Chemistry 1a (1516.8)

Required texts

• Brown, Lemay, Bursten, Murphy, Woodward, Langford, Sagatys, George;  Chemistry: The Central Science. Third Australian Edition, Pearson (ISBN 9781442554603).
  The hard copy is available for temporary loan in the University of Canberra Library. It can be purchased at School Locker in the UC Shop, there may also be some second-hand copies obtainable. Alternatively, a custom e-Text option (ISBN 9781488624384) is accessible from the publisher which is significantly cheaper than the hard copy.
• Chemistry 1A Laboratory Workbook, 2021 Edition.
  This workbook contains the material required for the laboratory sessions throughout the semester and must be brought to all laboratory classes from Week 2. Electronic copies of the manuals for each individual lab/week along with the full document will be provided on Canvas so students may choose their preferred printing option. You must print either i) the individual lab manual each week OR ii) the full manual at the start of semester. (Students are discouraged from using the softcopy in the lab on a device as the safety of the device cannot be guaranteed in a chemical environment.)
• Optional: Monk and Munro (2010) Maths for Chemistry A Chemist's Toolkit of Calculations, Second edition, Oxford University Press, New York, USA (ISBN 9780199541294). This is a support textbook which you may find useful depending on your background in mathematics. The text is available for temporary loan in the University of Canberra Library. It can be purchased at School Locker in the UC Shop, there may also be some second-hand copies obtainable. A one-year e-Text rental is also available for purchase (ISBN 9780191035586R365).

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

The above extension policy only applies to the following assessments in the unit: Laboratory Assignment, Mastering Chemistry Revision Assignments and Lecture Engagement Weekly Quizzes. These are the assignments (not including Written Tests) for which you gain marks that contribute to your final grade. The policy does not apply for participation requirements (i.e. laboratory attendance) nor for safety features (such as completing pre-lab quizzes to gain entry to the labs).

Deferred Assessments

Provisions will be made for students who are unable to sit either the Practical Skills Assessment or the Mid-semester Test and produce appropriate medical certificates or other documentation. In the event a student misses these assessment items due to illness or other exceptional circumstances, they must submit a School of Science Deferred Application (available on Canvas unit site), along with appropriate documentation, within 3 working days of the scheduled assessment. If the request is approved, students will be allowed to sit a deferred assessment at a later date (as chosen by the Unit Convener).

In the event a student misses the End-of-semester final examination due to illness or other exceptional circumstances, the procedures outlined on https://www.canberra.edu.au/content/myuc/home/course/exams/deferring-an-exam.html must be followed.

Special assessment requirements

In order to pass this unit, a student needs to:

1. Attend 7/10 laboratory sessions*. This attendance requirement is upheld regardless of supporting documentation (please see 6c)

(*Note: "laboratory session" counts as the labs and Practical Skills Assessment run in Weeks 2 – 6, 9 – 13. The Mid-semester test held in the scheduled laboratory time is its own separate assessment, not included as a "laboratory session")

2. Attempt all assessment items (See ‘5a Assessment Item Details')
3. Achieve at least 40% on weighted average for the combined Written Tests (ie 20/50 for the Mid-semester test and End-of-semester exam combined)
4. Achieve at least 40% on weighted average for the combined Laboratory Portfolio assessments (ie 8/20 for the Laboratory Assignment and Practical Skills Assessment combined)
5. Achieve a final aggregated unit mark of at least 50%  

The unit convener reserves the right to question students orally on their submitted work.

Please note: fulfilling these requirements is the way to demonstrate students have the knowledge and skills associated with this unit. The Unit Learning Outcomes cannot be said to be met if any of these requirements aren't fulfilled. Therefore, if students encounter any exceptional circumstances that prevent them from meeting these special requirements they should contact the Unit Convener as soon as possible via Chem1A@canberra.edu.au to make alternate arrangements if deemed appropriate.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment will only be offered to students who fail this unit in the final semester of their course with a final mark between 45–49%, and have passed all other units in the teaching period.

Additional Laboratory Assessment Requirements

Laboratory sessions require strict adherence to safety protocols. As such, students are required to arrive at laboratory classes:

• wearing personal protective equipment (a laboratory coat, safety glasses and facemask) and enclosed shoes that completely cover the foot;
• having successfully completed the Safety Quiz on Canvas by midnight Sunday of Week 2 (see Week 2 laboratory for details);
• having successfully completed the corresponding weekly prelab quiz on Canvas by midnight Sunday (see 5a – Laboratory Assessment for details).
• on time and enter the laboratory prior to the start of the safety briefing.

Students who do not meet these requirements will be denied access to the laboratory session as a matter of safety. This will contribute to total absences resulting in difficulties meeting special assessment requirements of the unit regarding laboratory attendance. Where exceptional circumstances have occurred, supporting documentation must be supplied to the Unit Convener in a timely manner via Chem1A@canberra.edu.au to make alternate arrangements if possible (given constraints of timetabled classes) and only if deemed appropriate.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

The contact hours for each student consist of 24 hours of recorded lectures, 12 hours of optional workshops, 12 hours of tutorials and 20 hours of laboratory work, totalling 68 hours. The remaining workload should be distributed across self-directed study to prepare for lectures/tutorials/laboratories (at least 3 hrs per week or 36 hours) and the remaining ~46 hours to be allocated for assessment items. Depending on your prior knowledge, learning skill level and learning preferences, you may need to commit extra hours to your studies.

Inclusion and engagement

Inclusion and Engagement students should contact the unit convener regarding the implementation of their Reasonable Adjustment Plans to ensure assistance is provided in a timely manner where possible. Participation is an integral part of this unit and all students should be aware of the requirements in order to pass the unit (see Section 6c below).

Participation requirements

Viewing and undertaking the lecture work in the timetabled session (Wednesdays 1:30 – 3:30pm) is highly recommended. This material is directly linked to the Lecture Engagement Weekly Quizzes. However, interaction with the lecture material is not monitored or recorded. Similarly, tutorial attendance is strongly encouraged. Whilst these sessions are not compulsory and will be recorded, they are a student's opportunity to engage with the teaching team, ask questions and seek feedback. Workshop attendance is also strongly encouraged for those feeling unconfident with the material (particularly students who have not studied chemistry before), but is not compulsory.

Whilst there is not an attendance requirement for lectures, tutorials or workshops, students should note that lack of attendance may impact their ability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. Due to time constraints, convener availability out of teaching hours is limited and cannot always be guaranteed. Students should make full use of in-timetable support (e.g. by attending tutorials) before requesting out-of-timetable support.

Participation in laboratory sessions is a compulsory condition of this unit, and attendance will be recorded. A student must participate in a minimum of 7/10 laboratory sessions in order to pass the unit (see section 5a and 5b for details).

It is each student's responsibility to ensure their attendance is recorded electronically by ID scan on entry to the laboratory. It should also be noted that laboratory classes cannot be repeated outside of the scheduled times and students must attend the sessions they have chosen to allocate into (See section 3). A student missing a class both records an absence and misses the opportunity to practise the skills taught in that session.

In the event that you cannot attend your assigned lab due to illness or unavoidable commitments, contact the Unit Convener as soon as possible for consideration of an alternative lab class that week (if available). This decision is at the discretion of the convener and cannot be guaranteed. You will need to provide relevant documentation (e.g. medical certificate) for approval to attend an alternative session. These records will aid the unit convener to apply discretion where appropriate, however, in most circumstances, the minimum participation requirement must still be met regardless of supporting documentation.

Required IT skills

It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they have basic computer keyboard skills and access to a personal computer and the internet. This is required to access online assessments, the unit Canvas site and regularly check university email accounts for important announcements relating to this unit. If a student does not have their own computer they can use the PC laboratories on the Bruce UC campus.

Students must also become familiar with the use of the provided e-resource Mastering Chemistry in order to complete assessment tasks. Students will be introduced to this and provided training in the Week 1 tutorial. (As with all tutorials, this will be recorded if students cannot attend.)  

In-unit costs

There are relatively minor costs associated with this unit in the provision of appropriate protective safety equipment (laboratory and safety glasses), which are mandatory for all chemical laboratory classes. Laboratory coats and safety glasses are typically available on campus (UC Shop) and/or work wear stores (such as Bunnings or Officeworks).

Students also require the Chemistry 1A Laboratory Workbook which must be printed and brought to all laboratory sessions. The electronic version is also available on the Chemistry 1A Canvas site both in individual lab/week format or the full semester manual so students may use the manual in their preferred method.

All tutorial materials will also be provided electronically and students may choose to either print or use these on their devices as preferred. 

A scientific calculator is also required in this unit and should be accessible in all lectures, workshops, tutorials and laboratory sessions. A scientific calculator is permitted in all assessment tasks, but a graphics programmable calculator is prohibited.

Work placement, internships or practicums

Not applicable to this unit.

Additional information

Foundations of this unit
The learning and assessment modes associated with this unit are designed to develop the fundamental chemical skills of the students undertaking the unit.

Provision of information to the group
Most information relevant to the unit will be posted on the unit Canvas site. Resources will be updated frequently throughout the semester. Announcements made at timetabled lecture, tutorial and laboratory sessions and/or through the unit's Canvas site "Announcements" are deemed to be made to the whole group. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas site and their student emails daily.

Communication between staff and students

The best form of communication is via email to the Chem1A inbox: Chem1A@canberra.edu.au. If you wish to contact the Unit Convener directly please  email Hilary.Coleman@canberra.edu.au, if you wish to contact the First Year Science Co-ordinator (about your general study, for general advice, timetable or assessment/extension questions) please email Michael.Sydney@canberra.edu.au. 

The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes". Therefore, all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.  

The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff on a regular basis, however the Canvas Chat tool will not be used for official communication. Messages sent to staff through Canvas are discouraged. 

Student Consultation
The Unit Convener is Dr Hilary Coleman (Room 3C43, Phone 6201 2169). The convener will be running some of the laboratory and tutorial classes and will be available for consultation during these classes. To arrange a consultation at another time, please email her. The First Year Science Student Co-ordinator Michael Sydney can also be consulted (details above). All other teaching staff will only be available during their allocated laboratory and tutorial classes.

Feedback on Student Performance
Students are able to monitor their performance in this unit by their responses to the regular quiz, laboratory, tutorial and revision assessment tasks, as well as additional self assessment tools (available via the unit's Canvas site and Mastering Chemisty). Feedback will be provided with assessment marks and can be sought at any stage by contacting the convener.

• Semester 1, 2021, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (200458)
• Semester 1, 2020, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (194411)
• Semester 1, 2019, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (185087)
• Semester 1, 2018, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (181474)