Initial Course Survey Comments

I finally had the chance to go through the surveys everyone filled out the first day of class. I read each and every one of them and here are some of the more interesting facts/comments I took from them:

The first question asked the grade you earned in 121/122 and what you expected to earn in 123. 39 students tested out of both 121 and 122 (by EM credit or AP credit. To be honest I'm not sure what the difference is between the two) and 32 students tested out of 121 and then went on to take 122 here.

On thing that always stands out to me in asking this question is that some students will earn a C- in 121, a D+ in 122, then expect to earn an A in 123. I don't really want to put anyone down, but I do not think that is a realistic expectation. Chemistry 123 builds off both courses and there is information from each that you will need to apply in this course. For instance, in this last section of Chapter 17 and the titration lab there are several concepts we applied from chapter 4 as well as equilibrium expression discussed in chapter 14 and at the beginning of chapter 17. Almost concept we discuss in this class builds off of something else and I will do my best to highlight what you need to review from previous quarters.

The next question I asked is how many hours per week you plan to study. Some people try to come up with this magical formula of how many hours outside the classroom you should study for every hour inside the classroom. I don't really buy into this theory because every student is different. It's also really not how much you study, but it's the quality of studying that matters. If you read Chapter 17 of the text and don't understand a thing you read after reading the chapter, that doesn't count as your time of "studying." I would start by performing the old exam questions that are posted on Carmen. After you do all those problems and get a feel for the content of them, then go read the text. Things will make much more sense if you have a grasp of the material when you are reading.

One last thing I will say is that if you put down an A as your expected grade, I would think that you will have to devote more than 5 hours a week towards studying.

Med school and Pre-med is the most common response to the career plan question. Remember that medical schools will look highly upon the grade you earn in general chemistry (and organic chemistry) and whether you plan on going to med school, dental school, optometry school, pharmacy school, etc. all of these professional schools have a large portion of their standardized exams devoted to general chemistry. All of the questions you will see on these exams are considered to be "trick" questions to most students, which will not test you on your ability to regurgitate knowledge, but will test you on whether or not you know the concepts asked in the questions inside and out. So keep that in mind if you are planning on taking one of these exams.

I have a fantastic list of songs to play before class based on your responses. I try to play a wide selection of music before class, but I will definitely be biased towards country and rap, which are my favorites. Here is a list of what I enjoy...

Favorite Songs: Anything country especially Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley. I'm starting to take a liking to rap a little more these days and nothing gets me fired up more than listening to the Ohio State marching band.

Favorite TV Shows: Anything ESPN: SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, Pardon the Interuption, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, The Office, House, Seinfeld, and Everybody Loves Raymond.

Favorite Movies: The Hangover, Wedding Crashers, Fever Pitch, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting, and Mona Lisa Smile.

I played a clip of House during class the other day and I am definitely looking to add others if they fit in well. If you have a movie quote or clip that you think would be a great fit to play in class please let me know. I would LOVE to somehow include a movie like The Hangover or Wedding Crashers somehow.

Here are my replies to some of your comments. The student comments are in bold.

I've heard you are challenging but fair in your exams and quizzes.
My quizzes will basically test your understanding of the homework problems. I like to give you a set of problems to focus on and I will pull questions from that set. I could also give you a problem I highlight in lecture. There won't be anything too out of the ordinary, but every once in a while I do like to push the envelope and ask you a problem that you have never seen before. Remember, to be a good chemist you need to solve problems, not memorizing information.

I've heard tons of rumors from it's an easy A to a tough C
This really depends on who you talk to. I don't know many students who would consider any gen chem class as an "easy A." Remember that C is average and that based on what how the general chemistry department assigns the grades, a large portion of you will earn a C.

I've hear some scary things about Chem 123. I often hear it referred to as a "weed out" class and know several people who changed their major because of it.
Keep in mind that chemistry is the “central science” and many majors require students to take general chemistry to ensure that students in their field meet a certain standard of excellence. You may have heard this referred to as a weed out process, but we need our doctors and engineers to be the best of the best. As a student in the sciences you will not only be competing against the top students in this country, but also around the world.

Heard this class was easier than 122, but not an "easy A." There was nothing I really enjoyed from the previous classes except for the demonstrations.
I'm not really sure why students say 123 is "easier" than 122, except for the fact that 122 is almost all mathematical problems. 123 s a mix of math problems and also some conceptual work. If you are not exceptional at math you probably did not like 122 at all. At least that is my guess. I also hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I typically do not do any demonstrations at all. I just feel they are there for entertainment purposes. Remember, I am not here to entertain you. I am here to teach you. If I really felt students learned a lot from demos I would perform more of them, but I think that in the long run you are better served as a student to see more example problems than demos. I will try my best to throw a joke or say something obscenely stupid from time to time to keep you on your toes :)

Like all the general chemistry classes here at OSU, the rumors I've heard about 123 aren't the greatest. I've heard most people do poorly with 1 or 2 A's.
Here is the breakdown from last winter's class of 221 students:

12 A (5.4%)
19 A- (8.5%)
26 B+ (11.8%)
22 B (9.9%)
29 B- (13.1%)
18 C+ (8.1%)
36 C (16.2%)
27 C- (12.2%)
9 D+ (4.0%)
8 D (3.6%)
15 E (6.8%)

The grade distribution is based on a formula devised by the general chemistry department and will be assessed to your final grade (out of 1000 points).

Labs were pointless and mind numbing
I'm really hoping to change this opinion of the labs. I know the first one was a little rough around the edges, but Exp #25 has been cut down considerably to open up more time to UNDERSTAND the concepts in the labs as you go along. This means you will be preforming questions in the lab setting and completing on-line report questions. I am also excited to have everyone perform the solar cell lab, which will hopefully show you what it's like to tie various general chemistry concepts together in a practical manner.

I am really looking forward to this class and heard you were a great teacher.
I hope this one is not a rumor. I am really passionate about what I do and I hope I can portray that attitude throughout the quarter. I hope we can really improve the labs and have you learn from them, and more importantly you will learn while you are doing them.

Please also know that the only way to improve the labs is to have constructive comments from the students. I am here to work for you and I always try to keep the students first. I hope to teach you a great deal of information and I really hope that you can learn information in this class that you can take with you the rest of your life. I might try to change things up from time to time, and I know that change doesn't go over well, but I am doing it with your best interests in mind. I am not out to get you and I will do anything to work with you. I am really looking forward to this quarter and I can't wait to get started.

I will see everyone in class on Wed, Dr. Fus