Spring 2008
Chem 3000
General Topics in Contemporary Chemistry
Paul Hazendonk
Office 852
Phone 329 2657
Email: paul.hazendonk@uleth.ca
Office hours: Open Door Policy
Website: http://people.uleth.ca/~paul.hazendonk/3000
Text Book
No text is required. Any learning materials will be made available as class hand-outs or
posted on the website.
Overview
The objective of this course is to develop the student's research, writing and presentation
skills, so that they can participate in regular scientific discourse. The course starts with
a series of tutorials on how to effectively use the library resources available to them to
efficiently search the scientific literature. Weekly seminars are given on a vast array of
topics in chemistry to introduce the student to current research active subjects. The
subject of these seminars will be discussed in the following class. The students are
expected to present papers of interest to them to the class on a regular basis. They will
also be expected to prepare several papers on a subject of current research of their
choosing and give one formal presentation to the class.
Prerequisites
Chemistry 2410, and 2740, and Math 2560. Third year standing is required, which means
you must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of courses.
Library Tutorials
This course starts with a series of tutorials on how to use the library resources effectively.
These will be given in AH149 starting Tuesday January 8 through to and including
Thursday January 17.
Assessment
Under Grad.
Attendance
Class Participation
Library assignment
Quizzes
Journal Presentations (3 per student)
Short paper
Long paper
Research Proposal
Presentation
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
20 %
XX
20 %
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







Graduate
XX
XX
XX
10%
20%
10%
20%
20%
20%
Attendance is mandatory. One unexcused absence will be permitted any unexcused
absences beyond that forfeit the entire attendance mark.
Class participation is essential in seminar based course, so you will be assessed on
your participation in class discussions following seminars and presentations.
The opening tutorials on the library skills will be assessed with a hand-in assignment.
A short quiz will be given at the start of every Thursday class.
Each student is expected to give three short (10 minute) informal presentations on a
research article of interest to them. They will be expected to explain the theoretical
and practical basis of the study and discuss its relevance. Student discussion will be
encouraged after each presentation. All papers to be presented have to be approved
by the instructor in advance. Instructions will be posted on the website. This first
presentation is for practice and does not count for marks. The remaining two
presentations will be worth 5 marks each.
Each student will prepare a brief paper (c.a. 2000 words) on a subject of interest to
them from the recent literature. You may choose one of your journal presentation
topics. In any case all topics have to be approved by the instructor in advance.
Instructions will be posted on the website.
Each student will prepare a long paper (ca. 5000 words) on an approved topic of
interest to them. This work will review the current literature on the topic and discuss
current trends and directions. The student also expected to give on overview of the
scientific basis the research topic and justify the experimental methods used.
Instructions will be posted on the website.
Each student will give a 30 minute formal presentation on the research topic of the
long paper. Instructions will be posted on the website.
Only graduate students will be expected to prepare a research proposal based on an
approved subject unrelated to their own research and the topic of their long paper.
Seminar Schedule and Presentation Schedule
See the course website at http://classes.uleth.ca/200801/chem3000a/ for updated
information/
Cheating:
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT CHEATING YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED A GRADE OF F
INSTANTLY AND A LETTER DESCRIBING YOUR OFFENSE WILL BE PLACED
IN YOUR STUDENT FILE. TWO SUCH LETTERS IS GROUNDS FOR EXPULSION
FROM THE UNIVERSITY. STUDENTS WHO CHEAT, CHEAT THEIR FELLOW
STUDENTS.
It is important that you understand what constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as
the taking of someone else’s thoughts, writings or inventions and using them as one’s
own. When you are writing a paper on some topic, you must read up on the topic, get the
necessary information and then present it IN YOUR OWNWORDS. If you use a
sequence of text verbatim (i.e. exactly) from someone else’s work, THAT IS A QUOTE
and must be cited (to give proper credit to the author) in a particular way. If you use an
idea or data from someone else’s work, then that work must be cited specifically as a
reference, and/or in your paper’s bibliography. Beware of information that is found on
the web -- it is rarely primary source information. IF, IN THE COURSE OF WRITING
A PAPER, YOU EXECUTE A CUT AND PASTE FROM A
WEBSITE OR OTHER SOURCE without any citation, YOU HAVE COMMITTED
PLAGIARISM.
There is a difference between working together with a friend and plagiarism. If, after
conferring with others, what you write down is based on your understanding of the
topic and is in your own words, then that is acceptable. If, however, you look at a friends
answer to a question, and then simply write (essentially) the same thing on your
assignment, then you have committed plagiarism. PLAGIARISM IS CHEATING and is
subject to discipline as described in the university calendar. If you are unclear about this
issue, then speak to your instructor.