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CHEM112/116: General Chemistry I Lecture & Lab: Start Here

Search Advice

Finding Search Terms/Keywords

Examine the lab brief.  This is a great place to get search terms.  

Think about your knowledge of the lab topic. 

  • What were you attempting to prove or demonstrate?  What was the purpose of the experiment?
    • The main purpose of the lab is what you are trying to find articles on
  • What were you measuring? 
    • This is also something you are trying to find articles on.
    • How you measured is not important, don't use your method for collecting data as a search term.
  • What are your variables?
    • You want information on how these substances behave under different conditions so even basic information about them will help.
    • Search for these variables together and individually

Selecting articles

  1. Start with the journals on the list in the ACS Journals box. These are good journals to start your chemistry research.  You won't need the more specialized titles within ACS Publications.
  2. It is unlikely there will be an article that replicates the lab experiment.  Be open minded and realize that several articles may be necessary to cover what you did in lab.
  • Look at articles that contain your variables as well as additional ones
  • Look for industry applications of the same reaction ex: wastewater treatment using sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid
  1. Don't only search for all of the variables and the reaction together.  Do one substance at a time with the reaction name.
  2. Search just the reaction name, see what substances they use, how is their reaction similar or different?  Differences are just as useful as similarities.
  3. Look at the graphs and figures, examine the charted data and caption, think about how it might relate to the data you gathered.
  4. Don't turn away basic information on a substance or a reaction, even if it doesn't get used, it is helpful in understanding the big picture.

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