CHEM120

Week 1 Discussion: Scientific Method and Atomic Structure

Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 1 and 2
• Lesson
• Minimum of 1 scholarly source

EBOOK: Bauer, R. C., Birk, J. P., & Marks, P. (2019). Introduction to chemistry. New York, NY:

Initial Post Instructions
The Discussions in this course are set up to deepen your understanding of the material as you make real-world connections and employ creative thinking. To get the most from these discussions, full engagement is expected on the part of the student. Be sure to stop by the discussion section frequently, not only to post but to read the postings of your peers and instructor. Engaging with your peers and learning together is key to this experience. For your initial post, choose one of the options below:

Option 1:
We will begin this topic by practicing the use of the scientific method. The steps of the scientific method are observation, hypothesis, experiment, results, and theory. Using your understanding of the scientific method from your readings and lessons, you will be applying this knowledge to a real-world situation. Take a real-world scenario in the news, or another outside source and apply the scientific method, being sure to detail the controls on your experiment.  Describe a result that would confirm your hypothesis.

Option 2:
Choose a scientific paper written in the last year.  The Chamberlain library is a great source for this.  For your chosen paper, look into the study and discuss how the scientific method was used in this paper.  Be sure to note they hypothesis, variables, results, etc.  Based on your understanding of the scientific method, be sure to discuss if you find this paper a trustworthy source and why.CHEM

Writing Requirements

• Minimum of 2 sources cited (assigned readings/online lessons and an outside source)
• APA format for in-text citations and list of references

Criteria

Initial Post Content: Addresses all aspects of the initial discussion question(s), applying experiences, knowledge, and understanding regarding all weekly concepts.

Evidence & Sources: Integrates evidence to support discussion from assigned readings** OR online lessons, AND at least one outside scholarly source.*** Sources are credited.*

Professional Communication: Presents information using clear and concise language in an organized manner (minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

Notes

Credited means stating where the information came from (specific article, text, or lesson). Examples: our text discusses…., The information from our lesson states…, Smith (2010) claimed that…, Mary Manners (personal communication, November 2017)…

**Assigned readings are those listed on the syllabus or assignments page as required reading. This may include text readings, required articles, or required websites.

***Scholarly source – per APA Guidelines, only scholarly sources should be used in assignments. These include peer-reviewed publications, government reports, or sources written by a professional or scholar in the field. Wikipedia, Wikis, .com websites, or blogs should not be used as anyone can add information to these sites. For the discussions, reputable internet sources such as websites by government agencies (.gov) and respected organizations (.org) can be counted as scholarly sources. Outside sources do not include assigned required readings.