CHEM 449:  Chemistry Research Methods

Syllabus for Spring 2004

 

Instructor:  Holly D. Bendorf 

Office:  209 Heim

Phone:  321-4365, home phone 998-8647 (no calls after 10 pm, please)

E-Mail:  bendorf@lycoming.edu

 

Meeting Time:  Monday, 3:15-4:05 in Heim 215, plus 10-12 hours of lab work per week.

 

Office Hours:  By appointment or drop-by.

 

Course Description:  This course focuses on the nature and practice of chemistry.  Students will conduct research into a particular chemical problem with a faculty research advisor and will discuss their research at a weekly seminar.  A report on their research will be written.

 

Text: The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors, 2^nd ed.; Dodd, J. S., Ed.; American Chemical Society:  Washington, D.C., 1997.

 

Grading Criteria:

 

                Poster*                                                            10%

            Colloquium*                                                     15%

            Final Paper*                                                     25%

            Resume, Cover Letter

                  and Personal Statement                                 5%

            Research Summary                                             5%

            Participation (peer rev., discussions)                    5%

            Paper drafts and practice talks                            5%

            Effort in Lab and Library Research*                  15%

            Notebook and Spectra*                                     5%

            Laboratory Technique*                                     10%

                                                                                    100%

            * Grade assigned in consultation with research advisor.

 

Attendance:  The student will pursue a research project under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry. The student is expected to commit an average of 10-12 hours per week to the research project.  This time will be divided between laboratory work and time spent reading the literature and planning the laboratory work.  Attendance at the weekly seminar is mandatory and each unexcused absence will result in a 5% reduction of the final grade.  A maximum of one excused absence (must be documented by a note from physician, Dean, etc.) will be granted.

 

Literature Search, Article Summaries and Literature Review:  We will explore methods for searching the chemical literature.  The student will search the primary chemical literature for articles pertinent to his or her research topic.  These articles will form the basis of a literature review that will be written and ultimately included in the final research paper.

 

Research Presentations:  The student will present an overview of her project at her first presentation of the semester.  At subsequent meetings, the student will report on the progress made on the project since the previous meeting.  Although these presentations will be somewhat informal, the student is expected to present the research in an appropriate manner (the student should be well-prepared, knowledgeable about the project, able to describe the work in a professional manner, and able to answer student and faculty questions regarding the project, etc.).  Presentations will be the subject of peer-review.

 

Laboratory Technique:  The student will be evaluated on her mastery of techniques relevant to her project.  Included in this category are the skills necessary for the maintenance of laboratory equipment, laboratory hygiene, and safety. 

 

Effort in laboratory and library research:  This takes the form of the student's commitment to the research project with regard to both the time and thought dedicated to the research.  This includes evaluation of the student's comprehension of the project and intellectual input as determined by discussions with the research advisor regarding the status of the project. 

 

Laboratory Notebook:  The student will maintain and accurate and detailed laboratory notebook (hard-bound, all entries made in ink) and an organized file of spectral data.  The notebook and the spectral data will be turned in to the research advisor at the end of the semester.

 

Colloquium:  The student will present her research in the form of a chemistry colloquium near the end of the semester.  A practice talk (with overheads, etc.) will be given to the class at least 2 days before the colloquium.

 

Final Paper:  The student will prepare a written report on the research project.  The report will be written in standard ACS style (refer to papers published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society) and will include a brief abstract, an introduction, background material (literature review), results, discussion of the results, conclusions, an experimental section, and references.  We will address the particulars of each section in class.  Drafts of most sections will be due throughout the semester. 

 

Academic Dishonesty:  Be aware that in accordance with the College's policy on academic honesty, any work you submit must be your own.  Any instances of plagiarism will be severely penalized.