While Lab Write-Ups/Reports have largely been replaced with Post Lab summaries or activities, a small cohort of science teachers at EMCC have been discussing the benefits of re-introducing the Lab Write-Up as a means to promote science literacy in our students. The purpose of a Lab Write-Up is multifaceted, allowing for students to i. share their experiences with data collection and interpretation of data within a laboratory setting, ii. read and write within the science discipline, and iii. upon determination of its validity, incorporate their findings into their understanding of the natural world.
Writing skills, in particular, are not generally fostered in science classes. And yet, students continuing in a science field will be required to write in a number of ways, including but not limited to correspondence, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.
Templates will be created in Google Doc and shared within the cohort of teachers, as well as the Academic Success and Writing Centers at EMCC.
A working template for the Lab Write-Up will be provided to students on a Google Doc for students to be able to access and make a copy for their own use. In addition, templates for a peer review process will be distributed to students following their first Lab Write-Up submission. A second submission deadline will be open for students to receive and address feedback from their peers.
Supports made available will be implemented as possible. For instance, resources shared in the MCCCD Literacy Partners Project and EMCC Dev Ed workshops will be adapted to meet the needs of our science students.
The template will be updated upon receipt of student or tutor feedback and teacher reflection.
A survey was conducted at the completion of the Fall 2024 semester with 96% of students participating. In a question regarding Lab Write-Ups at the completion of the Fall 2024 semester, 51% of students found the format to be effective in communicating their lab experience(s) and 35% of students found it to be at least somewhat effective, while 13% of students found it to be somewhat ineffective and only 1% of students found it to be ineffective.
Samples of student feedback:
- "It helps me understand what I’ve learned over the past few weeks and I get to talk about what I learned in how it means to me in my own way"
- "I liked how we had to fill out an outline that guided us on how to write the lab write up and organize our thoughts out."
- "I think that the lab write up format was only somewhat effective in communicating my lab experience because I was able to communicate my findings and what I thought they meant but having to make an open ended claim was a little hard for me."
These survey results indicate that students see value in the template, but helping them use the brainstorming tools would be especially helpful.
As for learning outcome mastery, the following breakdown was observed per course (60 CHM151AA students and 21 CHM151AA students):
2b. Analyzing data using statistical and graphical methods
-
CHM 151AA 18% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 57% mastery
2c. Identifying and accounting for sources of error and uncertainty (e.g., procedural, mechanistic, random, but NOT human error)
-
CHM 151AA 43% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 57% mastery
3c. Identifying logical connections between chemical principles and experimental data
-
CHM 151AA 92% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 81% mastery
4a. Analyzing experimental data to identify trends and patterns
-
CHM 151AA 73% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 62% mastery
4c. Use scientific literature and resources to gather information on chemical topics
-
CHM 151AA 72% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 43% mastery
4d. Assessing the validity and accuracy of sources (e.g., general media, scientific literature)
-
CHM 151AA 53% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 38% mastery
5a. Communicating findings clearly and effectively
-
CHM 151AA 33% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 67% mastery
5b. Using appropriate scientific terminology and units
-
CHM 151AA 82% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 43% mastery
6a. Avoiding plagiarism and properly citing sources
-
CHM 151AA 42% mastery
-
CHM 130AA 48% mastery
From these results, it appears that citing outside sources, identifying types of error in an experiment, and analyzing using graphical or statistical methods are three skills to focus students’ attention on in both CHM151AA and CHM130AA next semester.
The purpose of this assessment is to explore the potential benefits of reintroducing Lab Write-Ups in science courses at EMCC as a means to enhance students’ science literacy. Lab Write-Ups provide an opportunity for students to share their data collection experiences, interpret results, and engage in scientific reading and writing. They also allow students to incorporate findings into their understanding of the natural world. While writing skills are often underemphasized in science education, they are essential for students pursuing science fields, as they will be required to write reports, correspondence, and publish in peer-reviewed journals. To support this initiative, a Lab Write-Up template has been created and shared among teachers and academic support centers. Students are provided with the template for use in completing their assignments, and a peer review process has been integrated to encourage collaborative feedback. Results from a survey conducted at the end of the Fall 2024 semester for my CHM151AA and CHM130AA courses indicate that 86% of students found the Lab Write-Up format effective or somewhat effective in communicating their lab experiences. Student feedback highlighted the benefits of structured guidance in organizing thoughts, though some struggled with interpretation of data. Mastery of learning outcomes such as data analysis, error identification, and scientific communication showed varied results. Notably, students in CHM 151AA demonstrated higher mastery in identifying logical connections between principles and data, while students in CHM 130AA exhibited greater proficiency in effectively communicating findings. Overall, the implementation of Lab Write-Ups shows promise in improving science literacy, though further refinement of the process may enhance its effectiveness.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Student Example 1_CHM 151AA | 536.89 KB |
| Student Example 2_CHM 151AA | 1.51 MB |
| Student Example 3_CHM 130AA | 5.83 MB |