Assessing Science Practices in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories: Why We Need to Do Better─and How We Should

Vinay Bapu Ramesh; Michael K. Seery; Renee Cole

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00988

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Assessing Science Practices in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories: Why We Need to Do Better─and How We Should

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Assessing Science Practices in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories: Why We Need to Do Better─and How We Should

Vinay Bapu Ramesh, Michael K. Seery and Renee Cole

Journal of chemical education, Vol.103(1), pp.27-35

01/13/2026

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00988

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https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00988View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

An undergraduate chemistry laboratory should serve as a space where students learn how to do chemistry. Laboratory time should not be used primarily to reinforce content knowledge but rather to develop essential competencies, including scientific practices. To support the acquisition of these competencies, students must be provided with meaningful opportunities to engage with scientific practices, and assessments must explicitly evaluate these practices, given the critical role assessment plays in shaping student learning. This article outlines several challenges associated with fostering engagement with scientific practices in laboratory settings, reviews existing assessment tools and their limitations, and proposes approaches to address some of these issues. We argue that there is a need for flexible assessment approaches, applicable across a range of undergraduate chemistry laboratory contexts. Properly designed assessment tools can also serve as practical guides for instructors seeking to make the laboratory a space primarily dedicated to skill development.

General Public

First-Year Undergraduate/General

Second-Year Undergraduate

Upper-Division Undergraduate

Curriculum

Laboratory Instruction

Testing/Assessment

Student-Centered Learning

Details

Title: Subtitle: Assessing Science Practices in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories: Why We Need to Do Better─and How We Should
Creators: Vinay Bapu Ramesh
Michael K. Seery - University of Bristol
Renee Cole - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of chemical education, Vol.103(1), pp.27-35
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00988
ISSN: 0021-9584
eISSN: 1938-1328
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
Grant note: Division of Undergraduate Education: 2315348
We would like to acknowledge the National Science Foundation (DUE Grant #2315348) for funding this work. The first author would also like to acknowledge the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot for refining sentence structures during the initial stages of manuscript drafting.
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 12/30/2025
Date published: 01/13/2026
Academic Unit: Chemistry
Record Identifier: 9985116066602771

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