The Application of a Course in Chemical Literature to Undergraduate Research Undergradtiate students who have been asked to conduct a survey of the chemical literature often find slich an assignment tedious and time-consuming. I t is most important to teach the students efficient literature searching procedures. In order to create further interest in the Chemical Literature course, the students are asked to relate the systematic literature search to their planned undergraduate research project. The calendar year has been dividedinto academic quarters. The courseis offeredduring the last quarter of the student's junior year. The undergraduate research project is carried out during the following three quarters of their senior year. The first lecture period is devoted to a. discussion of undergraduate research. The advantages of close student-faculty contact and the development of additional laboratory skills are noted. It is indicated that the interpret,ation of research dat,a is simplified somewhat if the students have completed the literature survey prior to the start of t,heir research project. A list of chemistry depwtment faculty members actively engaged in research is distributed to the class. Individual sppointments are arranged in order t o discuss possible research projects. Initinlly a close-minded attitude by the students to any of the traditional areas of chemistry is discouraged. A short writt,en report snmmiwising each student-faculty discussion session is required. At the conclusion of the interviews-~~ormally two weeks after the course begins-each student lists two faculty members as his choice of an undergraduate research project advisor. In the majority of cases, first choice is granted. The faculty member directs each student, for the remainder of the quarter, in condr~ctinga systematic search of the literatore pert,aining to the research project. The stndent is required to report the results of the survey in the form of a seminar before the class. All faculty artre invited to attend. The remainder of the lectures in the course describes various aspects of the chemical literat.i~reincluding the nature of periodicals, patents, and the trade literature. The use of abstracts is discossed and the theory of efficientliterature searching procedures is described.1 In addition, it is felt t,hat the student is a t the proper stage of scientific development to learn technical writing skills. I n this regard, faculty members from other departments have been invited to deliver a. series of lectures on the art of written communication. Two further assignments complete the course requirements. These inclrlde a written report describing the resi~lt,sof a preliminary literature search on a topic in organic chemistry and a short lecture describing a publication, selected hy the student, in physical or organic chemistry. In t,he latter assignment, the student is encouraged to constructively criticize, in addit,ian to summarize, the cunt,enta of the article. No final examination is given a t the conclusion of the course. This course outline has been very successful in acquainting the students with various aspects of the chemical literature and searching techniqtres. The additional feature of combining a literature search assignment with a planned research project is an interesting varialion that has succeeded in maintaining student interest throughout t,he course. MELLON,M. G., "Chemical Publication-Their Nature and Use," (4th ed.), AfcGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1965. C R l ~ l iE. , J., PATTI.:RSON, A.M., A N D MORE,E. B., "A Guide to the Literature of Chemistry,'' (2nd ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., London, 1957. 3 BURMAN, C. R., "IIow to Find Out in Chemistry; A Guide to Sources of Information,"PGgamol~ Press Ltd., London, 1
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Volume 46, Number 6, June 1969
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395
