CH3PRA-Advanced Laboratory Skills

Module Provider: Chemistry
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Only available for students from NUIST on the BSc Applied Chemistry (3+1 route)
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Roger Bennett
Email: r.a.bennett@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module is designed to provide students with advanced practical skills in chemistry and incorporates organic, inorganic and physical disciplines.

Aims:

To give the students training in advanced practical techniques as well as oral and written communication of their experimental findings. The course is split into three sections to reflect the disciplines of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. The training provided ranges from specific techniques required for synthesis of both organic and inorganic compounds, to quantitative measurements, characterisation and the use of specific instrumentation.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

• State the risks of undertaking a particular experimental procedure and complete an appropriate COSHH assessment.


• Carry out advanced laboratory procedures safely.


• To plan and execute properly the experiments.


• Make accurate observations and measurements and record them clearly.


• Evaluate results from experiments and provide explanation for any experimental outcome.


• Write concise and informative reports.

Additional outcomes:

The students will be able to work efficiently in small groups and will be able to plan their time effectively. Students will refine their numeracy and IT skills. Students will become familiar with using and citing chemical literature, and will develop written and oral communication skills in preparation for their major project the following term.

Outline content:

The course is arranged into blocks of organic, inorganic and physical practical classes. Due to the arrangement of the academic year the practical timetable will be as follows:



Week 1: Organic - the first week is to allow students to become accustomed to working in a laboratory and will not count towards the overall module mark.

Week 2: Organic

Weeks 3 – 5: Physical

Weeks 7 – 8: Organic

Weeks 9 – 11: In organic



Organic Chemistry:

Experiments will cover the synthesis, purification and characterisation of a number of organic molecules and reflect the corresponding Part 3 lecture content.



Inorganic Chemistry:

Experiments will cover synthesis, purification and characterisation of inorganic complexes and materials.



Physical Chemistry:

Experiments will cover aspects of physical chemistry inc luding advanced preparative, analytical and measurement techniques.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

1 x 9 hour introductory practical class.

3 x 9 hours for each of organic, physical and inorganic chemistry.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Practicals classes and workshops	90
Guided independent study:	110
Total hours by term	200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	90
Class test administered by School	10

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Practical work will be assessed both through work in the laboratory and the resultant reports.



Relative percentage of coursework : Practical work and reports 100%.



Submission dates will be indicated on the Blackboard site. 

Formative assessment methods:

Students will receive oral feedback on their performance throughout the course. The first week of the organic chemistry component will be assessed formatively in order to ensure the students understand what is expected of them.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
An overall pass mark of 40%.

Reassessment arrangements:
If a student should fail the programme overall, reassessment of this module will be by a practical examination in August.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 10 August 2021