Boston University Chemical Writing Program
Program Logistics
The Boston University Chemical Writing Program (BUCWP) is a collaboration between the Chemistry
department and the CAS Writing Program. The goal of the BUCWP is to teach students in Intensive
Freshmen Chemistry the proper techniques, styles, voice, and format, of research-based writing as it
happens in chemistry. We feel it is important to note that this initiative will not increase the amount of
writing that students are required to do for CH111 and CH112. In fact, the amount of writing assignments
has decreased since the inception of the program. Moreover, it is likely that the tools that we will provide
you will not only significantly improve your writing quality, but also the efficiency with which you produce
the writing assignments that have been mandated in this course for years.
In recognition of the emphasis that we will place on the instruction, revision, and performance, of good
research-based scientific writing, students who complete (receiving a passing grade) the CH111/CH112
(and CH181/CH182) course sequence will satisfy BU’s research-based writing requirement (WR150)1 .
Writing Goals of CH111/CH112
The major writing goal of CH111 is to develop the approach used by students when engaging in scientific
communication. As with all of the other aspects of the course (statistics, analytical techniques, chemical
concepts), the writing skills will be introduced slowly throughout the course. We will start with a focus
on developing the craft skills associated with scientific analysis and writing (figures, tables, developing an
argument) and then turn our focus, one section at a time, to the writing style that will be of most use
to a chemist: the journal article. In that way, as each section is introduced and taught you will become
responsible for proper writing in that section/component.
Inextricable from the process of scientific writing is also a mature understanding of the scientific
literature. One of the ‘research-based writing’ goals of CH111/112 is to introduce you to the proper use
of the scientific literature and the associated research databases (online and library) to identify materials
pertinent to the development of high-quality scientific prose.
Finally, in the second semester of the course (CH112), you will continue to develop your skills at
scientific writing by investigating other genres/themes of chemistry writing, collaborative writing, and
multimedia communication.
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Pre-medical students should be advised that some medical schools, which require two semesters of English, may not
accept this equivalency as writing credit for their admissions process. Those students should make sure to speak with their
pre-med advisor about how to satisfy this requirement by taking another English or literature class; students completing
CH111/112 should not take WR150 at Boston University.
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Boston University Chemical Writing Program
BUCWP (AY 2014/2015)
Writing Assistants
The writing instruction that you will receive will come in several forms: periodic brief lectures (during
pre-lab lecture) will introduce new writing concepts, handouts that will be provided with instructions
about new writing assignments and with some samples of good writing, a library skills tutorial, and
writing assistants (WAs).
The vast majority of the writing instruction that you will get will come from the writing assistants.
The writing assistants will read and comment all of your submitted writing assignments. You will then
be required to attend a 15-20 minute conference with your WA. Following your conference, you will have
the opportunity to refine your work and submit a second draft of your work. The second draft will be
graded by the WAs.
Note: WAs only assist with, and comment/grade on, the writing of the assignments. They do not
offer advice on the science/chemistry. Consequently, it is possible that an assignment may receive high
marks for writing style but be deficient in its content (chemistry), or vice versa. The final goal is to
achieve well-written papers that deliver superior content.
Here is the timeline that a student with lab on Wednesday will follow for writing revisions:
Week 1, W: Submit two copies of lab report: one (in lab) to the TF for a technical
grade; and one (on blackboard) to your WA.
Week 1, W,Th: Receive comments from your WA (more than 12 hours before your
conference).
Week 1, Th - Week 2, M: Mandatory conference with WA to discuss your assignment
Week 2, W: Second draft of writing assignment is due to your WA (on blackboard)
before lab.
Some important details:
• Conferences are for individual students with their assigned WA
• Course policy prohibits late assignments – clearly, the tight schedule that is described above suggests
a reason for this policy. Please be mindful and always submit on-time!
• Please be prompt — writing conferences will be back to back. We can only provide a single conference
per lab per student; a missed conference will result in a loss of the ability to meet with your WA
and, by way of consequence, a loss of credit.
• You will be responsible for choosing a WA from the list on the course website. They accept students
on a first-come, first-served basis.
Submitting Work to the Writing Assistants
All file exchange between students and WAs will happen using the Blackboard LMS (learn.bu.edu). After
signing up with a writing assistant, they will add you to a private group on the course blackboard page2 .
To submit a file: (1) log on to the course learn.bu.edu page, navigate to your group, and click ‘File
Exchange.’ This is where you will be able to post files for your WA to download them.
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Check to make sure that your group has been made. If it hasn’t, please confirm with your WA.
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Boston University Chemical Writing Program
BUCWP (AY 2014/2015)
All files must be submitted as PDF3 and must be named using the following rules:
Component
Naming Convention
Example
First draft
last name first initial-assignment#-draft.pdf
hwongj-1-draft.pdf
Commented draft
last name first initial-assignment#-draft-comments.pdf
hwongj-1-draft-comments.pdf
Final draft
last name first initial-assignment#-final.pdf
hwongj-1-final.pdf
Graded final draft
last name first initial-assignment#-final-graded.pdf
hwongj-1-final-graded.pdf
The examples in the above table are for student Julia Hwong’s files associated with writing assignment #1. (Notice
that everything is lowercase.)
You are submitting the ‘first draft’ and the ‘final draft.’ The ‘commented draft’ and the ‘graded final
draft’ are the two versions that will be generated by your WA.
Note: Naming the files according to this naming convention when submitting the file on blackboard
alone does not actually affect the name of the file. If, for instance, your lab is named ‘lab6.pdf’ on your
computer, then it will upload as ‘lab6.pdf’ no matter how you call it on blackboard. Make sure to rename
the file according to the proper naming convention on your computer. This will ensure that no files
are lost and that you get 100% of the credit that is due to you.
Revision Process in CH111/112
The vast majority of the assignments will follow this sequence:
1. Instruction in pre-lab: a small amount of time in lecture will be devoted to discussing the upcoming
writing assignment. A handout will be circulated at, or ahead of, this lecture.
2. Reading the handout: in addition to helping you with your writing assignment, information in the
handouts will be included in the lab exams. Make sure to study and learn the handouts.
3. Preparing the first draft: based on the lecture and the handout, you will prepare a first, polished
draft for your assignment. Here, ‘first draft’ does not refer to the first thing you write down on the
paper, but rather a good attempt at mastering the new material. Additionally, a checklist (discussed
in a later handout) must be included in the submission of your first draft.
4. Preparing for the conference: after having submitted your first draft, the WA will post the commented first draft to the blackboard site at least 12 hours before the conference - you can arrange a
time with them. Make sure to read all of the comments ahead of your conference and be prepared
to ask questions.
5. Conferencing with your writing assistant: this is the most important component of the program.
One-on-one instruction is the best way to improve; come to the conference with the following:
(a) A printed copy of the commented draft,
(b) the handout on the current section, and
(c) a list of questions about the comments.
3
Adobe Portable Document Format: most computers have the built-in ability to Save and Print files as PDFs. Please
consult your user guides for instructions.
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Boston University Chemical Writing Program
BUCWP (AY 2014/2015)
6. Submitting the second draft: after your conference you should work through the suggestions and
prepare a second, final draft of your assignment. It is best to work on the draft as soon as possible
after the conference in order to capitalize on the advice you received while it is still fresh in your
mind. The final draft is due one week from the date that the first draft was submitted.
Remember:
First drafts are due (one hardcopy to your TF and one copy uploaded to your WA) by the
beginning of lab, one week (Week 1) from the completion of the lab session. Final drafts are
due (only to your WA) before the beginning of lab two weeks (Week 2) from the completion
of the lab.
Writing Assistants are not able to give extensions on writing assignments.
Writing Assistants WILL NOT comment or help with the chemistry content.
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