Patricia Kirkwood – University of Arkansas Teaching Chemical Information Division of Chemical Information American Chemical Society BCCE 2006

Patricia Kirkwood – University of Arkansas

Teaching Chemical Information

Division of Chemical InformationAmerican Chemical Society

BCCE 2006


What is information literacy?

• To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.

American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report.(Chicago: American Library Association, 1989.) http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/presidential.htm [retrieved:July 20, 2006]


Why teach chemical information?

– How will they know it if we don’t teach them?

– Until they have their first “information accident” they most likely will not pay attention.

– Lets make sure that first accident doesn’t have serious consequences.

"MFG did not adequately plan for scaling up the reaction from the laboratory to full production volume or evaluate how much heat the reaction would produce," says CSB investigator John Vorderbrueggen. "The process controls, instrumentation, and safety systems were not designed to prevent a runaway reaction and uncontrolled chemical release. If MFG had followed the good engineering and safety practices described in federal regulations, this accident likely would not have occurred.

http://0-pubs.acs.org.library.uark.edu/isubscribe/journals/cen/84/i16/html/8416CSB.htmlChemical and Engineering News -- April 13, 2006 – emphasis added -- retrieved July 23, 2006


Why is information instruction important?• Students will be more successful in courses and in the research lab if they have

good information skills.– Students pay attention to instruction when they see that it helps them be successful.

– If you don’t require it – they will NOT do it.

– Integrated instruction is almost invisible and you are already doing it.

• Good quality information is need to solve chemical problems – Experienced faculty chemists may not be aware of newest electronic resources being used by

students – get assistance from the library.

– Electronic version of published resources mean easy rules no longer work.

– Web resources MUST be evaluated for accuracy and appropriateness.

– If you don’t mark them down for BAD information, they will NOT evaluate it.

• Chemical information sources are increasing in number and variety – Google and Google Scholar have changed everything about information retrieval.

– Students need some basic skills they can apply to diverse electronic formats.


Why is information instruction important?• Graduates (from BS through PhD), will be more successful on-the-job.

– Efficient information skills contribute to productive work habits; an endearing quality to employers.

– Lifetime learning is critical, now that scientists can expect to hold several jobs in their careers - jobs which can require fast absorption of information in new subject areas.

– Graduates gain an edge with potential employers if they can include information searching skills and courses in their resumes.

• Information skills helps graduate students to be independent scientists, not technicians.

– Students (and working chemists) should also know when to locate information themselves and when to use the services of a library or information center staff.

Part of earlier workshop located at:http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/hosted/cinf/workshop98aug/why.html

© Stanford University Libraries/Academic Information Resources

http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/hosted/cinf/workshop98aug/quotes.html#success


• Westheimer's Rule: "A couple of months in the laboratory can frequently save a couple of hours in the library."

• Runyon's corollary: "A couple of hours on the Internet can frequently save a couple of minutes in the library."

Why teach chemical information?


American Chemical Society's CPT

– The Committee on Professional Training stresses the importance of teaching information searching: "too complicated to leave to self-learning."

– See: Chemical Information Retrieval, Topical Supplement to CPT Guidelines.http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=education\cpt\ts_cheminfo.html


Undergraduate research.

A research experience can be a particularly effective mechanism for the integration of chemical concepts at an advanced level. At its best, research requires students to use critical thinking, interpret and evaluate the quality of data, learn more sophisticated laboratory techniques, and gain experience in oral and written communication. If research is used for certification as in-depth course work or laboratory hours, a comprehensive written report must be prepared by the student. Because of its importance for the education of chemistry majors, the opportunity for undergraduate research should be offered whenever possible.

PROPOSED REVISION OF THE ACS GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE CHEMISTRY PROGRAMS

http://www.chemistry.org/portal/resources/ACS/ACSContent/education/cpt/ACS Proposed http://www.chemistry.org/portal/resources/ACS/ACSContent/education/cpt/ACS Proposed Guidelines RevisionGuidelines Revision


Attributes of an (Chemical) Engineer• an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering; • an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and

interpret data; • an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs; • an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams; • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; • an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility; • an ability to communicate effectively; • the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering

solutions in a global/societal context; • a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning; • a knowledge of contemporary issues; and • an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools

necessary for engineering practice.

ABET Engineering Criteria 2006-2007

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

http://www.abet.org/forms.shtml


These standards were reviewed by the ACRL Standards Committee and approved by the Board of Directors of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) on January 18, 2000.

These standards were also endorsed by the American Association for Higher Education (October 1999) and the Council of Independent Colleges (February 2004).

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm

ACRL Standards


ACRL Standards

• determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

• accesses needed information effectively and efficiently. • evaluates information and its sources critically and

incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

• individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

• understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

The information literate student


What is your favorite Information Literacy Catch Phrase?

• “I only discovered America twice once.” Mark V., a graduate student.

• “Boy, I spent 2 days online looking for that.” An undergraduate student who didn’t know the Merck Index existed when needing to find basic information about a biologically related compound.


• Global skills

• Critical issues

• Legal/Ethical Issues

Strive to change one student assumption with a given assignment!

What to teach


Global Skills

• How to prepare a search statement– The difference between Google Basic and Google Advanced

• Basics of Boolean logic • Database choice and organization

– Controlled terminology can assist in searches– Purchased resources save time

• Evaluation of search results– Just because it is first doesn’t mean it is best


•


• Critical evaluation of information.

• Knowledge of information/publication channels.

• Understanding of the literature of chemistry and related fields.

• Understanding the value of the informational professional.

Critical Skills


Important points to get across

• Critical Thinking/Evaluation of Sources: The old saying, "If it’s in print, it must be true"

has never been true. The same must be said for electronic sources. Pay attention to where you find your information. Who created the database, and for what purpose, is a key.


Web Resources – teach the www’s*

• Always focus on evaluating information gathered from the web.

• Remember students will generally go to the web first.

http://libinfo.uark.edu/webdocs/reference/evalelectronic.pdf

*If you can not determine and communicate with a citation – who (author), what (journal/government document/science fair project/company report/organizational white paper) and when

(copyright date) – don’t use it.


Evaluating Resources on the Web1. What does the URL tell you? Within the US: .com =commercial; .org = organization; .edu = university or

college; .gov = local, state, or US federal. Other countries often add a country extension

2. Who is the author/creator/maintainer of the site? What are his/her credentials? Are his/her qualifications relevant to the subject matter?

3. When was the site last updated?

4. Are the author’s motives discernable? Does the information convey a bias?

5. Does the author substantiate his points with facts or complete references?

6. Does the site have any sponsors? Is it promoting a product.

7. Who is the site’s intended audience?

8. Do the links lead to useful information corroborating the site’s statements, or to they link to other questionable information?

9. Is the site well designed? Is it rife with poor grammar, punctuation or typos?

10. Bottom line: would this site be a useful source for a research paper? Does it present balanced information, or, if not, does it credibly represent a point of view?


COPYRIGHT and Plagiarism• Why teach?

– Photocopy machine is student's best friend – Cut and paste makes plagiarism easy and efficient– Copyright issues are widely misunderstood/ignored

• Teaching points: – What is copyrighted – What is "fair use" – How to obtain permission to use copyrighted materials

• Teaching Tools Available: – "Are You Up to Date On Copyright Issues," Pamphlet from American Chemical

Society, 1995 – "10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained ," WWW at URL:

http://www.clari.net/brad/copymyths.html



• Print versus electronic: Concentrate on the best source of information

rather than focusing on format. The Internet is a great place to look for information but not everything is going to be found online. Print resources can still the best and fastest places to find information though the balance changes regularly and depends on your organizational choices.


Time or Money

• Organized information is easier to find – But it usually has to be paid for.– Open access has advantages, but can you find

the article next year?– Standardized terminology may not be as

current, but it can help weed out unwanted results.


Important points to get across• Information is not free.

Information in the sciences is particularly expensive. The fact that there is an active market for chemical information makes its cost even higher than most of the other sciences. The institutional library provides access for users to many databases at no cost but there is often a high cost to the libraries



• Process: searching for information is a process. It

generally starts with a handbook such as the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics and progresses through other handbooks, databases, and the original literature until an answer, if the answer is known, is found.

That is why we call it research – you search and research and research until you get the answers you need or determine the answers have not yet been found.



• Over 20 million compounds are known to exist. There is no single source which has information

on all compounds and all information on those compounds, in one spot. However, some resources are better than others.

For property information some of the best resources are NOT yet available digitally.


Students Common Assumptions

• Now that I’m a graduate student I will not need to use the library.

• All you need to do in the library is study.

• On-line all the time.

• One search gets everything. – Medline is the best tool.– SciSearch is the only resource you need.– SciFinder will find it ALL.


What do students need to do their assignment?

• Is a primary research article appropriate?• Would a data compilation be better?• Review articles are also good sources for

students new to an area and will lead to primary articles

• Background resources can have excellent articles that help the student learn – encyclopedias and textbooks


Specifics


The Ideal Chemical Information Curriculum Developed by Carol Carr and Arleen Somerville

Undergraduate students

Every undergraduate chemistry major should know that an extensive chemical literature exists e.g. that there are scientific and chemical dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, and data compilations.

Students should learn: – The structure of chemical information

– Electronic search skills

– Basic chemical search skills




The Ideal Chemical Information Curriculum

Developed by Carol Carr and Arleen Somerville

The Structure of Chemical Information The primary mode of published information transfer in

chemistry is the journal article or patent. Chemical Abstracts statistics show that over 80% of the chemical information they include comes from these two types of sources.

Part of earlier workshop located at:http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/hosted/cinf/workshop98aug/why.html© Stanford University Libraries/Academic Information Resources


Primary Literature Evaluation is still the key

• Journals– JACS is not People magazine– Lewis Example

• Patents– US Patent Office http://www.uspto.gov/main/

patents.htm

• Technical Reports/Conference Proceedings/Dissertations


Primary Literature

• Students should know– Different types of articles and journals– Peer-reviewed vs non-peer reviewed– Changes in Scholarly Communication

• Electronic only

• Preprint servers

• Open access


Primary – to whom? Social Sciences and Humanities:

A primary source is firsthand testimony. It is the words of the witnesses or the first recorders of an event. In general, it is created contemporary to the events and include: diaries, letters, manuscripts, archives, speeches, audio recordings, newspaper and magazine articles, photographs, original art, and maps. It also includes books that are firsthand testimony of an event.

http://www.plu.edu/~libr/libinfo/featured.html#item5


Elements of a Research Article

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Experimental Details

• Discussion

• Conclusion

• Citations


Favorite background resources

• Signed articles

• References to primary literature

• Easy to search

• Unique writing style (easy to determine if copied)


Secondary ResourcesBackground

• Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology

• Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

• Merck Index

• Dictionary of Organic Compounds

• Subject specific encyclopedias


Secondary LiteratureData Collections

• Handbooks, Encyclopedias, and Treatises- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics- Beilstein/Gmelin- Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology- Aldrich – Sigma Catalog of Fine Chemicals- NIST WebBook http://webbook.nist.gov/- Knovel (online reference resources)


Secondary LiteratureBibliographic

• Indexes and Abstracts – Chemical Abstracts/SciFinder Scholar– Web of Science– CA Student Edition– General Science Abstracts– Other databases


Secondary LiteratureStructure and Reaction Databases

• SciFinder Scholar

• Beilstein/Gmelin

• Organic Syntheses


Teaching Chemical Information

• Ways to teach– Teaching methods

• Integrated In-class Presentation• Workshop• Short Course• Indepth course• Independent Study

– Suggestions for curriculum– Removing barriers


Workshops• Advantages/disadvantages/considerations

– Examples • STN offerings http://www.cas.org/training/schedule.html

• CAS Online via STN • Structure Searching Using STN Express • Electronic Users Group: A forum for experienced

searchers, Patricia O’Neill and Elaine Goetz, in “The Chemical Information Instructor”, Journal of Chemical Education, 1995, 72, 7, page 604-605.




How to Start*Start with basics

– Many undergraduate students have no information or library skills;

– Many graduate students have limited skills.

* Start on a small-scale– No need to begin with a full-blown program.

* Do best you can with what you have:– Instructor's interest, expertise;

– Resources available at own school.




Fitting it All In• While there are many things which every

chemist should know, you may not have the opportunity to present all of them in your lecture or class

• Even in a full semester chemical information course, you will have to pick and choose what you will cover




How can you cope? • Focus on tools and concepts which fit your

students' current needs. – users remember best what they can apply immediately

• Concentrate on readily available tools – be aware of what's available in the library and in the lab

• Start with the easiest way to solve a problem...then build to the tougher ones. – students appreciate tips and shortcuts.




HINTS FOR PREPARING ASSIGNMENTS • Check to see if the information is still where you think it is -- editions

change! • Recheck your online/web examples each semester or be prepared to ad-lib

when things have changed. • Check your local resources. Is the book available? • Does the number of students fit the number of resources? 100 students

trying to use a single copy of Merck is difficult.

• Plan ahead for reserves, photocopying at the library. • Are the time demands of the exercises appropriate? Give the students a

bail-out point. • Make sure the library is open when students need to use the materials.




An Ideal - Basic Chemistry

Students would learn – How to use handbooks (paper and electronic).– About registry numbers.– How to use web resources to find registry

numbers.– To critically review data sources for accuracy.


Assignments to support these goals– Find registry numbers and properties for

compounds when writing a lab report.– Use at least two handbooks for determining

unknowns identities. See the Stanford web site for an example. http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/chem130/chem130.html

– Explain differences in the observed vs. recorded physical properties of the unknown.

• Determine which set of data between two sources, is the “best” .

An Ideal - Basic Chemistry


An Ideal - Basic ChemistryTools needed to support goals

– Basic print or electronic handbooks• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics

• Chapman and Hall Dictionary of ...

• Aldrich Catalog

• Merck Index (print or online)

– Common name to registry number sources including web sites.


An Ideal - Organic Chemistry

Students would learn– How to use general and basic science

indexing, abstracting, and full-text tools.– About the major tools in organic synthesis.– The different naming conventions


An Ideal - Organic ChemistryAssignments to support goals

– Look up specific articles prior to each laboratory. • Start with a citation to an on-line full-text journal article for extra

reading.

• Provide the Organic Reactions citation to support a reaction laboratory.

– Require the IUPAC names and CAS RN in write ups.– Compare the chosen procedure to one recommended in Organic

Synthesis– Require a formal paper, poster or presentation with a

individually graded bibliography.


An Ideal - Organic ChemistryAdditional tools to support goals

– General Science Abstracts OR Basic BIOSIS– CAStudent Edition OR SciFinder Scholar – On-line full-text journals– Organic Synthesis, Organic Reactions,

Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Dictionary of Organic Compounds….


An Ideal - Specialty Courses

• Advanced Organic Chemistry

• Physical Chemistry

• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

• Instrumental Analysis

• Analytical Chemistry


An Ideal - Specialty CoursesStudents will learn

– How to use specialty tools.• Physical property databases (print and online)• Spectral resources.• Annual reviews.

– Move to more advanced subject databases• How to formulate a search query.• How to use registry numbers for searching.

– Learn patent basics.


An Ideal - Specialty CoursesAssignments needed to support goals

– Purify a common solvent with a procedure found in Purification of laboratory chemicals.

– Compare the cost of purchasing a reagent to the cost of preparing it.

– Find out what company holds a patent on the industrial production of specific chemicals.

– Use thermodynamic properties to identify an unknown.– Find a review article for a lab project.


An Ideal - Specialty CoursesAdditional tools needed to support goals

– Beilstein– Gmelin– CA Student Edition OR SciFinder Scholar– Print or electronic spectral resources.– Purification of Laboratory Chemicals – Annual reviews in….– Buyers guides or chemical catalogs


An Ideal - Undergraduate Research

Students would learn– How to search the full Chemical Abstracts and other

major indexes.– How to integrate information from various resources

to prepare a research proposal.– How to report research results.

• To a peer reviewed journal.

• As a poster session at an ACS meeting.

• As a seminar.



Assignments to support goals– All research projects must include a CA / Medline /

BIOSIS / INSPEC search(es) as appropriate for the research topic.

– A checklist of literature tools must be completed for each research assignment.

– All written or oral presentations must include a bibliography.

– Require a consultation with a librarian.



• Additional tools needed to support goals– Student access to major indexes and abstracts.– An professor / librarian who can teach on-line

searching and serve as a consultant to the students.

– Faculty willingness to consider literature research a part of the final grade.


Overcoming barriers• Faculty lack time to develop teaching program

* Assign responsibility for teaching or coordination of information instruction

* Faculty who support and actively incorporate information instruction into their courses need to more actively influence their colleagues and librarians.

* Active outreach by librarians to discuss educational benefits of information instruction and to inform about information sources available.

* Faculty can also seek out librarians to work with for information instruction.




Overcoming barriers• Faculty lack time to stay up-to-date, etc.

* Faculty can subscribe to the Chemical Information Listserv. A digest version is available.

* Information professionals, vendors, and database producers need to provide effective teaching materials at reasonable cost, publicize their availability, and make them readily available.

* Organizations such as the ACS Divisions of Chemical Information and Chemical Education can aid faculty in staying up-to-date by holding workshops at national, regional, and local ACS meetings.




Overcoming barriers• Faculty lack the time and expertise to teach

chemical information.

* Identify guest lecturers beyond own school:• chemical information specialists from other

schools, nearby industries.

• information consultants.

• vendor and publisher representatives.




Overcoming barriers• Lack funds:

* Control cost of online computer searching:• searches approved by instructor/librarian;

• instructor/librarian present during search;

• limit to specific assignment;

• use software which identifies searcher.

* Use sample issues for demos.

*Acquire test/sample CDs, etc. for demos.

* Request “training access”




Overcoming barriersLack major information resources on site

* Use inexpensive versions of databases:

* Draw on resources available at nearby schools and other organizations, if possible.

* Purchase one or two volumes of major treatises such as Gmelin and Beilstein that cover topics of interest to the course professors and make all assignments on that material. Tell students where the complete work would be available.

* Strive to gain access to most important sources, if not all that are optimal.

* Monitor expansion of sources on Internet.




Overcoming barriers• Have CPT enforce the information

guidelines.

• Make CAS Student Edition available as a per search database.

• Have ACS subsidize chemical information resources for certified chemical information course work.




Teaching Aids

• Cheap Tricks

• Sources for practice questions

• Teaching Aids


What tools are a must?


What products can I afford?

• Reference

• Primary

• Secondary


Reference Resources• AccessScience (McGraw Hill)

– through BCR– discount based on program

• Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (CRC)– direct from publisher– discount based on undergraduate status

• knovel– Free resources

• Kirk-Othmer and other encyclopedias (Wiley)– direct from publisher– discount based on program


Electronic Archives• American Physical Society http://publish.aps.org/

– All APS titles after 5 years~$400 for smaller schools– Access to the SPIN database

• JStor http://www.jstor.org/

– A multidisciplinary tool – American Mathematical Society archives are a part of Arts and

Sciences Collection I– Philosophical Transactions (of the The Royal Society) starting in

1665 can be used for historical purposes on topics like the acceptance of Darwin’s theories (part of General Science Collection)


Electronic Archives

• Free archives such as HighWire http://highwire.stanford.edu/

• ACS– Must have if moving to electronic only

subscription– Access to all of the ACS titles after current

period


Electronic Reviews• Annual Review Inc http://www.annualreviews.org/index.asp

– Electronic access for individual titles approximately $10-$45 in addition to print for current 5 years

– Site license available

– Most titles are in EBSCOHost Academic Search Premier with a 1 year embargo


Indexing and Abstracting • OCLC FirstSearch

– BasicBiosis, per search option– General Science Abstracts, multidisciplinary, includes all ACS

journals– Medline also available

• EBSCOhost– Academic Search Premier

• Over 4000 journals full text. • Deep back file for some titles• Many good science titles

• Consortium pricing


Chemical Abstracts options

• CAStudent Edition– Subset of CA focused towards undergraduate

curriculum

– OCLC FirstSearch

– Academic discounts


Chemical Abstracts options• STNEasy

– Good interface for easy searches• Author

• General subject

– Doesn’t need a chemistry expert to use– Academic discount makes searching affordable

BUT– Compound searching awkward and expensive– After 5 pm only– Per answer pricing means the cost is unpredictable


Chemical Abstracts options• STNWeb

– Academic discount makes it affordable for selected population

– No special hardware or software needed

BUT– Command driven– Takes time to learn and teach– Minimum of 4 hours instruction time


Chemical Abstracts Options

• SciFinder Scholar– Package deals– Small school programs– Multiple school programs

Documents

Patricia Kirkwood – University of Arkansas Teaching Chemical Information Division of Chemical Information American Chemical Society BCCE 2006