Principles of Chemistry I

Chemistry 1211

Announcements:

          I will mostly be using D2L for this course.  However, I will keep some of the useful documents here so that you can access them before the course starts and on other occasions if you don’t want to log in to something.

          The tentative course syllabus is posted below. (under “Useful Links”)  I may still tweak it a bit, but I expect no substantial changes.

 

          Those who are anxious to get started can begin to work on items from the list of things to memorize. 

          List of things to Memorize in CHEM 1211

                   Numbers 1-4 will be on the first test.

 

You will need to sign up for Knewton’s Alta.  Access codes can be purchased from the bookstore or on-line when you sign up (about $40).  To access our class use the website: (Fall 2018): https://knerd.me/zhwptd

                  

Sign up Guide

The assignments posted will be useful for your second class.  I recommend them if you can access them.  However, nothing will be due before before the end of the second week.  So don’t get in a tizzy about it if you are still waiting on the bookstore for an access code.

We are using this instead of a textbook.  However, we are recommending that you get a cheap hardcopy chemistry text to keep for reference and as an extra resource.  A list of recommended texts are below.

 

 

Useful Links

 

          Course Syllabus

  Periodic Table  (From the same file I use to create the one attached to tests.)

Class link for Alta (Fall 2018): https://knerd.me/zhwptd

Recommended supplement texts

 

ISBN

First Author

Text

Appropriate Edition(s)

978-0393614053

Gilbert

Chemistry: An Atoms-Focused Approach

2, 1

978-0134414232

Brown

Chemistry: The Central Science

14, 13, 12, 11

978-0321971944

Tro

Principles of Chemistry: A Molecular Approach

3, 2, 1

978-0134293936

Tro

Chemistry: Structure and Properties

2, 1

978-0134112831

Tro

Chemistry: A Molecular Approach

4, 3, 2, 1

978-1337612296

Young

General Chemistry: Atoms First

1

978-0321809261

McMurry

General Chemistry: Atoms First

2, 1

978-1259638138

Burdge

Chemistry: Atoms First

3, 2, 1

978-1305079243

Zumdahl

Chemistry: An Atoms First Approach

2, 1

 

Other resources

 Please take advantage of our FREE  Tutoring—

            The Academic Success Center has tutors available.

                        They also offer workshops, academic coaches and other help

            Fall Tutor Schedule

 

Study Tip #1--Memorizing

          Since I have given you an assignment to memorize things, here are some tips:

          1) Recognize is not the same as remember.  You must pull the answer from your brain without looking.  To look at an answer and think “oh, yeah. I know that.” does not work because you do not know it you only recognize it.

          2) Frequent quizzing is the only way to practice retrieval.  Flashcards are a good tool.  You can go old school and make some with index cards or there are lots of free apps.

          3) Spacing and interweaving are the way to really learn.  In other words do many short sessions (25 minutes is trendy for session length) with ever-increasing breaks between.  Do other things in-between and keep adding to your pile and bringing back items you have “already learned” for review.

          4) Vary the time and location that you study.  It is surprising how much of what we know is connected to geography.  For example, I will forget your name when you change seats. (If I ever manage to learn it at all.)

 

 

Study Tip #2:

          Many test questions say “Show your work.”

                   That is because the instructor wants you to explain how you got your answer and is likely more interested in the quality of your explanation than the answer itself.  (The answer itself is often only worth 1 point out of the 10-15 points for the entire problem.)

          Since most problems of this type are mathematical in nature, here is a link giving you explicit instructions on how to “show your work” in such a way that it is understandable and likely to get you full credit.

          You should do this even for practice for the following reasons:

                   1) Always practice in the same way you will do thing when it counts.  Otherwise you develop bad habits.

                   2) By practicing your explanations, you will know how to give them when you need to do so for a grade.

                   3) By explaining things you teach yourself and gain a deeper understanding of the material.

         

If you want to see some other things your instructor does, you can poke around her website.  It is: http://spots.augusta.edu/smyers1/