students/faculty involved in CH495/CH380 can attend.
(IF the College must suspend in-person operations or some other unforeseeable emergency, then the nature of the assignments will by necessity change to fit an online/distance learning model. If actual experimentation is not possible, then literature research or some other similar research project will be substituted. In the event that in-person presentations are not possible, a suitable substitute will be made. This might include online/teleconference presentations, a formal written report, or other similar activity/assignment.)
Grade Computation
Laboratory work/Laboratory notebook: 70% of course grade
Presentation (*or substitute): 30% of course grade
Grading Scale
Grades will be assigned using the following scale. At the end of the semester, the instructor may apply a curve to grading scale for the class. If that were to occur, it would only be a curve to increase the assigned letter grades, not decrease, and the curve would be applied to the entire class.
A = 90% or higher C = 70% to 79%
B = 80% to 89% D = 60% to 69% F = less than 60%
Decimals in the overall course percentage will be rounded to the nearest integer. Any decimal that is less than 0.5 will round down to the nearest integer; any that is 0.5 or greater will round up. For example, a grade of 79.46% would round to a 79% and be awarded a letter grade of “C”. A grade of 89.50% would round up to 90% and be awarded an “A”.
Instructor Course Policies
Students should establish with the instructor a regular day/time when they will work on the research project, and they should attend at those scheduled times, unless they are unable to do so due to a reason considered to be an “excused absence.” The College’s documents list official excuses for absences. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made to excuse absences for important or unavoidable causes. Students who are absent due to suspicion of illness will be excused.
Attendance and participation is the major factor in determining the grade for this course. Specific policies for grading are listed further below. In the event that excused absences prevent a student from fulfilling the attendance/participation requirements for the course (such as due extended illness), a student may be granted a reasonable exemption to the attendance/participation requirements.
Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges. See the separate policy dealing with plagiarism below.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is defined as the representation of another’s words, ideas, concepts, research or creative production without proper attribution, whether intentional or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to be informed about what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism can occur in the submission of one’s own work or in work submitted by a group.
Examples of plagiarism include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The submission of a paper not one’s own, including turning in a paper that has been purchased from a commercial research firm or obtained from the internet
- Copying word for word information without quotation marks
- Paraphrasing information (that is, the use of one’s own words with only minor changes to the original)
- Use of information not considered general knowledge without proper citation
- Listing of misleading or false sources on a reference page
- The use of a paper or project for one course that was previously submitted for another course, either at Wilmington or at any other institution.
- Use/copying of another student’s laboratory work/data without prior permission of the instructor.
- The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to generate answers, work, analysis, or writing without permission of the instructor.
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and carries serious academic consequences. Violations will be recorded by the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus and Vice President of External Programs at the Cincinnati Branch Campus.
When an instructor discovers plagiarism, the instructor will first consult with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs if a main campus student, or the Vice President for External Programs if a branch campus student, in order to determine if the student is a first-time offender. For first offenses, the instructor has the ability to determine the penalty for the offense. Students with academic integrity violations may not be eligible for academic awards and honors (i.e., Academic Honors, Dean’s List/Merit List, Green Key Honor Society, Quaker Impact Award, and other Honorary Societies). For a second offense or more, the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Main Campus or the Vice President for External Programs for students at the branch campus, will report the offense to the academic standards and appeal committee and gather evidence for a hearing with the student. It is possible that the student will receive a substantial reduction in grade for the course or will fail the course. Multiple instances could even lead to suspension or expulsion from Wilmington College.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP25 Final Exam Schedule Graduate:
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Class Attendance Policy |
Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services
Wilmington College provides accommodations and services for student with a variety of disabilities, including chronic illnesses, psychological, physical, medical, learning, and sensory disability amongst others. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to contact:
Spencer Izor, Associate Vice President of Compliance - Title IX/ADA Coordinator at spencer.izor@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2365 or Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Manager at 937-481-2208 to learn more about the process and procedures for requesting accommodations, or by visiting College Hall Room 306a or the Robinson Communication Center, Room 103.
Religious Accommodations
Wilmington College strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths, and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.