Chemistry 105 lab will be graded using a specifications grading system
By meeting certain specifications over the course of the semester, you will earn one of the following grades at the end of the lab course: High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, No Pass. We expect that most students will receive a grade of Pass. The grade of High Pass will be reserved for only truly exceptional performance. The purpose of this approach is to take the focus off of the grade and direct it toward achieving the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the lecture portion of the course and subsequent lab courses. It also encourages you to submit work that might not be perfect. For example, we are more interested in seeing where you might be struggling on an assignment, rather than having you spend hours trying to create a "perfect" assignment.
Earning a grade of High Pass in lab will result in your CHEM105 grade increasing by 1 increment (e.g. earning a B in lecture plus a High Pass in lab will result in a final grade of B+ for CHEM105)
Earning a grade of Pass in lab will have no effect on your lecture grade
Earning a grade of Low Pass in lab will result in your CHEM105 grade decreasing by 1 increment (e.g. earning a B in lecture plus a Low Pass in lab will result in a final grade of B– for CHEM105)
Earning a grade of No Pass will result in a failing grade in CHEM105 regardless of lecture grade
To earn a grade of...
You must...
High Pass
Complete all lab experiments
No unexcused absences
At least 90% quiz average
Earn at least 11 "check plus (√+)" and 0 "check minus (√–)" on all results worksheets and notebook checks (out of 14 total)
Earn a "check plus (√+)" on the lab skills mastery check
At least 9 prelabs submitted on time (out of 10 total)
No missing work
Pass
Complete all lab experiments
No unexcused absences
At least 70% quiz average
Earn at least 11 "checks (√)" or better on all results worksheets and notebook checks (out of 14 total)
Earn a "check (√)" on the lab skills mastery check
At least 8 prelabs submitted on time (out of 10 total)
No missing work
Low Pass
Complete all lab experiments
Two or fewer unexcused absences
At least 60% quiz average
Earn at least 7 "checks (√)" or better on all results worksheets and notebook checks (out of 14 total)
Earn a "check (√)" on the lab skills mastery check
At least 6 prelabs submitted on time (out of 10 total)
No missing work
No Pass
Do not meet the criteria for Low Pass
Any missing lab experiments and/or missing work
Did not complete Week 1 Online Lab Safety Assessment
Three or more unexcused absences, regardless of whether the experiments are made up or not
General Grading Policies
Note: Most assignments that are turned in on time are eligible for a revision! Scroll down to see our revision policy
Pre-lab assignments:
Pre-lab assignments are due weekly by the due date specified by your instructor. Attempt the pre-lab assignments to the best of your ability, and they will receive a grade of check √. Your laboratory instructor will talk through pre-lab assignments at the start of each lab period.
Results assignments:
On a weekly basis, an assignment may receive:
A check plus (√+) if you have exceeded expectations and expressed mastery of all competencies in the concepts addressed in the assignment.
A check (√) if you have satisfactorily demonstrated competency in the concepts addressed in the assignment.
A check minus (√-) if the work is unsatisfactory and demonstrates that you have not performed calculations properly, or have a large deficit in the understanding of the concepts addressed in the assignment.
The assigned results questions should be turned in every week. It is your responsibility to check for announcements or updates from your instructor. Any results earning a grade of √- can be revised and resubmitted, and subsequently earn a grade of √. Unexcused late work will not be eligible for revision. As per your instructor's guidelines, typically, you will turn in one set of Results answers per lab group.
Quizzes:
A weekly open-lab notebook quiz will be given based on the theory/calculations from the PREVIOUS week's experiment. The quiz will be administered Sakai's Tests & Quizzes section. A numerical grade will be given to your quizzes. Any quizzes earning <70% may be orally revised during the next office hour or lab period; quizzed scoring less than or equal to 50% must be revised.
Lab Notebook Checks:
You should keep a lab notebook for each experiment. Your instructor will detail the requirements for the lab notebook. Your notebook will be checked three times throughout the semester. A lab notebook can earn a grade of √+, √, or √–, just like weekly results sheets. Any notebook earning √– may be revised to earn a √.
Safety:
Chemistry lab frequently involves working with hazardous substances that may cause acute skin or eye irritation, or long-term carcinogenic effects. As such, safety in the laboratory is of utmost priority in order to eliminate any risk of short- or long-term personal harm. Your instructor reserves the right to dismiss you from lab at any time for behaving in a manner deemed unsafe.
Proper safety in the chemistry lab includes:
Wearing safety glasses and closed-toe shoes at all times.
Wearing provided lab coat and appropriate clothing that protects your legs and midriff.
Tying back hair that is longer than shoulder length.
Leaving all food and drink outside the lab (including gum!)
Disposing of lab waste in the appropriate waste-disposal container in the satellite accumulation area (SAA).
Using proper technique and care with instruments
Cleaning any used glassware following the guidelines provided in the lab.
Additionally, surgical face masks must be worn at all times in CHEM105 lab. We will provide masks for all students to be worn in the lab room. Failure to comply with the masking policy will result in an unexcused absence from the lab.
Revision Policy
Among the CHEM105 teaching staff, we strongly believe in growth and improvement! As such, we want to make sure you have the opportunity to learn from your mistakes throughout the semester. There are two types of revisions: results/notebook revisions, and quiz revisions
Results/Notebook Revisions. All results or notebooks earning “check – (√–)” may be revised. These revisions must be completed together with the lab partner you originally were assigned for the lab. All revisions are due within one week of receiving your grade back from your instructor. A satisfactory revision will boost your grade to “check (√)”. Failure to work with your original lab partner, or failure to submit the revision by the deadline, will result in keeping the original grade of “check – (√–)”. If you receive more than one “check – (√–)” grade during the semester, you will be required to check in with your laboratory instructor in office hours before your next revision submission.
Quiz Revisions. All quizzes earning <70% may be revised. These revisions must be completed orally with your lab instructor either during the next lab period, or during your instructor’s office hours. All quiz revisions must be completed within one week of the original quiz due date. You must contact your instructor via e-mail to arrange for a quiz revision. A satisfactory revision will boost your grade to 70%. Quizzes earning <50% must be revised.
Late Work Policy
All work is due by the deadline set by your lab instructor. The following are the consequences for late work:
Any late quizzes will automatically receive a –10% per day late penalty.
Any late results sheets or notebook checks will earn a maximum score of “check (√)” if satisfactorily submitted within 72 hours after the posted deadline. Any submissions received after 72 hours have passed will earn a maximum score of “check– (√–)” You are allowed one late submission over the course of the semester within 24 hours of the posted deadline without it affecting your grade.
Extensions may be granted for assignments at the discretion of your lab instructor.
Absence and Make-Up Policy
Absences fall under two categories, excused and unexcused absences.
Excused absences are absences that you inform your lab instructor about with at least 1 week notice, or emergency absences taken at the last minute due to medical or family emergencies. Examples of excused absences include:
You have a performance on February 8 that conflicts with lab, so you let your instructor know no later than November 1 and arrange to go to a different section to make up the lab at a different time.
You test positive for COVID and need to isolate for 5 days
You wake up with a fever, vomiting, etc.
You receive word that your brother was in a car accident this morning, and feel severely emotionally distraught
If you believe you have an excused absence, you must make up the lab that you missed, but you will not face a penalty for making up the lab. Contact your lab instructor ASAP to let them know that you need to miss lab and believe it should be excused. Once your lab instructor approves of your absence as excused, they will reach out to schedule a make-up and give you make-up deadlines. All work completed by the make-up deadline will be graded as if it were turned in on time.
Unexcused absences are any other absence. Examples of unexcused absences include:
You overslept for lab
You’re feeling really stressed out because you have 3 exams in your other courses this week and decide not to come to lab
You have a performance on November 8 that conflicts with lab, but you forget to tell your instructor about it until the day before lab, meaning your instructor does not have enough time to arrange for a make-up
You book a plane home for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and do not inform your lab instructor until the day before you are supposed to fly home.
If you have an unexcused absence, you must make up the lab that you missed, and you will face a penalty. Once submitted, the results sheet and/or notebook check for the missed lab will automatically receive a score of “check– (√–)”, with no opportunity for revision.
Failing to make up a missed lab will result in receiving a failing grade in CHEM105.
Three or more unexcused absences will result in receiving a failing grade in CHEM105, regardless of whether or not the lab is made-up.
Making up a missed lab
If you need to miss a lab for any reason, let your lab instructor know ASAP! To make up a missed lab:
(1) You must attend another section of CHEM105L during the week’s ‘lab cycle’ to complete the experiment. Most ‘lab cycles’ run from Tuesday – Monday (that is: the first time a lab is run each week is Tuesday, and the last time it is run is the following Monday). If it is at all possible for you to make up the lab during the same lab cycle, you should arrange with your lab instructor to do so.
(2) Only if making up the lab during another section is impossible, you can request an alternative make-up date. The request must be made within 1 week of missing the lab. Regardless of whether or not you make up a lab, if you have 3 or more unexcused absences, you will receive a failing grade in CHEM105.