Assessment Report

CHEM 5640 – SPRING 2007

 

Instructor: Bob Brown

 

Course Description: Theory and application of instrumental based physiochemical methods of analysis. Specific areas of study include: Basic electronics; atomic and molecular spectroscopy; NMR; Mass Spectrometry; Gas and Liquid Chromatography.

 

Enrollment: 9

 

Assessment method: Standard ACS Instrumental Methods Exam (version 2001).  This is a 60 question multiple-choice exam produced by the American Chemical Society's Examination Institute.  These examinations are used nationally at many Colleges and Universities to assess student performance in specific chemistry courses that are required for an ACS certified chemistry degree.  ACS provides composite normalized scores for the examinations based upon reported nation wide exam scores.

 

Outcomes Data: (This should contain as much hard data as possible; e.g., histograms of scores, results of gain score tests etc. If applicable include a copy of your assessment test/questionnaire, etc.)

 

Class Results: all of the Chem 5640 students score above the 50th percentile, meaning the entire class scored better than 50 percent of the students nationally that took the examination.  Specific scores were:

 

        National Percentile                                Number of Students

(% of students scoring lower)                      Scoring At Percentile

 

                    100                                                                1

                    94                                                                  1

                    92                                                                  1

                    86                                                                  2

                    60                                                                  2

                    54                                                                  2

 

The spring 2007 Chem 5640 students scored an average of 40 of 60 questions correct.  This represents the 81st percentile nationally (81 percent of students nationally scored lower than the Chem 5640 students).

 

Summary: (That is, things you have discovered from your assessment method and what changes are suggested).

 

The student's scores on the standardized examination indicated good general knowledge and comprehension of the material covered in Chem 5640.  No specific area of student weakness was indicated by the examination results.  Given the high national percentile scores achieved, the material covered in the current syllabus and textbook appears appropriate. Requests (by a student via end of semester evaluations) for additional advanced NMR concepts will be considered, but this is probably more suitable for a graduate level course.  Course curriculum will be evaluated annually and revised as needed.  More integration of current analytical chemistry articles from the literature is also being considered.