Information • Textbooks • Media • Resources
Journal of Chemical Education Software
Prospectus
edited by
Jon L. Holmes Nancy S. Gettys University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, WI 53706
The beginning of a new year is a good time to consider where we are and where we are going. This message is designed to tell all Journal readers about our plans for JCE Software and to provide an overview of what software abstracts you can expect to see during 1998. We have some changes in store that we think will be positive ones for all JCE Software users. New Publication Policies In 1998 we will continue to publish high-quality, peerreviewed, reasonably priced software for chemistry teaching, but we will publish each program as soon as it has been reviewed and edited for publication. There will be one program per issue, and each issue will be priced according to how much it costs to prepare it for publication. This means that there may be more issues for some platforms than for others, and there may be different prices for different issues. In addition, we plan to retire some previously published issues. Programs that are little used, are outdated, or have been superceded by newer ones will no longer be available; and user support will no longer be provided for some programs. We encourage software and multimedia authors to contribute and will continue to publish new materials regularly.
STM surfaces from Flying Over Atoms
Series News Volume 10 B, Number 2, is the last issue in Series B, for PC-compatible (DOS) computers. This decision reflects the lack of submissions to Series B. We may continue to publish DOS software, but will require that it be compatible with Windows and make it available in Series D (for Windows-compatible computers). Since we can publish only what is submitted, we published only one 1997 issue in Series C for Mac OS-compatible computers. A number of our submissions developed on the Mac OS have been larger works that run on both Mac OS and Windows. These have been published as Special Issues on CD-ROM rather than in Series C.
From the Chemistry Comes Alive! series, the levitation of a magnet by a superconducting pellet and a demonstration of the piezoelectric effect
1998 Publications Plans for 1998 include: • Flying Over Atoms by John Markham is a CDROM for Mac OS and Windows that includes data from scanning-tunneling microscope (STM) investigations of several surfaces. A multimedia introduction to STM with still graphics and QuickTime movies is included. • Chemistry Comes Alive!, Volumes 2 and 3 continue this CD-ROM series for Mac OS- and Windows-compatible computers. Like the first volume (1) they will contain digital video and animations of chemical reactions. Many clips from our videodiscs ChemDemos (2), ChemDemos II (3), and Titration Techniques (4) are included. There are also new clips that are available only in the Chemistry Comes Alive! CD-ROM series.
Crystal formation from the Techniques in Organic Chemistry module on recrystallization
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Information • Textbooks • Media • Resources • Techniques in Organic Chemistry by Lois Browne is a series of modules on videotape that demonstrate various techniques used in introductory organic chemistry laboratory. • G and S by Ian McNaught is a program for Windows-compatible computers that allows physical chemistry students to explore relationships in thermodynamics. • Group Theory with Mathcad is a new collection of Mathcad documents by Frank Rioux for physical and advanced inorganic chemistry. The documents are compatible with Mathcad 6 or higher for Mac OS and Windows.
Screen from G and S. Screen from Group Theory with Mathcad.
Under Development JCE Software is developing several other submissions that we hope to publish in 1998. These programs include Multimedia Problems for General Chemistry by David Whisnant, Buffers by Richard Ramette, a gas chromatography simulation by Bruce Armitage, and a collection of student lessons in general chemistry by John Martin based on his SIRs: Simulations and Interactive Resources (5). Also under development by the JCE Software staff are The General Chemistry Collection (Instructor’s Edition) CD-ROM and The Advanced Chemistry Collection CD-ROM. Cooperation with other Journal Divisions JCE Software, JCE Internet, JCE Online, and the Journal (print) are all parts of the same entity, the Journal of Chemical Education. Submissions to any branch are evaluated and assigned to the most appropriate publishing medium. Already several submissions to the Journal (print) have been referred to JCE Software. We anticipate that many submissions received by JCE Internet will include materials traditionally published by JCE Software. These too may be referred to JCE Software. JCE Software publishes the annual CD-ROM of the Journal; so too will it publish JCE Internet materials on disk or CD-ROM. We believe this is appropriate because access to remote Web sites is not sufficiently fast or reliable for materials used as assignments for students. An Invitation In collaboration with JCE Online we plan to make available in 1998 support files for JCE Software. These will include not only troubleshooting tips and technical support notes, but also supporting information such as lessons, specific assignments, and activities using JCE Software publications submitted by users. All JCE Software users are invited to contribute to this area. Get in touch with JCE Software; if you let us know how you are using our materials we can share your ideas with others! Although the word software is in our name, many of our publications are not traditional software. We also publish video on videotape, videodisc, and CD-ROM and electronic documents (Mathcad and Mathematica documents, spreadsheet files and macros, HTML documents, and PowerPoint presentations). Most chemistry instructors who use a computer in their teaching have created or considered creating one or more of these for their classes. If you have an original computer presentation, electronic document, animation, video, or any other item that is not printed text it is probably an appropriate submission for 128
JCE Software. By publishing your work in any branch of the Journal of Chemical Education, you will share your efforts with chemistry instructors and students all over the world and get professional recognition for your achievements. Literature Cited 1. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W. Chemistry Comes Alive! Vol. 1, J. Chem. Educ. Software 1997 (in press), SP 18. 2. Moore, J. W.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Hunsberger, L. R.; Gammon, S. D.; Jetzer, K. H.; Zimmerman, J. ChemDemos Videodisc, J. Chem. Educ. Software 1994, SP 8. 3. Moore, J. W.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Jetzer, K. H.; Gilbert, G.; Mattes, F.; Phillips, D.; Lisensky, G.; Zweerink, G. ChemDemos II, J. Chem. Educ. Software 1996, SP 14. 4. Jacobsen, J. J.; Jetzer, K. H.; Patani, N.; Zimmerman, J. Titration Techniques Videodisc, J. Chem. Educ. Software 1995, SP 9. 5. Martin, J. S. Simulations and Interactive Resources III, J. Chem. Educ. Software 1996, 9B2.
Ordering and Information Journal of Chemical Education Software (often called JCE Software) is a publication of the Journal of Chemical Education. There is an Order Form inserted in this issue that provides prices and other ordering information for all of the 1997 JCE Software releases. If this card is not available or if you need additional information, contact JCE Software, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1396; phone: 608/262-5153 or 1-800/991-5534; fax: 608/265-8094; email:
[email protected]. Information about all of our publications (abstracts, descriptions, updates, etc.) is available from our World Wide Web site:
http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 75 No. 1 January 1998 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
