Table of Contents
1. Front Matter
1.1. Contents/Scope..................................................................................................................3
1.2. Auidence/Purpose.............................................................................................................3
1.3. Guide Assumptions...........................................................................................................4
1.4. Organization......................................................................................................................4
1.5. User Tips............................................................................................................................5
2. General Information
2.1. American Chemical Society (ACS).................................................................................6
2.2. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics....................................................................7
2.3. Sigma-Aldrich...................................................................................................................8
3. Government Resources
3.1. Catalog of U.S. Government Publications......................................................................9
3.2. Statistical Abstract of the United States (2012)...........................................................10
4. Journals in the Field of Chemistry
4.1. Inorganic Chemistry.......................................................................................................11
4.2. Organic Chemistry.........................................................................................................12
4.3. Physical Chemistry.........................................................................................................13
4.3.1. Journal A..............................................................................................................13
4.3.2. Journal B..............................................................................................................14
4.3.3. Journal C..............................................................................................................15
2
Contents/Scope
This guide contains information regarding government and professional resources for
those in the field of chemistry. The guide discusses useful websites that all undergraduate
students should utilize, such as Sigma Aldrich and the homepage of the American Chemical
Society (ACS), as well as journals in varying fields of chemistry for the use of citing sources in
students’ own lab reports. For the purpose of research, government resources are discussed, such
as the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. All sources used in this guide are from
accredited organizations/companies or the United States government.
Audience/Purpose
The Internet Resource Guide for Chemistry Majors was created with junior and senior
level undergraduate chemistry majors in mind. At Penn State University, a requirement of 27.1
credits is necessary before an undergraduate student may enter the Eberly College of Science.
The following courses are required to be taken with a C or better prior to Entrance to Major:

Chem 110 – Chemical Principles I

Chem 111 – Experimental Chemistry I

Chem 112 – Chemical Principles II

Chem 113 – Experimental Chemistry II

Chem 210 – Organic Chemistry I

Math 140 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry I

Math 141 – Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
As such, this guide will be intended for students in the chemistry major who have already
completed the required courses and credits.
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Guide Assumptions
As stated in the previous section, the Internet Resource Guide for Chemistry Majors
assumes that the reader is a junior or senior level undergraduate chemistry student. Due to the
nature of the articles and resources, an advanced understanding of chemistry will be assumed,
beyond the level of general and sophomore level organic chemistry. Although it is written from
the perspective of the Penn State University Department of Chemistry, the guide is applicable to
undergraduate students from any 4-year accredited university in the United States.
The Internet Resource Guide also assumes that the reader has regular access to a
computer and a basic understanding of how to use the internet. Although hard copy versions of
many of these resources are available, all of the internet resources presented in this guide are free
and accessible to anyone.
Organization
The guide starts with a Table of Contents on page 2. For ease of use, all sections are
listed in alphabetical order. Each section has a corresponding page number for easy navigation to
different pages. The guide is broken up into 3 main sections: General Information, Government
Resources, and Journals in the Field of Chemistry. In the General Information section, 3 websites
will be discussed that every chemistry major should familiarize themselves with: The American
Chemical Society, the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, and Sigma Aldrich. The
Government Resource section is divided into 2 subsections; Catalog of U.S. Government
Publications and Statistical Abstract of the United States. Each of these subsections has one
example associated with it. The last section is broken up into 3 subsections: Inorganic Chemistry,
Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry. The Physical Chemistry subsection has 3 examples
of journals, which are Journal A, Journal B, and Journal C. Each subsection has its own title,
URL, short description, and tips on how to use the website.
4
User Tips
Use the Table of Contents to quickly flip to whichever page you’re interested in. This
will allow you to avoid searching the whole document for your desired section. Also, access to
Adobe Reader is helpful, because many of the journal articles and the CRC Handbook are
downloaded in PDF format. The Statistical Abstract of the United States also provides Microsoft
Excel documents as an alternative to the PDF files, so access to Microsoft Office is also useful.
5
General Information
American Chemical Society (ACS) Homepage
Website - http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html
Abstract:
From the About Us section of the ACS website, it states that the American Chemical
Society “is a congressionally chartered independent membership organization which represents
professionals at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry and sciences that involve
chemistry.” With more than 161,000 members in over 100 countries around the globe, the
American Chemical Society is the world’s largest scientific society and one of the world’s
leading sources of authoritative scientific information. The employment opportunities,
networking capabilities, and membership fee of $26 a year allows students a foot in the door
when it comes to careers in the various fields of chemistry.
Tips:

To join the American Chemistry Society, go to the ACS Homepage and click
‘Membership & Networks’. Next, scroll down until you see the section titled ‘Become an
ACS Member’. Click ‘Join ACS’ and scroll down the page until you see ‘Application
Forms’. Click ‘Apply Online’ and fill out the application.

To find an article from one of their 39 journals, go to the ACS Homepage and click
‘Publications’ at the top of the page. Next, you have many options at your disposal. The
most useful link is the ‘ACS Publications A-Z’ page. Here, you have a list of all of their
available journals and articles. For example, if you scroll down to the J-Section and click
‘Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry’, you will be taken to a new page where you
can browse the journal, read the current issue, or search articles at the top right search bar
through the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry or the entire ACS database.
6
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
Website - http://www.hbcpnetbase.com/
Abstract:
The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a comprehensive resource for research
in the fields of chemistry and physics. The Handbook contains mathematical constants, melting
points and boiling points, properties of the chemical elements, interactive tables, and practical
laboratory data. From 18 different sections, the CRC Handbook is a must-have for any
undergraduate student in the fields of chemistry or physics. Pertaining to chemistry, the CRC
provides an up-to-date Periodic Table, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra of various
organic and inorganic compounds, atomic radii of the elements, and an array of interactive tables
listing organic functional groups and physical constants of chemical compounds.
Tip:

The Table of Contents is to the left of the website. However, you can perform a quick
search at the top of the page at ‘Text Search’. Say you want to perform quantum
calculations, but you do not know the value of ħ (pronounced h-bar), the reduced Planck
Constant. In the Table of Contents, click the plus sign next to ‘Section 1: Basic
Constants, Units, and Conversion Factors’. Click the first link titled ‘CODATA
Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants: 2010’. On the first page,
you’ll find ‘Planck constant’ under ‘Quantity’, and h-bar is listed underneath as h/2π. The
value is 1.05457 x 10-34 J s.
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Sigma-Aldrich
Website - http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/united-states.html
Abstract:
From their website, Sigma-Aldrich “is a leading Life Science and High Technology
company whose biochemical, organic chemical products, kits and services are used in scientific
research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical
development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostics and
high technology manufacturing.” Over 1.3 million scientists and technologists in life science
companies, university and government institutions, and hospitals and industry use Sigma-Aldrich
for the purchase of chemicals and equipment necessary to perform research-grade experiments
and stock university chemistry labs for the purpose of teaching undergraduate and graduate
students. The website also provides useful information to students, such as melting points,
boiling points, molecular formulas, and molecular weights.
Tips:

Use the Search bar at the top right of the page to search for your compound of interest.

Say you want to look up information on theobromine. Type ‘theobromine’ into the search
bar and click on the first Product Result, T4500 >99.0%, solid (Sigma). You’ll find
alternative names, such as 3,7-Dimethylxanthine. You’ll also see the CAS Number (8367-0), Empirical Formula (C7H8N4O2), and Molecular Weight (180.16). You can also
download the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) at the top left under ‘DOWNLOAD
MSDS (PDF)’.
8
Government Resources
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Website - http://catalog.gpo.gov/F
Abstract:
The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications can be used to search any federal
publication and includes descriptive records for historical and current publications and provides
direct links to those that are available online. The Search bar is at the center of the webpage and
allows you to perform your search based on Keyword(s), Title, Author, and Subject. By clicking
‘Preferences’, you can edit how the system shows you a list of records. You can edit based on the
number of brief records per page, the maximum number of records to auto-display in Standard
View, and also the format (Title/Internet Access, Extended, Brief, Short, and Standard). You also
have the ability to pull up previous searches to save time.
Tips:

Let’s say you wanted to find an article by Amethist S. Finch. You can type the author’s
name in the search description under the Author search. Four articles will pop up, the first
two being published by Amethist S. Finch in 2011. This is the same article, however one
is an electronic resource.
(Internet Access: http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo17187/ARL-TR-5697.pdf)

To search for an article about carbon nanotubes, type ‘carbon nanotubes’ in the search
description under Keyword(s). Several articles will appear, most of which are dated from
within the last 10 years.
9
Statistical Abstract of the United States (2012)
Website - http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
Abstract:
The Statistical Abstract of the United States has been published since 1878. From their
website, under ‘What is the Statistical Abstract?’, the Statistical Abstract “is the authoritative and
comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the
United States.” The Statistical Abstract pulls its sources of data from the Census Bureau, Bureau
of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private
organizations. Although there is a lot of useful information for the public, such as ‘Food Cost
and Prices’ and ‘Fuel Prices’, undergraduate chemistry major can find this website to be very
helpful.
Tips:

To the left of the webpage, you will see a list titled ‘Browse Sections’. Under ‘Science
and Technology’, students will see 4 sections titled ‘Employment’, ‘Expenditures,
Research Development’, ‘Space’, and ‘Students and Degrees Conferred’. Each section
lists several Microsoft Excel and PDF files depending upon what the user is interested in.

If an undergraduate student is interested in finding out academic and industrial R&D
performed in a particular state, go to ‘Science and Technology’ and click on
‘Expenditures, Research Development’. Item 807 is titled “Academic and Industrial
Research and Development (R&D) Performed by State: 2007.” This is the most up-todate information provided by the Statistical Abstract. You have the option of
downloading the Microsoft Excel file or the PDF file.
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Journals in the Field of Chemistry
Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
Website - http://pubs.acs.org/journal/inocaj
Abstract:
Published by the American Chemical Society, the Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
publishes fundamental studies in all phases of inorganic chemistry. Coverage includes
experimental and theoretical reports on quantitative studies of structure and thermodynamics,
kinetics, mechanisms of inorganic reactions, bioinorganic chemistry, and relevant aspects of
organometallic chemistry, solid-state phenomena, and chemical bonding theory. Emphasis is
placed on the synthesis, structure, thermodynamics, reactivity, spectroscopy, and bonding
properties of significant new and known compounds.
Tips:

At the top right of the page, you can search the journal by sections: Anywhere, Title,
Author, and Abstract. If you know exactly which issue of the journal you are looking for,
you can go to the right of the webpage under ‘Browse By Issue’ and select a decade from
the 1960’s to today, then select your volume of interest, and finally the issue of the
volume you’re interested in.

If you’re interested in reading articles that have been published immediately, you can
click ‘Articles ASAP’ at the blue bar under the Inorganic Chemistry header. Articles
ASAP (As Soon As Publishable) are edited and published online ahead of print. They list
articles in order of when they are published on the website. This is helpful to students
who are simply reading articles for leisure, since there is no search criterion outside of
publication date.

By clicking ‘Current Issue’ next to the ‘Articles ASAP’ link, you will be directed to the
latest issue of the Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. Here, you may browse current articles
published in the latest issue of the journal.
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Journal of Organic Chemistry
Website - http://pubs.acs.org/journal/joceah
Abstract:
The Journal of Organic Chemistry (JOC) welcomes original contributions of
fundamental research in all branches of the theory and practice of organic chemistry. Since
mid-2011, JOC has been publishing Brief Communications—preliminary results of unusual
novelty and urgency that justify immediate disclosure and JOCSynopses—focused short
reviews of current topics, in addition to Articles, Notes, and Perspectives. The JOC now
publishes JOC Featured Articles—full papers selected by Editor-in-Chief C. Dale Poulter and
the JOC Associate Editors for special consideration as exceptional contributions to the journal
as identified during the review process.
Tips:

At the top right of the page, you can search the journal by sections: Anywhere, Title,
Author, and Abstract. If you know exactly which issue of the journal you are looking for,
you can go to the right of the webpage under ‘Browse By Issue’ and select a decade from
the 1930’s to today, then select your volume of interest, and finally the issue of the
volume you’re interested in.


Under ‘Browse the Journal’, you can find the most read articles.
If you’re interested in reading articles that have been published immediately, you can
click ‘Articles ASAP’ at the blue bar under the JOC header. Articles ASAP (As Soon As
Publishable) are edited and published online ahead of print. They list articles in order of
when they are published on the website. This is helpful to students who are simply
reading articles for leisure, since there is no search criterion outside of publication date.
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Journal of Physical Chemistry
In 1997, the Journal of Physical Chemistry was broken up into 2 Journals, Journal A and Journal
B, each covering a variety of fields in Physical Chemistry. In 2007, the Journal of Physical
Chemistry C was established to cover new areas of study, such as nanotechnology, molecular
electronics, and related subjects. You can switch between Journal A, Journal B, and Journal C
above the link at the top of the pages labeled ‘Browse the Journal’. You can also search for
articles and issues of the journal prior to the 1997 division by clicking ‘Pre-1997’ next to
Journals A, B, and C.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A
Website - http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jpcafh
Abstract:
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A (Isolated Molecules, Clusters, Radicals, and Ions;
Environmental Chemistry, Geochemistry, and Astrochemistry; Theory) publishes studies on
kinetics and dynamics; spectroscopy, photochemistry, and excited states; environmental and
atmospheric chemistry, aerosol processes, geochemistry, and astrochemistry; and molecular
structure, quantum chemistry, and general theory. Out of 134 journals in the Physical
Chemistry category, The Journal of Physical Chemistry A ranks #7 in total citations with
55,641 total cites. The Journal of Physical Chemistry also ranks #3 in citations out of 34
journals in the Atomic, Molecular and Chemical Physics category.
Tips:

By clicking ‘Current Issue’ next to the ‘Articles ASAP’ link, you will be directed to the
latest issue of the Journal of Physical Chemistry A. Here, you may browse current articles
published in the latest issue of the journal.

If you’re interested in featured articles, you can go to the drop down menu titled ‘Browse
the Journal’, then click ‘Feature Articles’. This will take you to featured articles in a
variety of volumes spanning over 10 years.
13
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Website – http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jpcbfk
Abstract:
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B (Biophysical Chemistry, Biomaterials, Liquids,
and Soft Matter) publishes studies on biophysical chemistry and biomolecules; biomaterials,
surfactants, and membranes; liquids; chemical and dynamical processes in solution; glasses,
colloids, polymers, and soft matter. Out of 134 journals in the Physical Chemistry
category, The Journal of Physical Chemistry B ranks #1 in total citations with 119,722 total
cites.
Tips:

By clicking ‘Current Issue’ next to the ‘Articles ASAP’ link, you will be directed to the
latest issue of the Journal of Physical Chemistry B. Here, you may browse current articles
published in the latest issue of the journal.

If you’re interested in featured articles, you can go to the drop down menu titled ‘Browse
the Journal’, then click ‘Feature Articles’. This will take you to featured articles in a
variety of volumes spanning over 10 years.

At the top right of the page, you can search the journal by sections: Anywhere, Title,
Author, and Abstract. If you know exactly which issue of the journal you are looking for,
you can go to the right of the webpage under ‘Browse By Issue’ and select a decade from
the 1990’s to today, then select your volume of interest, and finally the issue of the
volume you’re interested in.
14
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Website – http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jpccck
Abstract:
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C (Energy Conversion and Storage, Optical and
Electronic Devices, Interfaces, Nanomaterials, and Hard Matter) publishes studies on energy
conversion and storage; energy and charge transport; surfaces, interfaces, porous materials,
and catalysis; plasmonics, optical materials, and hard matter; physical processes in
nanomaterials and nanostructures. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C received 78,595 total
cites and ranks #5 in Physical Chemistry, as reported in the 2012 Journal Citation Reports®
(Thomson Reuters, 2013).
Tips:

Under ‘Browse the Journal’, you can find the most read articles.

By clicking ‘Current Issue’ next to the ‘Articles ASAP’ link, you will be directed to the
latest issue of the Journal of Physical Chemistry C. Here, you may browse current articles
published in the latest issue of the journal.

At the top right of the page, you can search the journal by sections: Anywhere, Title,
Author, and Abstract. Since the Journal of Physical Chemistry C is a relatively new
journal, you cannot choose your search by decade like the other journals. However,
utilizing the search at the top right of the page is quick and easy, especially if you know
what you’re looking for right away.
15