on-line pre-lab and data entry instructions

[Zellmer, Robert]

You need to take the Gatekeeper pre-lab (Check in and Safety quiz).
Part of this is the safety quiz, part of it is to check to see if you know
course policies and part is to get you use to using this system.
Some of the instructions are given elsewhere.  If you don't enter
things correctly it's going to cause you problems.  Also, you can't
access other lab material until you get 100% on this quiz.

There's a pre-lab for exp 1 (SCM) due this week.

All pre-labs, the data entry, lab quizzes can be reached via Carmen.
Some (the ones at the external site) can also be accessed outside of
Carmen (see below).

Pre-labs are due before lab.  Reports, post-labs and data-entry are
due 1 week after completing the exp unless you're told otherwise.
You get only ONE attempt for the pre-labs and data-entry.  Once
you submit it there's no retakes (except for the Gatekeeper quiz
which you have to take until you get 100%).

Read the following beforehand.

1) Carmen post-labs (quizzes).  These are taken on Carmen.
While they aren't timed Carmen will time out and if it does it could
submit the quiz.  We will NOT reset it.  Plan on doing these in
one sitting and not leaving with the intention of coming back to
the quiz.  These are listed in the table on page 17 and come near
the end of the semester.

2)  "Online" pre-labs and data entry (see page 17 of the syllabus).
They can be reached via Carmen.  It takes you to an external link.
If Carmen is unreachable the link to the site is in the syllabus and
on my class web page (at the "Laboratory" link).  The following
link will take you directly to the external link for 1250.  There's
a lot of things there which can help with lab.

https://uglabs.cbc.osu.edu/1250

My suggestion is the way to access these particular pre-labs and
the post-lab data entry is to do it via the above link.  When you
do you'll have 60 minutes.  If you access it via Carmen you are
limited to the Carmen timeout (usually 30 min of inactivity).

When you get to the external site and click on the link for the
pre-labs it takes you to a page with some general instructions
on how to use the programs.  READ them.  There's also another
link right above the table with the links for the pre-labs,
data entry and feedback.  This is "Terms and conditions of use".
You need to read this.  It gives some technical information (such
as the best browsers to use, how to enter data, etc.).  When you
click on "Prelab" or "Data Entry" there will be an "Instructions"
button at the upper left.  Click on it and read the instructions.
These are specific to the pre-lab or data-entry.

When doing either here's a few other pointers:

1)  You should use FIREFOX.  The versions we've tried of this
     browser don't seem to have any problems.  Chrome seems to
     work but has it's quirks (if you leave a field blank it accepts it
     as a zero).  Students seem to have the most problems with Safari,
     Edge.   If you don't use Firefox and have problems we will not
     reset the quiz.

     While I have had it work using Firefox on my Android phone,
     we suggest you do NOT use your phone.  Some browsers
     on phones are not the full fledged browser.

     Your browser needs to be html5 compliant.  Use Firefox.

2)  Do NOT reload the page or get out of the browser thinking you'll
     finish later.  It starts over from the beginning, including the video.

3)  Do it in ONE sitting, plan on not getting up to finish it later.
     It will time out and when you come back to it the page will refresh
     with new numbers and you have to start over from the beginning.
     I believe times out in 1 hour.  However, it shouldn't take more than
     20 minutes.

4)  It's best to use a direct ethernet connection.  If using WiFi make
     sure you have a strong reliable connection and do NOT change
     places (moving the laptop may cause it to lose connection).  If
     you lose internet connection the program starts over (it clears
     everything and you start from the beginning).

5)  You have to watch the video all the way through or you lose points.
     This means you need to let it finish through the credits.  Don't stop
     it or proceed with the rest of it until it stops playing.  If for some
     reason you have to start over (it refreshed or wasn't accepted)
     you have to re-watch the video in its entirety.

6)  Read the whole write-up for the exp and write the procedure before
     attempting the pre-lab.  Watch the video in the pre-lab (don't just play it).
     The video may be different than the video you see in lab but watching
     now or even before you write the procedure is a good idea (a link to
     some of the videos are also available on my web page).  If you do this
     you should be able to answer all the questions for the pre-lab.

7)  Numbers less than 1, such as 0.11, MUST be entered with the "0" before
     the decimal point.  It will not accept ".11".  Do NOT use sci. notation
     unless it specifically instructs you to do so.

8)  Make sure there's no space (blanks) at the beginning or end.  It will not
      accept "0.11 " (note the space after the "1").

9)  Sometimes if there's a problem with something you entered in a box
     (particularly for numeric values) the box will be outlined (in red, the
     color could vary depending on your browser).  Firefox definitely
     does this, I'm not sure about other browsers.  If you position the
     mouse button over the box it will give an error message such as
     "Please match the requested format." or "Only a number, no units"
     (this one will occur even if there's no unit but you didn't enter the
     number correctly, see #7 and #8 above).  This is especially true for
     Firefox and that's one reason we suggest you use it.

10)  Make sure you're satisfied with your answers.  Once you hit submit
       that's it.  There's NO REDO.

     The program will send you a confirmation e-mail if things were submitted
     properly (from gc.labs at chemistry.ohio-state.edu<mailto:gc.labs at chemistry.ohio-state.edu>).  If you don't get one
     pretty quickly check your spam or junk folder.  If not there, it probably
     didn't submit properly and you should redo it.  Also, if submitted correctly
     the screen should refresh with your answers.  The data entry part includes
     the correct values to the right of yours in parentheses.  There's also a list at
     the bottom of what you missed.  Again, if you do NOT see this something
     went wrong.  Do it AGAIN.  It's a good idea to print this, take a screen
     shot or generate a PDF for your records in case you have a problem or
     wish to discuss something with me or the lab supervisors.

11)  If you have a problem please send the following:

        a screen shot
        5-digit section number for your lab
        day/time of lab
        TA name
        computer you're using (PC, Mac, iPad, Android, phone, etc.)
        operating system (e.g. Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, etc.)
        browser and version (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc.)

Send your e-mail to me and I'll forward it to the proper channel.

Dr. Zellmer
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