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ACE Writing 2
Professor Johnson
May 9, 2018
PERIODIC PRACTICES 2
Abstract
Within the science discourse community, there are several prevalent disciplines. Chemistry is a
discipline within the community and is observed to contain a set of literacy practices that make it
distinctive from other discourses in other areas of study. To distinctively recognize the literacy
practices of chemistry in the academia, lectures at university level were observed, personal
interviews from post-doctoral professors were conducted along with the analyzation of relevant
journals made by researchers within the field of chemistry. Through analysis of the several
sources it could be concluded that objectivity, collaboration and deductive methodology are the
literacy practices that are honored and distinguish the discipline of chemistry.
interview
PERIODIC PRACTICES 3
that make the discourse distinct from other communities. The sub-disciplinary area of the
science discourse, chemistry utilizes distinctive conventions called literacy practices. Literacy
practices are what help distinguish discourse communities and their disciplines, the practices are
the framework to which these discourses revolve around. Understanding the practices, allows for
better assessment to the overall function of a discourse, such as for students when considering
chemistry in the academia. Through observations gathered as a general chemistry student at the
undergraduate level, and analyzing scientific journals relevant to the field, I have become aware
of the expectations and conventions used by professors in the chemistry department. I have come
to understand the overall values that framework chemistry in the academia and its expectations
for students. The conventions of a chemistry class reflect objectivity, collaboration and deductive
methodology. These literacy practices can be seen across a multitude of platforms across the
discipline: within the classroom, from professors and within researcher’s journals and reflect the
Objectivity is a practice that many professors in the chemistry community strive for. The
materials presented in lecture are purely objective, and are solely based on the information that is
already prevalent in the field. I have observed within my general chemistry class, chemistry 1C,
that concepts and theories made by credible chemist, are valued and amplified throughout
lecture. The chemists are mentioned only to be given credit for establishing a concept or theory,
but what is truly valued is the concept or theory itself. The person is thus, detached from the
concept when presented in class, so that the lecture mainly focuses on the concept itself. My
professor makes it so she induces no bias when lecturing. She does so by, obtaining material
PERIODIC PRACTICES 4
from several textbooks relating to the concept being lectured, so that concepts are easily
attainable to students (B. Kunkel, personal interview). The concepts reflect information from the
8th edition Chemical Principles textbook. From observation what is said during lecture almost
completely corresponds with what the text book says. The information within the text book has
been established for several years, and utilizing the book as a structure for class minimalizes the
personal input that a professor may feel towards a concept or theory. The lecture is then
completely objective, by presenting the material how it is established, and works towards
outlining concepts, and presenting quantitative and qualitative relationships between them.
Objectivity can be seen in the field of chemistry as well, when researchers report their
findings in journals. The researchers must remain completely objective, so that these newly
formed ideas seem factual and unbiased, or seemingly altered where they may be assumed as
false. Researchers do so by using passive voice, which omits inputting themselves from the
scientific journal. Charles Marzzacco and Clayton Baum (2011), use passive voice when
discussing VSEPR models in their scientific journal article, “Computational Chemistry Studies
on the Carbene Hydroxymethylene,” stating, “The predicted bond lengths and bond angles
resulting from density functional theory are in excellent agreement with those using the coupled-
cluster method” (pg.1670). The researchers remove themselves from this statement to make it
sound more credible, as well as to amplify the importance of the concept itself, and less about the
researchers making these discoveries. The researchers could have instead stated, “the bond
lengths we predicted and bond angles…”, but as soon as an active voice is used the writing is
now subjective, and doesn’t coincide with the literacy practices of chemistry. When the writing
is subjective, the research seems more about the researchers’ accomplishments rather than the
topic of chemistry. The use of passive voice is seen in other chemistry journals as well, such as
PERIODIC PRACTICES 5
in the chemists Kunkel, Peoples, Yung and Scott (2011) did in their journal article “Catalyzed
the researchers remove themselves from the actual findings to amplify the concept. The same is
done with students during the lab portion of the chemistry class; discussions are required to be
passive, and the students are asked to remove themselves from the experimentation, and solely
Another practice of chemistry along with objectivity, is the collaboration efforts evoked
across the field. Chemistry is a collaborative field of study, and is a practice largely present in
the lecture hall, as well as in the lab. Students collaborate with one another to solve in class
iclicker questions, to generate a better sense of understanding, and how to work with others. My
professor insists that with the use of iclicker questions, students can engage in discussion and
better understand concepts. Students are able to see different perspectives and also see if they are
able to explain the concept (B. Kunkel, personal interview). Students are often encouraged to
work together and teach each other topics to help retain the concepts learned in lecture. I have
observed such collaborative efforts throughout lecture as well as in tutorial groups for chemistry,
which encourage group work when problem solving. In the introduction prior to the scientific
article, Marzzacco and Baum (2011) say that exercises in which students work together using
computational chemistry methods gives them better understandings of bonding as well as other
topics relating to VSEPR (pg.1667). Collaboration is more evident in the lab portion of
chemistry where it is mandatory that you have a lab partner, which enforces the collaborative
practice that is crucial to the discipline of chemistry. Physical and computational mistakes are
lessened through collaboration, and it allows for better analytical understanding of the concepts
PERIODIC PRACTICES 6
as well. In almost all practices of work relating to chemistry there is almost always a
collaborative effort, such as within the journals previously mentioned. The process of publishing
and creating a journal requires collaboration amongst chemists. . There are almost always at least
two chemists responsible for a journal on a topic of chemistry. Collaborating on research projects
allows a lower risk factor for error, and establishes more credibility when appealing to a
scientific audience. A journal can sometimes seem more factual, and have less room for bias
when there are a multitude of contributors. Thus, the use of collaborative efforts is an important
practice to consider for researchers and students alike in the discipline of chemistry.
methodology. Deductive methods are methods used to gain insight on an object starting from a
macro more general level, and deducing it to a micro level where already formed ideas are
revisited and rethought of (Merriam Webster Dictionary). Through my time spent in class, I
observed a cyclitic structure in which the information was presented, that can be described best
as deductive. For example, a topic presented in lecture such as solutions. The solution is first
broadly explained, examining the various components that make up a solution, and then broken
down as a solute and solvent. The concept is then broken down farther to describe its properties
of boiling point and osmotic pressure, which then is taken down a step further and we discuss
how we find these certain measurements. The concept is then turned to the students through a
given problem that is worked through using the methods that were just taught, to get an answer
(L. Larios, personal lecture notes). The professor uses this methodology to run the course, she
says that usually a concept will be explained, and then decides the number of examples she’ll do
with the class before turning it to the students, and by turning it to the students, she is able to see
whether a concept needs to be revisited (B. Kunkel, personal interview). The presentation of
PERIODIC PRACTICES 7
knowledge in this manner allows for students to better attain information and has improved the
overall frequency of obtaining the correct answer, during tests and iclicker questions. Based off
in class observations, the deductive method allows for a better flow and presentation of
knowledge throughout the lecture, and is what is utilized in the field of chemistry regularly.
experiments are given to which already have a definite conclusion to it so, there are no further
deductive method, as seen in the journal of Marzzacco and Baum (2011). The structures of their
journal goes deductively; it begins with an introduction, then the structure of the compound
transition state and the results are summarized (pg.1667-1670). The new findings are all based on
previous theories that were being rethought about, and similar structures are seen amongst
different chemistry journals. Kunkel et al. (2011) go through a similar process in their journal.
The introduction about the properties of the clay are presented, information that is already
known, to which then experimental and newly found information is presented, and then is
concluded and discussed (pg.1075-1079). Further, more chemists doing research often time also
think inductively and must create new theories because of experimentation, but this is only done
at the research level of chemistry, and as far as general chemistry students are only first required
chemistry such as is the framework for the discipline in its academic discourse.
Overall the chemistry disciplinary area of the scientific discourse community, involves a
set of literacy practices that make it distinct from other areas. Objectivity is valued across the
discipline within, the academia as a way of presenting concepts without being subjective or
PERIODIC PRACTICES 8
biased, and in the journals of scientists from the field of study. The discipline of chemistry
evokes collaborative efforts to be taken inside and outside of the academic classroom and is
valued by professors and researchers alike. A deductive methodology is what structures the basis
of the discipline in the academia by giving professors a general structure to present information.
Researchers utilized this method to infer new discoveries, and allows them to conclude results
from experimentation through a deductive process. These components are the literacy practices
which distinguish the sub-disciplinary field of chemistry, within the scientific discourse
community, from other discourses. Following the practices which compose the discipline can
allow for better comprehension and assessment of knowledge from the discipline by students,
References
webster.com/dictionary/deductive method
Kunkel, B., Peoples, B., Yung, C., & Scott, S. (2011). Clay‐catalyzed cracking leads to
Kunkel, B. (2018, April 23). Properties of Solutions. Addressed at the College of Letters and
Science University of California, Santa Barbara, CA. Retrieved from Larios, L. Lecture
Notes.
Marzzacco, Charles J., & Baum, J. Clayton. (2011). computational chemistry studies on the