Book and Media Review pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Review of Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, and Biochemistry, 7th Edition Amina Khalifa El-Ashmawy*
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Collin College, McKinney, Texas 75070, United States Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, and Biochemistry, 7th Edition, by Spencer L. Seager and Michael R. Slabaugh. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA, 2011. pp. ISBN: 978-0538734288. $158.00
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articularly for accreditation and funding purposes, there has been a progressively increasing demand to assess student learning at the departmental level; similar to many institutions across the United States, this is true at my institution as well. One of the first things that grabbed my attention in this book was the beginning-of-chapter “Learning Objectives”. Some time ago, learning objectives were a common feature in textbooks, but over time, these were phased out. In the current climate of accountability in higher education, this feature of Seager and Slabaugh’s, Chemistry for Today: General Organic and Biochemistry, 7th edition, should be widely applicable and useful both during the adoption phase and after adoption. The chapters in Seager and Slabaugh’s book are well laid out. Chapters 1−10 cover general chemistry, Chapters 11−17 cover organic chemistry, and Chapters 18−25 cover biochemistry. The book is visually clean and without clutter. Figures and pictures are used efficiently to clarify concepts and the information presented. This textbook is not intended for those students who will pursue a science major. Math is minimal. I am always amazed by the simplicity of introductory level textbooks in their coverage of complex topics. As I read through Chapter 8, “Reaction Rates and Equilibrium”, I found it clear and concise. The authors did a good job rolling three conceptually important topics (kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium) into a relatively short chapter, while giving students the essence of these topics and how they relate to each other. This might even be a good introduction or review for general chemistry students so they can get the big picture without any math. In Chapter 11, there is a nice, brief transition from inorganic to organic compounds. The six organic chapters follow a fairly traditional progression. Each chapter has the same outline of nomenclature, physical and chemical properties, then reactions and applications. The organic compounds covered are alkanes, unsaturated hydrocarbons, hydroxyl-containing compounds, carbonyl compounds, and nitrogen-containing compounds. The biochemistry chapters follow a common outline with classification, structure, properties, and applications. All the biochemistry that a student needs is there from carbohydrates to metabolism. Overall, this well-organized book covers the topics in a systematic and logical manner. For an allied health course, this is a good book to consider. © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Published: February 22, 2012 435
dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300088f | J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 435−435
