Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Instrumental Analysis (Face-to-Face)

CHEM 4230-01

Course: CHEM 4230-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PSCI
CRN: 31718

Course Description

Theory and principles underlying the analytical applications of spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, colorimetry, magnetic resonance, and chromatography. Three (3) hours lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): (CHEM 3000 and CHEM 3005) or (CHEM 3620 and CHEM 3625) - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Principles of Instrumental Analysis, 6th or 7th Edition, by Skoog, Holler, and Crouch

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge of the Physical and Natural World – Students will recall, interpret, compare, explain, and apply chemistry terminology and theory.
2. Quantitative Literacy – Students will use chemical equations, graphs and tables to interpret and communicate chemical information.
3. Inquiry and Analysis – Students will solve complex chemical problems, particularly those involving instruments.
4. Critical Thinking – Students will make decisions based on conceptualizing, applying, and analyzing information

Course Requirements

Grading: Grades will be based on the following:
3 Midterm Exams                                   40%
Final Exam                                             30%
Homework                                              15%
Research Paper                                     15%

 Final Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
            Percentage                   Grade
            93.0-100                      A
            90.0-93.0                     A-
            87.0-90.0                     B+
            83.0-87.0                     B
            80.0-83.0                     B-
            77.0-80.0                     C+
            73.0-77.0                     C
            70.0-73.0                     C-
            67.0-70.0                     D+
            63.0-67.0                     D
            60.0-63.0                     D-
            <60.0                           F

Midterm Exams: The midterm exams are paper exams given in-class, and are closed book, notes, and internet. A periodic table with equations and constants will be given. The exams are designed to challenge you and prepare you for the final. They are difficult. On free response questions, partial credit will be given for partially correct answers, so don't give up if a question looks hard.

 Final Exam: The final exam is comprehensive. The final is produced by the American Chemical Society, and the instructor will not have access to the exam prior to its administration. Therefore, it is to your advantage to learn as much as possible throughout the semester. The test is multiple choice and a scantron will be required.

Homework: Homework online or from the book will be assigned each week of class, due after that material is covered, typically on Fridays (exceptions noted). The homework is to prepare you for the exam, so the use of AI is discouraged.

Research Paper: Students will be required to write a 3 page paper summarizing a research paper published in the last two years and comparing it to the basic analytical technique(s) covered in class that is/are most closely related to the research paper. Charts and graphs can be included and will be counted in the page total. The paper will be graded on content and analysis but spelling and grammar will also be assessed. A copy of the research paper and an outline of the student’s paper are due October 24, a rough draft of the paper is due November 14, and the final copy of the paper is due December 5. AI is allowed as a help in research and editing, but I will check your paper with plagiarism checkers and AI often plagiarizes passages, so be cautious with the use of AI - I recommend you write the paper yourself and only use AI for editing. If you decide to use AI for research, be aware that AI often "hallucinates" - makes up nonexistent source - so be sure to check anything recommended by AI for both accuracy and simple existence.

Course Outline

Class meets MWF 11:00-11:50 AM in SC 226. Students should familiarize themselves with the material covered in lecture before class. The following schedule should be considered a rough guide, with modifications noted beforehand in class.

 Week                                       Text (Chapters)                                    Things Due (usually Friday)                 
Aug 27-29                                1-5                                                       Homework       
Sept 1                                       No Class – Labor Day
Sept 3-5                                   6-7                                                       Homework       
Sept 8-12                                 8-10                                                     Homework       
Sept 15-17                               11-12                                                   Homework (Not a Friday!)       
Sept 19                                     Exam 1 (Ch. 1-12)                                           
Sept 22-26                               13-15                                                   Homework       
Sept 29-Oct 3                           15-17                                                   Homework       
Oct 6-10                                   18-20                                                   Homework       
Oct 13-14                                 No Class – Spring Break
Oct 15-17                                 20-21                                                   Homework                   
Oct 20-24                                 22-23                                                   Homework, Outline
Oct 27-29                                 24-25                                                   Homework (Not a Friday!)
Oct 31                                      Exam 2 (Ch. 13-25)                                         
Nov 3-7                                   26-27                                                   Homework
Nov 10-14                                28-30                                                   Homework, Paper Draft
Nov 17-21                                31,33,34                                               Homework
Nov 24-28                                No Class – Thanksgiving Break
Dec 1                                       32                                                        Homework (Not a Friday!)
Dec 3                                       Exam 3 (Ch. 26-34)                             
Dec 5                                       Review for final                                   Final paper 
                                                                                                 
Final Exam (ACS): Monday, Dec 8, 11:00 AM-12:40 PM, SC 226

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Assignments are due by 5:00 PM on the Friday of the week they were covered, unless otherwise directed by the instructor. If assignments are completed after the due date but before the test on that material, a penalty of 50% of full credit may be deducted from the score earned. If assignments are turned in after the test on that material, a penalty of 80% of full credit may be deducted. Exams must be taken as scheduled unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor. 

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend class. If you must miss class, contact the instructor to avoid late penalties and so you don't fall behind.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.