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Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Last updated prior to August 1998
Knowledge and skill goals for this undergraduate degree program are recorded in
the most recent CU-Boulder catalog. In some summaries of assessment activity, goals are referred to by number
(e.g., K-2 is knowledge goal 2).
The final independent projects in capstone
laboratory courses (CHEM 4181 [Instrumental Analysis] and CHEM 4761 [Biochemistry])
are evaluated by multiple readers. Every major takes at least one of these
courses. Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to plan an individual
experiment, research the methods, assemble the necessary apparatus, perform
the experiment, and report their work both as a written report in the form
of a journal article and (since 1990-91) orally. They prepare overhead
transparencies to show their data and give brief presentations during a
laboratory period. Time is allowed for questions and other students are
encouraged to participate in discussion of the project. Written reports
are evaluated on the basis of form and quality of writing as well as on
the project reported. Starting in 1995 the biochemistry laboratory has
been moving toward the use of poster presentations of the laboratory work;
poster sessions are becoming the norm for presentations at many scientific
meetings and it was felt desirable to include experience in this medium
in students experience. Poster presentations are judged on the basis of
clarity and quality of presentation as well as on the quality of laboratory
work.
In addition, each graduating senior fills out an exit questionnaire
evaluating the courses taken, etc., and reporting about his or her future
plans. The exit questionnaires are reviewed by the associate chair of the
department. The seniors are also invited to give written comments about
their experiences in their major courses. A few take the time to write
extensive comments, and these are often extremely helpful. In 1996 one
such extensive comment led to major revisions in the reports in physical
chemistry laboratory, and another played a significant role in the tenure
evaluation of a young faculty member. Since 1990-91, the self-selected
group of better students who plan to attend graduate school have been asked
to mark their Graduate Record Exams (GRE) so that their scores are returned
to the university.
In the 1989-90 capstone project evaluations, the faculty were disappointed
with the quality of the written reports. That year's report noted "It is
apparent that the department needs to work harder on teaching the sort
of communication skills to the students, that are needed for the capstone
papers. During the coming year the department will be discussing ways to
improve the training of our students in this respect." Subsequent years'
reports indicate that the faculty were more satisfied with the students'
writing skills. Reports have shown definite improvement.
The exit surveys have consistently shown that advanced lab courses and
independent study--hands-on courses--are most valued by the students. In
response, the department tried to encourage more students to do independent
study. By 1991-92, the number of students doing such projects was up by
60% from the previous year. However, the faculty felt that still more students
could benefit from guided independent study, and have now incorporated
experiments of this sort in the lower-division organic chemistry laboratory
for chemistry majors, and experimented with the idea in other lower-division
laboratory courses. This has some cost in terms of teaching assistant and
faculty time, but the faculty feel that it is well worth it for improving
the laboratory experience.
In 1994-95, the instrumental analysis laboratory, taken by all majors,
was changed to increase the amount of time students spend on independent
experiments. The change was enthusiastically received by the students and
the faculty were pleased by the improvement in the quality of the independent
work when students did it more than once.
Exit-survey results also show that chemistry and biochemistry seniors
have wide-ranging plans for their futures. A large fraction plan on further
education, with about half intending to attend graduate school in chemistry
or biochemistry or related areas.The faculty note that this is about twice
as large as the number who have taken the GRE. The GRE scores indicate
that CU-Boulder students rank well above average in their general test
scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical ability) and about average
in their subject scores (chemistry and biochemistry). However, especially
for the subject tests, the number of scores available has been small enough
that the sample is not very representative. As the exit exams indicate,
not all students who indicate an intention to go to graduate school take
the exams. With faculty encouragement, the number of students taking the
GRE exam, especially one of the subject exams, rose in 1994-95 but dropped
off again in 1995-96.
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