Instructor:	Dr. C.D. Schaeffer
Office:	Musser Hall, Room 2-104
Telephone:	Ext. 1128 (office) or 1126 (chemistry secretary)
E-mail:	schaeffercd@etown.edu
Office Hours:	MTuWThF, 7:00-8:00 a.m., and by appointment
Class:	F, 11:00 a.m. -12:15 p.m., Musser Hall, Room 2-116

Course Prerequisites
None

Required Textbooks and Materials
"The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors," 3rd ed., A.M. Coghill and L.R. Garson, Eds., American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2006.
W. Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White, "The Elements of Style," Macmillan, NY, 1979.
H.B. Bond, T. Seymour, and J.L. Stewart, "Sources: Their Use and Acknowledgement," Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 1962.

Reference Books and Collateral Reading
Additional reading, much of which will form the basis for classroom discussions, is listed below. All journals are in the chemistry department library, Musser Hall, room 1-103. Occasionally, further assignments will be given in class.

F.P. Woodford, "Sounder Thinking Through Clearer Writing," Science, 156, 743 (1967).
D.P. Weeks, "Successful Student Seminars," J. Chem. Educ., 44, 290 (1967).
K.J. Laidler, "The Graduate Student Seminar," J. Chem. Educ., 48, 671 (1971).
S.S. Zimmerman, "Writing for Chemistry," J. Chem. Educ., 55, 727 (1978).
C. Potera, "The Basic Elements of Writing a Scientific Paper: The Art of Scientific Style," J. Chem. Educ., 61, 246 (1984).
J. Olmsted III, "Teaching Varied Technical Writing Styles in the Upper Division Laboratory," J. Chem. Educ., 61, 798 (1984).
M. Stock, "A Practical Guide to Graduate Research," McGraw-Hill, NY, 1985.
P.A. Huddle, "How to Present a Paper or Poster," J. Chem. Educ., 77, 1152 (2000).

Documentation Standards
Proper procedures for the preparation of papers and seminars will be discussed throughout the entire course sequence, both during class and on an individual basis.  Information on research documentation standards can be found in any of the sources listed above. It is particularly important that all students review the Dartmouth College publication dealing with the definition and ramifications of plagiarism. The pamphlet, "Academic Integrity at Elizabethtown College," is required reading of all freshmen, and familiarity with its contents is expected for this course as well.

Objectives
Clear communication of well-formulated ideas, through both the written and spoken word, is an essential skill for all scientists. This ability rarely arises naturally, and it must be developed through proper guidance and constant practice. In this four-course sequence for junior and senior chemistry majors, we will explore a variety of activities which will sharpen the skills involved in the presentation of technical papers and seminars. Particular emphasis will be paid to: 1) the systematic gathering and critical evaluation of information as a prelude to a technical paper or seminar; 2) the marshaling of information into an outline and rough draft to narrow the focus of the presentation; 3) the choice and preparation of graphics and visual aids to support and enhance the clear communication of ideas; 4) proper use of mathematics; 5) proper referencing and acknowledgement of literature; and 6) the ability to defend the final report with clear responses to questions posed by an audience of students and faculty.

Course Coverage
The fall semester of the four-course sequence will be devoted to the preparation of a technical paper and a discussion of the skills and techniques involved in that project, such as the creation of figures, graphs, tables, and transparencies. Topics for the paper may be taken from an extensive list prepared by the chemistry faculty and distributed on the first day of class. Students who have participated in independent research will be strongly encouraged to prepare a paper concerning their research project. The deadlines for the choosing of topics, preparation of outlines and rough drafts, and completion of the final documents, are widely separated during the semester so that ample discussion time is provided for each step. Formulation of ideas through writing is a developmental process; that is, there must be frequent and intensive consultations between students and faculty throughout the entire process. Speakers from outside the department will occasionally be invited to address the class on a topic of current interest, with the expectation that, in addition to bringing novel ideas to campus, they will serve as models of professional style and technique for the preparation of the required oral seminars of the spring semester. The section, "Have You Read Anything Interesting Lately?", will be a student/faculty discussion of current papers from the literature or a topic of general interest, preparation for which will be announced in class.

Attendance
Regular attendance at the weekly meetings of this course is required of all students, and will be a factor in determining the final course grade. Attendance at departmental seminars by visiting speakers is also expected.

Grading Policy
The fall semester of the sequence will normally be graded pass/no pass.  All obligations (e.g., regular attendance, submission of topic choice, outline, rough draft, and final paper) must be met by the dates indicated in order to receive a passing grade. Usually, one credit will be awarded at the conclusion of the fall semester.  All papers will be evaluated during the semester break, and the results will be made known on or before the first day of class for the second semester. The second semester oral seminar will be based on this paper. Failure to meet any of the deadlines will be rewarded with a reduction of the second semester final course grade by two letters.

Academic Integrity
All students are expected to be familiar with the policy regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism as outlined in the College's Student Handbook, and in the most recent edition of the pamphlet, "Academic Integrity at Elizabethtown College." These activities will not be tolerated, and will be penalized severely.

Disability Statement
If you have a documented disability and need reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements, you must:  (1) contact the Director of Disability Services, Shirley Deichert, in the Center of Student Success, BSC 288, 717-361-1227, deichesa@etown.edu;  and (2) meet with me, the course instructor, with two weeks of receiving a copy of the accommodation letter from Disability Services to discuss your accommodation needs and their implementation.