Use lab as an aid in learning class material. Chemistry labs may not always be the shortest or most interesting labs, especially when considering titrations, but professors usually connect labs with lecture material. Understanding what's going on in the lab and working on the experiment with diligence and interest will benefit you in the end. The hands on experiments really bring the chemistry to life, so that what you are reading in the text book actually appears before your very eyes.

Angela Condo

Georgetown University

Many science courses have a corresponding lab which physically demonstrates the lectures topics. In my experience, I found that having different teachers for the lab and the lecture would result in a disconnect of information and scheduling. In fact, some labs would even perform experiments based on material that hadn't been covered by the lecture yet. This can be a problem since the lab teacher and lecture teacher rarely coordinate, and my lab professors would still hold me responsible for the lab despite the lack of instruction on the subject. When preparing for the week, determine what lecture is most applicable to that week's lab. If it's already been discussed, then review the material before proceeding to the lab. If it hasn't been discussed, notify the lecture professor of the deficiency and request him/her to provide instruction on it. If that's not an option, request material or references by which the lab's subject matter can be learned. In this way, the student will never arrive at a lab unprepared, whether the material has been covered in lecture or not.

Jeffrey Gibson Master of Science in Electrical Engineering University of West Florida

Be sure to pick a good lab partner. Whether the science is a requirement, elective, or a necessary course for your major, the lab will have an impact on how you do overall in the class. You want to be sure to pick a lab partner who you get along with and who wants to share work equally- you may think of it as an advantage if you pick a lab partner who you can pin the work on, but when it comes time for lab practicals and midterms/finals (which can end up being worth many more points than your actual lab reports) you will be in trouble. Make sure to pay attention to procedures during experiments and to write down whatever your lab instructor puts on the board because it's almost a guarantee that if the professor thinks it's important enough to write down, it'll be on your exam.

Another reason to be selective in your choice of lab partner(s) is because if for some reason you're unable to attend part of a lab or miss something your professor may have said, you want to be comfortable enough with them to be able to work together and share notes. Having an effective network of friends in a class (this can/will include lab partners) can be a HUGE help!

Paola Annoni Biology Georgetown University

    I have found that lab course can be some of the most difficult and challenging undergraduate courses. Most of the advice I received was to prepare before the laboratory; however, I found this advice wasn't particularly helpful. Most of the labs I performed involved techniques or procedures that I wasn't familiar with and it was difficult to visualize what we would be doing. Preparing for lab is important, but I found that reviewing the lab step by step after completing it really enhanced my understanding. I would suggest going back through the procedures step by step after completing the lab and asking yourself why each step was performed. Why was the step important and what would happen if the step was skipped? Not only will this help you understand the science behind the lab, but professors also like to ask questions like that on exams! Also, as you are going through step by step try to visualize what you were doing (i.e what did the test tube look like at this point - were there multiple layers?). Having a theoretical understanding paired with a visual will help cement the science and how to perform a procedure in your mind.

Rachel Beck

University of Virginia

    Many college courses, especially in the sciences, will require students to attend lab sessions for two to three hours per week. While these labs may seem boring and time consuming, I found them to be an essential component to the corresponding course, whether it chemistry, physics, or any other lab science. I found that many times I could not visualize the material I learned in lecture until I physically saw the phenomena in the lab myself. My favorite lab demonstrated the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions using hockey pucks on an air hockey table. This physics lab was not only educational, but sliding the pucks was also quite fun.

    Additionally, breaking lab equipment, failing to clean up spills and equipment, and even choosing not to attend lab sessions can be costly. Not only must students pay a fee for mishandling lab equipment, but not attending lab sessions will lead to a lower grade for the course because labs can count for almost a quarter of the entire course grade. However, if students attend labs, handle the equipment properly and carefully, and clean up any mess they may have made, labs can and will be great learning experiences, while simultaneously providing students with a fun way to work with other students. Personally, my favorite parts of my freshman physics and chemistry courses were the lab sessions.

Ryan T. Standifer

Cornell University

I was not looking forward to taking the biology sequence required for my associate’s degree in liberal arts. I had a difficult time mastering such material in high school, and as a result, I held a negative attitude towards this subject area. I was advised to take the two biology classes required at the community college level prior to transferring on to a 4-year college because I would be getting it over with, rather than having to take it at the next college where I would be attending.

I enrolled in Biology: The Basics of Life my second to last semester. This class was difficult and required that I study an adequate amount of time memorizing concepts. My professor did not take attendance at the required labs; however, he told us that those who showed up to labs did better on tests than those who did not. I attended every lab and these prepared me better for the exams. If I did not attend, I would have had to rely on the notes I took in class as well as the required readings. I received an A in the course and can attribute this achievement to the fact that I attended each lab offered. The following semester, I enrolled in Introduction to Zoology which was the second and final biology course that I had take. The professor who taught this course also did not take attendance during the lab sessions. I wanted to do just as well in this course as I did in the first biology course that I had taken, so I attended every lab and reserved time on a weekly basis to read and study the concepts that I was being introduced to.

There is only so much you can learn from taking notes and reading, so I strongly advise that everyone should attend labs. I hope that this experience that I have shared will encourage you to attend labs even if they are not required. You will be glad that you did!