Chemistry
Learning Outcomes/Goals:
The expected learning outcomes for chemistry undergraduate majors and where the
outcomes are addressed are listed in Table I.
Activities in Support of Goal:
Table I
A) Expected Outcomes
B) Where Expected Outcome is
Addressed

Acquire a broad knowledge of
inorganic, organic, physical and
analytical chemistry.

Ability to acquire data with modern
chemical research instruments and to
analyze and evaluate data using
computers and mathematics.
CEM 355, 356, 262
395, 495, 435, 415

Demonstrate oral and written
communications skills.
CEM 395, 495, 435, 415
-Inorganic – CEM 151, 152, 411
-Organic – CEM 351, 352
-Physical – CEM 391, 392
-Analytical – CEM 262, 434
Detailed descriptions of the topics covered and the expected learning outcomes for all
chemistry courses are available online at the department’s home page,
http://www.chemistry.msu.edu
Assessment of Methods:
1. ACS Examination in Organic Chemistry: For a five-year period beginning in
2003, the department’s assessment of Learning Outcomes will focus on the
students’ acquisition of knowledge of organic chemistry by administering the
standard American Chemical Society (ACS) Examination in Organic Chemistry.
The 70 questions on the exam were categorized by the chemistry undergraduate
committee into 16 areas of knowledge and the average performance of chemistry
majors in each area will be compared to national norms.
Assessment Results:
1. In the fall semester of 2003, the ACS exam was administered to students as a final
exam in the organic laboratory course, CEM 356. The average score for all 70
exam questions earned by the chemistry majors was 47.4%. The national average
reported by ACS for 1,852 students in 46 colleges was 43.3%.
2. The composite average scores in each of the 16 areas of knowledge earned by the
chemistry majors are shown, together with national composite averages, in Table
II.
Table II
Specific Area of Knowledge
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Nomenclature
Substitution Reactions
Elimination Reactions
Acid-Base Chemistry
Addition Reactions of
Aldehydes and Ketones
f) Substitution Reactions of
Acyl Derivatives
g) Aromatic Chemistry
h) Spectroscopy
i) Addition Reactions of C-C
Multiple Bonds
j) Carbocation Rearrangement
k) Pericylic Reactions
l) Organic Synthesis
m) Peptide Chemistry
n) Enolate Chemistry
o) Redox Reactions
p) Molecular Orbital Theory
National Average Score,
%
64
62
63
48
60
MSU CEM Majors
Average Score, %
73
74
75
41
64
57
62
56
58
60
47
81
66
59
65
58
52
63
65
60
66
75
53
69
66
70
76
3. The results of the exam were discussed by the Chemistry Undergraduate
Committee, whose members include faculty from each of the four areas of
chemistry, as well as an undergraduate and a graduate student major. In addition,
the results were discussed at several meetings of the organic chemistry faculty.
Conclusions from the discussions include the following:
4. Based on this method of assessment and the overall performance of the chemistry
majors on the exam, student acquisition of a broad knowledge in organic
chemistry was judged satisfactory.
5. Student performance was below the national average in three areas: Acid-Base
Chemistry, Aromatic Chemistry and Organic Synthesis.
Action Taken and Future Plans:
1. The low performance in Acid-Base Chemistry will be addressed by choosing a
textbook which incorporates acid-base chemistry throughout all chapters, rather
than a summary of the topic in introductory chapters.
2. The low performance in Aromatic Chemistry was attributed to the fact that this
topic is presented near the end of the term, in CEM 351, and questions relating to
it appear only on the comprehensive final examination. The instructor for CEM
351 in 2005 intends to cover all topics both on an in-term exam and on the final
exam.
3. The low performance in the area of Synthetic Chemistry was attributed to the fact
that many of the ACS exam questions relating to synthesis also required a broad
knowledge of aromatic chemistry.
4. Assessment results from the ACS exam are useful and the exam will be
administered this time to the CEM 352 students as the final examination in Spring
Semester 2005.