RECENT L ~ O R A T O MANUALS: RY
A . An Indudivc Approach to Theory. Manual 1 builds up theory through a particularly skilful sequence of questions 1. INTROD~C~ORY C a s m ~ s maon THE LABORATORY. A . B. Garrett, L . L . Quill, and F. H. Verhoek. Ginn and Com- designed to lead to integration of previously learned facts, pany, Boston, 1942. viii 240 pp. 67 figs. Perforated explanations, observations, and conclnsions. Manual 4 builds up the analytical schemes following the systematic collection of and punched. 21 X 28 cm. $1.60. MANUALFOR E L E ~ N T A RCOLLEGE Y CHEMIS- data on solubility and the study of group, confirmatory. and 2. LABORATORY TRY. W . H. Steinbach. Burgess Publishing Company, supplementary tests. As in all inductive processes, the student Minneapolis, 1942. x 158 pp. Phographed. Spiral mav be lost if be does not comnrehend the svstem emnloved or if he does not have the goal ciearly in min-d; i t is not likely wire binding. 21.5 X 27.5 cm. $1.50. that the inductive processes in either of these manualswouldfail E x ~ n c r sIN ~ sGENERAL&EMISTRY. 3. SEMIMICROLABORATORY J . A . Burrows, P . Arthzrr, and 0.M . Smith. The Mac- to be clear. B . Orientation o j Students Prior to Their PnJormance of the millan Company, New York, 1942. xiv 331, pp. Perforated and punched. 35 figs. Spiral wire binding. Experiment. Manuals 1,2, and 6 provide overviews a t the beginning of each block of experiments. The overviews of the 14 21 X 28 cm. $2.50. 4. AN ELEMELVARY COURSE I N QUALITATIVEANALYSIS. units in Manual1 are quite lengthy and are supposed not only to W .L . Emns, J . E . Day, and A . B . Garrett. Ginnand Com- prepare the student for the laboratory work but also t o "orient 240 pp. Ring binding. 20 him in his more detailed recitation and textbook study." Manpany, Boston, 1942. vi ual 2 contains a paragraph introduction for each of its 33 "asfigs. 19.8 X 26.5 cm. $2.25. ANALYSIS. F. E. Brown. signments." The overviews for the 21 units in Manual 6 em5. A SHORTCOURSEIN QUALITATIVE D . Appleton-Century Company, Inc., New York, 1942. phasize theory and are essential to the understanding of the viii 367 pp. Perforated and punched. 17.8 X 23 cm. work. Manual 3 makes use of "preparatory questions" a t the beginning of each experiment; since each question points a prob$2.60. 6. TITE QUADRL-SERVICE MANUALOF ORGANIC S EM IS TRY. lem, the attention of the student is more actively focused on imE . F. Degering, under general editorship of H. T . Briscoc. portant aspects of the experiment. The wisdom of having Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 1942. vii 221 students find out in advance the conclusions supposedly derived pp. Punched. Wire-o binding. 56 figs. 21.5 X 28 cm. from experiments may be debatable, hut most of the questions seem to be legitimate. Manual 7 requires the writing of a sum$2.50. mary of the procedure t o be followed in the preparations experiIN ORGANICCHEMISTRY.E. Wertheim. The 7. EXPERIMENTS Blakiston Company, Philadelphia, 1942. x 221 pp. ments, and calls for the approval of this summary by the instructor. 15.4 X 23 cm. $1.35. C. Follow-up of the Experiments. With the exception of Comparisons among these modern laboratory manuals reveal Manual 1, which integrates interpretations directly with the that there is substantial agreement as to the range and types of experimental work, all the manuals pose questions following each phenomena with which students become acquainted in qualita- experiment and/or group of experiments. The manuals differ tive analysis, organic chemistry. and general inorganic chemistry. in the range and generality of the insights striven for through the Analysis of the manuals suggests that the differences among questions and in the relative proportions of questions in each of them are due t o the following factors: (1) ability of the groups the following categories: (1) summaries (usually tabular) of of students far whom the manuak were written; (2) educational observations, (2) suggestions of practical applications, (3) classioutcomes t o be gained through laboratory experience; (3) pro- fications of types of reaction, (4) equations, (5) explanationsof the cedures for guiding the student in the achievement of these out- reasoning supporting certain operations in the procedure, (6) comes; (4) procedures for obtaining evidence of such achieve- evidence for conclusions stated by the author, (7) evaluation of ment; and (5) the role of the laboratory manual in the total the usefulness or importance of processes illustrated in the labolearning situation. ratory, (8) suggestions of other methods of carrying out procThe inclusion of less theory suggests that manuals 2, 4, and 7 esses. (9) identification of factors affecting experimental results, in the three fields were written for students of lower ability. (10) commercial uses of processes or substances studied, and Manual 2 does not call for ionic equations; manual 4, although (11) generalizations of the conclusions. Manual 6 is unique in providing fairly complicated equations for various tests, avoids that i t casts the questions in the form of a "self-measwing ohthe Brdnsted Theory and seems relatively unsophisticated in jective test" which makes use of: (1) true-false statements of such statements as: "Since atoms, molecules, and ions are an generalizations, (2) matching of observations with phenomena, imnortant Dart of the universe. then eauilihria for reactions (3) filling-in of the formulas for the intermediate products in a berwcen them are important us a parr of thc equilibrium of the reaction sequence, and (4) multiple choice questions involving universe"; mnnual7 cmpharizcs experiments of the "pruperties" properties and names of compounds and processes. type and requires the writing of few equations. D. APpmiral of the Laboratory Experience. Manuals 2, 4, 5, The educational outcomes held t o be desirable are, in most and 7 present the instructor with filled-in observations plus e s cases, given explicit expression in the prefaces. I n both manuals say-type answers t o questions. Manual 1 provides fill-ins only. for qualitative analysis (4 and 5). the usefulness of experience in Manual 3 calls for a page of interpretations (5 t o 10 questions) qualitative analysis as an aid t o understanding chemical prin- per experiment; in addition, the student is expected t o record a ciples through their application t o a wide range of situations is large number of observations on a separate page. Manual 6 stressed. Manual 6 emphasizes a theoretical approach to organic calls far a comnlete descrintion of the exneriments under four chemistry. Manual 1 recognizes that "the emphasis on teaching headings, plus the objective tests described ahave. This manual certain 'principles' too often leaves the student unaware of the makes use of a "duplicate notebook" system in which the everyday use of chemistry he and his neighbors are making in the student makes a carbon copy of his report as t h e experiment home and factory, and without an understanding of the daily proceeds; the objective of this procedure is t o teach students to tasks which must be performed in the chemical industries." write reports acceptable t o industry. There may be argument Manual 3 points out that more and more responsibility for the as t o whether the habit of honesty in reporting results should planning of experiments should be accepted by the students as be acquired by making dishonesty difficult or by assisting the student through insight to value honesty as an objective. they advance during the year. Implicit evidence of the purposes of the authors is found in E . Integration of Laboratory Work with Theory. Following the body of the manuals, far it is through such features as the the usual custom in qualitative analysis, the theory of the c o w s organization of the content, the forms of the experiments, the is included in Manuals 4 and 5. Manual 6 refers to appropriate current literature. Manual 7 makes reference t o sections in the kinds of questions asked, and the kinds of responses required of the students that the outcomes are achieved. Among the more textbook of the course ( W E R T ~ ~"Introductory M. Organic Chemistry"). Manual 3 requires digging the material out of the text significant pedagogical features of the manuals are:
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before beginning the experiment. The other manuals require more or less use of the text to answer auestions. As described above, the overviews provide some intigration of theory with practice. F. Semi-micro versus Macro Proccdurer. Manuals 3, 5, and 6 make use of semimicro procedures. They show commendable reserve in avoiding extravagant claims for the midget procedures. There is no doubt that semimicro procedures are less expensive. Whether time is saved and whether students acquire better habits of neatness or of keen observation remain to he established. When first introduced into a course, the semimicro techniques will probably gain more interest and hence improve learning through better motivation. There is no educational reason for believing on a priori grounds that one procedure is better than another, although i t may be that in rewriting the experiments for semimicro use the authors improve their educational effectiveness by virtue of the overhauling. In general, the effectiveness of these or any other laboratory manuals depends upon the instructor. A laboratory manual provides one facet of the laboratory experience; despite the encouraging innovations reported above, the chief purpose of the mahual is t o direct the activity of the student. But it is the teacher's responsibility t o make the activity educative. Even the most ingenious scheme for reporting experimental results will be ineffective if the instructor does not correct and return the sheets to the students. The authors of the manuals can go to elaborate lengths in presenting the techniques of laboratory manipulations, but this effort will be fruitless if the instructor does not make sure that the student habitually uses gwd techniques. In spite of much thought given by the authors of the manuals to motivating the student, it is still necessary for the instructor to help the student find a real personal purpose in performing the experiments, far purposeless activity is not educative. The common practice of merely making or posting the statement, "By the end of this week you are expected t o have finished experiments 12, 13, and 15," cannot be too strongly condemned. To the teacher who is sensitive t o the educational outcomes necessary for successful living in the present mieta1 milieu, the laboratory provides opportunities for learning t o work together in small groups, for valuing the acceptance of responsibility for group progress, for gaining interests of students and giving them remedial help, for directing their first-hand experience toward a sound philosophy of science and its importance to civilization. The laboratory manual is a resource, not a rigid truss. In each of these manuals there are mare experiments than can be performed by the average student; why not use the need for selection of experiments to adapt the course to the interests of the individual students? Why not allow the bright students the privilege of working out new experiments making use of local products and processes? One learns best by teaching. Is there any reason why the several experiments on a given principle should not be broken up and assigned to volunteers for individual demonstrations? Is there any better way t o acquire skill in calculating n m a l i t i e s and molalities (not to mention desirable attitudes of group responsibility and parsimony) than to have the problem of keeping the solution bottles filled? And if this takes t w much time away from experiments is it not evidence that the skill is insufficiently developed? How is i t possible t o expect students to learn to devise experiments if their entire experience is that of following detailed instructions? Why not try using some of the laboratory time for planning experiments in class discussion? Is there any better way t o make previously learned theories function and to diagnose blind spots and weaknesses which may be corrected Later? If the discussion is carefully planned in advance there is evidence to show that the students will be able to do a s much or more work in the remaining time as they could do in the entire period, and that the enriched discussion experience results in the development of desirable outcomes too often overlooked.
CHEMISTRY IN HEALTH AND Drsmss. Harry C.Biddb, Lecturer in Chemistrv. Western Reserve Universitv. and St T---.. .II~P'S Hospital, ~ i e w l a n d ,Ohio Second Edition. F. A. Davis Company. Philadelphia, 1942. xiv 718 pp. 213 figs. tables. 16 X 22 cm. $3.50. ~
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I n the days when titles were lengthy hut Lucid this b w k would have been called "Inclusive and Compressed Compendium of Theoretical and Applied Chemistries for Nurses." I t is a combined text, handbook, and laboratory notebook, divided formally into five parts: I. Inorganic Chemistry; 11. Organic Chemistry; 111. Biochemistry; IV. Appendix; V. Laboratory Chemistry. A Laboratory Appendix and an Index complete the volume. However, so great is the compression of knowledge here, that some organic and biochemical material is inserted in the first chapter of Part I, as well as throughout the bwk. The author's avowed reason for this crowding-in of biochemical illustrations is to stimulate interest and critical thinking. The acme of "ferce-feeding" of learning is found in Chapter 11, which is intended to be covered in a single assignment of two hours of recitation and two hours of laboratory, but takes up the atomic theory, symbols, the electron theory, valence, formulas, and equations. The wealth of material and teaching aids herein compiled is amazing, and will he of some help t o any student or teacher of chemistry. Mr. Biddle has inserted for each of the twenty chapters helpful printer's "boxes" giving both a review of previous material as well as a preview of what is to come, frequent groups of self-testing questions, and many summary.tahles. The student is urged in specific instances to correlate chemistry with other subjects being studied, such as physiology and materia medica. At the end of each chapter is a "Suggested Activities" section camnrisine thoueht-nrovokin~ a list of new " . . auestions. . lerrrna, topics fur reports, and sug~cstion:,for posters and erhil,its. .a glossary uf review dennitions cuncludes each of the k t three major parts of the text. The figures are well selected and well reproduced. Each has a leading question as part of its title. This feature drives home the meaning of the picture or diagram, especially for photographs of hospital equipment. Both the Arrhenius and BrBnsted concepts of acids and bases are presented, but only the Bahr model of the atom, and the older form of the periodic table. Throughout this hook the author has shown wisdom not only by including material of value to nurses, but by omitting irrelevant aspects of chemistry, such as its industrial, metallurgical, and organic synthetical details. Mare space is thus left for the study of the nutritional, medical, and diagnostic phases. The laboratory exercises begin with the burning of magnesium ribbon, and climax with a complete basal metabolism test. Only two errors are evident so far. On page 24, reference is made t o a table of atomic weights inside the hack cover. Said table is missing. On page 309 there is shown a peroxide structure of a molecule of partially oxidized fat, in which there is mysteriously inserted a trivalent carbon atom in place of a simple bond line. The printing and binding are excellent, on heavy gloss paper. and the red cover does not lase its color when wet with water or 70% alcohol, the two liquids most likely to be spilled a n it in a hospital laboratory. DAVIDLYMAN DAYIDSON MIDDLSSBXUNIVBESITY
W A L T ~ AM&SSACIVSBTIS ~~.
A L L I E D~ ~ I DATA O HANDBOOK. Edited by Lieut. Nelson H. Cooke. United States Navy. U. S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington. D. C. Published by Allied Radio Corporation. Chicago. 1943. 48 pp. 15 X 23 cm. 25cents. A comprehensive, condensed handbook of formulas, charts, and data most commonly used in the field of radio and electronics. All subjects are clearly presented and conveniently arranged and cross-indexedfor ready reference
