Teaching organic chemistry unquestionably involves the delivery of information, but we value �showing� in addition to �telling� for promoting mastery mentality, which inspires students to make their own conclusions and begin to ask their own questions.  More than 10 years ago we made our initial shift of spectroscopy from the end to the middle of the first semester.  Our experience shows that students have a better mastery of the theory and application of spectroscopy.  The better understanding of the structure determination tools facilitated student understanding of the function of molecules within the context of mechanisms and reactions. Introducing NMR and other forms of spectroscopy at the very beginning of the first-semester organic chemistry curriculum affords several further pedagogical advantages by expanding the depth of course content, reinforcing foundational concepts with experimental evidence, and setting immediate expectations for learning with material that is entirely new for the typical organic chemistry student.  NMR and IR spectroscopy, which appear in the middle of most organic chemistry textbooks, provide data that support foundational ideas like resonance, hydrogen bonding, conformational preferences, and acid-base exchange that are often taught in the first few weeks of organic chemistry.  We maintain that students can become better learners when they draw conclusions from experimental evidence and learn how to think like a scientist.

�Spectroscopy first� as evidence-based teaching in organic chemistry

247th National Meeting (2014)

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