how to write a chemistry assignment

Mind that sometimes these sections are called differently but have the same purpose. Some of the sections may be missing, but the general structure should be close to this. Everything depends on the educational institution.

It is important to know that usually lab reports are written after the lab session is finished . This means that you need to have everything previously recorded in your lab notebook . You are supposed to keep track of everything you do in the lab in your laboratory notebook, and then using that notebook to write down your lab report, not the other way around.

Reviewing Every Step

Now, we’d like to go through the main stages of a chemistry lab report. It’s necessary to add brief comments concerning each of them. Your laboratory report begins with a title page. You already know what it consists of. Let’s check how to compose it correctly. The information must be presented on the upper right-hand side of the page. All the points (the title, your name, collaborators, etc.) should be mentioned on the separate line.

Afterward comes the second part, which includes:

• The course title
• Title of the experiment
• Title of the parts within the experiment
• Semester, year, etc. (optional)

This data appears in the middle of the title page.

The next section is the Introduction and it begins with this word in the left upper corner of your report. It should consist of no more than a couple of paragraphs and end with at least one hypothesis.

The body of your project consists of the procedure, materials and methods employed; data; results and observations.  The section Procedure commonly consists of several steps that were followed for the proper conduction of the experiment(s). They could be divided in different parts, and those would describe your actions.

The section Data contains the numerical facts and Observations that provide the changes that took place. Afterwards, you move to the Discussions, in which you ought to plainly explain all the numbers, observations and collected data. Your conclusions provide an overall summary of the entire lab report, and the whole experimental session itself.

Writing a Chemistry Lab Report

The last lap in our “race” is to write a laboratory report . We have already mentioned the main constituents of the title page. Therefore, we can hit the text of your project. Your abstract appears soon after the title page. An abstract is a quick summary that sums up the whole thing (hypothesis to be proven, and conclusions that are reached). Nonetheless, you should leave some space and skip it until the entire project is finished. It is recommended to write the abstract last. The main point is that this section provides a brief review of what your lab report is about and what you’ve managed to achieve.

Main Sections

The introductory part tells your readers what to expect from the project. Write a couple o paragraphs and explain the purpose of your experiment. Including references here is also highly encouraged. The last sentence of your introduction is called a hypothesis or a thesis statement. It shows what you hope to achieve at the end of your research.

The main body consists of several parts and of course, each has its purpose. You should introduce the materials and methods you need to conduct the research. Explain your choice and how your choice helps to conduct a safe and accurate study.

Take instant records of everything that happens during the experiment in your lab notebook . Never rely on your memory!

Afterwards, you’ll interpret the data and explain it using plain words. Don’t draw any conclusions when you record data and don’t explain it in the section called Results. This function should be fulfilled in the sections Discussions or Analysis sections, which should come right afterwards.

Your conclusion makes a brief summary. It should consist of 3-4 sentences, not many more. Restate your hypothesis in other words. Mention whether you’ve achieved your initial goal and explain its value.

Importantly, do realize that if a hypothesis cannot be proven, or an experiment doesn’t give you the results you expected, it doesn’t mean that your experiment and lab session was a failure. It is extremely common in chemistry to find yourself on this kind of situations! You only need to be able to explain why you got the results that you got, and how would you go around to fix them!

Further Sections on Your Report

Don’t forget about the contributors (labmates, supervisiors…) to your research.

You should also obligatorily use some secondary sources to support your theory. Therefore, you have to cite and make references according to the assigned writing format. You can reference other articles all over your manuscript (especially in the introduction and discussion sections), but don’t forget to put them together (or at the bottom of each page), and cite them properly.

The final step is to proofread your lab report. You’re free to use reading aloud and in your head, reading everything again, and using special grammar and spelling checking applications.

To sum up, keep in mind all these guidelines when you’re assigned to write a lab report. Thus, you’ll never miss something important, which can cost you essential grades. Write each section properly to receive the highest grades for your experiment. Always be clear, cite the appropriate references, and be objective with your analysis and conclusions!

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How To Write A Lab Report | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on May 20, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment. The main purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method by performing and evaluating a hands-on lab experiment. This type of assignment is usually shorter than a research paper .

Lab reports are commonly used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This article focuses on how to structure and write a lab report.

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Table of contents

Structuring a lab report, introduction, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about lab reports.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but they usually contain the purpose, methods, and findings of a lab experiment .

Each section of a lab report has its own purpose.

• Title: expresses the topic of your study
• Abstract : summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
• Introduction: establishes the context needed to understand the topic
• Method: describes the materials and procedures used in the experiment
• Results: reports all descriptive and inferential statistical analyses
• Discussion: interprets and evaluates results and identifies limitations
• Conclusion: sums up the main findings of your experiment
• References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA )
• Appendices : contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

Although most lab reports contain these sections, some sections can be omitted or combined with others. For example, some lab reports contain a brief section on research aims instead of an introduction, and a separate conclusion is not always required.

If you’re not sure, it’s best to check your lab report requirements with your instructor.

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Your title provides the first impression of your lab report – effective titles communicate the topic and/or the findings of your study in specific terms.

Create a title that directly conveys the main focus or purpose of your study. It doesn’t need to be creative or thought-provoking, but it should be informative.

• The effects of varying nitrogen levels on tomato plant height.
• Testing the universality of the McGurk effect.
• Comparing the viscosity of common liquids found in kitchens.

An abstract condenses a lab report into a brief overview of about 150–300 words. It should provide readers with a compact version of the research aims, the methods and materials used, the main results, and the final conclusion.

Think of it as a way of giving readers a preview of your full lab report. Write the abstract last, in the past tense, after you’ve drafted all the other sections of your report, so you’ll be able to succinctly summarize each section.

To write a lab report abstract, use these guiding questions:

• What is the wider context of your study?
• What research question were you trying to answer?
• How did you perform the experiment?
• What did your results show?
• How did you interpret your results?
• What is the importance of your findings?

Nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for high quality plants. Tomatoes, one of the most consumed fruits worldwide, rely on nitrogen for healthy leaves and stems to grow fruit. This experiment tested whether nitrogen levels affected tomato plant height in a controlled setting. It was expected that higher levels of nitrogen fertilizer would yield taller tomato plants.

Levels of nitrogen fertilizer were varied between three groups of tomato plants. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer, while one experimental group received low levels of nitrogen fertilizer, and a second experimental group received high levels of nitrogen fertilizer. All plants were grown from seeds, and heights were measured 50 days into the experiment.

The effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were tested between groups using an ANOVA. The plants with the highest level of nitrogen fertilizer were the tallest, while the plants with low levels of nitrogen exceeded the control group plants in height. In line with expectations and previous findings, the effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were statistically significant. This study strengthens the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants.

Your lab report introduction should set the scene for your experiment. One way to write your introduction is with a funnel (an inverted triangle) structure:

• Start with the broad, general research topic
• Narrow your topic down your specific study focus
• End with a clear research question

Begin by providing background information on your research topic and explaining why it’s important in a broad real-world or theoretical context. Describe relevant previous research on your topic and note how your study may confirm it or expand it, or fill a gap in the research field.

This lab experiment builds on previous research from Haque, Paul, and Sarker (2011), who demonstrated that tomato plant yield increased at higher levels of nitrogen. However, the present research focuses on plant height as a growth indicator and uses a lab-controlled setting instead.

Next, go into detail on the theoretical basis for your study and describe any directly relevant laws or equations that you’ll be using. State your main research aims and expectations by outlining your hypotheses .

Based on the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants, the primary hypothesis was that the plants with the high levels of nitrogen would grow the tallest. The secondary hypothesis was that plants with low levels of nitrogen would grow taller than plants with no nitrogen.

Your introduction doesn’t need to be long, but you may need to organize it into a few paragraphs or with subheadings such as “Research Context” or “Research Aims.”

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A lab report Method section details the steps you took to gather and analyze data. Give enough detail so that others can follow or evaluate your procedures. Write this section in the past tense. If you need to include any long lists of procedural steps or materials, place them in the Appendices section but refer to them in the text here.

You should describe your experimental design, your subjects, materials, and specific procedures used for data collection and analysis.

Experimental design

Briefly note whether your experiment is a within-subjects  or between-subjects design, and describe how your sample units were assigned to conditions if relevant.

A between-subjects design with three groups of tomato plants was used. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer. The first experimental group received a low level of nitrogen fertilizer, while the second experimental group received a high level of nitrogen fertilizer.

Describe human subjects in terms of demographic characteristics, and animal or plant subjects in terms of genetic background. Note the total number of subjects as well as the number of subjects per condition or per group. You should also state how you recruited subjects for your study.

List the equipment or materials you used to gather data and state the model names for any specialized equipment.

List of materials

35 Tomato seeds

15 plant pots (15 cm tall)

Light lamps (50,000 lux)

Nitrogen fertilizer

Measuring tape

Describe your experimental settings and conditions in detail. You can provide labelled diagrams or images of the exact set-up necessary for experimental equipment. State how extraneous variables were controlled through restriction or by fixing them at a certain level (e.g., keeping the lab at room temperature).

Light levels were fixed throughout the experiment, and the plants were exposed to 12 hours of light a day. Temperature was restricted to between 23 and 25℃. The pH and carbon levels of the soil were also held constant throughout the experiment as these variables could influence plant height. The plants were grown in rooms free of insects or other pests, and they were spaced out adequately.

Your experimental procedure should describe the exact steps you took to gather data in chronological order. You’ll need to provide enough information so that someone else can replicate your procedure, but you should also be concise. Place detailed information in the appendices where appropriate.

In a lab experiment, you’ll often closely follow a lab manual to gather data. Some instructors will allow you to simply reference the manual and state whether you changed any steps based on practical considerations. Other instructors may want you to rewrite the lab manual procedures as complete sentences in coherent paragraphs, while noting any changes to the steps that you applied in practice.

If you’re performing extensive data analysis, be sure to state your planned analysis methods as well. This includes the types of tests you’ll perform and any programs or software you’ll use for calculations (if relevant).

First, tomato seeds were sown in wooden flats containing soil about 2 cm below the surface. Each seed was kept 3-5 cm apart. The flats were covered to keep the soil moist until germination. The seedlings were removed and transplanted to pots 8 days later, with a maximum of 2 plants to a pot. Each pot was watered once a day to keep the soil moist.

The nitrogen fertilizer treatment was applied to the plant pots 12 days after transplantation. The control group received no treatment, while the first experimental group received a low concentration, and the second experimental group received a high concentration. There were 5 pots in each group, and each plant pot was labelled to indicate the group the plants belonged to.

50 days after the start of the experiment, plant height was measured for all plants. A measuring tape was used to record the length of the plant from ground level to the top of the tallest leaf.

In your results section, you should report the results of any statistical analysis procedures that you undertook. You should clearly state how the results of statistical tests support or refute your initial hypotheses.

The main results to report include:

• any descriptive statistics
• statistical test results
• the significance of the test results
• estimates of standard error or confidence intervals

The mean heights of the plants in the control group, low nitrogen group, and high nitrogen groups were 20.3, 25.1, and 29.6 cm respectively. A one-way ANOVA was applied to calculate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer level on plant height. The results demonstrated statistically significant ( p = .03) height differences between groups.

Next, post-hoc tests were performed to assess the primary and secondary hypotheses. In support of the primary hypothesis, the high nitrogen group plants were significantly taller than the low nitrogen group and the control group plants. Similarly, the results supported the secondary hypothesis: the low nitrogen plants were taller than the control group plants.

These results can be reported in the text or in tables and figures. Use text for highlighting a few key results, but present large sets of numbers in tables, or show relationships between variables with graphs.

You should also include sample calculations in the Results section for complex experiments. For each sample calculation, provide a brief description of what it does and use clear symbols. Present your raw data in the Appendices section and refer to it to highlight any outliers or trends.

The Discussion section will help demonstrate your understanding of the experimental process and your critical thinking skills.

In this section, you can:

• Interpret your results
• Compare your findings with your expectations
• Identify any sources of experimental error
• Explain any unexpected results
• Suggest possible improvements for further studies

Interpreting your results involves clarifying how your results help you answer your main research question. Report whether your results support your hypotheses.

• Did you measure what you sought out to measure?
• Were your analysis procedures appropriate for this type of data?

Compare your findings with other research and explain any key differences in findings.

• Are your results in line with those from previous studies or your classmates’ results? Why or why not?

An effective Discussion section will also highlight the strengths and limitations of a study.

• Did you have high internal validity or reliability?
• How did you establish these aspects of your study?

When describing limitations, use specific examples. For example, if random error contributed substantially to the measurements in your study, state the particular sources of error (e.g., imprecise apparatus) and explain ways to improve them.

The results support the hypothesis that nitrogen levels affect plant height, with increasing levels producing taller plants. These statistically significant results are taken together with previous research to support the importance of nitrogen as a nutrient for tomato plant growth.

However, unlike previous studies, this study focused on plant height as an indicator of plant growth in the present experiment. Importantly, plant height may not always reflect plant health or fruit yield, so measuring other indicators would have strengthened the study findings.

Another limitation of the study is the plant height measurement technique, as the measuring tape was not suitable for plants with extreme curvature. Future studies may focus on measuring plant height in different ways.

The main strengths of this study were the controls for extraneous variables, such as pH and carbon levels of the soil. All other factors that could affect plant height were tightly controlled to isolate the effects of nitrogen levels, resulting in high internal validity for this study.

Your conclusion should be the final section of your lab report. Here, you’ll summarize the findings of your experiment, with a brief overview of the strengths and limitations, and implications of your study for further research.

Some lab reports may omit a Conclusion section because it overlaps with the Discussion section, but you should check with your instructor before doing so.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment . Lab reports are commonly assigned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method with a hands-on lab experiment. Course instructors will often provide you with an experimental design and procedure. Your task is to write up how you actually performed the experiment and evaluate the outcome.

In contrast, a research paper requires you to independently develop an original argument. It involves more in-depth research and interpretation of sources and data.

A lab report is usually shorter than a research paper.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but it usually contains the following:

• Abstract: summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
• References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA)
• Appendices: contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

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Chemistry Writing Guide

Introduction, writing assignments, discipline-specific strategies, watch out for..., professor's comments and websites.

Writing in chemistry is similar to writing in other disciplines in that your paper must have a clear purpose that explains why you are writing, a thesis statement or main idea that defines the problem to be addressed, and background information wherever necessary. In addition, you should include evidence in the form of figures, graphs, and tables to support your argument.

You will be asked to write an abstract -- a single-spaced paragraph summary that briefly states the purpose of the experiment, important results (and how the results were obtained), and conclusions. Ideally, the abstract can be thought of as one or two sentences from each section of the paper that form a cohesive paragraph that summarizes the entire paper. The abstract should be single spaced unless you receive other instructions from your professor.

When writing an abstract, you should avoid too much experimental detail (e.g. concentration of stock solutions used) or preliminary results (i.e. "raw" data). In addition, make certain that the purpose of the experiment is stated clearly and early in the abstract. Ideally, it should be stated in the first or second sentence.

Lab Reports

There are six main sections in a chemistry paper: introduction, experimental section, results section, discussion section, conclusion, and list of references. As with most disciplines, the introduction should include your background knowledge of the experiment, including theory and past research, the relevance of your research, and the thesis statement. You may also state in your introduction any general conclusions you discovered, but try to avoid making your introduction longer than a page. The purpose of the introduction in a chemical journal is to provide (1) a literature review of what has been published on the subject to justify the importance of your research, (2) an explanation of any unusual experimental approaches, and (3) any background information or explanations that will help the reader understand your experiment and your results. Ultimately, the introduction should explain how the experimental approach you chose allows you to find the numerical or qualitative results you are looking for. For example, if you're going to determine if the substance you synthesized is a particular compound by examining its UV-Vis spectrum, you should find in the literature or a reference book the maximum wavelength of the compound and present it in the introduction. The experimental section focuses on the details of the experiment. Be certain to include enough information so that the reader could repeat the experiment and obtain similar results within the limits of uncertainty. The following should be addressed in this section: treatment of data (e.g. calculations or computations used to generate graphs) and an identification of instruments and sources of materials used (e.g. synthesized within the lab or bought from Aldrich, Sigma, or Fluka). For commercially available equipment, the manufacturer and the model should be mentioned (e.g. JASCO UV-Vis Spectrophotometer). The results section should include any figures, graphs, and tables that summarize the data. The material in this section should be presented in the order that best defends the thesis and the order in which they will be addressed in the discussion section. The order in which the data was collected is rarely important. For example, just because the data for graph N was collected before that of graph M does not mean that M shouldn't be presented first if it makes the presentation of data more coherent. In the results section, graphs are usually listed as figures. Tables are numbered and given specific titles (must include concentrations, volumes, etc.), which are placed at the top of the table. Figures (graphs or any other visuals) are numbered and given a caption, not a title. The caption should be several sentences long and explain what the figure is, what result is found from the figure, and the importance of the result. Captions are placed below the figure. For a results section, the text, tables, and figures should mirror each other. That is, the text must include all of the important information given in the graphs and tables, but in written form. If a table or figure is included in the report, it must be specifically referenced in the text as at the end of this sentence (Table 1). It might also be worthwhile to note that figures and tables are usually submitted to a journal and also to a professor with the tables and figures attached to the end of the report, not interspersed throughout the text. Journals insert your figures and tables according to their page format. In the discussion section, you should explain your results and observations and illustrate how they support your thesis, discuss any possible sources of error, and suggest potential future research stemming from your results. You may also want to mention any past research in the field that may pertain to your experiment's results.

Something to think about: results and discussion sections are often combined in chemical journals. In that case, each result is presented and then its relevance is explained. If you are writing a results section alone, you should only present, not interpret, your results. For example, a statement like, "The UV-Vis spectrum of the complex showed a peak at 291 nm" is a statement of your numerical result and is appropriate for a results section. A statement like, "The peak at 291 nm indicates that the complex changed conformation" is interpretive and belongs in a discussion section. Your conclusion should contain a brief summary of the paper and must state important results (e.g. yield of product) and assess the research with respect to the purpose. This section may be combined with the discussion section; that is, the last paragraph of the discussion section may act as a conclusion. In the reference section you must list all non-original sources used in the paper in the order in which they appear with the appropriate number. Citations should be made according to the format of the journal to which you will submit your paper. For a Swarthmore class, the Journal of the American Chemical Society format is appropriate. Unlike other disciplines, citations in a chemistry paper are usually not in-text or parenthetical, but incorporated using superscripts as at the end of this sentence. 1 It is sometimes appropriate in a discussion section to refer to other researchers by name and end the sentence with a reference. For example, "Khmelnitksy, et al. found that trypsin denatures in 2-propanol." 2

• Chemistry papers should be written in passive voice (unless you receive other instructions from your professor).
• Abbreviations or acronyms must be explained the first time they are used.
• Figures, graphs, and tables must be titled and referenced in the text.
• References (including textbooks and lab manuals) must be cited and numbered consecutively with the superscript number corresponding to that reference in the reference section of the paper. The use of superscript suffices as the mode of reference because it eliminates the need for in-text citations and footnotes.

I. Organization: As for all lab reports, chemistry reports are very structured and must be highly organized in a logical way. Organization of results is especially important. Your results and discussion sections, as well as tables and figures, should be organized in a way that leads the reader to draw the same conclusion that you did based on your data. Don't just tack on a graph at the end of the paper or arbitrarily put your results into a table. Think about how you can use tables to make comparisons between your data and literature or reference values. Think about the format of your tables and the chronology of your results section. How can you present your results so that the reader is already convinced of your conclusion before you explicitly state it?

II. Repetition: If you've already said it once, or it's already been published somewhere else, don't say it again. You can refer to other parts of your paper instead of repeating explanations or facts. If you've already written an experimental methods section, you've already explained your procedure; there is no need to provide procedural details again when you talk about results. If the procedure you used came from a published article, provide a short summary, explain any alterations, and then give the citation. Also, if you explain someone else's experimental results in the introduction, it is acceptable to write statements like, "As discussed above, Khmelnitsky, et al. found contradictory results" in your results section. Journals have page limits. Repetitious or unnecessary words or figures are unwelcome.

III. Distraction: Remember that the whole point of writing a chemistry paper is to present results and prove your conclusion based on those results. There are a lot of numbers, facts, and procedure information that you can easily get bogged down by. Just remember that ultimately you have to convince the reader that your conclusion is accurate. If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you have to include, try making a flow chart that shows the logical progression of your procedure. Or create your figures and tables first, and then use them as an outline or guide to write your results section. Take a look at published articles to get a sense of how others organize papers and what kinds of phrases and sentence structure are useful and accepted.

Courses Taught: General Chemistry, Organic I and II laboratories

Particular stylistic issues you should keep in mind:

"Write as concisely as possible. Know the meanings of the words you use and choose the best word for your purpose."

Grammar/spelling and word choice pet peeves:

• Using "this" and "that' as undefined pronouns
• Using "so" without "that" or "as"
• Misspelling of terms that are presented in the manual

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Chemistry: Assignment Research

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Introduction

This guide to basic assignment research outlines a simple but effective approach to finding information for your assignment. It is based on the resources described elsewhere in this subject guide and on the UC Library web site. Depending on your topic and your level of study, you may need to rearrange or review these steps where necessary

Check the rest of this subject guide carefully for additional subject resources and, where available, appropriate topic guides

1. Define your topic

Make sure you understand the topic. Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question to help you develop a search strategy.

2. Gather background information

Use dictionaries and encyclopedias to find definitions and background information. Articles from specialised subject encyclopedias are authoritative and often substantial

Read more on

• Dictionaries, Encyclopedias and Handbooks for Chemistry

3. Think about what information you need

• How much information do you need? Lecturers often give guidelines on the number of sources you should use
• Do you need current information or is older material relevant? Sometimes you might need both, as you might have to give both the historic background and the current situation of a topic
• Do you need primary sources that give an original account of research, or secondary sources that are interpretations of someone else's work?

If you do not understand what you have to do for an assignment, ask your lecturer, your tutor or someone at the Academic Skills Centre

4. Find books

Search the library catalogue

• Check for books on High Demand .
• Use Title and Keyword anywhere searches to find additional material.
• When you find a useful title, click its subject headings to find books on similar subjects.

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• Finding Chemistry Books and Ebooks

5. Find journal articles

6. Find information on the Internet

• a government department (.gov or .govt.nz)
• an academic (.edu or .ac.nz or published in a reputable journal)
• a business (what are they selling?)
• or a random non-expert?

Use Google Scholar to find reliable journal articles, or the Advanced Search features of Google to restrict your search to results from more reputable sources.

• Web searching

7. Evaluate your sources

• Critically Analyzing Information Sources (Cornell University)
• How to spot fake news .

8. Cite your sources

• Citing your sources

9. Write your assignment

See our writing guides page for books that have useful hints for writing on technical subjects.

Visit the  Academic Skills Centre  for workshops and/or personal help.

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Learning to write in chemistry

By Michael Seery 2016-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

Michael Seery highlights the importance of carefully-designed writing activities in enabling students to build their scientific writing skills

© Shutterstock

Students pursuing a career in science need opportunities to develop their writing skills so they can communicate scientific results, procedures and arguments to a variety of audiences.

In chemistry education, a lot of writing effort is directed at laboratory reports, where students mimic a research article by providing an introduction, procedure, data obtained and an analysis of what that data means. Another common approach to expose students to the process of writing is to have them summarise journal articles or other scientific pieces, where they are asked to present the main findings of an article and the basis for these conclusions. However, many studies show that while these kinds of activities improve basic writing skills such as referencing, they do not improve the ability to explain context or develop an argument.

Both of these activities may suffer from confusion in the purpose of the activity. We can distinguish between writing to learn – writing activities where the purpose is to learn more about the science – and learning to write – activities designed to improve students’ ability to write. Activities such as summarising a journal article may be limited in developing students’ ability to write because students are diverting attention to understanding the chemistry involved instead of considering how best to convey the central arguments and ideas of the article. It follows that activities with the purpose of helping students to improve their writing should have as their subject chemistry that students are already familiar with.

Assignment design

We can continue the effort of focusing students on the writing activity itself by carefully considering the design of the assignment. Writing as a skill takes time to develop, and the progressive development of this skill can be mapped out over a term, a year or even a course. Jeffery Kovac and Donna Sherwood have developed a table that summarises a conceptual hierarchy of forms of writing for chemistry educators (see Table 1). 1

This hierarchy provides a useful list of command words in assignments and gives guidance on the kinds of activities we can assign over the course of an instructional period. It might be unfair, for example, to ask students to write a piece arguing how subsequent discoveries led to modification of the postulates of Dalton’s atomic theory if we haven’t first allowed them to develop the ability to summarise. We could envisage, then, a series of writing activities that lead to the development of students’ ability to write a scientific argument (see Table 2).

The use of this hierarchy means the requirements of the assignment are clearer to students. Instead of using a generic ‘write an essay on atomic theory’ prompt, the command words associated with the hierarchy make it much easier for students to focus on what the body of text they write should be. This means they are writing with a greater purpose, rather than aiming to fill a page with text associated with a particular topic, hoping they hit on the salient points required by the teacher. The latter is a problem often seen in student laboratory reports.

As well as making the assignment expectations clearer to students, the advantage of using such a hierarchy means we can be much more specific and targeted in our feedback. Assessment and feedback can focus on how students addressed the specific requirements of the assignment in terms of the conceptual hierarchy, and hence can be more pointed in providing suggestions for how the student can improve the next piece of work in the series. Some more discussion on feedback is given in  Reducing time spent on feedback .

Assignment purpose

Having considered the conceptual hierarchy, we can further clarify the assignment to students by giving more information on its purpose. Who is the assignment going to be read by? What is its rhetorical form? What type of writing is it? How long should it be?

A significant problem with a lot of writing activity we assign students is that it is seen as a one-off activity, only for the eyes of the teacher. This is endemic in laboratory reports. This results in students completing a body of writing for the purpose of that particular assignment, rather than considering the development of their writing ability. Feedback opportunities are lost, as students see that assignment as ‘done’, and move on to the next one. There is also evidence to suggest that students, in writing for their teachers, will often not explain concepts fully or be vague in certain parts they are unsure about, knowing the teacher has sufficient knowledge to fill in any gaps they leave in the text. Some studies have demonstrated that in writing for peers, students are much more likely to explain concepts more fully, and indeed, consider that assignment to have a greater purpose. This is one of the advantages of peer review as part of the assessment and feedback phase (see Reducing time spent on feedback ).

Examples of assignment types

• Historical paper
• Annotated bibliography
• Proposal summary and review
• Résumé/cover letter
• Popular article
• Personal journal
• Short in-class summary
• Concept paper

In order to provide greater meaning to the piece being written, assignments should clarify who the audience is. Who will be reading the piece? We typically ask students to write for someone who knows more than them (teaching staff) – an audience viewed as experts in the topic. While this has the advantage of setting expectations on the accuracy of the content, it can lead to the problems outlined above. However, setting clear goals and expectations of the assignment by using the conceptual hierarchy means this is still a worthy exercise. A second audience is one that is scientifically literate, but not an expert. These are conceptualised as classmates. A general audience, conceptualised as friends/family members, forms a third type of audience.

Writing as a skill takes time to develop, and the progressive development of this skill can be mapped out over a term, a year or even a course

Each audience type will trigger a different form of expression in writing, and experience in individual situations will offer insight as to the right balance between writing coherently and explaining the underlying chemistry. The choice in a particular assignment will depend on the purpose of the assignment; whether you wish to develop students’ ability to write about a topic in detail or whether you wish to develop their ability to explain to others. The examples so far have focused on the traditional essay, but of course there are many forms of assignment (see Examples of assignment types ). Indeed we are no longer restricted to students writing or typing an assignment to be viewed only by the teacher. Peter Banks wrote recently on the Education in Chemistry blog on the use of blogs in developing his own students’ writing. 3 Lowell Thomson has used student blogs extensively, inviting members of the chemistry community to give feedback and thoughts on student blogs. 4

The rhetorical form of an assignment is the final thing to consider. Are we asking students to explain a topic, or persuade us of a particular viewpoint, or express their own experiences? The explanatory rhetorical form is predominant in writing activities. In this case, the focus is on the subject, with the student being asked to explain a particular topic based on their knowledge and reading. These can suffer from being demotivating; students may wonder why they are being asked to summarise something that is already well documented. However, they have value, certainly in early stages of learning to write, in becoming familiar with different forms of conceptual hierarchy and in the basics of writing such as paragraph construction.

A second rhetorical form is persuasive. In this case, the focus is on the audience, with the student making a case for a particular position. This has the advantage of allowing the student to use their voice to argue for a particular point of view, and even if the content is as well-rehearsed as atomic theory, it adds an impetus in that they are aiming to convince the audience. The third rhetorical form is expressive, sadly almost absent from our curricula. Here the focus is on the writer and their own personal experience, typically seen in learning or reflective journals.

Preparing a writing activity – an example

Assignment sequence: two of three

Instructional objective

• Content: Atomic theory
• Conceptual hierarchy: Seriation, summary, compare and contrast
• Rhetorical form: Explanatory
• Length: 1 page
• Opportunity for feedback: Peer feedback loop included

Instructions to students

In a one page essay, summarise the main findings of the Rutherford experiment and compare and contrast the atomic structures described by Dalton and Rutherford. Your writing will be reviewed in the first instance by a peer who should provide you with feedback by the dates indicated. The final assignment is due by the date indicated.

It is possible to construct a series of writing activities that aim to develop students’ writing ability. A form such as the one shown in Preparing a writing activity can be used, so that the instructional objectives are made explicit in the design.

Progressive development of skills

In order for students’ writing skills to develop, they will need to develop other skills in tandem as their writing ability grows. To be able to address the lower end of the conceptual hierarchy such as listing and seriation, students will need to develop their reading skills; how to use textbooks and other sources of information. Activities such as one page summaries and reporting laboratory procedures can be useful in this regard.

As they progress through the hierarchy, they will need to develop their critical thinking, placing value on sources and judging their merit; an especially important feature when dealing with information from the internet. Compare and contrast activities and annotated bibliographies can be useful to develop these skills, which relate to the value of science.

At the upper end of the conceptual hierarchy, students will begin to develop skills such as creating a scientific argument and writing as a scientist, as they integrate a growing understanding of the nature of science.

If we can enthuse our students to develop this ability to write over the course of their time with us, we will be providing them with an education that will last a lifetime. 

Michael Seery is a reader in chemistry education at the University of Edinburgh, UK

Reducing time spent on feedback

A significant consideration in planning writing assignments is the time available for assessment and feedback. While there is no avoiding the fact this will take time, some useful tips and suggestions have been reported from those who have implemented writing assignment cycles.

Limit the length of the assessment. If you wish to develop students’ writing, they shouldn’t need to write much to identify where they can improve. Limit early assignments or those where you introduce a new stage of the conceptual hierarchy to 500 words or one page.

What are the key factors you are looking for in the piece of writing? List these out in a table and allocate them a weighting. When you are correcting, give each one a mark and pass that sheet to the student as feedback. This encourages students to reflect on their work using the rubric as a guide.

Peer feedback

Writing for peers has the advantage of giving the assignment greater purpose. Peer feedback can provide a first stage of feedback on overall comprehension and readability. A structure will need to be in place, such as a rubric, and you may need to ask peer reviewers specific questions and ask them to show evidence from the student’s writing to justify their statements. Some literature shows peers tend not to be critical, but using peer feedback can still add value to the assessment cycle.

Laboratory reports

Laboratory reports are already a place where student work is read regularly. Rethinking the structure of reports can create a means of developing student writing over time. This was the subject of a recent Education in Chemistry blogpost. 2

Further reading

J Kovac and D W Sherwood, Writing across the chemistry curriculum: an instructor’s handbook . Prentice Hall, 2001

• J Kovac and D W Sherwood, J. Chem. Educ. , 1999, 76 , 1399 (DOI: 10.1021/ed076p1399 )
• Learning to write about chemistry
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Useful Resources

• Scientific Writing
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• Journal Selection

• Creating Effective Poster Presentations , (2022) George Hess, Kathryn Tosney, and Leon Liegel 
• Designing Effective Poster Presentations , (2022) Fred Stoss, University Libraries, University at Buffalo
• Preparing a Research Report , (2015) Guidelines, ACS Committee on Professional Training 

Journal Citation Reports can show:

• Most frequently cited journals in a field
• Hottest journals in a field
• Highest impact journals in a field
• Leading journals in a field
• Related journals in a field
• Citation characteristics for a subject category

• ACS Style Quick Guide - Open Access chapter Provides citation style examples for different source types (journals, books, websites, etc.). Chapter is from the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication which is available to ACS members and to organizational subscribers.
• Citing Electronic Information  (created by ipl2)

This site presents a collection of resources on citing electronic information. Note that although this site is now closed permanently (last updated in 2012), many of the links are still valid.

• Citing Medicine   (National Library of Medicine)

Citing medicine: the NLM style guide for authors, editors, and publishers provides instructions and examples for formatting bibliographic citations for different types of published and unpublished materials. These materials range from traditional journal articles and books to electronic formats such as online journals, Web pages, and blog posts. Citing Medicine does not provide in-text citation styles. ​ .

• DOI Resolver

If you have the DOI name (e.g., 10.1000/xyz123) of an article, type or paste it into the text box and click Go. Your browser will take you to a Web page (URL) associated with that DOI name.

• Source Index (CASSI) Search Tool   - free online resource from CAS

Intended to support researchers and librarians, this tool can be used to quickly identify or confirm journal titles and abbreviations for publications indexed by CAS since 1907, including serial and non-serial scientific and technical publications. Search by Title, Abbreviation, CODEN, ISBN, or ISSN. 

• ​ Periodical Title Abbreviations - Gale Research Co.

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Scientific Publication (ACS)

• Mastering the Art of Scientific Publication A Virtual Issue of Editor Tips for Authors Mastering the Art of Scientific Publication While the electronic age has made the publication process easier and quicker, optimizing the structure of a scientific paper requires a certain degree of skill and proficiency. ACS Publications has been actively engaged in disseminating the basics of publication through Publication 101 videos and editorials, and in continuation of this spirit we have assembled this virtual issue. This issue draws together in one place these editorials that summarize the key steps involved in writing an effective paper, journal submission, review processes, and post-publication efforts. — From the Editorial by Jillian M. Buriak, Prashant V. Kamat, George C. Schatz, and Paul S. Weiss
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Faculty Resources

Assignments.

The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs. Available answer keys will be provided to faculty who adopt Waymaker or OHM courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), the assignments will automatically be loaded into the assignment tool.

You can view these faculty-contributed assignments below or throughout the course.

Discussions

The following discussion assignments will also be preloaded (into the discussion-board tool) in your learning management system if you import the course. They can be used as is, modified, or removed. You can preview them below:

Optional Reading-Based Discussions

If you wish, you can include the following prompt to encourage students to complete their reading and discuss class topics with their peers.

Discussion Board Standards

It is expected that students will complete the assigned textbook readings prior to posting responses to the discussion board. Student interaction is encouraged. The goal of these online discussions is to simulate the sort of group discussion that can occur in traditional classroom settings. Therefore, students must post comments to at least two classmates. In addition, the instructor may post their reaction to student comments.

The instructor will assess the quality of student contributions towards group discussion and determine a grade for each unit/chapter.

• Student discussion must be relevant to the specific question being discussed.
• Students should demonstrate their understanding of the issues, theories, and problems from their textbook readings and homework. Good student commentary will make reference to specific textbook readings and make use of the terminology introduced in the chapter.
• Students should respond to the discussion questions with an attitude of proper objectivity and a willingness to discuss matters with others who do not share their viewpoint. Criticism of theories or ideas is appropriate; however, the tone of this criticism should remain scholarly rather than personal.
• Students are encouraged to make use of examples and counter-examples, compare and contrast theories, make reference to past learning, indicate problems or difficulties they have with the theories, and draw out the relevant implications of the discussion.
• Students may also raise questions they have about the readings and discuss possible answers provided these questions are relevant to the topic of the discussion.

Consider the discussions as opportunities to share ideas about this exciting material with your classmates—enjoy this!

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• Essay Writing Guides

Student Guide to Writing a Chemistry Essay

Everything around us consists of specific materials and substances. Even people consist of particular substances that originate, evolve, and disappear in the eternal cycle of life. The science dealing with these transformations and examining the composition of everything in the world is chemistry.

That’s why chemistry is one of the fundamental sciences that enjoys unending popularity among thousands of enthusiastic students. Some of them want to work in the medical sphere, creating new medications and saving humanity from chronic illnesses. Others want to develop new cosmetics to help women preserve their beauty and vitality. The food industry, automotive industry, aerospace companies – nobody can do without chemistry. Thus, learners studying this subject need to master many rules, formulas, and chemical processes to give value through their knowledge and skills.

Obviously, Chemistry is not everyone’s cup of tea. By looking at Human Resources school essay examples, for instance, you might get a false impression that writing an essay is simple and manageable. Still, Chemistry is an exact science that doesn’t stand guesswork and creativity. Thus, you should keep specific rules, theories, and formulas in mind when writing it.

If you feel confused and unsure about how your Chemistry assignment should be written, it’s not wise to submit a mediocre or off-topic paper to your professor. Your grades are too important to leave them to chance and risk your GPA.

So, you can always get in touch with an experienced Chemistry writer to get a top-notch assignment completed in hours. We have a large team of such experts on standby 24/7, ready to give a helping hand to all students seeking academic support from pros.

Chemistry Essay Format

Overall, the Chemistry format doesn’t differ that much from that of essays on any other subject. The critical point you need to remember is that exact sciences differ from the humanities. Thus, you cannot take a Human Resources school essay or Human Resources management essay and use them as templates for writing about Chemistry.

This subject has its specific requirements, while the structure is still pretty universal. Every essay should include the following parts.

An Introduction

This part of an essay traditionally explains the overall context of the research and gives the readers an initial idea of what the student wants to examine. It poses the research question or challenges the readers with a specific research problem, thus focusing their attention on the pursuit of solutions.

The body of a chemistry paper should introduce the readers to all relevant terminology and provide solid argumentation from the author’s standpoint. It should dedicate one paragraph to one argument, thus giving a clear, logical flow to enhance the readers’ comprehension.

A Conclusion

The final section of a Chemistry paper should be dedicated to a brief summary of the content and a broader inference to the study’s significance for the broader chemistry area.

Thus, by following this format, you can quickly complete any Chemistry work the way your professor wants it to be done.

Write Chemistry Essay in 5 Steps

Creating any assignment should follow a set of specific steps, so we recap each of them to give you a solid basis for your essay’s creation.

#1 Topic Choice

Once you get an assignment on Chemistry, the first step is choosing a topic that relates to your current course materials and at the same time represents interest to you. Otherwise, you may find the writing process too dull and time-consuming.

#2 Research

Now it’s time to study what people say on your topic and how they approach your subject. It’s much easier to build an argument with a couple of reliable, reputable sources at hand.

#3 Outlining

Create a roadmap for your writing process; in this way, you won’t waste time on additional checks of the prompt, having clear guidance in front of your eyes.

This part of your Chemistry homework won’t take too much time if you complete all the previous steps correctly. Please focus on the structure we’ve discussed above, and your paper will evolve hassle-free.

Now it’s time to revisit the essay and look at the parts requiring improvement. Polish it in terms of grammar, style, and syntax, and your professor will surely give you a high grade.

Chemistry Topics

Topic selection is one of the critical bottlenecks that students face at the very beginning of their work on home tasks. The academic area is so broad and diverse that one can hardly narrow down the scope of research and focus on something specific. But we have a great set of Chemistry topics fitting any occasion. Feel free to choose from this list, and you’re sure to get a high grade for the paper you’ll prepare.

• The chemical causes of food allergy.
• The impact of pheromones on human beings.
• The role of plastic packaging in the global warming processes.
• The chemical composition of acid rains.
• What causes human teeth to decay?
• The difference in composition of branded drugs versus generic drugs.
• The hidden mechanisms of avitaminosis.
• The chemical basis of mood alteration in the human brain.
• The legacy of women in chemistry studies and discoveries.
• The composition of atoms.
• The role of catalysts in chemical reactions.
• How did humans perceive the composition of things before the advent of chemistry as a science?
• Skills and knowledge required from a professional chemist.
• The principles and processes behind radioactive decay.
• The mechanism of photosynthesis.
• Organic waste processing methods.
• How can a layperson create a safe smoke bomb?
• The chemical basis of burning fire.
• How are the consumed nutrients reflected in the person’s hair composition?
• Chemical compounds of drugs.
• Chemical compounds causing the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
• How does the soap create foam?
• What are the chemical principles behind the conductivity of materials?
• The principle of spectroscopy.
• The contribution of nanoscience to advancements in chemistry.

How to Start a Chemistry Essay

Starting a Chemistry assignment is always a challenge, especially if you’re new to the topic or have some doubts about the content it should include. Unlike a Human Resources plan essay, it should be based on a specific chemical topic and feature some predetermined chemical reactions or properties of the examined substances. Thus, it’s impossible to treat this task light-heartedly, focusing on cold hard facts and formulas instead of subjective thoughts and ideas.

Our tips for Chemistry students are as follows:

• Try to find argumentative Chemistry topics so that the content may be composed with your individual tone and style, reflecting your personality.
• Research the subject extensively to find reliable evidence and avoid confusing the readers and the professor.
• Check more than one Chemistry example online to see how other students have approached this subject before you. They have already passed this test, so their takeaways – both right and wrong things – can serve as valuable educational material for you.

Once you follow these tips, Chemistry writing shouldn’t be much of a challenge to you. But anyway, if you experience issues with essay writing, Human Resources or Chemistry (or any other subject), you can get prompt and professional assistance from our experts.

Don’t hesitate to contact them in case of any academic trouble, and they will do an exemplary job researching, writing, and editing your assignments on any subject.

Example #1: Nickel manufacture, recycle and its Environmental Impacts

Nickel occurs naturally as oxides, silicates and sulphides. It is strong, lustrous and silvery white in color. Nickel sulfide processing is mainly used for treating nickel ores which involves concentration, smelting and refining (Environment Australia, 1999). First, Nickel from sulphide ore is separated using froth flotation and magnetic process. The product obtained is further processed using sherritـGordon process. The sulphide ore can also be treated with hydrogen where they are volatized in the kiln. It is then reacted with carbon monoxide at a temperature of about 60° C forming Nickel Carbonyl gas which decomposes on the surface of the Nickel pellet until they reach the desired size (Gold ore crusher, n.d.). Approximately four tonnes of nickel scraps are collected yearly and recycled. The scrap is stainless steel scrap from machinery, equipment and consumer goods. Most of the recycled Nickel is in the form of steel scrap, batteries, bronzes, chemical leachates, liquor, dust, catalyst and coinage. These scraps are separated from other parts, for example, assembled nickel which is then processed to materials of similar composition, therefore, used as new products. Nickel is released into the environment by waste incinerator and power plants. It can also penetrate into the surface water as part of waste water. When nickel compounds are released in the environment they are adsorbed to sediments thus becoming immobile. In acidic soil nickel is more mobile, therefore, it rinse out the ground water. High concentration of nickel in sandy soil damages plants and diminishes the growth rate of algae on surface water. It can also cause cancer in animal when it exceeds the set standard concentration. Therefore, there is need to regulate nickel uses, according to its physical and chemical characteristics. There should be regulations in order to protect workers and other members of the public on the possible effect on their health. Moreover, the environment should be protected by the introduction of the emission levels (Environment Australia, 1999).

What i learnt is Nickel has become very important recently, due to increasing industrial and commercial importance. Moreover, due to its excellent properties including strength at higher temperatures, ductility and corrosion resistance, it is used as a raw material to make products. This information was very important because I learned that nickel can be reused again, therefore, I should always preserve the old batteries and other nickel containing scraps for recycling. However, Nickel may cause environmental effect including health and safety effects. Therefore, I should take precautions when handling nickel product due to its toxicity. The problem encountered while working in a group was that there was argument about how the task would be performed. It took a lot of time to decide on how to perform the task. There were different ideas whether the members should perform the assignment together or individually. When we finally formalised the meeting, each member was assigned a task to perform. Hine (2000) suggests that sharing discussion helps in transforming how a person reflects. Group work helped us to have broader ideas since tasks were shared and also good leadership leads to excellent results. Being in team work facilitated learning and enhanced my understanding on the topic. In addition team work experience helped me to understand my strengths and weakness in a team.

Reference List

Environment Australia, 1999, Emission estimation technique manual for nickel concentrating, smelting, and refining: National Pollutant Inventory, 65 p. http://www.npi.gov.au/handbooks/approved_handbooks/pubs/fnickel. (Accessed May 20, 2014.) Hine, A. (2000). Mirroring effective education though mentoring, metacognition and self reflection. Paper presented to Australian Association for Research in Education Conference, Sydney. http://www.aare.edu.au/00pap/hin00017.html. (Retrieved May 21, 2014) How is nickel ore processed in Perth, Australia. (n.d.). – Gold Ore Crusher. http://www.goldorecrusher.com/mining-knowledge/how-is-nickel-ore-processed-in-perth-australia. (Retrieved May 21, 2014.)

Example #2: Microwave Organic Synthesis

Name: Institution: Microwave Organic Synthesis Abstract

For the past few decades, Electromagnetic microwave radiation has been widely used to provide heat for the synthesis of organics. The technology uses two main basic mechanisms; conduction and dipolar polarization. The technique provides a simple, fast, efficient and the most economical way of synthesizing organic molecules, which has seen chemists shift from the traditional heating methods. This article focuses on the generation of a microwave, as well as its importance in organic synthesis.

Introduction

A microwave is a form of electromagnetic energy. The use of microwave assisted organic synthesis technique has made the building of small molecules fast, making it a valuable tool that accelerates the discovery and development of drugs. Unlike other forms of radiation such as gamma and X-rays, microwave energy does not alter the compound’s molecular structure because of its non-ionizing thermal activation. The heating effect is as a result of dielectric polarization of the molecules. When the molecules are irradiated with microwaves, they get aligned with the applied electric field. The electric field keeps on changing rapidly, forcing the particles to realign constantly with the changing field, and in the process, energy is absorbed. The dielectric constant determines the ability of a compound to convert the microwave energy into heat energy. The higher the dielectric constant, the rapid the heating process (E.Karthikeyan, 2011).

Microwave Heating

Microwave heating uses the electromagnetic transformation ability of some solids and liquids that transform the radiation into heat that drives the chemical reactions. This technique is important for reactions that are not suitable for the conventional heating. Advantages of Microwave heating over the traditional heating:

• Increased speed
• High efficiency
• Reduced side reactions
• High purity in the final product
• Improved reproducibility
• Reduced heat loss to the environment
• Reduced wastage of the reaction vessel
• Green Technologies

Solvents that are used in chemical synthesis are environmentally unfriendly when they are disposed. The microwave irradiation technology has overcome this problem since the technique enables performing of reactions without the use of solvents. In conjunction with mineral-supported catalyzed reactions, the microwave irradiation has provided a clean chemical process with several advantages.

Dry media Reactions

There has been increased campaign for use of environmentally friendly reagents and procedures. The microwave heating completes various reactions under solvent-free conditions on solid supports.

Microwave Synthesis

Microwave heating of organic compounds ha s eliminated the use fire in synthetic chemistry that has led to ‘dry media’ reactions. The technology has also been exploited other related fields such as synthesis of polymers, biochemical processes, nanotechnology and material science.

Microwave Synthesis on Solid Supports

Microwave heating is used in carrying out ‘dry media’ reactions on solid supports. This is demonstrated in transformations such as condensation, protection, de-protection, oxidation and reduction reactions. A variety of industrial compounds and intermediates are prepared by this clean, solvent-free approach. The organic compounds in these reactions absorb microwaves, and the solid support restricts their transmission (E.Karthikeyan, 2011).

Other Applications

Industrial applications of microwave heating process include; drying of pharmaceutical powders, pasteurization of foods, preparation of hydrogen cyanide and chlorination plants. Other exploitations of the of microwave heating include creation of improved crystallinity in intercalation compounds, production of organometallic compounds and polymer curing (E.Karthikeyan, 2011).

Example #3: Summary of the Article “Preparation and Characterization of Ceria Nanospheres by Microwave-Hydrothermal Method”

Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation

Summary of the Article “Preparation and Characterization of Ceria Nanospheres by Microwave-Hydrothermal Method”

In their experimental research “Preparation and characterization of ceria nanospheres by microwave-hydrothermal method,” Santos and his colleagues (Santos et al., 2008) outline the microwave-hydrothermal method that enables the synthesis of cerium compounds at faster rates and at reduced temperatures. According to the authors, a nanocrystalline CeO2 powder is used as nanomaterial in catalysts, optical devices, polishing materials, and oxygen sensors, among other applications (Santos et al., 2008). In addition, they assert other methods have been developed for the synthesis of the ultra-fine CeO2 powder, and they include co-precipitation, organometallic decomposition, conventional hydrothermal, flow method, and their newly developed microwave-hydrothermal methods. In their method, they have used ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6, and a surfactant (PEG) to synthesize ultra-fine CeO2. CeO2 powder produced by microwave-hydrothermal method has narrow size distribution with a uniform spherical morphology.

Experimental

In this method, they dissolved (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 and PEG in water, then added NH4OH until a pH 9 was obtained. The resultant solution transferred into an autoclave and heated in a domestic microwave at 130oC for 20 minutes. The CeO2 powder obtained was washed with deionized water and subsequently dried at 80oC. The dried powder was further treated by calcination at 500oC at different periods of 1, 2, and 4h. The fully treated particles were analyzed by X-ray powder for its characteristics. They used Scherrer equation (d=kλ/βcosθ) to determine the crystallite size of CeO2. The morphology of CeO2 particles was characterized by field-emission gun (FEG/STEM mode). A Netzsch-409 STA was used to analyze TG-DTA. They further used a Bruker Equinox-55 instrument to record the FT-IR spectra. In addition, Roman spectra were recorded with Bruker RFS-100/S Raman spectrometer. They also used YAG laser as to provide excitation for the experiment with its power maintains at 150 mW.

Results and discussions

The curves in Fig.1 show the TG-DTA analyses of ceria powder. TG curves show a weight loss of about 11 %, which shows hydration has taken place. The mass loss is as a result of decomposition of Ce(OH)3 (9.95%) or Ce(OH)4/CeO2.2H2O (17.3%), which leads to partial hydration of ceria phases. Only 90% of weight loss occurs at 500oC. However, 650oC may be needed for a complete dehydration. In addition, DTA curve indicates an endothermic weight loss at 86oC. The endothermic weight loss is because of water absorbed by ceria powder. An exothermic peak between 270-350oC correlates to weight loss due to the crystallization of an amorphous phase. Fig.2 shows the characteristics of calcined ceria powder. The patterns were uniform across all conditions in the experiment. The peaks in the figure are a pure cubicflourite structure of CeO2. Moreover, the intensive diffraction peak is at 2θ=28.660° originating from [111] lattice plane of fcc CeO2. The ceria powders are of smaller sizes as indicated by the broadening of the peaks. After the calcination, XRD peaks became sharper with time while FWHM reduced; an indication the calcination process accelerates the crystallinity of CeO2. According to them, the calcination temperature further affects crystalline sizes of ceria powder. The authors agreed that when all conditions for synthesis of CeO2 are met, particle agglomeration due to van der Waal’s forces leads to the formation of ultra-fine CeO2 particles.

Fig.4 provides Raman and FTIR spectral characteristics of CeO2 powder sample. According to the authors, the high intense band observed in the sample corresponds to the oxygen-hydrogen and hydrogen bonds in the water molecules within the crystals. The presence of residual water and the hydroxyl group do not depend on the synthesis method. As a result, they are present in any ceria powder and eliminated by heat treatment. Furthermore, the formation of hydrated ceria powder (CeO2.nH2O) involves the formation of complexes through the hydroxylation and deprotonation of metal ions.

Conclusions

In conclusions, the authors report a simple microwave-hydrothermal method to synthesize a pure CeO2 at 130oC for 20 minutes. They also concluded that the methods not only save time and apply low temperature, but it also enables the control of morphological and structural properties. They also confirmed the material can be used as nanomaterial in several fields such as catalyst and electrical materials.

Santos, M.L.D. et al. (2008). Preparation and characterization of ceria nanospheres by microwave-hydrothermal method. Materials Letters, 60, 4509-4511. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2008.08.011

Example #4: Summary, Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for microwave-induced rapid catalytic decplorization of congo red dye.

Zuas, O. , Budiman H. and Hamin , N. originally published in Advanced Material Letters 2013 ( 4 (0) pp 662-667

This article is concerned with the problem of finding methods of rapidly removing dye from waste water on an industrial scale.

The article begins by describing the experiment set up by researchers in the Indonesian Institute of Science when seeking a solution to this global problem among industrialised nations, and in particular among companies who use dyes such as congo red in their industrial processes and who then need to remove this dye in the most suitable way possible, and taking into account that this needs to be done before the dye is released into the nearby water sources, where its presence is so harmful.

At the time of this experiment the removal of industrial dye from waste water was already possible using catalytic oxidation methods, as these researchers concede, citing six instances where this had been attempted. The thinking behind this particular research was that it seemed likely that by combining methods already in use with microwave technology the results could be improved.

An experiment was designed and then set up by these researchers in which the synthesis of nanoparticles was achieved using co-precipitation and then calcining for 4 hours at 500C. Resulting data showed well-formed crystals with a high degree of purity. The crystals were then tested for decolorization of the dye by using microwave irradiation. After a short contact time the results were that in 90.63 rate of efficiency the dye was decolorised under particular conditions as specified in the article .The researchers were concerned with the primary concentration of the particular dye, the amount of contact time and the dosage of the catalysts. It was felt by the researchers that because the catalytic effect was obvious it must be that when the ZnO nanoparticles met the microwave technology this produced a synergistic effect in decolorizing the dye with a high degradation rate achieved quite rapidly. This would mean that such technology is usable as an alternative method when trying to remove industrial dyes from waste water, and so dealing with relative ease with a world-wide problem, in that water is being polluted by the use of dyes in industry. This isn’t just about the coloring of water, but the fact that when these dyes are present this has a negative effect upon aquatic ecosystems, as well as the human populations which rely upon them. There is therefore a need to alleviate this problem, preferably in a way that is easy to set up, and which is both effective and cost efficient. There is also the fact that the industrial companies involved have a responsibility to the wider world , and in this case in particular to those who utilise the water into which their used dye materials are dispersed, whether as who rely on the water, but also to the many forms of life within the water which might be adversely affected if dyes are present in quantity.

For these reasons a number of attempts, cited by these authors, have attempted to find viable solutions to this global problem of the industrial age. The authors describe in detail such things as the reagents used ; the synthesis of ZnO nano-particles; the characterization of the synthesized ZnO nan-particles and the catalytic evaluation of the synthesized ZnO nano-particles. The article described a number of other methods which have been tried to achieve similar results. These include catalytic wet oxidation using modified Y zeolite as a catalyst, as described by Kondru et al in 2009. Also mentioned is photo catalysis, as described by Erdemoglu et al in 2008 and sonocatalysis as described by Wang et al (2008), as well as methods such as the biological ones, using fungi to eliminate these dyes in waste water. ( Battacharya et al, 2011). If left alone the dyes undergo biological changes when in a watery environment and this includes using up oxygen dissolved in the water, so decreasing the levels of dissolved oxygen and depriving creatures which would use this oxygen, so cutting down on numbers and types of biodiversity in particular environments. The fact that so many other attempts have been made to come up with a viable solution to the problem of dye polluting the water supply after industrial usage suggests not only the wide spread problems caused to the water systems , but also that those methods already tried were none of them completely effective.

The results of their particular experiment using microwaves are described in great detail, including such things as the diffraction peaks of the crystals created; the evaluation of the microwaves of the synthesized ZnO nano-particles; the effect of the initial concentration of the congo red dye used and the effect of the ZnO dosages used followed by the effects of various contact times tried, so this was a very complex experiment, or rather a series of similar experiments with a number of possible variables and so a series of results. So they were comparing the decolorization under a number of different treatment processes.

The authors concluded, having carried out all these experiments and having carefully evaluated the results, that the experiments showed that the use of microwave technology was linked to a process whereby the use of synthesized ZnO nano-particles was enhanced when used in aqueous solutions to remove congo red dye. They see this as a potentially possible method to ease the pollution caused by the present practice of releasing industrial dyes into the water supply as contaminated waste water. It also gives one more choice of possible treatment available to environmentalists as they seek to combat the adverse results of industrialisation upon aquatic environments in a variety of situations around the world.

Battacharya, S. Das, A., Mangai, G., Vignesh, K. and Sangeetha,J.,( 2011) Micoremediation of Congo Red Dye by Filamentous Fungi, Brazilian Journal of Microbiology , 42 (4) p 1526 Erdemoglu, S., Asku, S., Sayilkan, S., Izbi, B., Astilturk, M., Sayilkan, H., Frimmel, F. and Gucer, S.,(2008), Journal of Hazardous Material 155 (3) page 469 Kondru , A., Kumar , P., Chand, S, ( 2009) Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of azo dye (Congo red) using modified Y zeolite as catalyst, Journal of Hazardous Material, 166 ( 1) 342 – 347 Wang, J., Jiang, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhao, S., Zhang .G., Ma, T. and Sun W., ( 2007) Investigation on the sonocatalytic degradation of congo red as catalysed by nanometer rutile TiO2 powder and various influencing factors, Desalination, 216 p 196- 208

• Academic Writing Guides

321 Interesting Chemistry Topics & Writing Tips

Chemistry studies matter and what it’s made of. It tells us how substances change and what properties they have. Chemistry seeks to answer questions such as: What is the Universe made of? How do elements react with each other?

Read our article to dive deeper into this intricate subject. What is more, we’ve prepared a list of 300 exciting chemistry-related topics. You can choose between organic, nuclear chemistry, biochemistry, and other branches. Our interesting topics in chemistry will make your studies more enjoyable!

Don’t forget that writing is our element. Is your assignment’s deadline closing in? Our custom writing service will take the pressure off you!

🔝 Top 10 Interesting Chemistry Topics

• ✅ Branches of Chemistry
• ✍️ Writing Tips

⭐ Top 10 Chemistry Essay Topics

• 🔬 General Chemistry Topics
• 🧑🥼 Chemistry Project Topics
• 🤔 Advanced Chemistry
• 🦠 Biochemistry
• 🧬 Organic Chemistry
• ♻️ Green Chemistry
• ⚗️ Inorganic Chemistry
• ⚛️ Nuclear Chemistry
• 🧮 Analytical Chemistry
• 🧪 Physical Chemistry

🔍 References

• Biochemistry in nursing
• Crystalloids vs. colloids
• The purpose of dilutions
• Principles of electrochemistry
• Why is stoichiometry so difficult?
• Are there alternative periodic tables?
• The polarity of bonds classification
• How is nuclear chemistry used?
• The importance of Lewis electron dot structure
• Endothermic reactions vs. exothermic reactions

✅ Main Branches of Chemistry

Chemistry is a broad subject that uses various methods of study. Because of this, scientists divide it into five main branches. These are organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry . Let’s investigate them:

• Organic chemistry examines life. It seeks to understand the molecular structure and behavior of living beings.
• Inorganic chemistry focuses on materials rather than living beings. Chemists of this field aim to advance technology.

• Physical chemists examine the atomic level of matter. This branch uses physics to study the processes in chemical systems.
• Analytical chemists investigate what matter consists of. They look for new analyzing procedures and ways to enhance existing ones.
• Biochemistry studies the fundamental biological systems. It improves our understanding of essential medical issues.

Now that we’ve sorted out chemistry basics, we can examine how to write about it. Whether you’re in high school or already in college, the following guide will help you compose an excellent chemistry paper!

✍️ Tips on How to Write a Chemistry Paper

Each subject has its own rules when it comes to writing papers. In chemistry, the organization is the key. That’s why the first step is to have your lab notes in order. Keep your notebook neat and tidy, and you will see that writing becomes much more manageable.

On top of that, it’s good to have an idea of what an excellent paper should be like. There are three major points you should keep in mind: objectives, style, and structure.

• Objectives. Your goal is to identify and convey valuable information. If you want to share it with others, it should be presented as credible scientific work.
• Introduction. Say what your paper will be about.
• Methods. Present the methods and materials you use.
• Results. Describe what you observed during the experiment.
• Discussion. Analyze the results and summarize the relevance of your study.
• Style. Grammatically correct writing is a must. Your style should be formal, concise, and clear. Use the right tense: write your methods and results in the past. For general truths, you can switch to the present.

Finally, don’t forget that for any type of writing, the right topic is crucial. For inspiration, check out our excellent chemistry paper topics!

• The history of neurochemistry
• Astrochemistry vs. astrophysics
• Is radiochemistry a dying field?
• Pros and cons of being a biochemist
• New concepts of chemical engineering
• What makes quantum chemistry difficult?
• The importance of agricultural chemistry
• The impact of WW2 on computational chemistry
• Ernest Rutherford’s contribution to nuclear chemistry
• Computer chemistry vs. computational chemistry

🔬 General Chemistry Topics to Write About

Chemistry surrounds us in our everyday life. Have you ever seen moldy bread or boiling water? That’s chemistry in action. Have a look at these 30 easy topics for an introduction into chemistry:

• What happens to your body when it lacks vitamins?
• How does acid rain form?
• Understanding pheromones: how do they affect humans?
• Explain what atoms are made of.
• Ionic and covalent compounds: a comparison.
• How do you solve stoichiometry problems?
• Give an overview of the states of matter.
• A delicate balance: how do chemicals in our brains create moods?
• Describe the noble gas configuration.
• Marie Curie and her extraordinary legacy.
• An introduction into acids and bases.
• Write about hydrologic cycles.
• What happens when a substance oxidizes?
• Explain substitution reactions.
• Compare the Bohr model with the plum-pudding and the Saturnian models.
• How does a Geiger counter work?
• Describe the significance of Rutherford’s gold foil experiment.
• How Michael Faraday forever changed the scientific landscape.
• What does Prout’s hypothesis state?
• The history of european alchemy.
• What are the periodic trends?
• Explain how to analyze amino acids using protein hydrolysis.
• What do catalysts do?
• Everything about lab safety.
• The radium craze of the early 20th century.
• How does substance abuse impact your body?
• Why is it essential to study chemistry in high school?
• Reaction rates: how do we define them?
• Before chemistry: ancient philosophy of things changing. 
• Examine how radioactive decay occurs.

🧑🥼 Chemistry Projects Topics for Science Fair

Experiments are, without a doubt, the most fun part of chemistry. It’s exciting to watch colorful substances fizzle and bubble. If you need ideas for your next project, look no further. Just make sure to follow safety rules!

• Discover what determines the color changes when iodine and starch react. 
• Find out how to make photosynthesis visible.
• Try to synthesize Aspirin.
• Develop film and explain how you did it.
• Fiddle a wire through an ice cube without drilling holes.
• Assess the quality of water and find out what contaminates it.

• Extract plant oil and study its properties.
• Observe what happens if you dye wool with different colors.
• Learn how to make a solution change color.
• Determine the amount of caffeine in various sorts of tea.
• How do you produce biogas or liquid from organic waste?
• Analyze the contents of your toothpaste. Can you find any health hazards?
• Make a water filter from scratch.
• Why does lemon juice stop apples from browning?
• Make a safe smoke bomb.
• Document the process of growing crystals.
• Identify the pollutants in the air around you.
• What makes a flame change color?
• Biometric technologies: how do they work? 
• Study invisible ink. What makes it disappear?
• Wine: how do its chemical compounds relate to its taste?
• Emulsions: how to make and break them.
• Compare the effectiveness of different vegetable oils in biodiesel manufacturing.
• Assess the residue of pesticides in vegetables from various markets.
• Measure the density of soft drinks. How does sugar affect it?
• Conductivity: what types of solutions are the best electrical conduits?
• Food and science: how much energy do nuts and chips produce when burned?
• Analyze your hair and check for nutrients.
• Examine what soap needs to foam properly.
• Change a penny’s color to gold.

🤔 Advanced Chemistry Topics for an Essay

Once you’ve mastered chemistry’s fundamental concepts, you’re ready for the advanced part. Here, you will explore topics such as kinetics, equilibrium, and thermodynamics. Consult our list for 30 interesting advanced chemistry topics:

• Polymers: what do we use them for?
• How do spectroscopes work?
• What chemical information can we find in meteorites?
• Spectroscopy and its many applications.
• Schrödinger’s Cat: what did it reveal about radioactive decay?
• Examine the properties of imino-disaccharides.
• The importance of carbohydrate-protein interactions in immunology.
• CRISPR: how does it work?
• Compare the types of noncovalent bonding.
• Investigate how molecular recognition can be produced synthetically.
• Describe the impact of nanotechnology.
• How does nanoscience change our lives?
• What does Le Châtelier’s principle state?
• CBD: what advantages does it have?
• What causes a chemical process to result in equilibrium?
• Compare the types of equilibrium.
• BPA : how toxic is it?
• Behavior of ideal vs. non-ideal gases.
• Magnetism and coordination compounds.
• The principles of molecular orbital theory.
• Why do certain compounds not exist?
• How does water recycling work?
• Cloud seeding: when is it useful?
• What causes the weather to change?
• Why do some plants rely on photosynthesis more than others?
• Describe the properties of hydrogen.
• Explain the connection between collision theory and concentration.
• How do the ab initio methods work?
• Chemistry and the brain: impact of neurotransmitters. 
• Examine the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia.

🦠 Biochemistry Topics to Research

Have you ever wondered what chemical processes happen inside living organisms? Here’s an example: when we breathe, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Biochemistry combines biology and chemistry to find out how life works on a molecular level. It’s a life science that deals with the cells, proteins, and lipids that form the core of every being. Clinical research highly benefits from biochemical knowledge.

• Explain enzyme inhibitors and their mechanisms.
• What are the benefits of epigenetics?
• Enzyme activity: how can you regulate it?

• Understanding the role of lipase in pathophysiological processes.
• The chemical processes behind metabolism.
• Amino acids: industrial applications.
• Consequences of a protein deficiency.
• Dietary supplements: help or hazard?
• How does the Citric Acid Cycle work?
• Glycolysis : how does it convert glucose?
• How do solutes move through biological membranes?
• Explain the sodium-potassium pump.
• Describe networks and alliances of the biotechnology industry.
• How does the body react to chlorine exposure?
• Cells gone rogue: the origins of cancer. 
• Investigate the functions of hormones.
• How can we develop new vaccines?
• Discuss the ethics of stem cell research.
• The legacy of Dolly the sheep.
• SCNT: process and applications.
• What are the chemical compounds of blood? 
• How do you treat hemophilia?
• The development of prokaryotes vs. eukaryotes.
• Discuss the cloning of a DNA fragment and Southern blotting.
• How does oxidative phosphorylation synthesize ATP?
• Compare the three types of crystallography.
• Copying DNA: the principles of PCR.
• How does recombination repair work?
• What causes redoximorphic features in various soils?
• Obtaining protein structures with x-ray crystallography.

🧬 Organic Chemistry Topics for Papers

Organic chemistry serves as the foundation for biochemistry. It is centered on carbon, which is essential to life. Carbon often bonds with other elements as well as itself. That’s what makes it the basis for all organic structures.

• Describe the properties of a chiral molecule.
• Atmospheric chemistry: methods and observations.
• Write about antioxidant potency of polyphenol-rich beverages.
• Enantiomers and the Fischer projection practice.
• Investigate possible relationships between stereoisomers.
• What are the benefits of chemoenzymatic synthesis?
• Explore the history of vitalism.
• The production of chemicals using carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions.
• Hydrocarbon: types and reactions.
• Examine the four essential types of organic compounds.
• How do free-radical reactions work?
• Pathogens: infection cycle and disinfection methods.
• Give examples of esters in everyday life.
• How do you turn alcohols into alkyl halides?
• Mechanisms of aerosol formation.
• Recent discoveries in molecular tuning.
• Chemical warfare: the dark side of organic chemistry.
• What makes a plant poisonous?
• What makes aromatic compounds unreactive?
• Phosgene: what makes it toxic?
• Explain the mechanism of the Diels-Alder Reaction.
• Alpha carbon reactions: when do aldol condensations occur?
• How do you identify organic compounds using infrared spectroscopy?
• Bonds as springs: the mechanical molecular model.
• Antibiotic resistance: causes and effects.
• Identify factors that influence proton chemical shifts.
• What does the electron dot structure show?
• The properties and reactions of functional groups.
• What defines a compound as aromatic?
• How do you name amines?

♻️ Green Chemistry Topics to Write About

If you’re concerned with sustainability, green chemistry is your area of choice. It finds ways to make chemical products less harmful to the environment. Research is done at every stage, from the product’s design to its disposal.

• How do you prevent pollution?
• What do you do with toxic waste?
• Discuss the twelve principles of green chemistry.
• Source reduction: what are the most effective ways?
• Biomimicry: is it the best way to sustainability?
• Eco-friendly packaging and its issues.
• Compare the effectiveness of various materials used in solar cells.
• What are the advantages of molar efficiency?
• Ionic liquids: are they the future of eco-friendly reagents?
• The U.S. acid rain program: pros and cons. 
• How can the toxicity of paint be reduced?
• Innovative ways to avoid pesticides in agriculture.
• What are the types of bio-based renewable feedstocks?
• Are bioplastics beneficial for the environment?
• How do metathesis reactions help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
• Computer chips: how do we make them more sustainable?
• Alternative energies: making fuel from chicken feathers.
• Is carbon capture effective?
• Will cultivated meat become a green alternative to traditional farming?
• How does the Plantrose process work?
• Discuss the petroleum products problem in the U.S.
• What are efficient ways to extract and use critical elements more
• How efficient is artificial photosynthesis?
• What are the best ways to remove carbon pollution?
• Electrocatalysis as a way to generate and consume fuels.
• Discuss the most pressing issues in green chemistry today.
• How does LCA work?
• What are efficient ways to extract and use critical elements more sustainably?
• Recycling and recovery of plastic. 
• Describe the advantages of Levulinc Acid use.
• How can we make nuclear energy more viable?

⚗️ Inorganic Chemistry Topics for a Paper

Metals and minerals are parts of inorganic chemistry. Scientists in this field want to understand the behavior and properties of inorganic compounds. Practical uses include the manufacturing of fertilizers, adhesives, and coatings.

• What are the types of nucleosynthesis?
• In which ways are chemicals able to bond?
• How does molecular symmetry predict the chemical properties of a molecule?
• Vibrational spectroscopy: what is it used for?
• Discuss the importance of inorganic compounds in biochemistry.
• The history of atomic theory: an overview.
• Hematite: matter and mineral. 
• The peculiarities of hydrogen bonds and polarity.
• What are the uses of point groups in inorganic chemistry?
• Determine the factors that impact Brønsted-Lowry acidity.
• How does HSAB explain reaction mechanisms?
• What is lattice energy, and how can you measure it?
• How do you use coordination compounds as catalysts?
• Red Ferrosols: soil management issues. 
• Examine the drawbacks of the crystal field theory.
• Define the selection rules for vibrational transitions.
• What is the most effective way to grow synthetic diamonds?
• How do you use the angular overlap model?
• Explain ligand effects.
• The magnetic properties of transition metal oxides.
• Gold: how does it serve medicine?
• The use of chemistry in jewelry manufacturing.
• How does the chemical structure of a gemstone determine its color?
• Alexandrite: what makes it so unique?
• How do ligand substitution reactions work?
• Determine the properties of the light types.
• What are the fundamental laws of photochemistry?
• What causes phosphorescence?
• Alloys: what are their benefits?
• The history of brass and its usage.

⚛️ Nuclear Chemistry Topics for an Essay

You’ve probably been x-rayed before. It means you’ve been exposed to radiation. Nuclear chemistry seeks to understand radioactivity-related processes. One of atomic science’s most critical problems is the disposal of radioactive waste.

• How do you calculate an element’s half-life?
• Compare the three different types of radiation.
• What are the common uses of radioactive elements?
• How do we know that a nucleus is stable?
• Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters: a comparison. 
• How do elements transmute in the process of nuclear fission?
• Cold fusion: will it ever be possible?
• Radiation: how does it harm biological systems?
• Describe the types of decay.
• Nuclear waste: reprocessing, disposal, and transportation. 
• How is nuclear chemistry used in medicine?
• Ways to destroy toxic organic compounds using irradiation.
• Interactions between water and radioactive elements.
• How are chemosensors used in radiation chemistry?
• What are the biological applications of radiochemistry?
• The nuclear fuel cycle: managing the disposal of nuclear fuel.
• Discuss reactive hazards in the chemical industry.
• Compare the efficiency of different extraction methods.
• Fission products and surfaces: what happens when 9TcO2 gets in contact with steel?
• Isotopic chemistry: what distinguishes it from nuclear chemistry?
• Explore the history of NMR.
• Henri Becquerel and the discovery of radioactivity.
• The relevance of hydrogen in nuclear fusion.
• What causes radioactivity?
• The adverse effects of ionizing vs. non-ionizing radiation.
• Why are some people skeptical about the term “nuclear?”
• The Big Bang: how did it create the Universe as we know it?
• Discuss the unsuccessful efforts in nuclear arms control. 
• How does radiocarbon dating work?
• Mass spectrometry: ionization techniques.

🧮 Analytical Chemistry Topics for Essays

The matter comes in all forms and shapes. It can be a compound or a single element. If you want to know how matter is structured, analytical chemistry has the answer. Scientists of this branch ensure that our food and other products are safe to consume.

• How does activation analysis work?
• Why is analytical chemistry important for the environment?
• How do you find iron in a mixture of metals?
• What are the ways to measure the amount of a specific substance in a compound?

• Identifying hazardous substances in cheese.
• A simple way to separate chemical compounds: gas chromatography.
• Aspirin vs. Ibuprofen: comparing the chemical mechanisms of pain relievers.
• Genetically modified foods and their impact on human health.
• Food allergies: where do they come from?
• The best techniques for quantitative chemical analysis.
• What are the standard techniques to measure the endpoint of a titration?
• Mass-based analysis: gravimetric analysis.
• How do you neutralize WVO?
• Drug safety approach in administration and nursing. 
• Describe the three types of electroanalytical methods.
• How do you measure temperature using a calorimeter?
• Understanding thermodynamics: the Carnot cycle.
• The process of analyzing salt.
• How do you identify the shelf life of a medicine?
• Ways to find adulterants in drugs.
• Compare the healthiness of bottled water based on its chemical compounds.
• How can you test cholesterol in blood samples?
• Examine how analytical chemistry is used in forensic science.
• What are the advantages of spectrochemical methods?
• How do you detect pesticides using immunoassays?
• Miniaturization: how does it advance analytical chemistry?
• Capillary Liquid Chromatography: an overview.
• Immunochemistry: applications in environmental analysis.
• The development of analytical technology in the past 20 years.
• Explain how to determine PAH sources in soil.

🧪 Physical Chemistry Topics for Papers

Is chemistry not enough for you? Try combining it with physics! For physical chemists, it is crucial to understand how molecules and atoms act. They use various models to study the structure and behavior of these tiny particles.

• Explain how to determine an atom’s electron configuration.
• Describe the structure of an atom.
• Isotopes: why do they exist?
• What is the Time-of-Flight principle?
• How do you calculate the mass of an atom?
• Define successive ionization energies.
• What are the gas laws?
• Equation of state: ideal vs. real gases.
• Explain why the Earth is considered a closed thermodynamic system.
• What is the Avogadro constant?
• The difference between empirical and molecular formulae.
• Calculating percentage yields: balanced equations.
• How do intermolecular forces affect the melting point of a substance?
• What are the four types of crystal structures?
• Define the types of forces that exist between molecules.
• Explain how to relate the melting point and conductivity of a substance to their type of structure.
• What is fire in terms of chemistry and thermodynamics?
• Reasons why molecules with polar bonds might not have a permanent dipole.
• How do internal combustion engines work?
• Endothermic or exothermic? Determining enthalpy change.
• What are the applications of Hess’s law?
• Explain the use of mean bond enthalpy.
• When does a collision not cause a reaction?
• How does temperature affect the reaction rate?
• How do catalysts work?
• Describe what Born-Haber cycles are used for.
• Explore the history of thermochemistry.
• Give examples of quasi-static processes.
• The study of chaos: calculating entropy.
• When is a reaction reversible?

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Writing an Organic Chemistry Assignment: Top 10 Tips for Success

Writing an organic chemistry assignment can be difficult, especially when you have to deal with difficult ideas, equations, and technical language. However, if you take the right approach and employ the right techniques, you can get past these obstacles and do well on your assignments. This blog aims to give you the top ten suggestions for producing an organic chemistry assignment that will be successful. Each tip is intended to assist you in navigating the complexities of organic chemistry and producing a high-quality assignment. They range from understanding the assignment requirements to conducting efficient research to organizing your thoughts. These pointers will give you the tools you need to approach your assignments with confidence, whether you're a student pursuing a chemistry degree or just taking an organic chemistry course. You can effectively analyze the assignment question, conduct in-depth research using dependable sources like chemistry assignment help and create a well-structured and coherent assignment by adhering to these rules. We'll also talk about how important it is to write clearly and concisely, how to edit and proofread properly, and how important it is to pay attention to detail when writing organic chemistry assignments. You'll be able to understand organic chemistry better and perform better academically if you put these suggestions into practice. So let's get started and learn how to write an effective organic chemistry assignment.

Understanding the Assignment

Understanding the requirements is essential to building a successful foundation when writing an organic chemistry assignment. We will examine three essential components of comprehending the assignment in this section. In order to understand the precise formatting requirements, word count restrictions, and any additional instructions provided by your instructor, it is first important to read the guidelines carefully. Second, determining the assignment's primary goals aids in concentrating your research and writing efforts on the essential subjects that must be covered. You can create a clear structure and approach for your assignment by dissecting the question or prompt into smaller parts and analyzing them. Finally, taking into account the bigger picture of organic chemistry and how it relates to the assignment question enables you to give a thorough and informed response. You will be prepared to approach your organic chemistry tasks with confidence and succeed in your writing endeavors by heeding these suggestions and gaining a thorough understanding of the assignment.

Read the Guidelines Carefully

First, ensure that you have thoroughly read and comprehended the directions that have been provided to you by your instructor before beginning work on the organic chemistry assignment. Pay close attention to the requirements for the formatting, the word count, and any specific instructions pertaining to the content. By doing so, you will ensure that you are on the right track from the very beginning and prevent the need for unnecessary revisions later on.

Identify the Key Objectives

The next step is to determine the most important goals of your assignment. Find out what it is that you are expected to complete for the assignment, as well as the topics that you need to go over. This will make it easier for you to maintain focus and ensure that your assignment addresses the required topics in a logical and organized manner.

Analyze the Question and Break It Down

Examine the question or prompt and dissect it into its component parts to ensure that you have a complete understanding of the assignment. Determine the primary aspects of the inquiry, then think about how those aspects connect to the overarching subject of organic chemistry. Following these instructions will assist you in formulating an organized and rational framework for your assignment.

Conducting Effective Research

Writing an organic chemistry assignment that is successful requires effective research. We will explore two crucial facets of conducting research in this section. First and foremost, using trustworthy sources is essential to ensuring the veracity and accuracy of the data you include in your assignment. You can find reliable and current information by consulting textbooks, academic journals, and reliable websites. Additionally, using online databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ACS Publications gives you access to a huge selection of scientific articles and research papers. These databases frequently offer sophisticated search options and filters, which makes it simpler for you to locate pertinent and worthwhile sources. The second step in streamlining your writing process is organising your research materials. You can save time and work by setting up a system that allows you to keep track of the sources you've used and the particular information you've gleaned from each one. Maintaining academic integrity also requires using proper citation styles for your sources. Effective research can help you build a strong case for your claims in your organic chemistry assignment, demonstrating your command of the material, and raising the standard of your work as a whole.

Utilize Reliable Sources

When you are conducting research for your assignment in organic chemistry, you should rely on sources that are credible and authoritative. In order to gather information, consult textbooks, scientific journals, and websites that have a good reputation. It is best to avoid relying solely on online forums or sources that cannot be verified because the information they provide may be inaccurate or incomplete.

Take Advantage of Online Databases

Use online databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ACS Publications to gain access to a wide variety of scholarly articles and research papers. These databases are accessible online. You can quickly locate information that is pertinent to your needs and up to date by using the advanced search options and filters that are typically provided by these databases. Remember to properly cite your sources so that you can maintain your academic reputation.

Organize Your Research

Streamline your writing process by doing effective organization with the materials you've gathered for research. Develop a method that enables you to keep track of the sources you've consulted as well as the particular information you've gleaned from each source through the implementation of a system. Because of this, avoiding plagiarism and properly crediting your sources in the future will be much simpler.

Planning and Structuring Your Assignment

If you want to present your ideas in an organized and coherent manner for your organic chemistry assignment, planning, and structuring is crucial. Two important aspects of planning and structuring will be examined in this section. First off, making an outline gives you a road map for your assignment and enables you to pinpoint the key sections and supporting ideas you will address. You can guarantee a logical flow and progression of ideas throughout the paper by outlining your assignment. Second, it's important to read the introduction and conclusion carefully. You give a general overview of the subject, draw the reader in, and make it clear what your goals are in the introduction. The conclusion serves to restate your main arguments and summarise the important points covered in your assignment. These conclusion sections help the reader comprehend the significance of your findings while also giving your assignment a cogent structure. Additionally, it's crucial to use paragraphs effectively in the body of your assignment. With a topic sentence that introduces the main idea and offers evidence or examples to support it, each paragraph should concentrate on one main idea or concept. You can present your ideas in a logical and organized manner, improving the clarity and readability of your work, by carefully planning and structuring your assignment.

Create an Outline

Create an outline for your organic chemistry assignment before diving headfirst into the actual writing portion of the project. An outline functions as a road map for your paper, assisting you in preserving the paper's coherence and logical flow throughout its entirety. Determine the most important sections as well as the subtopics that you will address in order to guarantee a well-organized and structured assignment.

Introduce and Summarize

Give a general summary of the subject in the beginning of your paper, and be sure to articulate your goals very specifically. Get the attention of the reader and give some background information about the assignment. In the conclusion, you should restate your main arguments and summarise the most important points that have been discussed. These bookend sections will give your assignment a cohesive structure that will make it easier to understand.

Use Paragraphs Effectively

Create coherence and clarity in your writing by organizing your thoughts into paragraphs. Each paragraph ought to concentrate on a single primary idea or concept and include evidence to back up that idea or concept. Introduce the primary concept of each paragraph with a topic sentence that serves as the starting point for the subsequent sentences, which should be used to elaborate, provide examples, or offer evidence.

Writing Style and Clarity

When writing your organic chemistry assignment, it's imperative to keep a concise and persuasive writing style. Two crucial facets of clarity and writing style will be covered in this section. First of all, writing in clear, concise sentences is crucial in the field of science. Keep your writing free of unnecessary jargon and complicated terminology that could confuse your readers. Instead, aim for simplicity and clarity to make sure your ideas are effectively conveyed. Furthermore, it's important to convey complex ideas in an understandable way when writing for an audience that might not be as knowledgeable about organic chemistry. Second, accuracy and precision are crucial. To prevent confusion or misunderstanding, define your terms, equations, and chemical structures precisely. Pay close attention to the precision of your calculations and justifications because any errors can damage the authority of your work. You can make sure that your organic chemistry assignment is well-understood and appreciated by your readers by writing with clarity and precision. This will show that you are an expert in the subject and that you have the ability to communicate difficult concepts simply.

Use Clear and Concise Language

Clarity is absolutely necessary in the writing of scientific papers. To effectively communicate your ideas, stick to language that is easy to understand and brief. Stay away from jargon that isn't necessary, and do your best to explain difficult ideas in language that anyone can understand. Keep in mind that the person who is reading this might not have the same level of knowledge about organic chemistry as you do.

Be Precise and Accurate

When doing assignments in organic chemistry, precision and accuracy are absolutely necessary. Make sure that all of your terms, equations, and chemical structures are well-defined. Check your calculations twice, and make sure that the explanations you provide are correct from a scientific standpoint. This attention to detail will not only improve the overall quality of your assignment, but it will also demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of the material.

Proofreading and Editing

When writing an organic chemistry assignment, editing and proofreading are crucial steps. Two key areas of editing and proofreading will be covered in this section. The first tip is to take a break and come back to your assignment with fresh eyes. Stepping away from your work after finishing your first draught enables you to return to it with fresh eyes. You can more easily spot mistakes, inconsistencies, or areas that need improvement thanks to this break. You can evaluate your assignment's overall structure and coherence more effectively when you are removed from it. Second, while editing, concentrate on improving flow and clarity. Look over your writing for any awkward sentence structures or ambiguous statements that might throw your readers off. Make sure that each paragraph flows into the next and that your ideas are presented in a logical order. You can improve the overall readability of your work and find areas that require revision by reading your assignment aloud. You can improve your organic chemistry assignment, polish your ideas, and present a final draught that is properly structured, coherent, and error-free by setting aside time for proofreading and editing.

Take a Break and Revisit

After you have finished your assignment in organic chemistry, you should give yourself a break before proofreading. Because of this, you will be able to approach the task with fresh eyes, which will make it easier for you to spot any errors or inconsistencies. Taking some time away from your work will not only help you evaluate the overall structure of your assignment but also its consistency.

Edit for Clarity and Flow

During the process of editing, you should concentrate on improving the assignment's clarity as well as its flow. Examine the text for any awkward sentence constructions or statements that are ambiguous. Make sure that your thoughts are presented in an order that makes sense, and that the transition from one paragraph to the next is done in a way that flows naturally. You might find it helpful to read your assignment out loud in order to spot any parts that could use some editing.

You may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of writing an organic chemistry assignment, but if you follow these top 10 tips, you will be able to tackle the task with confidence. You will be well on your way to achieving your goals if you take the time to fully comprehend the requirements of the assignment, carry out fruitful research, and carefully plan and organize your assignment. In addition, maintaining a writing style that is clear and precise, in addition to proofreading and editing your work thoroughly, will ensure that the quality of your assignment is of the highest possible standard. You'll be well-prepared to excel in your organic chemistry assignments and to deepen your understanding of this fascinating field if you adopt these strategies and put them into practice.

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The Ultimate Guide to Conducting a QCAA Chemistry Research Investigation So You Can Maximise Marks

Completing one of your internal assessments for QCAA Chemistry and have no idea how to approach the research investigation?

We can help! We’ve come up with this nifty guide which goes through all the different sections of the assessment and examples that you can refer to.

Ready to ace this assignment? Keep scrolling!

What is a Research Investigation? How do you write up a Research Investigation for Chemistry? Chemistry Research Investigation Structure

What is a QCAA Chemistry Research Investigation?

A research investigation is a scientific essay in which you evaluate a given claim. This is achieved through researching, analysing and interpreting secondary evidence to form a justified conclusion about the claim.

Your secondary sources must be scientifically credible , and can include research articles, scientific news articles, data compilations, educational resources and more.  

How do you write up a Research Investigation for Chemistry? 

Ultimately, the findings of your experiment and all the research and analysis you’ve conducted is presented in the form of a 1500-to-2000-word scientific essay.

In order to create a comprehensive Research Investigation, there are 8 steps to follow. These include: 

Now that you know the steps to writing a great research investigation, let’s find out how to set it out and what each section needs!

Chemistry Research Investigation Structure

Your title should be clear, comprehensive, and let the reader know what your research investigation is about. It could be in the form of a question or a more general statement. 

For example : Chemical Fundamentals — Structure, Properties and Applications of Gadolinium

State the given/chosen claim here! You may also find that your teacher will give you a general claim with stimulus that you will have to modify or extend to make your own. 

#3: Rationale 

Your rationale will consist of the general research you conducted on the relevant scientific concepts and theories that relate to the claim. There needs to be a clear connection to the research question.

Don’t forget to explain how your initial research led you to develop the research question!

For example : Until recently, the elements of the Lanthanide series had relatively few applications, as so little was known about these elements and their properties. To understand the current and future applications of Gadolinium, how atomic structure of elements affects their physical and chemical properties will be evaluated…

#4: Research Question 

Here is where you state your research question that you have developed to address the claim. Ensure that you have included the variables to be investigated.

You may have to present your research question to your teacher for approval. It’s good to do this regardless of whether it’s compulsory or not, as you don’t want to write your whole report and then be told that you have to change the research question! 

For example : How does the atomic structure of Gadolinium affect its properties such as Electronegativity and Covalent Atomic Radius and thus its place in the Lanthanide series?  

#5: Background 

Here is where you use your research on the concepts and theories surrounding your research question to set the foundations for the rest of your Chemistry Research Investigation.

The quality of your sources and the evidence you draw from them is significant! Ensure that by the end of your background, any and all processes, concepts or theories relating to your research question have been explained.   

For example : The nature of a substance consists of its properties; therefore, the periodic nature of the elements is the recurrence of physical and chemical properties in each period and the evident trends, and ultimately, how that affects an element’s place in the periodic table (Helmenstine, 2019) .

Up until this point in your QCAA Chemistry Research Investigation, most of the presented information demonstrates your research and planning skills. Let’s have a look at what you need to score top marks in this section of the criteria:

Make note of the fact that you need an informed application of understanding, a considered rationale, effective and efficient investigation, a specific and relevant research question etc. in order to score high marks.

#6: Analysis and Interpretation 

This is the largest section of your report and where you present your evidence/data in the form of tables, graphs, charts etc. You then interpret the evidence/data and combine it with your theoretical knowledge from your research to create justified scientific arguments.

Ensure that the evidence/data you choose to incorporate is appropriate, applicable and directly connected to the research question. Identifying meaningful trends, relationships and patterns and using them to justify your scientific arguments is crucial.

You should also identify the limitations of the evidence/data and how those limitations may affect your ability to create your response to the research question. Remember to keep it all relevant to the research question! 

For example :  Figure 3: Electronegativity of Lanthanides When further research was conducted and the electronegativities of the Lanthanide series were also plotted (see Figure 3), it was apparent that the Lanthanides did not follow this trend. This is because both d- and f- electrons shells are much more complex than s- or p- electron shells in the order in which their shells are filled, meaning there is great variation in how the electrons can be arranged (“Electronegativity”, 2019) .

#7: Conclusion and Evaluation 

This section of your QCAA Chemistry Research Investigation also consists of a number of things — a brief summary of the concepts that were investigated, the relevant findings, and how they apply to your claim should be explained .

Try tying your conclusion and evaluation into a topic you’ve learned from Unit 4 QCAA Chemistry: Structure, Synthesis and Design !

You should include a review of your literature sources and evidence/data (i.e., were there any limitations and how did they affect your ability to create justified scientific arguments). Also include improvements that would address the limitations, as well as possible extensions that would allow further evaluation of the claim. 

For example : By evaluating how atomic structure affects the physical and chemical properties of elements, the properties of the Lanthanide Gadolinium were determined… Because of these limitations, it had to be assumed that the trends were accurate and that they applied throughout the Periodic Table. It is suggested that in future, the values of these properties for more of the elements are considered before drawing conclusions.  

Because the second part of your Research Investigation is much more comprehensive, there are two criteria relating to it. Let’s check them out:

Again, in order to achieve those top marks, ensure that you’ve included systematic and effective analysis of data, thorough identification of trends, insightful interpretation of research evidence, considered and relevant improvements and extensions etc. 

Finally, there’s one more section of criteria to consider, and it applies to the entirety of your report. Although it’s only worth two marks, it’s an easy two marks to get so don’t miss out!

To ensure you get those two marks, remember to: 

• Follow the structure and general conventions of a scientific essay (use headings for each section to help with structure)
• Label all evidence/data you present
• Make sure your work is easily understood (stick to simpler vocabulary unless using scientific terminology)
• Stay within the word length
• Provide a comprehensive reference list (make sure it is in the style your school/teacher has requested)

Check out all of our Term 3 Content in one place with the Ultimate Term 3 Guide!

There you have it!

We’ve covered all the different aspects of your Chemistry research investigation so you can feel confident in writing up your assignment! Once you’ve written it, make sure to check that you’ve done everything required of you within the marking guide.

Work out what mark you actually need to achieve to get your goal ATAR with our brand new QCE Cohort Comparison Tool !

Looking for other QCAA Chemistry resources?

Check out our QCAA Chemistry guides below:

The Definitive Guide to Writing a Student Experiment Report for QCAA Chemistry

• The Ultimate Guide to QCAA Chemistry Unit 3: Equilibrium, Acids and Redox Reactions

Have a go at our collection of practice questions:

• QCAA Unit 3 Chemistry Data Test IA1 Practice Questions
• QCAA Practice Questions for Unit 3 & 4 Chemistry EA
• QCAA Multiple Choice Practice Questions for Unit 3 & 4 Chemistry EA
• Download QCAA Chemistry Practice Exam for External Assessment Revision

Are you looking for some extra guidance with the Research Investigation for QCAA Chemistry?

We have an incredible team of qld tutors and mentors.

We can help you master the Chemistry syllabus and ace your upcoming Chemistry assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online!

We’ve supported over  8,000 students over the last 11 years , and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational QLD tutor and mentor,   get in touch today  or give us a ring on  1300 267 888!

Yalindi Binduhewa  is an Art of Smart tutor based in Queensland and was part of the very first cohort to go through the ATAR system, so she knows exactly how fun and enjoyable it can be. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Medical Imaging (Honours) at QUT and is loving it. When she’s not doing uni-related stuff or tutoring, she’s hanging out with her friends, rewatching a show for the 100th time, or trying out new crafty projects and discovering that she doesn’t have a talent for everything.

• Topics: 🧪 Chemistry , ✍️ Learn

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