What is a lab practical?

Do they mean a practical exam?

In our A&P I lab the "practical" exam consisted of identifying different labeled things, e.g. individual bones lying on a table, parts of a disected sheeps heart, the type of white blood cell in the center of a slide on a microscope.

Our Microbiology lab final was a lot of fun. We drew a number out of a hat and then received a petri dish with that number. The petri dish had two different microbes mixed up on it (a Gram + and a Gram -). We had to separate them and identify them (we were given a list of the possible G+ and G- bacteria).

Both of these exams sound difficult, but once you've had the stuff in lab, they weren't too bad and were kind of interesting.

For A&P they usually label a part of a bone - you have to identify it. My prof put a bone in a black velvet bag, we could feel it - we had to identify it (by it's shape). A cow's heart was disected with little pins/flags in it - parts had to be identified. I imagine anything you were exposed to in A&P lab would be fair game, including cadavers, human & otherwise. Anatomy photos straight from our text were used along with models. My prof used his own leg for one question. It was fun.

Usually the format for exams in labs is based on identification and labeling rather than a paper based multiple choice test. For instance, in A&P stations would be set up on each table and numbered 1-50. The items might be microscope slides, sheep's brain, bones, models of a kidney, etc and the question will ask you to identify the structure, list its function, etc. Your teacher should explain how it will work. Since there is no guessing involved, you either know it or you don't so you really want to memorize and understand what you are studying. Good luck :)

At the beginning of every lab we had a lab quiz. During Mid-Term and Final exam periods we had a Mid-Term/Final Practical (respectively) which was a cumulative exam on the previous material.

Thank-you for all the responses. I really appreciate it! As I was looking more through all of my information I found out that there are 4 lab practicals throughout the semester. I start class tomorrow so I am sure I will found out more then. Thank-you again.

PJ