Scientific Method in Organic Chemistry: A Laboratory Curriculum Using NMR Spectroscopy to Test Student Generated Hypothesis

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

Chemistry (12) A comprehensive laboratory curriculum has been created that mimics the process of scientific discovery and illustrates the scientific method from the introductory organic chemistry laboratory courses to the advanced organic laboratory course. Many of the experiments for the new curriculum have been adapted from the literature and have been tested with small groups of students. Chemical questions are generated in pre-laboratory activities and are explored in the laboratory, the primary method of analysis being nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR will be equipped with an automatic sample changer that allows the instrument to collect data on a continuous basis, a necessary feature for the curriculum innovations to be applied to a large-enrollment, introductory organic laboratory course. In this way, it is feasible to provide a significant number of spectra, not just one or two, to every student. A second innovative feature of the curriculum is the extensive incorporation of molecular modeling in the experiments using pre- and post-laboratory computational experiments and exercises. The method of distribution of data takes advantage of the campus information technology infrastructure so that students have "anytime, anywhere" access to their data. As many of the experiments are modifications of familiar experiments, this will facilitate adoption of our modified versions by other educators.