Writing Across the Curriculum is an increasingly desirable goal in higher education due to the increases in learning gains demonstrated in numerous studies. In addition, using writing in the classroom gives students the opportunity to improve writing skills useful in their future careers, to express diverse viewpoints in a safe setting, and to gain more understanding of the impact of chemistry on social issues, and on communities around the world. The challenge for chemistry educators to integrate writing in our classrooms is that most of us have not been trained to teach or evaluate writing.  I present a successful strategy for guiding students through the process of researching, drafting, and editing a persuasive essay on chemistry-related topics.  This method can be used with introductory through senior chemistry majors, and can be modified as needed to fit different class sizes.

Essay writing in the chemistry classroom to enhance learning, promote diverse viewpoints, and raise awareness of social issues affected by chemistry

247th National Meeting (2014)

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