In the Classroom
Errata: Opportunities To Promote Critical Thinking Charles M. Wynn Sr. Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, CT 06226-2295
A common reaction of students when they find an error in their textbook, study guide, or solutions manual is to assume that the mistake must somehow be theirs and not the author’s (1). After all, they reason, who knows more about science—the author, a recognized scholar, or themselves, mere novices? The fact of the matter is that errors do appear in textbooks, and novice students are capable of finding them. What they lack in this endeavor is confidence in their own judgment. Since finding errors in textbooks is an excellent example of critical thinking, encouraging students to discover errata can be of great pedagogic value. In addition to asking students to read certain sections and answer certain questions, instructors can ask them to point out what they believe are errors in the text and published answers. If the instructor concurs, he or she writes a letter on their behalf to the author of the textbook suggesting that a correction be made in the next printing. If
the author acknowledges the error, the instructor shares the response with the student. If the author disagrees and explains to the instructor’s satisfaction that he or she is mistaken, both the instructor and the student learn from the experience. In their search for errata, students gain confidence in a task that mirrors the process of science, namely, evaluation. Admittedly, the errors found are most often clerical or computational ones, but even achievements such as these can help prepare students for more ambitious methods, for example, KENSHU, in which they systematically read, discuss, verify, and evaluate scientific articles (2). Literature Cited 1. Kogut, L. S. J. Chem. Educ. 1996, 73, 218–221. 2. Drake, B. D.; Acosta, G. M.; Smith, R. Jr. J. Chem. Educ. 1997, 74, 186–188.
JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 76 No. 2 February 1999 • Journal of Chemical Education
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