Overview of Chem 121-3

This short presentation will include material onfour topics:

• What you and we can expect in this course.

• Approaches to learning Chemistry.

• The ethics of scientific professionals.

• What is research like in the sciences, especially in Chemistry?

What you and we can expect in this course.

Based on the course descriptions and enrollment patterns, we assume:

• You completed a High School Chemistry course or equivalent.

• Your math skills are very good.

• You are pursuing a major in a science-related field and Chemistry is deemed critical to that preparation.

• Many of you are apprehensive about Chemistry.

• Most of you will complete Chem 121, 122, and 123, but some will stop after Chem 121.

Characteristics of Chem 121-3

You may find this course a bit different from others youhave taken in the past:

• Nevertheless, YOU are the primary person responsiblefor learning the material.

• The entire teaching staff and support program is dedicated to help you learn Chemistry.

• You will have separate, but related, activities insmall sections for Laboratory and Recitation.These will be lead by Teaching Associates.

• The lecture hall is large – but we still expect you toask and answer questions in class.

Our expectations:

• Attend Class! And Be Prepared for Class!

• We won’t take attendance — but you are responsiblefor all that is presented in class.

• Be Honest, with yourself, classmates, and teachers.(More on this later.)

• Be Inquisitive. Strive to understand concepts, not just memorize information.

• Keep ahead of lectures. Be aware you cannot learn the material by cramming.

Do you recognize this diagram?

Bloom’s Taxonomy– [Approaches to learning Chemistry.]

Knowledge – Simple recall of facts

Comprehension – Translate into your own words or equations. Application – Apply concepts to specific situations; recognizing and solving a problem when the equations are not given.

Analysis – Application plus recognition of important parts of problem.

Synthesis – Assemble components into a form new to them, i.e. design a research plan or devise a synthetic scheme.

Evaluation – Judge the value of materials in terms of internal and external criteria.

This is a grossly abbreviated adaptation from Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) (1956) Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals: Handbook I, cognitive domain. New York; Toronto: Longmans, Green. Use Google to find other references.

see also http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html http://www.officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/blooms.htm

Expectedin this

course.

Expectedin

Research.

Ethics in Chemistry — and the Professions

Each of you is headed toward a professional career asa physician, engineer, or scientist. Whatever this chosenfield, your key to success and respect depends criticallyon your high level of ethical behavior.

Read recent newspapers and/or scientific journals to learnof issues of dishonesty which have lead to the downfall ofprofessionals who previously had excellent reputations.

Most of the material that follows is based on a publicationby the National Academy of Sciences:

http://books.nap.edu/catalog/4917.htmlhttp://www.nas.edu (home page for NAS)

On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research,Second edition, ISBN: 0309051967

Authored by National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering,Institute of Medicine

Available for viewing and searching athttp://newton.nap.edu/catalog/4917.html

Some Chapters from the NAS publication:[These chapter titles have links to the NAS on-line pages.]

The Social Foundations of ScienceExperimental Techniques and the Treatment of DataValues in ScienceConflicts of InterestPublication and OpennessThe Allocation of CreditAuthorship PracticesError and Negligence in ScienceMisconduct in ScienceResponding to Violations of Ethical StandardsThe Scientist in Society

Research in Chemistry

What is it?

How can you get involved?• It will become included in all laboratory courses

in Chem 122, 123, 221, 254, and 255 throughthe REEL project.

• You can work with most professors at OSU in their research program—right along with graduate students and other colleagues.

• Visit the Department of Chemistry web sitefor Undergraduate Research.