Chemistry 30475
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Fall 1997

Dr. Clarke W. Earley
Kent State University Stark Campus
403 Main Hall
Phone: 499-9600 (Ext. 403)
email: cearley@stark.kent.edu
Web site: http://www.stark.kent.edu/~cearley/

Class Times

Office Hours

See Fall 1997 page for Dr. Earley's complete schedule.

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Texts

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Prerequisites

Students are expected to have successfully completed the equivalent of one year of college-level General Chemistry, which will typically be CHEM 10060 and 10061. In addition, students must either have successfully completed or concurrently be enrolled in Basic Organic Chemistry (CHEM 20481).

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Grading

Grades for this course will be based predominantly on laboratory reports. With the exception of the first day (Chapters 1 & 2) reports will be graded out of a possible 10 points for each day spent on the experiment. (For example, since two days will be spent on Chapter 3, this will be graded out of 20 possible points). The lowest "1-day" score will be dropped. In addition, one formal laboratory worth 30 points will also be assigned (Chapter 18: Synthesis of 1-bromobutane). Finally, two laboratory quizzes worth 20 points each will be given. These quizzes will cover the material presented in each half of the course (i.e. - not cumulative). Dates for lab experiments and quizzes are given in the lecture outline below. Grades will be based on the scale: 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 0-59% = F. Grades will not be curved or arbitrarily adjusted in any manner, and extra credit will not be given

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Attendance

Attendance in laboratory is required. You may not turn in a laboratory report if you were not present to complete that experiment. While a small amount of flexibility is possible to allow makeup experiments, this should only be used for extraordinary situations. Safety goggles are required to be worn at all times while in the laboratory. If you are unable to attend laboratory during the regularly scheduled time, you must contact Dr. Earley BEFORE lab. Excused absences will only be given for legitimate, documented excuses.

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Laboratory Procedures

Laboratory notebooks are required. To encourage the most efficient use of lab time, students are required to write complete procedures in these notebooks before attending lab. While I will allow students to bring their textbooks into lab, these are only to be used to look up relevant information contained in tables. Near the beginning of each lab period, I will check to verify that these procedures have been written out, and this information will become part of the laboratory report score.

Laboratory reports will typically consist of the content of the laboratory notebooks, which will be turned in on the day of the laboratory quizzes and at other announced times. Most chapters include a number of questions, some of which may be assigned. The answers to these should be included in the laboratory notebook and will be graded as part of the laboratory report. For Chapter 18 (Synthesis of 1-bromobutane), a formal lab report will be required, which is to be written in the format of a typical scientific article.

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Quizzes

Quizzes will be designed primarily to test understanding of the chemical reactions performed in lab. These will not focus on experimental procedures (how many milliliters of dichloromethane were used to extract caffeine from tea leaves?), but rather will emphasis general principles (why was dichloromethane used to extract the caffeine?). There is no final examination for this laboratory course.

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Office Hours

Office Hours are listed near the top of this syllabus, and my complete schedule for this semester is also availabe. If you are unable to attend office hours, see me before or after class (or call) and we can set up additional time to meet. If you are having difficulty in this class, please get help as soon as possible. The pace of this course makes it extremely difficult to catch up once a student falls behind.

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Computer & Internet Usage

All students enrolled at the Stark campus are given an account on the Kent Stark computer system. I will occasionally make reference to material that is available either locally or on the Internet throughout this semester. All of this material will be accessible using Netscape, which is installed on all campus computers with Internet access. While it is not required that you take advantage of this information, this material can be quite helpful. The address for my Web site is: http://www.stark.kent.edu/~cearley/, which can also be accessed from the Stark campus page, going through the Chemistry Department page.

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Academic Dishonesty, Students with Disabilities, Etc.

Use of the intellectual properties of others without attributing it to them is considered a serious academic offense. Cheating or plagiarism will result in receiving a failing grade for the course. Repeat offenses result in dismissal from the University.

In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required. Stark campus students should contact Kelly Oster in Student Services to submit documentation to verify their eligibility.

The "Kent State University Undergraduate Catalog" should be consulted for information on grievance procedures, statement of non-discrimination, and additional information on official policies.

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Tentative Schedule

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This page was last modified on September 01, 1997
and was written and is maintained by Clarke Earley
Kent State University Stark Campus
Department of Chemistry
email: cearley@stark.kent.edu
© 1997 by Clarke Earley, Kent State University.