Most college students must take at least one science lab course. These courses present some special challenges. The course I teach, human anatomy and physiology, has a very difficult lab component. Students must memorize many different parts of the human body and tissues and be able to identify them on models, slides, and specimens. Other lab courses, such as chemistry and physics, require experimentation and written lab reports. A microbiology course may require you to grow cultures of organisms and identify different types of organisms under a microscope.
Here are some hints to help you excel in these courses:
_____1. Go to the lab classes.
It always amazes me how many students blow off the lab time, even after they do poorly on their first lab exam. I can almost always tell you, after the first few weeks, which students will earn an A or a B in my course. They attend the lab sessions and stay the entire time.
_____2. Know ahead of time what the lab will cover.
Your professor's syllabus will probably tell you the purpose of each lab session. If possible, review any lab procedures before lab class and try to understand the science behind any experiments or demonstrations. If you will be dissecting or reviewing slides or models, spend some time getting familiar with the terms before the class.
_____3. Choose your lab partner or study buddy with care.
This is so important. I've watched students sit and shoot the breeze for much of lab time when they should have been identifying and naming body structures. I've also seen other pairs of students spend the time quizzing each other over all the different models. Guess which ones earned the better grades!
_____4. If you are required to perform experiments or some sort of procedure, make sure you know exactly what is expected of you.
If you're unclear about the steps of an experiment or procedure, ask for help. Most science lab sections are set up so that the professor and/or teaching assistant can aid students. Follow instructions for writing up lab reports exactly, using a well written report as a model if possible.
_____5. Write unfamiliar terms over and over again if you'll be required to produce them from memory.
In a course that requires this type of memorization, it helps to think of it as almost like an athletic sport. You want to create the motor memory of writing a term down, so that when faced with the stress of a lab exam, your brain and muscles will work together to help you produce the correct term. I sometimes give my students extra credit if they will show me they have written all of their lab terms three times each. Those that take the time to do this earn much, much higher scores on their lab exams. Start early, so that you have plenty of time to memorize the terms before the lab exam.
_____6. Ask if you can take photos of models in the lab and do so if that's OK.
I've noticed that my best students often do this. They print the photos out and label them. This means they have a great study help that they can take with them wherever they go.
_____7. Take advantage of any "open labs" and science learning centers.
Any extra time you spend in the lab or in a learning center will help you learn the material and do well on your lab exams. Teaching assistants that man the open labs and science learning centers often have great tips to help you memorize structures and terms and are happy to share them with you.
_____8. Even if you don't think of yourself as a science person, try to enjoy your science lab courses.
If you can generate some real interest in what you're doing in the lab, it will be easier for you to learn and process the information and procedures you're expected to master. I know I'm biased, but science courses can be quite fascinating once you decide to become engaged in the material.
