Dr. Suzanne Theresa Mabrouk

General Information

• Class Schedule: R 10:00 - 10:50 am in Byrd Hall room 401 and F 2:00 - 2:50 pm in Byrd Hall room 302/211
• Office Number: Byrd Hall room 401
• Office Hours: If you have difficulty with course concepts or have any questions, please feel free to drop by for help. If my office hours do not coincide with your free time, then schedule an appointment.
  • M 1-2 pm
  • T and R 3-4 pm
  • open door policy
    
• Phone Number: 953-7788
• Email Address: mabrouks@citadel.edu
  If you need help at night, the best way to reach me is via email.

General Course Information

• Required Text:
  • The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors ed. Janet S. Dodd, 2nd ed.
  • A Short Guide to Writing About Chemistry by Herbert Beall and John Trimbur, 2nd ed.

   

• Course Prerequisites: Chem 208

• Course Objective:
  1. To learn how to use computer databases to research a chemical topic.
  2. To discuss potential research projects with The Citadel's chemistry faculty and to select an advisor for senior research (Chem 419/420 or 425/426)..
  3. To develop a proposal on the selected senior research project.
  4. To give several research presentations and to write several reviews of the chemical literature. 


• Course Content: Students will use several computer databases for searching the chemical literature on self-selected topics. Students will write several reviews and give several oral presentations. Students will interview the current faculty about their research in order to determine on which project to work senior year. The student will write a research proposal on the selected research project and give an oral presentation as well.

Course Grading Policy

• Honor in the Class: All students will adhere to the Citadel honor code described in The Guidon, and as such will not cheat on any work submitted to the instructor for a grade. Cheating will not be tolerated!

• Reviews of Current Research Topics: Students will peruse the chemical literature (computer databases, Accounts of Chemical Research, Chemical Reviews, etc.) and find two topics of interest to research. The selected topics must come from two different areas of chemistry: (bio)analytical, biochemical, (bio)inorganic, (bio)organic, (bio)physical, or polymer. Using several databases, students will find at least five current articles (no web sites) on each of the selected topics. This list of articles must be written according to chapter six in The ACS Style Guide and submitted to the instructor in accordance with the class schedule listed below. Students will read these articles, write a five to six page, double-spaced review on each topic, and give a fifteen minute oral presentation. In The Short Guide, consult chapters five and six for information on writing a literature review and chapter nine for information on giving oral presentations. In The ACS Style Guide, consult chapter twelve on giving oral presentations. Each written document and oral presentation will count towards 10% of the final course grade.

• Faculty Research Summaries: Students must interview each tenure-track faculty member about their on-going research. The student should learn the purpose of the project, its background, the techniques/instrumentation involved, the student's role in the overall project, and the timetable of the entire faculty member's research project. Students will use this information to write a one-page, double-spaced summary of each faculty member's on-going research. In The Short Guide, consult chapter five on writing a summary. The average of these summaries will constitute 10% of the final course grade.

• Senior Research Proposal: Students will use the faculty interviews to decide on which research project to work senior year. Students will then develop a research proposal on the selected project. Using several databases, students will find at least six current articles (no web sites) on the selected topic. This list of articles must be written according to chapter six in The ACS Style Guide and submitted to the instructor in accordance with the class schedule listed below. The proposal should include the following sections: Abstract (an overview of the proposed research project; one paragraph), Background (a review of the current and relevant literature; 5-6 pages), Thesis (the basic project and expected results; 0.5-1 page), Proposal (a discussion of the methodology, instrumentation, and the chemistry; 1-3 pages), and Budget (a line item listing of all anticipated expenditures for chemicals, new equipment, and outside analyses; 1 page). This written document should be double-spaced. Students will also give a fifteen minute oral presentation on this proposal. The selected research advisor may only be consulted on the proposal. The future advsior will not review any of this written assignment or the related oral presentation. In The Short Guide, consult chapter seven for information on writing a research proposal and chapter nine for information on giving oral presentations. In The ACS Style Guide, consult chapter twelve on giving oral presentations. The written document and oral presentation will each count towards 20% of the final course grade.

• Seminar Summaries and Critiques: Chem 308 students are required to attend all Chem 420 seminars. Chem 420 meets at the end of the spring semester (month of April) on F from 2:00 until 2:50 pm. Students must write a one page, double-spaced summary and critique of each senior seminar. One paragraph should be a summary of the preseantation. One paragraph should be a critique of the presentation. Both good and bad points should be included in the critique. With any bad points a suggestion for improvement must be included. In The Short Guide, consult chapter five on writing a summary and critique. The summary and critique is due one week after the presentation. The average of these assignments will constitute 10% of the final course grade.

• Criteria for Final Course Grade:
  • Review of Current Research Topics: 10% for each Written Summary and each Oral presentation
  • Faculty Research Summaries: 10% for average of four summaries
  • Senior Research Proposal: 20% for Written Summary and 20% for Oral presentation
  • Seminar Summaries and Critiques: 10% for average of three summaries and critiques

• Scale for Final Course Grades: All lecture grades are awarded based on the traditional grading scale, with cut-offs on the zeros.

Course Schedule and Deadlines

Classroom Attendance and Etiquette (http://faculty.citadel.edu/mabrouk/etiquette.htm)

• Attendance at each class lecture is mandatory, as described in the college catalog p. 25. Tardy students, not more than 10 minutes tardy, should talk with the professor after class regarding the excuse; the professor will decide if the excuse is legitimate.  Attendance will be submitted daily on-line.
  • Students should arrive on-time if not early.
  • Tardy students should enter class quietly and take their seat. They should not ask the professor to repeat previously stated material.
• Students should not speak while the professor or a classmate is speaking.
• Students should speak respectfuilly to the professor and all classmates.
• When a student has a question, the student should raise their hand and wait to be recognized.
  • Record the question in the margins of your notes along with the professor's response. This information will be invaluable as you study.
    
• Sleeping is prohibited in this professor's classroom. The first time a student is caught sleeping the student will be directed to the back of the classroom. The second offense by any student will result in the removal of that student and any future sleeping student from the classroom. Sleeping during class prevents one from learning important concepts.
• Food, drink, smoking, and tobacco are prohibited in Byrd Hall.
• The use of profane language is unacceptable in the presence of this professor.
• Spring Break begins following a student's last scheduled class.

Student's Attitude

• be present, both in body and mind (the latter being most important!)
• be presentable (clean and kempt)
• have a positive attitude
• be friendly
• be outgoing
• ask genuine questions
• try to learn the material
• ask for help early
• make good and effective use of your time and the time of others
  
• have meaningful conversations
• choose your words carefully and wisely
  
• above all else be genuine
  
  

© COPYRIGHT 2009 SUZANNE MABROUK mabrouks@citadel.edu (modified: 1/6/09).