Laboratory

While labs tend to have a less formal atmosphere than a regular classroom, there are still some basic rules of classroom etiquette that students should follow.

  1. Arrive on time.
  2. This means arriving so that you can start class on time – not walking in as the clock strikes the hour.
  3. If you are late, do not expect the TA to go out of their way to catch you up.
  4. If you think you will be habitually late due to a legitimate reason, contact the lab supervisor. Perhaps you should be in a different section.
  5. Turn off or silence your cell phone. If you are expecting a phone call so important you need to interrupt your classmates, contact your instructor.
  6. Be quiet when the instructor is speaking. If you cannot hear your instructor, move closer to the white board or ask them to repeat what they said.
  7. Turn off your iPod, mp3 player, etc.
  8. Clean up your workspace and return supplies to the correct location.
  9. Complete the work and clean-up on time. There are probably students coming into lab immediately after you.
  10. Show respect for other students and TAs in your class. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
  11. Please keep in mind that there are students with nut allergies taking this course, so please be respectful and do not put nut-containing products in your bags or backpacks.
  12. Lab sessions are for working on the experiment and related chemistry topics. You should not send text messages, play games on the computer, read your email, surf the internet, work on assignments for other courses, or anything else that takes away from the topic being studied.
  13. Work with your lab partner to complete the experiment. If you feel that you cannot continue to work with this person, see the Lab Supervisor after class.
  14. Other etiquette issues for a regular classroom, such as eating, drinking and appropriate clothing, become safety issues in the lab and will be addressed with regards to the safety rules.