Date Received
Fall 2005 Semester Assessment Report Form
DUE March 31st, 2006
Directions: Please complete a form for each of the programs within your department. This
form was designed to provide a format for assessment reporting and should not be used to limit
the amount of information provided. Each box that is attached to each of the sections is designed
to adjust to varying lengths. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bea Babbitt at x51506
or via email at: bea.babbitt@unlv.edu.
1. Program Information:
Program Chemistry BA/BS and BS biochemistry
Department Chemistry
College Science
Program S. Steinberg
Assessment
Coordinator
Semester Data Fall 2005
Collected
Report S. Steinberg
Submitted by
Phone/email X53599
Date Submitted
2. According to the Assessment Plan for this program, what were the planned assessments to be
conducted during the 2005-2006 Academic Year? You may want to copy and paste from this
program’s assessment plan.
Which outcomes for
this program were
measured?
How did you measure
the outcomes?
What results did you expect? If the
students performed well what would
their performance look like, i.e.
percentages, means, or comparisons to
a national standard?
____Outcomes out of a total of ____ outcomes evaluated this semester.
General chemical and Final Examinations
Expect student retention of better than
physical principles.
ACS Standardized
80% and Average Grade of C
when available.
General biochemical
principles
Final Examinations
Expect student retention of better than
80% and Average Grade of C
Instrumentation: Use
and understanding
Final Examinations
Expect student retention of better than
80% and Average Grade of C
Scientific Literature
Student Seminars and
Expect student retention of better than
participation is meeting 80% and Average Grade of C
presentations and
publications.
3. Results, conclusions, and discoveries. What are the results of the planned assessments listed
above? What conclusions or discoveries were made from these results? Describe below or
attach to the form.
Results, conclusions, and discoveries
The grade distributions for key chemistry courses is attached as supporting material.
Student performance in the first semester of general chemistry (CHE 121) was quite
good. In addition student retention in the course was better than 80%. The grade
distribution for CHE 122 indicates that the students find the material more
challenging, although retention was very acceptable. The decrease in average
performance reflects the presentation of more mathematical concepts.
Student performance in Organic Chemistry is illustrated by the grade distribution for
CHE 241 and 242. The average course grade was a B. The ACS national examination
was used for the final exam. This exam provides a measure of UNLV student
performance relative to a national average. The results indicate that our student
perform close to the national average.
Student performance in Biochemistry (CHE 474) indicates a high student motivation
and general success. The average grade in the course was a B.
Student performance in CHE 355/355L and 465/465L are a reflection of our students
abilities to understand and utilize chemical instrumentation. Both lectures and
laboratories had average grades of B. Retention in these time-intensive laboratories
was generally good.
The grade distribution in the seminar course reflects general satisfaction with student
use of the scientific literature. Most students are getting As or Bs in the course
indicating that they are able to utilize what they have learned in lecture and lab to
analyze material from the chemical and biochemical literature and to make a cogent
presentation to a general audience.
An additional important metric of student success and understanding is their
participation in independent research and their ability to contribute to the scientific
literature. A list of publications with student co-authors is attached.
4. Use of Results. What program changes are indicated? How will they be implemented? If
none, describe why changes were not needed.
Course performances and the ACS organic chemistry examination indicate that our
program is generally successful. No major adjustments are required at this point.
5. Dissemination of results, conclusions, and discoveries. How and with whom were the results
shared?
The results are shared and discussed with fulltime chemistry faculty.
70
60
50
40
121-001
121-002
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
70
60
50
40
122-001
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
70
60
50
40
241-001
241-002
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
70
60
50
40
242-001
242-002
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
70
60
50
40
474-001
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
355
455
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
12
10
8
355L
455L
6
4
2
0
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
491
A
B
C
D
F
WD
I
Publications with Student Co-Authors:
Gary, RK and Kindell, SM. (2005). Quantitative assay of senescence-associated
beta-galactosidase activity in mammalian cell extracts. Analytical Biochem. 343:
329-334.
Steen J. Madsen, Even Angell-Petersen, Signe Spetalen, Stephen W.
Carper, Sarah A. Ziegler, and Henry Hirschberg, _Photodynamic therapy of
newly implanted glioma cells in the rat brain,_ Lasers in Surgery and
Medicine (published on line in 2005, will appear in print in May 2006).
Chan, F., Orgill, M. and Emerich, D. (2005, April). Biochemistry students’
perceptions of buffer problems. Poster presented at 49th Annual Meeting of the
Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science, Las Vegas, NV.
Nyamsuren Uudus, Shino Magaki, and N. Balakrishnan, Quantum mechanical
investigation of ro-vibrational relaxation of H2 and D2 by collisions with Ar
atoms, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 024304 (2005).
P. R. Vantine, H. Han, A. K. Nedeltchev, and P. K. Bhowmik, “Main-Chain Viologen
Polymers with Organic Counterions Exhibiting Thermotropic Liquid-Crystalline
Properties,” Polym. Prepr. (Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Polym. Chem.) 2005, 46(1), 680681.
H. Han, P. R. Vantine, A. K. Nedeltchev, and P. K. Bhowmik, “Main-Chain
Thermotropic Liquid-Crystalline Ionene Polymers Based on Trans-1,2-bis(4pyridyl)ethylene,” Polym. Prepr. (Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Polym. Chem.) 2005, 46(1),
678-679.
P. K. Bhowmik, P. R. Vantine, A. K. Nedeltchev, and H. Han, “Main-Chain
Thermotropic Liquid-Crystalline Ionene Polymers Based on 1,2-Bis(4pyridyl)ethane,” Polym. Prepr. (Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Polym. Chem.) 2005, 46(1),
676-677.
P. K. Bhowmik, H. Han, A. K. Nedeltchev, and Z. Wang, “Synthesis and
Characterization Poly(pyridinium salt)s with Organic Counterions Exhibiting
Thermotropic Liquid-Crystalline Properties,” Polym. Prepr. (Am. Chem. Soc., Div.
Polym. Chem.). 2005, 46(1), 799-800.
A. K. Nedeltchev, H. Han, P. K. Bhowmik, “Synthesis and Characterization of
Anthracene Polymer with Lawesson’s Reagent,” Polym. Prepr. (Am. Chem. Soc.,
Div. Polym. Chem.) 2005, 46(1), 791-792.