Chemistry 3250
Spring 2010
General Topics in Contemporary Chemistry
Paul Hazendonk
Office 852
Phone 329 2657
Email: paul.hazendonk@uleth.ca
Office hours: Open Door Policy
Website: http://classes.uleth.ca/201001/chem3250a/
Text Book
No text is required. Any learning materials will be made available as class hand-outs or
posted on the website.
Overview
The objective of this course is to develop the student's research, writing and presentation
skills, so that they can participate in regular scientific discourse. The course starts with
a series of tutorials on how to effectively use the library resources available to them to
efficiently search the scientific literature. Weekly seminars are given on a vast array of
topics in chemistry to introduce the student to current research active subjects. The
subject of these seminars will be discussed in the following class. The students are
expected to present papers of interest to them to the class on a regular basis. They will
also be expected to prepare papers on several current subjects of research and give formal
presentations to the class on each.
Prerequisites
Chemistry 2410, and 2740, and Math 2560. Third year standing is required, which means
you must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of courses.
Library Tutorials
This course starts with a series of tutorials on how to use the library resources effectively.
These will be given in E646 starting Thursday January 8 through to and including
Thursday January 22.
Assessment
Under Grad.
Class Participation/Attendance
Assignments/Quizzes
Presentations (Best 2 of 3*)
Papers (Best 2 of 3*)
30%
10%
30%
30%
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Attendance is mandatory. One excused absence will be permitted. Any absences
beyond that forfeit the entire attendance mark of 5% from the class
participation mark.
Class participation is essential in seminar based course, so you will be assessed on
your participation in class discussions following seminars and presentations. Your
mark will be based in degree of participation, quality of discussion, and level of
preparation, in each class on a per class basis. Also, adherence to deadlines will be a
considered.
Surprise quizzes will be taken on selected Thursdays on the topic of the previous
The opening tutorials on the library skills will be assessed with a hand-in assignment.
Each student is expected to give short (15 minute) original presentations on three
different topics of interest to them, and those have not been or will be presented in
any other course. They will be expected to explain the theoretical and practical basis
of the study and discuss its relevance. Student discussion will be encouraged after
each presentation. All topics to be presented have to be approved by the instructor at
least one week before hand. Instructions will be posted on the website. The slides for
each presentation must be turned in for assessment. Failure to submit the slides will
result in a penalty of 5 % to be taken from your class participation mark will be
assessed
Upon successful completion of each presentation the student will prepare a brief
formal paper (minimum 1500 words) on each topic. Instructions will be posted on the
website. All papers are due within one week of the presentation, unless arranged
otherwise. Late submission will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day from your
class participation mark. No paper can be submitted without the presentation
being completed beforehand. *All three papers must be submitted in electronic form
and be completed for final assessment; otherwise an average over all three papers will
be assessed in the final grade.
Seminar Schedule and Presentation Schedule
See the course website at http://classes.uleth.ca/201001/chem3250a/ for updated
information/
Cheating:
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT CHEATING YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED A GRADE OF F
INSTANTLY AND A LETTER DESCRIBING YOUR OFFENSE WILL BE PLACED
IN YOUR STUDENT FILE. TWO SUCH LETTERS IS GROUNDS FOR EXPULSION
FROM THE UNIVERSITY. STUDENTS WHO CHEAT, CHEAT THEIR FELLOW
STUDENTS.
It is important that you understand what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as
the taking of someone else’s thoughts, writings or inventions and using them as one’s
own. When you are writing a paper on some topic, you must read up on the topic, get the
necessary information and then present it IN YOUR OWNWORDS. If you use a
sequence of text verbatim (i.e. exactly) from someone else’s work, THAT IS A QUOTE
and must be cited (to give proper credit to the author) in a particular way. If you use an
idea or data from someone else’s work, then that work must be cited specifically as a
reference, and/or in your paper’s bibliography. Beware of information that is found on
the web -- it is rarely primary source information. IF, IN THE COURSE OF WRITING
A PAPER, YOU EXECUTE A CUT AND PASTE FROM A
WEBSITE OR OTHER SOURCE without any citation, YOU HAVE COMMITTED
PLAGIARISM.
There is a difference between working together with a friend and plagiarism. If, after
conferring with others, what you write down is based on your understanding of the
topic and is in your own words, then that is acceptable. If, however, you look at a friends
answer to a question, and then simply write (essentially) the same thing on your
assignment, then you have committed plagiarism. PLAGIARISM IS CHEATING and is
subject to discipline as described in the university calendar. If you are unclear about this
issue, then speak to your instructor.
Reusing materials submitted for grades in a previous class constitutes a form of
plagiarism and will the treated accordingly.