Women are underrepresented at multiple levels of physics education. One avenue for understanding the classroom experiences that perpetuate underrepresentation is physics identity, defined using the three dimensions of recognition, performance, and competence. Existing literature suggests that women tend to have a much weaker physics identity than…

An inquiry-based experiment for the organic chemistry laboratory was developed to provide students with a cognitively rich research experience. Student teams were charged with optimizing the reaction conditions for the Williamson ether synthesis of 2- fluorophenetole from 2-fluorophenol, ethyl bromide, and potassium carbonate in either absolute…

Capillary electrophoresis is an important analytical separation method used to study a wide variety of samples, including those of biological origin. Capillary electrophoresis may be covered in the classroom, especially in advanced analytical courses, and while many students are exposed to gel electrophoresis in biology or biochemistry…

A guided-inquiry experiment was designed and implemented in an introductory organic chemistry laboratory course. Students were given a mixture of compounds and had to isolate two of the components by designing a viable workup procedure using liquid-liquid separation methods. Students were given the opportunity to apply their knowledge of chemical…

Although much of the scientific community concerns itself with ideas of a sustainable future, very little of this interest and motivation has reached the classroom experience of the average chemistry major, and therefore, it is imperative to expose students to these ideas early in their careers. The focus of most undergraduate chemistry curricula…

This biochemistry laboratory course was designed to provide significant learning experiences to expose students to different ways of succeeding as scientists in academia and foster development and improvement of their potential and competency as the next generation of investigators. To meet these goals, the laboratory course employs three…

Argues that the traditional chemistry laboratory manual is not inherently a cookbook and the modern course manual does not automatically eliminate the cookbook approach. Suggests that it is the nature of the teacher guidance that students receive before, after, and during the laboratory work that makes a chemistry program meaningful and effective.…