CHEM 784/7840 - Literature Review
Semester: Winter 2025
Professor: D. O'Flaherty | | Campus: GuelphDescription
CHEM 784(0) is a required one term course for all graduate students who are enrolled for an MSc degree; students must complete the requirements for CHEM 784(0) within their first two terms in the program and are strongly encouraged to take this course in their first term. CHEM 784(0) is offered in Fall and Winter terms.
Course objectives: The main goal of CHEM 784(0) is to encourage MSc students to learn to use scientific literature at an early stage of their program, to stimulate in-depth thinking about the basis of their thesis research, and to develop their network and communication skills.
Course description: Students will learn how to use multiple resources to search and vet scientific literature relevant to their own research. Based on this literature, students will write a review paper (MSc research proposal) (about 20-25 typed pages in length), in which they present and explain scientific concepts and methods, the up-to-date state of research, and the open questions that are relevant to their research field, including reasons and methods for undertaking their MSc research studies. The course delivery will be in-person and/or online streaming (Zoom or TEAMS). The material of the review/research proposal will be further developed, presented and defended in the CHEM 794(0) MSc Research Seminar in the following semester.
Method of Presentation There is one meeting, hybrid, each week Mon: 7:00 pm – 9:20 pm in MacN 101 (MacN-101 for in-person, or via Zoom/TEAMS) and synchronous (e.g. not recorded). Class attendance is strongly encouraged
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn to find, read, understand and communicate information from scientific literature
- In depth thinking about the basis for thesis research
- Develop peer network and oral and written communication skills
Materials
Course materials will be provided through CourseLink. Each student must have access to a portable device (laptop, tablet, etc.), equipped with Microsoft Word or any other word processing program that gives corresponding output to Word. This device must be able to access the internet and must allow the student to participate in the course remotely (e.g. MS TEAMS and/or Zoom)
Evaluation
| Assignments / Peer review / participation | 35% (graded by group members and/or Prof. O’Flaherty) |
| Review Paper | 65% (graded by student’s MSc advisory committee) |
Lab/Project
TBA
Schedule
- Mon: 7:00 pm - 9:20 pm in MacN 101
