(395j) The Excel Advantage: Revamping Chemical Engineering Data Analysis for Lab Reporting

Analyzing data from laboratory experiments poses a significant challenge for chemical engineering students, particularly in their junior year. This challenge stems mainly due to extensive calculations, unit conversions, and the application of fundamental laws to quantify experimental parameters and establish predictive models. Converting this data into graphical relationships between investigated factors and variables is especially demanding for students who may not be accustomed to such rigorous analysis. Additionally, effective professional writing of lab deliverables such as reports or technical memoranda demands clear, organized descriptions and in-depth interpretation of the obtained results. These tasks require significant time outside regular course schedules, leading to increased student apprehension towards the analysis of experimental data which is typically conducted without any feedback from lab assistants or instructors before submitting the lab deliverable.

Before students can produce high-quality final laboratory reports, the analysis of data and preliminary interpretation of results are imperative. This is typically accomplished through preliminary reports, which are evaluated by laboratory instructors to gauge student progress before experiment conclusions. However, these evaluations often increase the student workload, overlooking the importance of reviewing calculations and the graphical representation of preliminary results to effectively evaluate data trends and relationships between the investigated variable and the controlled factors.

To address these challenges, this work features a checkpoint-based approach featuring in-lab discussions of preliminary analysis (PA) of data, briefly presented by students to laboratory assistants and instructors using an Excel spreadsheet instead of a written preliminary report. PAs are evaluated based on five criteria including data presentation and organization, data analysis and calculations, team dynamics, description of calculations and result interpretation, and formatting. Feedback received by students during these discussions assists them in improving calculations, enhancing data plots, and refining experimental plans to conclude experiments to better prepare for the final lab deliverable.

Initial assessment on the utilization of PAs instead of preliminary reports indicates that PAs have been positively received by students, facilitating progress in calculations, maintaining team focus, and encouraging the use of graphical tools for result representation. A positive aspect highlighted by students is how the mastery of Excel can be achieved via PAs, which has not been done in previous chemical engineering courses taken before the junior year. Opportunities for improvement have been identified by students to enhance clarity in required PA guidelines and better aligning calculations required in PAs with those in final reports/memos. Examples of evaluation rubrics will be presented as well as samples of actual PAs and student highlights on Excel skills improved while working on PAs.

Some of the improvements suggested by students have been incorporated in previous and ongoing iterations of PAs, aiming to help students in improving data analysis via refinement of Excel skills as well as facilitating the preparation of a final report or technical memo. Furthermore, this work aims to continue evaluating future iterations of PAs to foster a more comprehensive learning experience in chemical engineering laboratory courses, focusing on data analysis and the refinement of technical skills in a simple, yet thorough fashion.