Version: February 2016

Laboratory Framework
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya

Objective: To provide a standard guideline for the implementation and documentation of undergraduate
laboratory experiments.

Background: The implementation of laboratory experiments is streamlined to meet the current needs of
the stakeholders. With this framework, all the people involved would have a clearer picture on what
needs to be done and hopefully a better teaching-learning experience would ensue through this
endeavor in the spirit of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI).

A. Pre-labs

1. Purpose of Pre-Labs: To give overview with instrumentation and procedures, including data
acquisition, analysis and interpretation.

2. Method of Pre-lab Implementation:

Lecturer would give an overall theoretical explanation of the concepts applied in the
laboratory. Furthermore, things to be prepared as well as expected for the laboratory would
also be elaborated.
Note: Quizzes (questions prepared by lecturer) may be given at the beginning of each
laboratory session in order to gauge effectiveness of pre-lab. (Optional)

B. Labs

1. Scheduling Policy
a. Schedule will be arranged so that students will complete three laboratory topics, each to
be completed within 4 weeks.
b. All laboratories will end on Week 13 except for special case.
c. Laboratory schedules will be posted 1 week before the first laboratory session starts.
d. Departmental laboratory courses schedule should not be revised to cater the needs of
repeating students as it would involve the reshuffling of entire laboratory schedule.
e. Students are not allowed to postpone their laboratory sessions unless they have an MC or
written permission from the Head of Department.

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2. Conducting Laboratory
a. The laboratory can be conducted by a lecturer / tutor / technician. However, the lecturer
in charge must ensure that the tutor / technician are capable of handling the laboratory.
b. The lecturer must attend all laboratory sessions for at least half an hour. This will enable
the lecturer to gauge the performance of the students during the laboratory session and
allow the students to discuss the results they obtained as well as the difficulty they faced
with the lecturer.

3. Grading
Grading should be done by lecturer. The following are graded for each laboratory topic:
i. Practical
Item Points
Handling the equipment
If there are multiple equipment, the marks will be divided equally.
40
50% if can use the equipment in a correct manner.
100% if can use the equipment skillfully (confident and effective).
Acquiring data
If there are multiple equipment, the marks will be divided equally.
40
50% if know how to read the output from the lab equipment
100% if know how to interpret the output from the lab equipment
Participation and Teamwork
50% if student functions effectively in some manner as an
individual/team member and leader in group discussion and problem
20
solving
100% if student functions effectively as an individual/team member
and leader in group discussion and problem solving.

Total 100
Notes: The lecturer reserves the right to give whatever marks they deem fit. Marks
can deducted due to disciplinary issues.

ii. Report
Section Points
Abstract 5
Introduction 10
Materials and Methods 10
Results
o Readable graphics and illustrations with
30
captions
o Statistical analysis to support the results
Discussion 30

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 Sound arguments pertaining to the results

Conclusion 5
Reference 10
Total 100

iii. Overall laboratory marks distribution is as follows:

Factors Percentage
Practical 50
Report 50
Total 100

4. Report format
a. Sections are divided into:
i. Abstract
ii. Introduction
iii. Materials and Methods
iv. Results
v. Discussion
vi. Conclusion
vii. References
b. Font type/size: Arial, Times New Roman/10-12
c. Spacing: Single
d. Header: Name, Matrix No. Included on every page.
e. Page number: Middle bottom of the page

5. Submission requirements
a. Individual laboratory reports should be submitted by spectrum within 1 week at the end
of each laboratory topic (in some cases, lecture might request student to submit hardcopy
report in addition to spectrum submission).
b. In case where the submission date falls during semester break, report should be handed
in immediately on the first day after semester reconvenes.
c. Lecturers involved in the labs should submit the grades to the coordinator at the end of
the semester.

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6. Penalty
a. Late submission of report within two (2) weeks after due date: 50% deduction from
laboratory report marks.
b. No points will be given if report is submitted after two (2) weeks from the due date or if
report is not submitted at all (Deduction from report marks)
c. In the case of plagiarism:
i. Whole report Plagiarism
 Zero marks will be given to both parties who are involved in the plagiarism
(Deduction from report marks)
ii. Section-by-section Plagiarism
 Points will not be given for the plagiarized sections
 1 mark will be deducted from the total report mark
d. If student is absent (with no MCs and lab replacement) but submit his/her laboratory
report, zero marks of total laboratory marks will be given.