Incorporating a Substantial Writing Assignment into Organic Chemistry: Library Research, Peer Review, and Assessment

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 78; no. 1; p. 50
• Main Authors: Nicotera, Cynthia L, Shibley, Ivan A, Milakofsky, Louis K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton Division of Chemical Education 01-01-2001; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Chemistry; Course Content; English language; Organic chemistry; Science Curriculum; Science education; Thinking Skills; Writing; Lehigh Valley; United States > US; San Francisco California; Second-Year Undergraduate; Problem Solving / Decision Making; Organic Chemistry
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/ed078p50

A substantial writing assignment in an organic chemistry course provides a means of allowing students to direct their own learning about a specific application of organic chemistry. The use of peer review provided additional benefits: students learned organic chemistry from reading each others' papers and learned more about how classmates write about chemistry. Recommendations about how best to collaborate with a librarian in the design of a writing assignment that involves substantial library research are presented. One of the main features of effective assignments is the statement of clear expectations about assessment of the writing. The explicit criteria used to grade the papers are described. A substantial writing assignment such as this one can provide a means of moving an organic course from instructor-centered to student-centered.