Practical Chemistry at Oxford

Alex L. Suherman (Compton’s Lab)

How does this week work ?

This talk (approximately 1 hr), split into

the following sections :
1. Lab arrangements –
staffing, college rotations, safety
2. Pre-skills course
3. Lab specific information
4. Assessment & Canvas
5. Any questions
Structure of the Department

Director of Studies
NICK GREEN

Director of Teaching Labs

MALCOLM STEWART

Deputy Director of Teaching Labs

ANDREW WORRALL

1ST YEAR TEACHING LAB 2ND/3RD YEAR TEACHING LAB

Junior Demonstrators
DL in Practical Chemistry DL in Practical Chemistry
CRAIG CAMPBELL SAM CAHILL

DL in Practical Chemistry
SIMON HIBBLE
Structure of the Department (Cont.)

Director of Studies
NICK GREEN

Director of Teaching Labs

MALCOLM STEWART
Teaching Lab Administrator
BEN CHALLEN
Deputy Director of Teaching
Labs
1ST YEAR TEACHING LAB ANDREW WORRALL 2ND/3RD YEAR TEACHING LAB

Senior Technician Senior Technician

LOUISE HUTCHINSON CHARLIE FARRELL

Technician Technician
MUKS ALI JENNIE BOTHAM

Technician Technician
TOM BIRKETT TOM THROUP
Standards of Behaviour

◼ ‘The Department expects all its employees and

students to behave with respect and consideration
towards each other at all times. Where this is not the
case, the best course of action is to address the issue
informally with the person.’

◼ If you have any concerns or problems in the Teaching

Laboratory, in the first instance, you should contact a
member of staff.
College Groupings

Group A Group B Group C Group D

Ch.Ch. Jesus Hertford Balliol
Lincoln LMH Magdalen Brasenos
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St Hilda’s New Wadham CCC
SEH Worcester Somervill
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What is Safety?

Smart Alert Focused Educated

• Make fewer mistakes / have fewer accidents

• Be more productive

• Hopefully more successful

• Good scientific / good laboratory practice

Smart Alert Focused Educated

Safety Rules

YOU MUST
Wear safety glasses in the lab at all times,
and in every lab
Safety Rules

YOU MUST
Wear a lab coat in synthetic and containment labs
Dress in the Lab
◼ Lab coat

◼ Safety glasses

◼ Tie long hair back

◼ No shorts / open sandals / shoes

– cover up!

◼ No gap between bottom of

trousers and shoes

◼ Gloves if appropriate
Dress in the Lab
◼ Lab coat

◼ Safety glasses

◼ Tie long hair back

◼ No shorts / open sandals / shoes

– cover up!

◼ No gap between bottom of

trousers and shoes

◼ Gloves if appropriate
Safety Rules (cont.)

◼ All actual and suspected malfunctions in equipment

MUST be reported to a demonstrator. This might
result in it being removed from the teaching lab.
 
◼ Your working area should be kept as tidy as possible
at all times. The fume cupboard must be kept as
clear and uncluttered as possible to maximise
accessibility.
◼ YOU MUST TIDY YOUR BENCH AND FUME
CUPBOARD AT THE END OF EACH WORKING DAY.
 
 
Safety Rules (cont.)

◼ All fires, accidents, spills and near misses MUST be

reported to a demonstrator and written in the
accident report book (if relevant).
◼ DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAN UP ANY CHEMICAL
SPILLAGE YOURSELF.

◼ Any compound that you make MUST be stored in a

properly labelled container (your name, date,
compound etc), especially if known/ suspected to be
hazardous.
COSHH

◼ Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health

◼ The COSHH regulations (2013) seek to protect health

by preventing or controlling exposure to chemicals
and other substances hazardous to health.

◼ A proper assessment MUST be performed before any

experiment is started.
Labels

Explosive

Toxic

Harmful to the environment

Labels

less serious health hazards

such as skin
Flammable
irritancy/sensitisation and
applies to many circumstances

Oxidising
longer term health hazards
such as carcinogenicity and
respiratory sensitisation
Corrosive
COSHH (Cont.)
Other Rules of the Lab

◼ Do not start any ◼ Take care of yourself

practical work until your and others.
safety assessment has
been signed off. ◼ Do not wear
earphones.
◼ Do not eat or drink.
▪ Wash your hands.
Avoiding Accidents

◼ Glass ◼ Burns
▪ Check for flaws. ▪ Hot glassware looks the
▪ Dispose of broken glass same as cold
in the glass bin. ▪ Remember steam can
▪ Do not use force ON scald.
GLASS

◼ Sharps
▪ Note the difference
between glass and
sharps bins
Avoiding Accidents - 2

◼ Fires ◼ Chemical burns

▪ Hot solvents give off ▪ Strong acids and bases
flammable vapour. are corrosive.
▪ Keep away from ignition ▪ Handle with care.
sources (heat, flames, ▪ Spills should be diluted
sparks.) with lots of cold water
and may need to be
neutralised – ask a
demonstrator.
Clean/Dirty Policy

◼ The building has a clean/dirty policy:

◼ Carpeted areas are CLEAN –
◼ No lab coats should be worn in these areas.
◼ No lab chemicals must be transferred to these areas.
◼ People can eat/drink in these areas.

◼ Non-carpeted areas are DIRTY –

◼ Lab coats and glasses MUST be worn
in these areas at all times (except analytical suite).
◼ Lab coats will be stored in your personal pigeon hole.
◼ Do not store them elsewhere.
Clean/Dirty Policy: Ground Floor

Prep Room
Dirty area:
Analytical Suite

Corridor
Must wear lab coat and
2nd /3rd Year
glasses at all times
Toilets Lab
Seminar
Room

(F) +
(Dis.)
Intermediate area:
Reception Must wear lab glasses
Desk at all times, and prepare
to wear lab coat
Reception Offices Staircase
Toilets and
(M) Stair- Clean area:
case No lab coat to be worn
Entrance
Clean/Dirty Policy: Downstairs

Slightly different policy for downstairs (first year lab):

Clean area:
◼ Locker area and toilets are clean areas.
◼ Do not eat/drink in the locker area.

When crossing the black line (entering the dirty area):

◼ Collect your lab coat from your pigeon hole
◼ You MUST be wearing your lab coat and glasses
when entering the lab.
Clean/Dirty Policy: Downstairs

Dirty area:
Must wear lab coat and
1st Year Lab glasses at all times

Intermediate area:
Bio. Suite Must wear lab glasses
at all times, and prepare
Locker Area

to wear lab coat

Toilets
Corridor

Locker
Area Clean area:
No lab coat to be worn
Staircas IT Suite
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1st year Rota

http://course.chem.ox.ac.uk/year-1-timetable.aspx

https://mypracticals.chem.ox.ac.uk/
Practical Chemistry at Oxford

◼ Year 1: Skills course MT – covers the key skills needed to do labs

Choice course HT/TT – some choice of what you do
Mix of all types of chemistry (180 hrs)

Total 1st year marks = 0% of degree mark BUT must pass !

◼ Year 2: Skills course MT/HT – covers the key skills needed to do labs
Choice course TT – complete choice
Mix of all types of chemistry (timetabled - 144 hrs). Marks count!

◼ Year 3: Remainder required – depends on passing supplementary. Up to

you how you make hours up – could be up to 256 hrs, which is impossible!

Total 2nd/3rd year marks (including 18 hr Literature Review)

= 10% of degree mark
Pre-skills session

Introduction to five key skills – 6 hrs credit

College groups split in half
(Monday or Tuesday)
Monday Tuesday
Ch.Ch. Hertford
Lincoln Magdalen
Teddy Hall Wadham
St Hilda's Worcester
Jesus Balliol
LMH Brasenose
New CCC
  Somerville
 Pre-skills session - Monday

1230-1315 1320-1405 1410-1455 1500-1545 1550-1635

P101 - Biphasic
workup & using of a 1 2 3 4 5
rotary evaporator
P102 -
Recrystallisation 2 3 4 5 1
P103 - Spectroscopic
techniques 3 4 5 1 2
P104 - TLC analysis 4 5 1 2 3
P105 - COSHH/Risk
assessment 5 1 2 3 4

Groups are split alphabetically:

1– Alex Suherman Charlotte Cheng-Whitehead
2– Jiayi Dai George Holding
3– Edward Johnston Joe McGuire
4– Nishi Mehta James Somper
5– Matthew Strutton Meiyi Zeng
 Pre-skills session - Tuesday

1230-1315 1320-1405 1410-1455 1500-1545 1550-1635

P101 - Biphasic
workup & using of a 1 2 3 4 5
rotary evaporator
P102 -
Recrystallisation 2 3 4 5 1
P103 - Spectroscopic
techniques 3 4 5 1 2
P104 - TLC analysis 4 5 1 2 3
P105 - COSHH/Risk
assessment 5 1 2 3 4

Groups are split alphabetically:

1– Mohammed Ahmed Arjun Cheema
2– Jinting Chen Anita Fonseca
3– Oskar Ford Adam Kavanagh
4– Manon Lachmann Hannah Raja
5– Mohammed Rajani Jiahan Zhao
 General Procedure for
Lab Completion
◼ Pre-Lab + COSHH
This is work that you carry out BEFORE starting the experiments.

Prelab is completed in Canvas.

COSHH to be successfully completed prior to arrival at the lab.
Must be handed to a demonstrator at start of lab.

◼ In lab
Key questions will be asked during the day. These questions are
in the lab manual so are known to you.
All data (including physical properties, weighings,
measurements and key spectral assignments) should be
recorded clearly (e.g. tabulated) in lab book.
Discuss with demonstrator.
 General Procedure for
Lab Completion

◼ Results Check
This is a check of how good the quality of your data are,
i.e. can it be used to complete a write up, are all the spectra
sensible, etc. Discuss with demonstrator.

◼ Sign Off (Usually Same Day as Practical Completion)

You need to analyse and interpret your results.
Complete pro forma reports for each practical.
This must be printed and pasted into your lab book, along with
any spectra.
The completed report will be discussed face to face.
General Procedure for
Lab Completion

◼ Electronic Archive of Your Report

(Usually Same Day as Practical Completion)

After you have been signed off, you should submit a clear,
legible copy of your report electronically to Canvas as a PDF.

This is the evidence that external examiners may use to confirm

completion of the practical course. They MAY require lab books,
so don’t lose them.

A scanning App such as Scannable, CamScanner, etc.

will provide a suitable quality PDF of your report.
Lab Rules!

◼ Complete Prelab.
◼ No COSHH, No lab!
◼ Cleaning is part of the practical sign off. Glassware
set should be complete and clean before you leave.
◼ Return all extra equipment used.
◼ Unlabelled samples left out in the lab will be
disposed of.
◼ Leaving experiments overnight? Please tell a
member of technical staff ensuring the equipment is
appropriately labelled.
Lab Rules - Absences

If you are unable to attend a lab session for any of the

following reasons:

◼ Medical / health reasons

◼ Bereavement / Family issues
◼ Please email or speak to Malcolm and/or Ben to
rearrange the lab (if appropriate)

College Handshakes, Principals’ Collections, etc. are

not acceptable reasons for absence.
Lab Rules - Absences

You should not be missing any labs due to regular

sporting activities.
If you are unable to attend a lab session due to
participation in a one-off sports/extracurricular
activity:
◼ You are expected to catch up on the missed lab
during the next available free-week.
◼ Before contacting lab staff, you must have written
consent from ALL college tutors that you will not
have tutorials during your rearranged lab session.
Lab Rules - Rowing

For the following regattas when a number of students

may be absent at the same time:
Christchurch Regatta, Torpids and Summer Eights:

◼ You are expected to swap with students in the other

lab group
◼ Before contacting lab staff, you must have written
consent from ALL college tutors that both you and
your “swap” will not have tutorials scheduled during
your rearranged lab session.
Lab Rules - Samples

◼ Submit all labelled samples to a demonstrator for

assessment.
◼ Do not take samples out of the lab – especially
storing in the lockers (this is in a clean area!)
◼ If anyone is found with samples outside of the lab,
they will be excluded from future labs.
◼ Samples will be randomly spot-tested, so data will be
cross-checked.
Rules for Postlab Submission

◼ You have 2 term weeks from the date you finished the
lab work to be Signed Off.

◼ Failure to submit by this deadline may incur

significant penalties.

◼ It is possible to schedule extra labs (if space is

available) on request.

◼ You cannot repeat same lab to get a higher mark.

Assessment Criteria
For each section, marks will be awarded according to a
five-point scale:
5. Exceptional (very rare)
4. Very good
3. Satisfactory (this is the expectation)
2. Poor
1. Unsatisfactory (hopefully very rare!)
The emphasis for the first year practical course is to learn the
new skills and techniques, NOT on the marks.

Attempt to complete the practicals to the best of your ability, and

ask for help throughout
You will not be penalised for asking for assistance!
Plagiarism

◼ Plagiarism is copying others’ work and passing it off

as your own.
◼ Plagiarism is theft of intellectual property
◼ Plagiarism is cheating
◼ Plagiarism robs you of the educational experience

Plagiarism is an extremely serious offence,

punishable by expulsion.

Always acknowledge the use of others’ samples/data.

Fraud

◼ Faking results and data is fraud.

◼ The teaching laboratory is a learning environment. It
is OK to make mistakes, but not to fabricate data.

If you are found to have committed fraud, you will:

1. Not be awarded lab hours for the practical

2. Be forced to complete an additional practical
3. Be reported to College tutors and Director of Learning
for academic misconduct
Introduction to Canvas

A digital repository for all lab resources:

▪ Lab Manuals
▪ Prelab Quizzes
▪ COSHH + Lab Report Pro Forma
▪ Learning Science Resources

LOG IN WITH YOUR SSO

canvas.ox.ac.uk (ensure you have accepted
invitation to Canvas Course
How To Use Canvas

canvas.ox.ac.uk LOG IN WITH YOUR SSO

The Canvas dashboard
Canvas
Canvas: Write-Up Submission
What you are expected to do
on Canvas

◼ Before lab:
▪ Read the script.
▪ Review the relevant LearnScience resources.
▪ Write COSHH / Risk Assessment form (Use template from Canvas).
Print it out and bring a copy to the lab.
▪ Do the Pre-lab quizzes. Remember to hit “Submit Quiz”.
Deadline: Submit by 23:59:59 on the night before the practical.

◼ After completing the practical:

▪ Submit as a PDF to Canvas under “Assignments” as soon as possible.
Contacts – 1st Year Lab

Director of Teaching Labs:

malcolm.stewart@chem.ox.ac.uk

Departmental Lecturer:
craig.campbell@chem.ox.ac.uk

Teaching Lab Administrator:

ben.challen@chem.ox.ac.uk

Senior Lab Technician:

louise.hutchinson@chem.ox.ac.uk