South Piedmont Community College Associate in Science Capstone ePortfolio
Creative Problem-Solving
Learners will apply appropriate techniques to solving problems within their discipline.
For my Creative Problem Solving artifact, I have chosen a project from my English 112 course, entitled “Kitchen Overheating in Francesco’s Pizzeria.” For this assignment, we were tasked with evaluating a real-world problem and coming up with a solution. I took this course during the spring of 2018 before I had taken a chemistry course and found my discipline of interest. As such, I chose something with which I was familiar, so that I could immerse myself in the problem-solving process and truly learn how to write a proper proposal.
For the assignment, I chose to address a problem a local pizzeria was facing. The outdated appliances caused the small kitchen to overheat, creating an uncomfortable environment for both the employees and customers. I took on the creation of a proposal that would evaluate multiple solutions and make an educated suggestion for a primary solution, including steps of implementation. I was able to speak with the owner of the business and was told to make cost a top priority. With this in mind, I made sure to evaluate many different solutions.
This leads well into my first of two goals for this assignment, to “develop a proper proposal and arrive at a primary solution on the basis of objective reasoning.” An effective layout for a formal proposal is to first introduce the problem. While the assumed audience is already somewhat familiar with the situation, such as the board of directors for a company, I believe it is still essential to the document, as it clarifies the issue and ensures everyone has the same focus when making the decision. In the first few sentences of my proposal, I identify kitchen appliances as “the foremost appliances that drive the business every day, providing the desired food to the restaurant’s customers,” next identifying the “large amount of heat that they produce” as the focus of the proposal. I make sure not to spend much time on general information, instead going into statistics on sales distribution (between take-out and delivery, and dine-in), customer count, and room temperature. In doing so, I bring the relevant facts to the audience first.
The next step in a good layout is evaluating one or multiple secondary solutions, to demonstrate that proper thought has been given to the problem and to give multiple options for debate. I evaluated multiple solutions, first the replacement of the pizza oven, stove, and deep fryer. This solution is straightforward, purchasing new appliances to reduce heat among other benefits. The second solution I evaluated was the upgrade of the ventilation system from nine vents to eleven. I proposed adding a vent in the kitchen and in a brief hallway exiting the kitchen to maintain a strong current of cool air. The problem with both of these solutions is the cost. Both would come in well over the $1,000 budget allocated for this problem, putting unnecessary strain on a struggling business. I also made sure to mention other solutions tried in the past, including ceiling box fans. Ceiling fans project air directly onto customers’ food and box fans only maintain a small space, usually close to a wall.
One of my favorite additions to this paper was the interviews. It was very important for me to sit down with Luigi, the owner of Francesco’s, to discuss the business and gain any insight to begin working on the problem. I took the chance to interview my uncle Patrick who owns another pizzeria and had implemented both of my secondary solutions. He provided me valuable feedback: ‘“As for the new appliances and air conditioning,” he said, “I couldn’t be happier with the results. As for Francesco’s, because they have much less money to spend than we did, you should look for more cost-effective options.”’ I am glad I was able to conduct a second interview, as I believe it helped create a more realistic process for a formal proposal I might conduct in the future.
After reviewing the secondary solutions, the primary solution was suggested and evaluated in-depth. I designed a multi-faceted solution that would address the heat coming in from the large front windows and bring a cool breeze from the rear. This solution consisted of three parts: four sets of interior reflective blinds, a front awning, and a storm door to be placed at the back entrance. The reflective blinds would block the lower half of the windows, while the awning would block the sun’s rays while still allowing some natural light to enter. The storm door would come with interchangeable panels including a screen to allow for a summer breeze and a regular glass panel for winter. I was specific regarding the benefits of the solution, mentioning, “Properly installed reflective interior blinds can reduce heat gain in the summer by 45% and can even reduce some heat loss in the winter.” When discussing the awning, “Awnings can reduce solar heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows. Since the windows in the front of Francesco’s face approximately southwest, the benefits would definitely be within this range.” I also made sure to discuss the drawbacks as a sign of transparency, being sure to include how they could be managed.
The final aspect of a proposal is the implementation. To save some length, this is the section where the details of implementing the primary solution are discussed. I made sure to be specific on price and how and when the installation of the products would take place. In my research, I also made sure to find products that came with warranties, as I knew that would best suit the business. I could spend much longer going over this assignment, as it was one of my favorites from SPCC. As such, I engaged with my work and learned the components of a proposal as in my first goal.
The second goal I set for this assignment was to “provide a well-researched and logical implementation section.” As I have already discussed my implementation section, I will add to why I am satisfied with it. When looking for the best products to use in the solution, I visited numerous websites and viewed many different options. In addition, I made sure to gather as much information as I could in relation to installation, including shipping, necessary tools, number of people, and estimated time. Perhaps what I am most proud of from this section is that Francesco’s chose to implement it! Of course, I would still be as satisfied if they chose not to; however, it does make me feel even more confident that I met my second goal.
In the future, I know I will be tested to solve more complex problems than this, to write a more sophisticated proposal. Currently, this is somewhat of an unknown factor, as I have yet to compose a proposal in a discipline I see myself working in in the future. Despite this, I believe my experience in building writing skills from this course and assignment, as well as a variety of problem-solving experiences from my math and chemistry courses, will serve to help me work through problems in the future. In the general sense of problem-solving, one area in which I could improve is using previous information to develop an effective, perhaps new solution. I can improve this skill as I continue through my learning.
Elaborating more on my future in a STEM field, the proposal fits in mostly with research and applying for a grant. When applying for research grants, I will need to use these skills to advocate my proposed project and convince the administrator(s) that I am the best fit. If I go into the field of material science, I could envision myself writing a proposal for a company to alter the composition of one of their products.
The idea of problem-solving is one every person will face in their discipline. It is an essential life skill and I believe through experience, it can become a refined process. In my future work and studies, I can see myself using problem-solving for things such as troubleshooting technology, overcoming issues in an experiment, and much more.
Communication Competence
Learners will become effective communicators in their discipline.
For my Communication Competence artifact, I chose my persuasive speech from Public Speaking (COM-231) during the spring of 2019. The assignment was adjusted to a time of five to seven minutes to accommodate the course, shorter than originally intended. The intent was to create a speech that would summarize an argument and attempt to persuade an audience. A slideshow presentation was again required as a visual aid, with the other components of the assignment including a full-sentence outline and an annotated bibliography still expected. While a shorter assignment than my informative speech, my work on “Congressional Term Limits and Why We Don’t Need Them” proved to be every bit as challenging.
When this speech was first assigned, I remember thinking that it was going to be easy and my success in the course would continue with a similar strategy as my first speech. I encountered difficulty, however, as my topic selection and speech organization were tested almost immediately. At this point in my academic journey, I was still unsure of my discipline. As such, I wandered the web looking for a topic, coming up with nothing interesting after days. I eventually had somewhat of a revelation when I decided I should maintain a uniform theme across my two major speeches and again work with the topic of the government. With this in mind, I selected term limits, as it was a less sensitive topic to most people and something I was undecided about myself. Being undecided on the issue proved to create a unique situation for my speech organization. I originally chose to argue in favor of term limits, later switching to oppose, and even later growing intimidated by the constraints of time and contemplating finding a new, easier topic to work with. In my research, I was intrigued and moved by the studies on state-level term limits. This and other arguments against term limits proved difficult to organize into a speech with a time limit of seven minutes.
When evaluating the window for persuasion in the speech, three main areas took away from it: the introduction, oral citations, and conclusion. The course-specific requirements such as the personal credibility statement, attention-grabber, and overview of main points, while necessary did restrict time for quality information used for persuasion. In addition, the five oral citations removed what I estimate to be around 30 valuable seconds. Lastly, the conclusion requirements such as summary and call-to-action while helpful did cost more time. I felt the lack of time and decided to organize my speech into three simple points: introduction to the problem, evaluation of arguments on both sides, and the conclusion. I focused largely on the second point, as it would make up the bulk of my time and help turn the opinions of the audience.
I discuss my speech organization in-depth because it is at the core of the first (of two) goals I set for this assignment: “learn how to effectively organize a persuasive speech.” It is logical that to begin, a proper introduction to the problem or topic would best prepare for the audience to be persuaded. The building of a strong argument requires a large volume of information, especially if it is to be effective. In this case, I knew the information I could include must be only essential to my argument. I knew that it would serve me well to address the arguments of both sides. I decided to first address arguments in favor of term limits, proving to the audience that I was unafraid to discuss them and offering a new perspective to some of the more hackneyed arguments. I argued that effective policymaking comes with experience, elections serve as natural term limits, and that the freedom of choice is restricted when a candidate is barred from the ballot. The freedom of choice was important, as it represented my claim of value, explaining why the audience should care. With three strong points, I moved to my strongest argument against term limits, a study that analyzed a number of negative impacts from congressional term limits at a state level. These included inexperienced members, higher special interest group activity, and increased polarization. The studies referenced in these arguments represent my claim of fact, data that support my argument. I am extremely happy with the organization of my argument, as I was able to address both sides while primarily advancing the positives of no term limits. In addition, the main goal of my conclusion and claim of policy was to make the protection of liberty essential to my argument, helping to personalize it with my audience and move them on the issue. In doing so, I believe I demonstrated the ability to organize a persuasive speech and met my first goal.
The second goal I had set for this assignment was to “maintain a professional delivery and limit bias to what is only necessary.” While a persuasive speech will innately contain some level of bias, demonstrating too much favor toward one side of an argument detracts from a well-reasoned argument. In rehearsing my speech, I made sure to work on my professionalism. After developing a stance on the issue, I might have easily let too much bias slip in and impact my credibility. I believe I did very well during my speech, allowing only one such instance. From my speech, it is when I say, “…these things called elections,” referring to them as a natural form of term limits. Reflecting on my intonation during those words, I hear a bit of sarcasm, which is undesired in a speech. I see it as a minor example however, letting the rest of the speech “speak” for itself. It is one of the proudest deliveries from my educational career.
In terms of how this speech reflects my general abilities of communication, I believe it pairs well with my informative speech used for my Oral Communication artifact. These speeches demonstrate my ability to complete two important tasks in relation to communication: informing and persuading. There are many examples where the two skills will be important in my future. As a researcher, I would need to be able to persuade the issuer of a grant that I am the most deserving candidate. In the same role, I would need to be able to inform an audience of my peers about the results of my research. As a STEM educator, a primary career interest of mine gained from my favorite science teachers, I would need to summarize complex information and effectively inform my students. Speaking of STEM fields, I would like to address perhaps a concern about this and other artifacts. While few of my artifacts exist within that domain, what I do offer is my mathematical literacy and scientific literacy artifacts and my chemistry honors project as evidence that my future work in the field has promise. I would also like to add that in relation to this specific outcome, I believe the complexity of government discussed in the speech reflects my ability to handle such topics as chemistry. In the future, I will be faced with more opportunities to communicate with others, using the skills from this assignment to allow me to succeed.
Mathematical Literacy
Learners will demonstrate mathematical literacy through solving problems, communicating concepts, reasoning mathematically, and applying mathematical or statistical methods, using multiple representations where applicable.
For my Mathematical Literacy artifact, I chose a single problem from my Calculus (MAT-271) course taken in the spring of 2019. The question asked me to evaluate whether several statements were true or false, providing an explanation when true and a counterexample when false. The four statements given all connected back to what David Berlinski called the “ancillary definition” and “deep property” of calculus, limits and continuity. While these two topics are some of the first introduced in the study of calculus, they represent my favorite aspect of the subject: that it builds upon itself. If you do not understand limits and continuity, you will be unable to understand topics such as derivatives or integrals. It is for this reason that this problem, which I will name “Limits and Continuity,” has remained one of my favorite problems from my study of mathematics.
Looking at the definition from the outcome, “solving problems, communicating concepts, [and] reasoning mathematically” are all core aspects of literacy. In this problem, I demonstrate these aspects through my abilities to solve a problem and provide the concepts that support my solution. Despite areas that I see for improvement, I am still proud of the reasoning displayed in this assignment.
I again set two goals for this assignment, the first being to “demonstrate a higher mathematical understanding by communicating a comprehensible problem-solving process.” For this goal, I was primarily focused on communication. I wanted to connect fundamental concepts to my solution to ensure an optimal audience understanding. In part c, I explain, “If a function is continuous at c, it already holds that. The absolute value function outputs values that are always positive.” Here I define two important terms in relation to the question, the criteria for continuity and the effect of the absolute value function, breaking down my thought process into a simple chain of logic that is easier to follow.
I like to envision myself as somewhat of a professor when solving math problems. I remember one day in a free period before the day of the calculus test (and the day this project was due), I asked the supervising instructor if I could use the whiteboard to write out some problems and review. After a few minutes of writing, a couple of my friends asked if calculus was a difficult subject to learn. In response, I asked them to listen in to my review and ask questions if they had any. I spent the next hour walking them through the chapters on the test and the problems from this project. As they were in a lower level of math, their questions reminded me that it was important to define the basic components of concepts and relate them to the solution. Before I deviate any further, I will say that this experience reminded me that the best way to test your own understanding of a subject is to see if you are able to adequately teach it to others. I took this mindset and applied it to revise my project and include more explanations. I included the basic rules that supported my solution, often found in parentheses as such “…by limit definition it does not exist (, where L is a number).” In doing so, I believe I effectively communicated my thought process and completed my first goal.
My second goal for this assignment was to “demonstrate understanding by creating multiple representations of a solution.” In short, a function can be represented by an equation or graphically. Often, it helps to see both in a solution, especially for concepts such as limits and continuity, where simple, visual definitions can supplement the formal mathematical definition. I could improve a few areas for this assignment in this regard. The most obvious is that I included no graphical representations of any functions I used as examples to either verify or falsify a statement. While for some functions, such as a simple piecewise used in b or d, the graphical representation may be simple, it helps to eliminate errors and ensure a common understanding. In addition, while I am satisfied with the inclusion of a single counterexample (as the assignment requested), I believe the solutions could have benefited from multiple examples to help validate that the example used was not just an exclusive objection to the rule. With this in mind, I believe my second goal was partially met for this assignment. I leave a more comprehensive representation of my solutions as an area for future improvement.
Another area for improvement that I believe will be crucial to my mathematical studies in the future is a better personal understanding of the “why” behind the “how.” While I am familiar with a majority of the rules of elementary calculus, I still lack much knowledge of the so-called “proofs” behind these rules, the reasoning that explains why they are true. With an interest in teaching in the future, this knowledge will be essential to being able to explain a subject in multiple ways, to help with student understanding. In my own experience solving a problem, if I ever forget a rule, understanding the reasoning behind it will help point me in the right direction.
In the future, my literacy in mathematics will play a substantial role in my success in a STEM-related field. Most of chemistry requires a basic understanding of mathematics, well below the calculus displayed in this artifact. A few areas of chemistry, primarily where it overlaps with physics, higher mathematics is demanded. I have a personal interest in a number of these areas, such as quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. Besides this, a more general interest in higher mathematics, as well as a secondary interest in becoming an educator, will demand a strong understanding and literacy.
Information and Media Literacy
Learners will demonstrate the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand.
For my Information and Media Literacy artifact, I have chosen my research paper from my British Literature (ENG-241) honors project during the fall of 2019. This paper aimed to evaluate the speculation surrounding the truth of Olaudah Equiano’s slave memoir from 1789, The Interesting Narrative, and relate it to the current situation. While the scope of the paper shifted many times during writing, “Equiano and Today” became one of my lengthiest college papers at 11 pages and perhaps my favorite research experience.
To preface this discussion, I think it would be helpful to outline both of the goals I set for this assignment. First, I wanted to “demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate a variety of sources across multiple forms of media.” My second goal was to “to effectively and responsibly use information in the synthesis of an argument.” These goals encompass what I see as the two major components of this outcome: the proper acquisition of sources and effective use of them. Now back to the assignment.
The original idea for the project was to evaluate Equiano’s narrative and Oroonoko, a novel published in 1688, looking for similarities and concluding with a possible influence one had on the other. I planned for this to be a large part of the paper, supporting some conclusions about the impact of falsified works. After finishing both readings and completing my initial research, I knew this plan would have to change. I learned that the controversy surrounding Equiano’s narrative dealt with his birthplace, as two records from later in his life conflicted with his stated African origin. With this in mind, my comparison of the two literary works came up empty. The works told two different stories and few important details were found in both pieces. Maintaining my academic responsibility as a scholar, I could not make a sound argument based on this comparison. I changed and focused on the controversy as a whole, expanding my research to more books, journal articles, study results, and videos, hoping to make a conclusion about Equiano’s birthplace.
This new research process was much more intensive and difficult. There were many times when I had to remove sources from consideration after they failed to meet my high standard of currency, relevance, and credibility. Other times I had to reread a source multiple times to find useful information, all in a closing window of time. In the end, I again made a change and decided to leave the issue uncertain, feeling it would be the most academically responsible course of action. Having done this, I also decided it would be important to strengthen my connection to the real world and build a refined conclusion. Instead of focusing on the “impact of falsified works,” I made a more personal conclusion, advocating that all scholars should hold a healthy sense of skepticism about information, performing their own analysis and minimizing misinformation. It became an interesting argument, one that required me to revise my language to best articulate my points and avoid claims that the paper stood as an objection to Equiano’s experience. Overall, the paper tested my competence at locating relevant and credible sources across a variety of media while at the same time maintaining a strong sense of academic responsibility while constructing a reasoned argument. With the numerous demonstrations of each, I believe this paper reflects my writing abilities and satisfies the outcome as described in my two assignment goals.
The most significant area where I would like to see personal improvement is time management. While this skill may not seem directly related to this outcome, it is. Simply put (forgive my informality), effective and responsible research takes time. I learned this through my work on this paper. I encountered a large amount of information during my research process, only a small fraction of which I actually ended up using for my project. While I am satisfied with this assignment, there are likely some useful sources that evaded my research efforts. In the future, I will recognize the importance of time in research, and adjust my schedule accordingly.
I would also like to improve upon my use of signal phrases, such as this one: “Nigerian author and critic S. E. Ogude took an authoritative stance in 1982 on the “fictional content” of Equiano’s narrative (Ogude 31).” There are very few signal phrases in this paper, as well as my other writings. In the future, I would like to achieve a balance between signal phrases and standard parenthetical references, to improve the ‘flow’ of my work. Lastly, I need to improve my thesis writing. The thesis is always the first major block in my writing, a block that I often push back until near the end of my research. Doing so largely inhibits my research process, as I am lacking a narrowed focus for the assignment. With more experience in writing theses, I know I will improve. In addition, I believe if I begin each of my writing assignments by completing a strong thesis and foundational research, my writing process will become polished and my writing stronger.
In any discipline, citations are supremely relevant. In scientific fields, writing and research are based around citing and building off previous work. Effective and responsible use of information is essential to academic and professional integrity. The experience in prolonged research for this project helped develop skills that will be demanded of me if I am to expect a successful career in the scientific discipline.
Scientific Literacy
Learners will demonstrate scientific literacy by explaining the process of scientific reasoning and applying scientific principles inside and outside of the laboratory or field setting.
For my Scientific Literacy artifact, I selected “An Experimental Demonstration of Le Châtelier’s Principle,” a lab report from my first honors project based in my General Chemistry II course (CHM-152) taken in Spring of 2019. This lab report was unique in that it was not summarizing the results of new experimentation and research. Instead, it reflected the work my professor and me completed with the goal of demonstrating, and for me developing a stronger understanding of a known scientific principle. Besides this adjustment, this work gave me my first experience with the documentation process associated with high-level scientific research.
To understand this assignment, I will first summarize the honors project. In it, I argue that more research should be conducted to refine the Haber-Bosch process, which is used to manufacture synthetic ammonia. While it has been refined greatly since its development in the early 20th century, today it still requires high temperatures of over 400 degrees Celsius and pressures of over 150 bar. As a result, the reaction takes place in high-strength industrial reactors that require continued maintenance. These facts make the process difficult and costly to implement, especially in areas of low agricultural output relative to the theoretical yield. The area of focus in my project was Africa, where the majority of population growth in the next century is expected and where few Haber-Bosch plants are in place currently. If the process is made less intensive, or at least more international aid efforts are refocused on the issue of ammonia-production, more plants can be installed and the world can help build a sustainable Africa for the future.
In terms of where further refinement to the process may be found, the most suitable option I came across in my research was the idea of producing ammonia in a solution, rather than the current method of using pure gases absorbing and reacting on a solid catalyst. Multiple research teams in the early 2000s found that ammonia could be produced in a solution at a fraction of the temperature and close to atmospheric pressure. As a further exploration of the potential industrial applications would involve costly research, this project took on a more theoretical form. I still completed extensive research into the problem and solution, but the laboratory component became a demonstration of Le Châtelier’s Principle.
I must stress that while this may sound like somewhat of a disappointment, I was still very excited. It was my first honors project, the first of many opportunities to explore subjects that interested me beyond a course. In this course, the second of the general chemistry sequence, I found that I was challenged and yet still exuberant to learn. Chemistry to me felt as the connector of science, providing reasoning behind some of the more nebulous topics from biology and physics. I remember sitting in one class meeting thinking, “Wow, this might just be what I want to study in college and do for the rest of my life.” It was as if I had finally found my discipline, and sitting in front of me was this opportunity to see if I truly enjoyed working in it.
I was especially excited to complete professional work in a laboratory setting and complete a comprehensive documentation process, including this lab report artifact. I remember learning about formal lab reports back in my Writing and Research in the Disciplines course (ENG-112); unfortunately, I never got the chance to write one during the course itself. We discussed the various parts of a lab report, including the Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Analysis, and Conclusion. We also learned important aspects of writing in this format, including adherence to APA guidelines and the use of a past tense style of writing. I will say that the information I learned about lab reports in English 112 was immensely valuable to my success in this assignment.
Besides the skills used to compose the lab report, it is important to evaluate the skills used in the laboratory to complete the work behind it. Up to the point of this assignment, I had taken three natural science courses, each of which containing a section dedicated to regular lab work. These courses were General Chemistry I (CHM-151), Principles of Biology (BIO-110), and General Chemistry II (CHM-152). While those last two courses I was taking the semester of this assignment, the lab work I completed gave me valuable experience I used while working on my honors lab. Perhaps most important was the value of safety. In becoming familiar with the wide variety of tools used for scientific experimentation, I became aware of the value of using materials such as goggles to shield the eyes, tongs to pick up hot materials, vents to avoid inhaling acidic fumes, and other safety procedures. As the lab dealt with warming substances and acids, I remembered to follow the standard procedure to avoid accidents. In addition to this, the aforementioned knowledge of scientific tools, such as the pipettes, hot plate, test tubes, tongs, and more used in this experiment, came in great use when navigating the planned procedure.
I set two goals to accompany this assignment and satisfy this learning outcome. The first goal I set was to “effectively communicate an experimental process to a scientific audience.” In a formal, scientific lab report, it is important to be clear and include as many details as necessary. This is primarily to ensure that the procedure can be replicated and the results verified. Taking an excerpt from my Materials and Methods section, I make sure to be very specific: “The chemicals needed for the lab are listed below with the necessary concentration of each solution. 10 mL (milliliters) of each solution was prepared for experimentation. The only solid chemical which is required for the lab was ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), of which only 1 g (gram) was necessary. Equipment that was used in the lab includes four (4) test tubes, a test tube rack, at least one (1) glass pipette, a stirring rod, and a hot plate.” I then list the chemicals, concentrations, and procedure, broken down into each of three reactions that were conducted in experimentation. The example of the third reaction demonstrates this specificity: “Reaction III used saturated NH4Cl solution, 11.65 M HCl, the stirring rod, and the hot plate. The saturated NH4Cl solution was created dissolving 1 gram of solid ammonium chloride in 3 mL of water. About 2 mL of NH4Cl solution was added to a test tube. The observations of the solution were recorded. HCl was added dropwise into the test tube until a noticeable change occurred. This change was recorded. The test tube was then placed into a hot water bath. To create the hot water bath, a beaker was filled with 150 mL of water and heated on a hot plate. The stirring rod was used to mix the solution until a noticeable change occurred. This change was recorded. A new test tube was filled with about 1 gram of solid NH4Cl and enough distilled water to dissolve the crystals. The cleaned stirring rod was used to mix the solution and aid in the dissolving process. The temperature of the test tube was carefully monitored while the crystals were being dissolved. The change was recorded.”
In these excerpts, I clearly outline the exact procedure used during the lab, including specific language and exact amounts where necessary. This aligns with the most effective method of communicating scientific research through a lab report. My work in addressing a “scientific audience” is evident through my use of scientific language. In assuming that my audience is familiar with elemental symbols such as HCL, I can confidently say I met my first goal.
The second goal I set for this assignment was to “apply the conclusions of the lab to explanations of interdisciplinary phenomena.” This outcome focuses on the learner’s ability to demonstrate scientific reasoning “inside and outside of the laboratory…setting,” While a lab report may seem to apply only to inside a laboratory setting, to which my first goal relates, I point to two key elements that help to satisfy my second goal: the introduction and the conclusion. These sections are perhaps the most open-ended of a lab report, where the purpose of the lab can be generalized to world issues in an educated discussion. In my introduction, I provide a complete overview of Le Châtelier’s principle and the many manipulations of equilibrium that may be explained by it. One of these manipulations involves the pressure of gases, as well as the number of moles of a substance on either side of a chemical reaction (as seen in the chemical equation). In mentioning the effects of changing pressure, I make a connection to the focus of the problem in the Haber-Bosch process: “If the pressure of a system is increased, it will try to shift in such a way to decrease the pressure again. In order to do so, the reaction will shift in the direction which produces fewer moles [2-3]. The opposite is true of a decrease in pressure. Take, for example, the Haber-Bosch process, which combines nitrogen and hydrogen gas to produce ammonia. The equation for this process is as follows: N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) ⇄ 2NH3 (g).” I build this connection without explicitly stating it by evaluating the impact of an increase of pressure on this reaction, later stating, “A substantial increase in pressure for this reaction would dramatically improve yields, allowing for use in an industrial setting.” In taking this approach, I believe I created an interdisciplinary introduction, relating the focus of my lab to scientific applications.
I complete this connection by again mentioning the Haber-Bosch process in my conclusion: “The results experimentally prove Le Châtelier’s principle and further support the applications of this information. These applications present themselves most notably in the industrial world, where chemical reactions are manipulated by these principles to maximize the efficiency and output of essential compounds. One of the most important compounds produced using the reasoning of Le Châtelier’s principle is ammonia, a primary ingredient in fertilizer produced through the aforementioned Haber-Bosch process.” In doing so, this lab report transcends beyond just the laboratory and incorporates an important discussion and the central point of my honors project as a whole.
I will also briefly mention my actual presentation of my honors project, discussed in more depth on the Additional Educational Experiences page. While this was not a part of this lab report specifically, through the work I conducted on this lab report I dramatically improved my understanding of chemical equilibrium and Le Châtelier’s principle. This understanding in part fueled my terrific success at delivering an effective presentation and effectively responding to the intensive audience question and answer session that followed. Overall, these examples reflect my ability to demonstrate scientific reasoning outside of the laboratory setting, fulfilling this outcome and my second goal.
When I look back on this lab report, I can proudly say that there is very little I would change. Instead, using the skills reflected in the above quotes as strengths, I strive to maintain the same use of scientific reasoning reflected both inside and outside of the laboratory setting. Doing so will allow me to assume a more effective role in the scientific community.
Continuing from the previous paragraph, there are many valuable skills developed through this assignment that I will need to maintain and refine in my future. I hope to be a part of several undergraduate and graduate research projects, each of which will require the same intense documentation and reasoning contained in this artifact. This reasoning will permeate through my other scientific abilities and enhance my STEM career after college.
Reaction 1 between potassium chromate, sulfuric acid, and sodium hydroxide. This initial color of the potassium chromate solution was yellow. The addition of sulfuric acid caused the solution to shift and become an orange color. The addition of sodium hydroxide caused a shift in the opposite direction and the solution's return to a yellow color.
Reaction 3 between ammonium chloride and hydrochloric acid, involving a temperature change provided using a hot water bath. The initial solution of ammonium chloride was clear. The addition of hydrochloric acid caused the formation of a white precipitate. The subsequent heating of the solution caused the precipitate to dissolve.
Cultural Competence
Learners will recognize and adapt to various cultures, ideas, and practices within their discipline.
For my Cultural Competence artifact, I chose a cultural research paper from my Elementary Spanish II (SPA-112) course during the spring 2020 semester. The assignment was relatively straightforward in terms of requirements, with multiple submissions that built from a thesis statement to the final draft. Likewise, the subject was largely open, only being restricted to an issue concerning one of the Spanish-speaking nations of the Americas or Spain. As I knew that I was planning to fit the assignment into my ePortfolio, I searched for something close to my discipline. I decided to focus on the Venezuelan education system, as I knew I would be able to connect a great deal of economic data, something of my interest. In “Venezuelan Education,” I sought to correlate the ongoing economic, political, and social woes to the decline of their education system.
I was very much looking forward to this assignment, as it had been numerous semesters since I had completed a culturally-based assignment. The primary reason for this was the limits of courses within the requirements for my degree in science. Still, I know the importance of cultural awareness both in societal and personal progress. As the world grows increasingly diverse, it is essential to maintain objectivity and professionalism across relationships. In addition, I believe that developing strong skills in cultural competence will enhance my life experience by allowing me to hear the stories of many different individuals. In order to improve these skills, I look to experiences such as this assignment, my most advanced work in a cultural area. Knowing this, I set two goals for this assignment to maintain direction.
The first of these goals was to “demonstrate objective analysis of data and information to support a strong argument.” This goal was set with the intent to exclude cultural bias and perfect my paper-writing process. It is always a priority to remain objective when discussing cultural matters. For this assignment, I defined a clear purpose, to argue a connection between economic, political, social issues, and quality of education, to help me do so. Always sticking to this purpose helped me greatly in my task. I also made sure to avoid making any statements on the character of Venezuelans; such assertions would be unfounded. Instead, I included thoughts like this, “It reflects the sad truth that for many Venezuelan children in this time, education has taken a secondary priority to survival.” Here and in the preceding section of the paper, I convey the idea that children of any culture would be struggling educationally in such conditions. Therefore, it is not an issue of culture.
While the paper-writing process might seem somewhat disconnected from cultural objectivity, I argue that under a proper process, the large amount of upfront research will ensure that facts become a priority over opinion. Thankfully, due to the manner in which the assignment was structured, my process was concrete and proper. There were five total submissions for the assignment, the thesis statement, annotated bibliography, full-sentence outline, rough draft, and final draft. This breakdown prioritized the beginning research and the extensive amount of time I spent completing research supported this. I consulted many different sources for this assignment, evaluating each for their accuracy, currency, and relevance and building off research skills recently developed in British Literature. In doing so, I believe objective information helped construct my objective argument.
As a final example of objectivity, I would point to my conclusion. While not included in the final draft, my “rough” conclusion was much longer; it detailed a specific plan that I believed Venezuela should follow to alleviate its economic, social, political, and educational issues. While I liked it at first, I revised it to be more concise and provide a quick proposal: “The exact path to do so would likely entail taking steps to diversify and stabilize the economy, helping to improve conditions and allow the government to address other issues. For now, the education system continues to suffer as economic, political, and social issues persist.” I am happy with this revision, as I believe it achieved a good balance between a compassionate and unbiased mindset. I felt much more involved and direct as a writer (compared to my Cultural Literacy artifact), while still being responsible and meeting my first goal.
The second goal I set for this assignment was to “analyze multiple cultural ideas and practices within the scope of my own culture and experiences.” In terms of the “discipline” referenced in the outcome statement above, I consider my own culture just that. Similar to learning any new information, new cultural information can be more effectively absorbed if related to previously learned information. When I read the paper now, I can see that this goal is still in progress. While during the writing of the paper I was internally making comparisons to my own culture and ideas, I did not translate much of that thought into my writing. There are only a few references to the United States, none of which contain any insightful analysis of the two cultures. In a defense of my work, I will say that such analysis perhaps did not fit the purpose of the assignment, which made an argument that fit within a culture rather than between multiple. I still believe this assignment is a testament to my cultural objectivity and awareness, important skills for my future. As for cross-cultural analysis, I will need to gain more experience in such and apply the same skills to that form of critical thinking.
In the future, it will be increasingly important for me to have competence in navigating various cultural ideas and practices. In my studies, I will come across many different scholars and ideas, the acceptance and engagement of which will allow me to improve my scientific methods and practices and help me become a more effective researcher. This accepting mindset will foster improvement in areas of group collaboration as well, which will likely be a routine activity in my STEM future.