A highly instructive, wide-ranging laboratory project in which students study the effects of various parameters on the enzymatic activity of alcohol dehydrogenase has been adapted for the upper-division biochemistry and physical biochemistry laboratory. Our two main goals were to provide enhanced data analysis, featuring nonlinear regression, and…

The design and implementation of an advanced guided-inquiry experiment for the organic laboratory is described. Grubbs's second-generation catalyst is used to effect the ring-closing metathesis of diethyl diallylmalonate. The reaction is carried out under an inert atmosphere at room temperature and monitored by argentic TLC. The crude reaction is…

In teaching organic chemistry laboratory at this university, we eliminated the use of "canned" experiments from textbooks. Instead, we present students with literature studies that form the basis of developing new unpublished experiments to answer specific questions. In this research approach, students are better exposed to the chemical…

Method development and assessment, central components of carrying out chemical research, require problem-solving skills. This article describes a pedagogical approach for teaching these skills through the adaptation of published experiments and application of group-meeting style discussions to the curriculum of an undergraduate instrumental…

Describes a simple exercise that can be used to demonstrate the concepts of SI units, experimental design, and significant digits in a manner that holds the attention of students who already understand these concepts but is still valuable for students who are less prepared. (CCM)

Using questioning strategies to involve students in actually doing and analyzing experimental design can offer useful insights to instructors and students alike. Describes an interactive exploration of Alka Seltzer. (CCM)