Students enrolled in the introductory physics laboratory at New Mexico State University participated in this study. A stated set of objectives, developed by Dr. John M. Fowler of the Commission on College Physics, was used in the laboratory. This study attempted to measure student achievement based on the use of these objectives as opposed to the more traditional laboratories. Student opinions of selected elements of the laboratory and of previous laboratory experiences were also obtained. Instruments from which data were collected included a series of questionnaires related to the different Fowler objectives, elements of the laboratory and previous experiences. Students enrolled in the divergent laboratories indicated greater freedom to choose experiments (Fowler objective 3) than did the other students. This difference was significant at the 0.05 level. The mean responses from these students were supportive of the Fowler objectives than those enrolled in the traditional laboratories. Opinions expressed by the students regarding selected elements of the laboratory were supportive of the graduate assistant in charge and of the laboratory partner. Investigator's recommendations included the expansion of the use of the divergent laboratory style in all types of science laboratories. (Author/EB)