Sample (L) Rubrics and Assignments

Sample Assignments

• Lab Session Structure
  • ≥10 meetings with hands-on work (microscopy, chemical assays, field surveys).
  • Exams don’t count unless lab-based (e.g., identifying specimens under a microscope).
• Assessment Types

Task	Example	Skills Assessed
Hypothesis Testing	Test pH’s effect on enzyme activity.	Experimental design, data collection.
Data Analysis	Graph fossil layers to date geologic strata.	Statistical tools, trend interpretation.
Model Application	Simulate predator-prey dynamics with software.	Computational modeling, prediction.

• Lecture-Lab Integration
  • Pre-/Co-Requisite Pairs:
    • Lecture: Teach theory (e.g., photosynthesis equations).
    • Lab: Measure O₂ production in chloroplasts.

Sample Rubrics

Sample Rubric for Lab Reports:

Criteria	Excellent	Proficient	Developing	Unsatisfactory
Hypothesis	Clear, testable, and grounded in theory.	Vague but testable.	Ill-defined or untestable.	Missing.
Methods	Detailed, replicable steps with controls.	Minor omissions (e.g., unlabeled units).	Major procedural gaps.	Incoherent or copied from manual.
Data Analysis	Accurate graphs/stats with error analysis.	Correct but lacks depth (e.g., no R²).	Errors in calculations/formatting.	No analysis attempted.
Conclusion	Links results to hypothesis; cites limitations.	Summarizes but oversimplifies.	ignores contradictory data.	Restates methods or is absent.