CHED 1704

How to think logically about organic chemistry

Elizabeth T. Papish, etpapish@salisbury.edu, Department of Chemistry, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD 21801
A series of ten instructional guides for Organic Chemistry I and II were designed and implemented. These instructional guides emphasized the overarching themes that pervade organic chemistry. Each guide illustrated a methodical, step by step approach not commonly taught in organic chemistry. A logic-based flowchart was included to help students determine which reaction type is most likely. The aim of these guides is to help students see each new reaction as a paradigm that can be methodically learned and applied to examples both familiar and new. Quizzes were also used to allow students to practice using the flowcharts and test their understanding. An assessment of this approach through exam scores and surveys will also be discussed.