A Chemical Information Assignment for Nonscience Majors

Laura E. Pence
Department of Chemistry, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT 06117
J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81 (5), p 764
DOI: 10.1021/ed081p764
Publication Date (Web): May 1, 2004

Abstract

The chemical information needs of nonscience majors are equally important compared to those of science majors but require a focus on different types of information. An assignment has been created to help nonscience majors gain familiarity with chemical information, specifically focusing on Internet resources and practical applications. The students are asked to research an urban legend, to establish connections between chemistry and their majors, to discover the types and sources of pollution that affect their hometowns, to determine the health and environmental hazards associated with a specific chemical, and then to apply their information to the task of writing a risk–benefit analysis of living in their hometowns. The assignments are personalized for each student and were better received that the original term paper assignment used in previous years.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Environmental Chemistry

Keywords (Feature):

Chemical Information Instructor

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Internet / Web-Based Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Nonmajor Courses

Citing Articles

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This article has been cited by 5 ACS Journal articles (5 most recent appear below).

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      The nonscience majors course described here employs the book titled Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History as its key pedagogical tool. The book is an engaging account of 17 molecules or groups of molecules that have, like the tin buttons ...

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    • Teachers Teaching Teachers

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History

  • Received: August 03, 2009

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