Selection, Evaluation, and Modification of a Standard Operating Procedure as a Mechanism for Introducing an Undergraduate Student to Chemical Research: A Case Study

Abstract

In an effort to broaden the selection of research opportunities available to a student registered in a one-semester, upper-level independent study course at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI), a highly motivated student was asked to select, evaluate, and modify a standard operating procedure (SOP). The student gained valuable experience in the decision-making processes involved with selecting an SOP based on discernment of which procedures could be performed at our institution. Once a procedure was selected, the student set up and evaluated the performance of the procedure, enabling mastery of the process. After demonstrating competence, the student was asked to suggest and perform modifications to the procedure thereby providing an opportunity to gain a better connection between the procedure and results. In this work, the QuEChERS (quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe) method for the analysis of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was examined demonstrating the effectiveness of using an SOP as a tool...