CHEM 449: Chemistry Research Methods Syllabus for Fall 2007 Instructor: Chriss E. McDonald Office: 233 Heim Phone: 4186 (998-8647 home, call anytime prior to 10 pm) E-Mail: [email protected] Meeting Time: Monday, 3:15 – 4:05 in Seminar Room (215) 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, 3nd ed.; Coghill, A.; Garson, L.., Eds.; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2006. Grading Criteria: Poster 10% Colloquium 15% Final Paper 25% Resume, Cover Letter and Research Summary 5% Paper drafts and practice talks 5% Effort in Lab and Library Research 25% Notebook and Spectra 5% Laboratory Technique 10% 100% Attendance: The student will pursue a research project under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry (or an internship off campus). The student is expected to commit an average of 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 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 the project at the 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 discuss 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.). Laboratory Technique: The student will be evaluated on the mastery of techniques relevant to the 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 an 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. This will utilize Power Point. A practice talk 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 and discussion, conclusions, an experimental section, and references. We will address the particulars of each section in class. Drafts of the sections will be due throughout the semester to both myself and your research advisor. Three drafts of the final paper (weeks 14, 15, 16) are included because we’ve found that these are typically needed to end up with a product that everyone is happy with.Chemistry Research Methods Course Schedule, Fall 2007 Date Week Topic Preparation for Class Student Presentation 8/27 1 Course overview, literature search background 9/3 2 Structure searching with STNWeb Discuss project with research advisor. Literature Search: STNWeb topical searches Choose search terms. Chp 32, Organic By appointment (after 5 pm). Using IsisDraw Lab Manual 9/10 3 Literature Search: Substructure searches on STNWeb Choose substructures to be searched By appointment (after 5 pm) in consultation with research advisor 9/17 4 Discussion: Writing an introduction / literature review Read Chapter 2 and 3 in text Background talks: editing references. Refer to Chapter 14 for info on CLG, BMZ citing references (also handout from 1st edition of ACS Style Guide 9/24 5 Writing the Research Summary, Resume, and Cover Letter. Due: 1st draft of introduction / literature review* (W, 9/26) 10/1 6 Discussion: Writing the experimental section Chp. 13, for experimental conventions * Bring notebook and spectra. Due: resume, cover letter, research summary (W, 10/3) 10/8 7 Workshop: Writing the experimental section Refer to Chapters 9, 10,11for info * Bring notebook and spectra on how to properly use/present numbers, Due: 2nd draft of introduction/literature review (W, 10/10) chemical names, and symbols. 10/15 8 Due: 1st draft of sample experimental (W, 10/17) *Paper copies of all drafts in this class to both me and your research advisor10/22 9 Writing the Results and Discussion Section* * Refer to Chapters 3 and 4 (grammar, Current results talks: punctuation, etc.) CLG, BMZ 10/29 10 Preparing for a Poster Presentation, PowerPoint Refer to Chapter 15,16 for info Due: 2nd draft of experimental