Who's That Scientist? A Scientist Report Writing Assignment for General Chemistry Students

How often do students get to delve deeper into the lives of the scientists that are typically mentioned in a general chemistry class? Most of the time, the scientist's name is mentioned, and then their scientific contribution becomes the main topic of discussion. A Scientist Report writing assignment has been used in a General Chemistry I course to allow each student to become more familiar with one of the scientists typically mentioned during the semester. Students choose a scientist and write a paper about the scientist's life and scientific contributions, as well as other relevant historical aspects. There are a variety of sources that can be used to find the necessary information. Therefore, students encounter different search engines and research databases. The papers meet eligibility requirements for a campus-wide library research award presented each year at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC). In this paper, the assignment layout is discussed as well as the scientists available to be chosen by students.