Overview of Chem This short presentation will include material on four 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 You may find this course a bit different from others you have taken in the past: Nevertheless, YOU are the primary person responsible for learning the material. The entire teaching staff and support program is dedicated to help you learn Chemistry. You will have separate, but related, activities in small sections for Laboratory and Recitation. These will be lead by Teaching Associates. The lecture hall is large – but we still expect you to ask and answer questions in class.

Our expectations: Attend Class! And Be Prepared for Class! We won’t take attendance — but you are responsible for 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 Expected in this course. Expected in Research.

Ethics in Chemistry — and the Professions Each of you is headed toward a professional career as a physician, engineer, or scientist. Whatever this chosen field, your key to success and respect depends critically on your high level of ethical behavior. Read recent newspapers and/or scientific journals to learn of issues of dishonesty which have lead to the downfall of professionals who previously had excellent reputations. Most of the material that follows is based on a publication by the National Academy of Sciences: (home page for NAS)

On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research, Second edition, ISBN: Authored byNational Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine Available for viewing and searching at

Some Chapters from the NAS publication: [These chapter titles have links to the NAS on-line pages.] The Social Foundations of Science Experimental Techniques and the Treatment of Data Values in Science Conflicts of Interest Publication and Openness The Allocation of Credit Authorship Practices Error and Negligence in Science Misconduct in Science Responding to Violations of Ethical Standards The 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 through the REEL project.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 site for Undergraduate Research.Undergraduate Research