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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2006  > July  >
In the Classroom
Chemical Research Writing: A Preparatory Course for Student Capstone Research
Hala G. Schepmann and Laura A. Hughes
Department of Chemistry, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR 97520
Cover
July 2006
Vol. 83 No. 7
p. 1024
Abstract
A research writing course was developed to prepare chemistry majors to conduct and report on their capstone research projects. The course guides students through a multistep process of preparing a literature review and research proposal. Students learn how to identify and avoid plagiarism, critically read and summarize a scientific article, outline and prepare a first draft, revise and edit their paper, and conduct a peer review. In addition, students are taught how to prepare and deliver an oral presentation. Current and former students, as well as their faculty advisors, were surveyed to determine if the course met its goals. The majority of students noted that the course increased both their confidence in their scientific writing skills and their understanding of their research project. Faculty indicated that students showed significant improvement in the comprehension and oral reporting of their projects and moderate improvement in their scientific writing ability. The success of this course has led the department to convert it to a two-term sequence to provide students time to practice mock presentations as well as to introduce research ethics issues.
Supplement
PowerPoint files of the course lecture notes, handouts detailing the criteria and format of scientific papers, student writing samples, peer and advisor evaluation forms, and course evaluation forms are available.
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*  Citation
 Schepmann, Hala G.; Hughes, Laura A. J. Chem. Educ. 2006 83 1024.
*  Keywords
 Communication / Writing; Curriculum; Student-Centered Learning; Undergraduate Research; Upper-Division Undergraduate
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 5/26/2006
5/31/2006
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