Interactive Electronic Laboratory Reports

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 10 Issue 6 (2005) pp 452-461

Interactive Electronic Laboratory Reports

Myung-Hoon Kim,^†,*, Dale Manos,^† W. Lawrence Dickinson,^† Suw-Young Ly,^‡ and Tae-Kee Hong^§

Science Department, Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus, Dunwoody, GA, 30338,^† mkim@gpc.edu; Department of Applied Chemistry, Seoul National University of Technology, Seoul, Korea 139-743;^‡ and Department of Chemistry, Hanseo University, Seosan, Choongnam, 356-820, Korea^§
Received July 11, 2005. Accepted October 4, 2005.

Published online: 16 Novenber 2005

Abstract. A comprehensive interactive electronic laboratory report (ELR) for chemistry experiments has been developed as an alternative to conventional written reports. This computer program asks students questions about the basic concepts, principles, and methods involved in the experiments. It also asks for the input of raw data from an experiment and the intermediate and final results from calculations. It enquires about the results and sources of error. Post-laboratory questions are included as well. The students’ answers are automatically graded, and their data and results are evaluated by the program. A grade is assigned and entered in the students' record files on the college intranet server. The program is written in such a way that it examines the students’ understanding of all of the important aspects of a laboratory experiment. Grading by the computer is prompt, uniform, and impartial. The grading scheme is presented here, along with an example of a real ELR for an acid–base titration experiment. This program is currently implemented under a local area network (LAN) on the Dunwoody campus of Georgia Perimeter College.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; laboratory report, assessment, interactive electronic laboratory report, computer grading

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: mkim@gpc.edu)

Article in PDF format (249 KB) HTML format

Supporting Materials:

An example electronic laboratory report is in provided in a Zip file (128 KB)