FYI: I posted the exam 1 key for CHEM 233 on the bulletin board outside of my office as well as the curve & distribution graphs. As I posted the key, I noticed the bulletin board also needs to be spiced up with some new pictures. Pictures of you and your friends--in lab!! I have been meaning to take some new pics, but just can't seem to get around to it. So I decided that I'll leave you in charge of the pics. I'll give one extra credit point (max 5 points) to every CHEM 233 student who submits a picture which is approved to go up on the board. I will generally look for original, candid and lab oriented pics to post. Write your name and TA on the back and hand it to me or slide it under my door. If you see your pic on the board, you got the credit. Be safety conscious and be sure to ask permission before snapping a pic of your colleagues. Deadline: April 18.

Tags: exam 1, key, pictures

Congratulations on a job well done. I was very pleased with the results of exam one; it was apparent the majority of you worked hard on this material. The sample exams also seemed to contribute to more focused studying. I was particularly impressed with the number of students who seemed to have mastered functional group recognition in IR spectroscopy. The approximate curve (grade cutoff's) and score distribution have been posted on the Spring 2008 Grades page under the CHEM 233 tab. Remember that this curve is only approximate; the full value of each of your scores will contribute to the final score, which is then curved. If you would like to discuss your score or believe there is a grading error, stop by during office hours and I'll be happy to look over it with you. Note: your TA's will not be able to make corrections to your exam since the score has already been entered into my gradebook. Again, great job.

Tags: 233, exam 1, curve

I recently posted sample exams for CHEM 233. While I think studying from samples can be dangerous since this sometimes encourages students to memorize material rather than learn it, the samples communicate clearly the type, formate and difficulty level of content to be tested. My aim was also to eliminate any disparity between students without samples and those who acquired old exams from classmates who had previously taken 233. My recommendation is to use the sample exams as an evaluation tool after you have studied the material. Review homework questions, assigned reading, course manual readings and prelab lecture notes first, then attempt one of the samples to gauge how well you understand the laboratory concepts and techniques.

Tags: exam, exam 1, studying