Letter Writing as a Service-Learning Project: An Alternative to the Traditional Laboratory Report

• Published in: Journal of chemical education 2013-12, Vol.90 (12), p.1701-1702
• Main Authors: Burand, Michael W, Ogba, O. Maduka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assignment problem; Chemistry; Epistolography; Higher education; Laboratories; Learning; Organic chemistry; Science education; Service learning; Students; Writing
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/ed400215p

Letter writing as an alternative to a traditional laboratory report was introduced for a general chemistry laboratory project in which students measure lead content in urban soils. Furthermore, this letter-writing activity was conducted within the framework of a service-learning project insomuch as the students’ letters were written to the homeowner who provided the samples. The benefits of a letter-writing activity in lieu of a traditional laboratory report are discussed, as well as the benefits of implementing this type of assignment as a service-learning project. A follow-up survey indicated that 94% of the students who completed the letter-writing assignment felt it caused them to “think about the chemistry involved in a different [and we believe deeper] way” compared to writing a traditional laboratory report.