good at lectures bad at labs

[rctriplefresh5]

i am pretty confused on this. i am currently acing my chemistry tests in lectures, with minimal effort. The chemistry class also has a lab component to it. I am lucky, that i have a smart partner that i can copy her answers from because i am COMPLETELY LOST in the labs. Its like i have ZERO idea whatsoever as to what to do. I feel bad also, because my partner always yells at me for being useless, and i get nervous the lab instructor will hear that and realize im not doing anything so he will fail me. anyways, my current lab partner is refusing to work with me next semester for the next level chem class. i really want to be good at labs, so i don't have to depend on others to do my work. i mean i have a 94 on lectures now, and most of my class is FAILING lectures. it doesn't make sense. any thoughts on this?i want to go to dental school, so i need a lot of chemistry. im also sure i will have a lot of lab work in dental school. I don't want to fear my future classes./ my lab partner is a genius, who got exempt from all intro classes due to extremely high sat scores. yet i am doing better than her in the chemistry lecture, and she actually studies and does her homework. although she knows whats up in the labs./

and i am not exaggerating when i say i have zero idea what goes on in the labs. the lab instructor will say go to work now, and ill look at the procedure and just be standing there, not even sure where to start with any of this.

to be honest i dont really understand much in lectures either, but somehow i get the highest grades on the tests. Its like that for all classes but i cant ever pull it together for my laboratorys. i think im just a badass testers.

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[Kneecoal]

aren't you given the lab beforehand? maybe you should start spending more time with it before you go...

 

[sketo43]

I also found ochem labs to be the hardest part of the class. My solution was to get help from friends before each lab. In return, I would help them study for tests. You could also meet with your teaching assistant or professor outside of class to go over concepts if you don't understand the purpose of the different lab techniques.

 

[MnBucky]

my lab partner is a genius, who got exempt from all intro classes due to extremely high sat scores. yet i am doing better than her in the chemistry lecture, and she actually studies and does her homework. although she knows whats up in the labs.

Labs require you to utilize the concepts and prove your understanding of the material, rather than just memorizing an answer as a test may be. It forces you to take your knowledge of chemistry and physically display your understanding of it. Some labs make it possible to simply follow along with a lab manual, but to interpret your results you must have a full understanding of the material learned in lecture/the book, etc.

 

[tendram]

If I were you I would go talk to your chem professor and let him know you dont really understand whats going on. I say that would be a better option than going the rest of the semester not knowing how to do your labs.

 

[dl9006]

i am pretty confused on this. i am currently acing my chemistry tests in lectures, with minimal effort. The chemistry class also has a lab component to it. I am lucky, that i have a smart partner that i can copy her answers from because i am COMPLETELY LOST in the labs. Its like i have ZERO idea whatsoever as to what to do. I feel bad also, because my partner always yells at me for being useless, and i get nervous the lab instructor will hear that and realize im not doing anything so he will fail me. anyways, my current lab partner is refusing to work with me next semester for the next level chem class. i really want to be good at labs, so i don't have to depend on others to do my work. i mean i have a 94 on lectures now, and most of my class is FAILING lectures. it doesn't make sense. any thoughts on this?i want to go to dental school, so i need a lot of chemistry. im also sure i will have a lot of lab work in dental school. I don't want to fear my future classes./ my lab partner is a genius, who got exempt from all intro classes due to extremely high sat scores. yet i am doing better than her in the chemistry lecture, and she actually studies and does her homework. although she knows whats up in the labs./

and i am not exaggerating when i say i have zero idea what goes on in the labs. the lab instructor will say go to work now, and ill look at the procedure and just be standing there, not even sure where to start with any of this.

to be honest i dont really understand much in lectures either, but somehow i get the highest grades on the tests. Its like that for all classes but i cant ever pull it together for my laboratorys. i think im just a badass testers.

as with anything, it's all about practice and getting used to it.


im a chem major and i used to hate organic labs. i remember the set-ups and glassware used to be confusing when i first began.

but after working in a prof's lab for the summer and doing a few org lab courses, i am pretty efficient now in org labs and actually enjoy them.

i think you just need to prepare for the lab better beforehand (familiarize yourself with all the glassware used ,how they are set up, and why they're used)