New Perspectives in Science Education

In an effort to provide our second year organic chemistry students with experience in a scientific investigation, a staged chromatographic/writing-in-the-disciplines (WID)/writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) experiment was designed. Short chromatographic lab exercises (preceded by short quizzes on the technique to be employed and followed by writing assignments) were conducted by approximately 200 students per year over a four year period. Experiments and writing assignments are divided into 4 week periods with marker/tutor/instructor feedback as well as a guided peer review process of the written work to provide further periods of reflection and knowledge transfer. Once all short sections of the research style article are reviewed and re-written, a full research style report is submitted. This project has proven successful in increasing student performance in all sections of a research style article. Four years of development and study found that students increase knowledge and practical application of chromatographic principls, their written performance involving both the theory and principles of chromatography as well as the craft of writing when guided by a chemistry professional as well as a writing professional.

Keywords: Second-Year Undergraduate, Chemical Education Research, Laboratory Instruction, Organic Chemistry, Communication/Writing, Chromatography;