Incorporating Descriptive Chemistry into an Inorganic Course Recently there has been an increasing amount of discussion regarding the lack uf descriptive chemistry in the BS ur RA chemistry curriculum and the proper bcatiun(s) to insert this topic into the present course of ~ t u d y . ' . ~ Iaddition, n employers have been emphasizing the need to have chemistry graduates better prepared in the area of technical writing. At Rochester Institute of 'Peehnology, an attempt has been made tu incorporate these goals into the existing two-quarter, senior-level inorganic course. Students have been given the assignment of researching an element of their choice (first quarter-main group element; second quarter-transition, lanthanide, or actinide element) and preparing a 5-10 page technical paper with a fueus on the following points: (a) Brief history of discovery, isolation, and characterization of the element; ( b ) Physical and chemical properties of the element; (c) Commercial processes for isolatiun and purification of theelement (i.e.,how would you make a profit by making this element ready for sale?) (d) Commercial processes for utilizing the element (i.e., haw could you make a profit through making and marketing products made with this element?); and (e) An in-depth look a t m e chemical or physical characteristic of the element which the student believes is important andlor u"usual. T h e student is required to follow the format of ACS journals in preparing the paper and must include a t least five references with nrooer footnotine throuehaut. At the end of the ouarter. each student oresents a 15-minute informal oral , 1 thnl the rnurc ils- Iwwfit< from ~ h rest;wch. o thl- 1Iuw n t 1, 1 1 1 ~ w :ummnrlm Sttalent rrdluatim, II.IW Im.n im.,tlrcancl lhc, xirli,nl: r m r e m n r e n t has only l w n n d : t i e d il.ghtl! t o n i c c m m d u ~ t the tlmr tur tht ur:ll p n ~ r w ~ . a l ~ m It *appearr . that thi; i * d w l . ~ r n r l \m a ! nay tt, prvrtdc iwnr iI
