Parts 1 and 2 of the exercise are fairly traditional. Part 1 introduces students to the parts and proper use of the compound microscope and Part 2 is a description of the scientific method. Working in pairs, students must design their own experimental protocol. Students typically spend a significant amount of time discussing the pros and cons of different experimental designs before starting their data collection. This discussion gives them insight into the thought processes that scientists face when addressing questions with truly unknown answers.
Students also feel ownership of the lab exercise so they are motivated to collect their data.
In order to collect data they must develop their microscope skills. The lab report and subsequent lab activities throughout the semester further reinforce the importance of microscopy and the scientific method. Instructors in this course have been generally pleased with the level of student engagement in this lab exercise, and with the students' level of proficiency in using microscopes by the end of this lab meeting. Association for Biology Laboratory Education. All rights reserved.