Chemical Education Today
Especially for High School Teachers by J. Emory Howell
On Being an Author
November Articles of Interest
In the October 1996 column an invitation to submit manuscripts for consideration was extended to you, the reader. Peer review is a significant factor in ensuring that Journal of Chemical Education articles are accurate, timely, and reliable. A respected peer review process is the hallmark of all thorough scholarly journals and to have a manuscript accepted for publication is justifiably a source of professional satisfaction to the author. To the first-time author, however, the process can be confusing and sometimes discouraging if it is not well understood. The purpose of this brief discussion is to emphasize the positive aspects and suggest how to benefit from the process. Begin the peer review process informally, before submitting the manuscript, by asking colleagues to read it critically and suggest changes that will improve clarity and accuracy. Also, read carefully “A Guide to Submissions” (1996, 73, 1006, or online at http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu) so that you will know specifically what to submit. Send the manuscript and accompanying items to the editorial offices in Madison and indicate that it is intended for the High School Section. Your manuscript will be sent to a minimum of three reviewers. When the reviews have been completed, a decision will be made by the High School Editor or by a Feature Editor regarding the next step. One possibility is that the manuscript is recommended for publication without changes. In peer-reviewed journals this is an extremely rare occurrence. Typically the author is asked to revise the manuscript. It is very important to not give up at this point. Experienced authors who have published many articles expect to be asked to make revisions on every manuscript submitted. The best course of action is to make revisions as quickly as possible and return the manuscript to the editor. If extensive changes are necessary a second round of reviews may be required. When the high school or feature editor is satisfied with the revisions, a recommendation to publish is made. The actual decision to publish is made by the Editor of the Journal. A relatively new possibility is a recommendation to transfer the manuscript to JCE: Internet or JCE: Software. If the manuscript is not recommended for publication the author should not give up because it is possible to start over. Perhaps the manuscript is too limited in scope or does not contain sufficient data. Careful reading of the reviews and consultation with the section editor can help the author decide on the additional work that needs to be done before writing a new manuscript.
Paths to the High School Chemistry Editor email:
[email protected] Telephone: 601-266-4375 FAX: 601-266-6075 Mail: J. Emory Howell Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5043
In the Classroom In the article “Bring Back Equivalent Weight—If You Want the Kids to ‘Think’!” (page 1007) author M. Laing argues that students need to struggle through problems, working through the material in the historical order of discovery. He traces the development of chemical understanding that was dependent upon equivalent weight from Lavoisier to Mendeleev. The description of a college course for non-science majors, “Chemistry and the Human Environment” (page 1012), contains a number of interesting examples and learning strategies that could be used in any beginning chemistry course. Another interesting aspect of the course described by authors C. N. Trumbore, J. Bevenour, and K. Scantlebury is the “need-to-know” approach which they used to determine which chemical principles would be included. An article by Ngai Ling Ma describes how “Quantum Analogies on Campus” (page 1016) can be used to build a stronger grasp of abstract concepts by using examples drawn from daily life of students. Although written about a college course, “A New Approach to the General Chemistry Laboratory” (page 1021) by J. F. Bieron, P. J. McCarthy, and T. W. Kermis provides an example of how a thematic strategy might be used in a high school beginning or advanced chemistry course. For classes with access to IR instrumentation “Getting Real: A General Chemistry Laboratory Program Focusing on ‘Real World’ Substances” (page 1023) by R. C. Kerber and M. J. Akhtar provides several interesting examples involving household substances. Chemistry Everyday for Everyone A. Hildebrand, U. Hilgers, R. Blume, and D. Wiechoczek describe some interesting C 60 chemistry experiments in the article “Playing with the Soccer Ball —an Experimental Introduction to Fullerene Chemistry” (1066). A common and easily observable chemical change is the coloration of paper used in books and magazines. H. A. Carter explains why these changes occur and how their effects can be countered in “The Chemistry of Paper Preservation Part 2. The Yellowing of Paper and Conservation Bleaching” (1068). Articles that relate chemistry to other disciplines are important in helping students see the interrelatedness of science. In an article that meets this need, J. S. Huebner, R. A. Vergenz, and T. L. Smith explain the contributions that astronomy has made to broadening our concept of matter in “Astronomy Matters for Chemistry Teachers” (page 1073). Research: Science and Education Teacher’s guides to textbooks, resource books, and numerous journal articles on teaching chemistry have explained the use of concept maps as a means of assessing the relationships among ideas. A. Regis and P. G. Albertazzi share the results of their research in “Concept Maps in Chemistry Education” (1084).
Vol. 73 No. 11 November 1996 • Journal of Chemical Education
A259
