How do you guys answer post lab questions without having to look them up

[deleted421268]

How you guys answer post lab questions without having to look them up? Or you guys look them up?

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[JustAPhD]

Well, if the neurons in your brain fire in such a way that you produce the correct answer without resorting to Google then you wouldn't look them up, if not, then you look them up.

 

[efle]

what is a "post lab question" ?

 

[aldol16]

I'm guessing these are lab report questions? You should be thinking about what you're doing during the lab itself and not just follow the recipe. Then you won't struggle to answer the questions. Some questions we design are "challenge" questions that are designed to get you to think about what you did and then take it a step further than that.

 

[Lawpy]

what is a "post lab question" ?

best guess is probably questions asked after the lab is done; like analyzing results of experiments

 

[RogueBanana]

Post-lab questions are conceptual questions that students have to answer and attach as the last page of their lab report in undergraduate science courses (most commonly chemistry & biology related courses)

The purpose is to ensure the student can answer basic questions involving the concepts required for said lab report.

For example, a chemistry lab report on friedel-crafts acylation may have a post lab question such as:
Draw the mechanism for the friedel-crafts acylation of XYZ organic molecule.

Usually you can answer the questioned solely from information found in the lab writeup (they usually include a short conceptual explanation before diving into the procedure)

if you can't figure it out you google it. Which you should know considering the standard response to not knowing something in medicine is "better go look it up"

 

[Turkishking]

How you guys answer post lab questions without having to look them up? Or you guys look them up?

Most of the time I try to work on them, if not I hassle my TA.

 

[aldol16]

Most of the time I try to work on them, if not I hassle my TA.

We hate it when a student comes up before even trying the problem on their own for "guidance." The student should attempt to think through it first and at least have an idea of what they're trying to achieve.

 

[Turkishking]

We hate it when a student comes up before even trying the problem on their own for "guidance." The student should attempt to think through it first and at least have an idea of what they're trying to achieve.

Yes. I attempt the problems, and if I can't figure out the answer, I see the TA. Either way, I'll use the TA as much as possible because it's a free resource. So I don't care if the TA likes me or not. Last semester, the TA graded my labs incorrectly, and sent out the wrong information for the labs and I corrected her. Seems like every year TAs can't think. I hate it when TA's have that position yet they can't think and get mad at students for showing interest in the course

 

[aldol16]

Yes. I attempt the problems, and if I can't figure out the answer, I see the TA. Either way, I'll use the TA as much as possible because it's a free resource. So I don't care if the TA likes me or not. Last semester, the TA graded my labs incorrectly, and sent out the wrong information for the labs and I corrected her. Seems like every year TAs can't think. I hate it when TA's have that position yet they can't think and get mad at students for showing interest in the course

I'm sorry your TAs are like that. When we meet to make up the lab report problems and exam questions, there's a vetting process to ensure that it's at the level of an undergraduate (we understand that we're in a privileged position because of our graduate education and so try to eliminate that bias) and that it's doable within the time frame you're given. So great if you attempted the question and still can't figure out the answer but we would rather you work collaboratively with your classmates instead of coming to us directly. We should be a last resort - of course we know the answers (or should) - we made the problems!

I know other TAs who do a lot to help students who come up to them but they also grade harshly (across the board) - because they figure that if they're playing a substantial role in the student's academic work, then it should be held to a higher standard.

 

[MoDiddy]

The labs are usually topics you cover in lecture. The post lab questions/lab reports are just asking you questions to interpret your data and apply it with your knowledge of the concept. If you understand the concept of the lab, writing lab reports/post-lab questions are easy.

 

[edgerock24]

I'm sorry your TAs are like that. When we meet to make up the lab report problems and exam questions, there's a vetting process to ensure that it's at the level of an undergraduate (we understand that we're in a privileged position because of our graduate education and so try to eliminate that bias) and that it's doable within the time frame you're given. So great if you attempted the question and still can't figure out the answer but we would rather you work collaboratively with your classmates instead of coming to us directly. We should be a last resort - of course we know the answers (or should) - we made the problems!

I know other TAs who do a lot to help students who come up to them but they also grade harshly (across the board) - because they figure that if they're playing a substantial role in the student's academic work, then it should be held to a higher standard.

If only TA's like yourself could realize that most students could care less about labs, and just go through the motions to get the experiments over with.

Lab assignments/quizzes/exams should test basic principals of the experiments, that's it. Super annoying when TA's/instructors think their labs are just as important as lectures.

Students have enough on their plate with lecture exams; no need for TA's to make their lives more difficult by creating ridiculous exams (or be harsh graders). Test the fundamentals and then move on.

However, I do understand that this is not the case at all for higher level lab courses (especially ones in chemistry).

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Paying attention to what is going on.

It's amazing. The amount of students that come into the lab with a very neatly done pre-lab with the objective/safety table/equipment list/procedure etc. and yet cannot answer questions that require actually having understood the lab such as "what is the reason for adding ethanol" or "why is melting point used instead of IR to identify the product?"

 

[ATPsynthase123]

How you guys answer post lab questions without having to look them up? Or you guys look them up?

I just look them up tbh. Those lab questions are a waste of time


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[aldol16]

If only TA's like yourself could realize that most students could care less about labs, and just go through the motions to get the experiments over with.

Lab assignments/quizzes/exams should test basic principals of the experiments, that's it. Super annoying when TA's/instructors think their labs are just as important as lectures.

Students have enough on their plate with lecture exams; no need for TA's to make their lives more difficult by creating ridiculous exams (or be harsh graders). Test the fundamentals and then move on.

I think students should realize that the subject matter is our passion and also our life work. Just like how you wouldn't like somebody walking in and not giving a **** about your life work, we don't like students who don't really care about learning from lab but only about their letter grade. Those students tend to not perform well.

The era of science you must be in is long bygone. Laboratories are often just as important as lectures - lectures can only do so much and actually performing the chemistry, physics, etc. reinforces the material in the students' minds. Not to mention makes them much more competent when they come asking to be "research assistants." That's our goal. Our goal is not to pad the students' GPA but rather make them into good scientists. That requires practical experience (in science as well as medicine).

That said, I don't make my exams "ridiculous" in the sense of being outrageously difficult and beyond the level of the student. I make my exams to challenge the student to think about what he/she knows and to apply that knowledge. That will serve them in science as well as on the MCAT. But if the student refuses to attempt the problem and constantly asks me for the answer, then I will hold their answer to a higher standard because it has to hold greater insight than simple regurgitation of what I say.