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Oct 23, 2026
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CHEM 2230 - Directed Research in Chemistry
Credits: 2
Catalog Description
Students will learn advanced chemistry techniques and apply them to their own original research questions. Research topics will be chosen based on specific instructor expertise, and student interest will determine the exact direction of the research. Students will learn to perform literature searches and develop strong, testable hypotheses. They will learn to keep an organized lab notebook, design successful experiments, and analyze data. They will also learn to compile their results into a compelling presentation. Students will be expected to attend class for 2 hours per week as a group. Additional time in the lab will be available as needed throughout the semester. Additionally, students will be expected to spend 1-2 hours outside of meeting time working on literature review, data analysis, and presentation preparation.
Prerequisite(s) (must have a grade of C or better): A college-level chemistry course with lab is required. Students must meet with the instructor and get approval prior to registration.
Recommended Skills, Abilities, or Coursework: MATH 0240 with a grade of C or better, or the appropriate score on math placement test. College-level reading and writing as demonstrated by meeting enrollment requirements for ENGL 1121. Experience with spreadsheet and presentation software such as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint is also beneficial.
Additional fee to student: No
Learner Outcomes
- Utilize academic databases for reviewing literature.
- Develop academic reading comprehension.
- Utilize the current academic literature to inform their own hypotheses.
- Develop hypothesis-driven research questions in collaboration with their mentor and peers.
- Develop technical laboratory skills related to synthesis and chemical analysis and/or computational techniques.
- Develop an understanding of research ethics and data organization by maintaining a personal lab notebook.
- Compile, analyze, and present data and results.
- Analyze classmates’ work collaboratively using peer review and constructive criticism.
- Communicate their results to a wider audience of scientists by preparing a capstone presentation (either a poster or seminar).
- Research and potentially pursue additional research opportunities (such as REUs) at other institutions.
Major Areas of Course Content
- Scientific literature review
- Laboratory notebook maintenance and ethics
- Lab techniques common to chemical synthesis and/or computational chemistry
- Chemical and material analysis techniques
- Presenting and communicating research results
Credit for Prior Learning Options
No credit for prior learning option is available for this course.
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