Spreadsheet Approach to the Linear Least Squares Fit

This paper describes the design, use, and evaluation of World Wide Web-based prelab exercises in senior-level Instrumental Analysis. On-time completion of the prelab assignments was 75%, but use of other on-line resources such as a question-and-answer page was minimal. A midsemester assessment of the prelabs found that the multiple-choice questions were better for increasing conceptual understanding, rather than preparing the students for the actual lab work.