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Using the ACS Journals Search To Validate Assumptions about Writing in Chemistry and Improve Chemistry Writing Instruction

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Marin S. Robinson

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5698

Fredricka L. Stoller and James K. Jones

Department of English, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5698

J. Chem. Educ., 2008, 85 (5), p 650

DOI: 10.1021/ed085p650

Publication Date (Web): May 1, 2008

Abstract

This article illustrates how faculty and students can use the ACS Journals Search to examine assumptions about writing in chemistry. We examined common writing practices in chemistry including (i) the use of nominalizations, active and passive voice, and personal pronouns, (ii) words to avoid (e.g., researcher, very), (iii) words to use (e.g., hedging words, linking words), (iv) confusing word pairs (e.g., affect–effect, since–because), and (v) confusing plurals (e.g., data). To facilitate our analysis, we first used our own chemistry-writing database (comprising 200 chemistry journal articles) and then used the ACS Journals Search. The results are presented as activities that can be easily incorporated into a wide variety of chemistry courses. The goals of the proposed activities are to improve students' awareness of common writing practices in chemistry and to teach students to use the ACS Journals Search for their own continued writing development.

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Curriculum

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Communication / Writing

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

New Book about Writing Skills for Students
Don Paulson
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (10), 1345
- New Book about Writing Skills for Students
  Don Paulson
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (10), 1345
  The techniques identified by Robinson, Stoller, and Jones in their Journal article “Using the ACS Journals Search To Validate Assumptions about Writing in Chemistry and Improve Chemistry Writing Instruction” are included in a new textbook by the same ...
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