CHEM 784/7840 - Literature Review
Semester: Fall 2024
Professor: S. Lee | | Campus: WaterlooDescription
The objectives of the CHEM 784(0) requirement are 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 interpersonal and written communication skills.
The goal of CHEM 784(0) is the construction of a written scientific literature review that focuses specifically on the thesis research topic of the individual student. Through this process, students will teach themselves in depth about the background behind their research project, learn how to acquire and organize this understanding, and develop their interpersonal and written scientific communication skills in order to present this information to others. The skills practiced in this course are core competencies for further graduate study and future career paths.
In CHEM 784(0), 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 (about 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 further studies. Students will submit excerpts of their writing to peer review, will participate in peer review of others’ writing, and will learn to improve their scientific writing through this iterative feedback process. Preparation of graphic content will be addressed similarly. This course has a hybrid delivery of in-person lectures, online assignments, and independent study. The material of the review will be further developed, presented and defended in the CHEM 794(0) MSc Research Seminar.
CHEM 784(0) is a required one term course for all full-time graduate students who are enrolled for an MSc degree starting from Fall 2020; 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.
Materials
Materials: Posted on Learn – syllabus, PDF lecture notes, reading and writing assignments, etc.; more information below.
Website: The CHEM 784 course website will be hosted on Learn. All course material and information will be posted on this site, including lecture slides, reading and writing assignments, and supporting material.
Resources: ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/acsguide (accessed 2024-09-02)
Alley, M. The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed.; Springer, 2018.
The ACS guide is freely accessible to members of the U. Waterloo and U. Guelph communities. The 3rd edition of the book by Alley is available from the U. Waterloo library (and, presumably, the U. Guelph library) as an electronic download. The 4th edition, however, is not available locally but may be purchased online.
Evaluation
Specific details of the assignments, peer review and participation process, and final review paper will be provided shortly in a syllabus update.
Assignments. Shorter writing exercises that will form the basis for the final written review paper, total marks = 15% of final grade.
Peer review and participation. Students will evaluate other students’ work in the context of effective scientific writing, total marks = 20% of final grade.
Supervisory committee membership forms. Required for course completion.
Final literature review paper. 65% of final grade.
Lab/Project
- Plagiarism detection software (Turnitin) may be used to screen assignments in this course to verify that all material and sources are properly documented. Details will be provided for the use of Turnitin as needed.
- The use of generative artificial intelligence tools (genAI, e.g., ChatGPT) in the preparation of assignments for this course must be pre-approved by the course instructor. Proposed uses must be explained in full, and these uses may be restricted or denied entirely depending on circumstances.
Schedule
- Wed: 7:00 pm - 9:20 pm in EIT 2053
