{"data":[{"id":22,"title":"Introductory Chemistry","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2011,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"David W. Ball of Cleveland State University brings his new survey of general chemistry text, Introductory Chemistry, to the market with a fresh theme that will be sure to hold student interest: \"Chemistry is Everywhere.\" Introductory Chemistry is intended for a one-semester introductory or preparatory chemistry course. Throughout the chapters, David presents two features that reinforce the theme of the textbook, that chemistry is everywhere. The first is the boxed feature titled, appropriately, ”Chemistry is Everywhere“. This feature takes a topic of the chapter and demonstrates how this topic shows up in everyday life. In the introductory chapter, ”Chemistry is Everywhere“ focuses on the personal hygiene products that students may use every morning: toothpaste, soap, shampoo among others. These products are chemicals, aren't they? This book explores some of the chemical reactions like the ones that give students clean and healthy teeth, and shiny hair. This feature makes it clear to students that chemistry is, indeed, everywhere, and it will promote student retention in what is sometimes considered an intimidating course. The second boxed feature focuses on chemistry that students likely indulge in every day: eating and drinking. In the ”Food and Drink App“, David discusses how the chemistry of the chapter applies to things that students eat and drink every day. Carbonated beverages depend on the behavior of gases, foods contain acids and bases, and everyone actually eats certain rocks. (Yikes!) Cooking, eating, drinking, metabolism — all chemical processes students are involved with all the time. These features allow students to see the things we interact with every day in a new light — as chemistry. Just like many of the one-semester chemistry books you may be used to, each section in David Ball's starts with one or more Learning Objectives, which list the main points of the section. Each section ends with Key Takeaways, which are reviews of the main points of the section. Each chapter is full of examples to illustrate the key points of the materials, and each example is followed with a similar ”Test Yourself“ exercise to see if the student understands the concept. Each section ends with its own set of paired exercises to practice the material from that section, and each chapter ends with a section of ”Additional Exercises“ that are more challenging or require multiple steps or skills to answer. David took the time to treat mathematical problems in Introductory Chemistry one of two ways, either as a conversion-factor problem or as a formula problem. David believes having two basic mathematical approaches (converting and formulas) allows the text to focus on the logic of the approach and not tricks or shortcuts; which speaks to the final point about Introductory Chemistry. You'll notice that David took no shortcuts with the material in this text, his inviting writing style, concise approach, consistent presentation, and interesting pedagogy have given it some of the best peer reviews we've seen at Flat World. So, order a desk copy or dive in now to see for yourself.","contributors":[{"id":2565,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"David","middle_name":"W.","last_name":"Ball","location":"Cleveland State University","background_text":"Dr. David W. Ball is a professor of chemistry at Cleveland State University in Ohio. He earned his PhD from Rice University in Houston, Texas. His specialty is physical chemistry, which he teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels. About 50 percent of his teaching is in general chemistry: chemistry for nonscience majors, GOB, and general chemistry for science and engineering majors. In addition to this text, he is the author of a math review book for general chemistry students, a physical chemistry textbook with accompanying student and instructor solutions manuals, and two books on spectroscopy (published by SPIE Press). He is coauthor of a general chemistry textbook (with Dan Reger and Scott Goode), whose third edition was published in January 2009. His publication list has over 180 items, roughly evenly distributed between research papers and articles of educational interest."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":81,"url":"http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introductory%20Chemistry.pdf","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:37.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:37.000-05:00","name":"Saylor Foundation"}],"formats":[{"id":272,"type":"PDF","url":"http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introductory%20Chemistry.pdf","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":273,"type":"Online","url":"https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_introductory-chemistry/","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4","textbook_reviews_count":19,"reviews":[{"id":70,"first_name":"Hugh","last_name":"Cartwright","position":"Sessional Lecturer","institution_name":"University of Victoria and at Camosun","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I should start by making clear that I reviewed the text in hardcopy form. A quick check suggests that the hardcopy version, the pdf version and the docx are similar, or perhaps identical, but there may be differences between the versions that I have not noted. All comments from this point on in the review relate only to the hardcopy version I was sent. 1. All but one of the areas that I would expect to see are covered in the text. The one exception is kinetics, which appears in the majority of introductory chemistry courses in Canada, and all the introductory chemistry textbooks that I am familiar with. There's a good reason for this - it's an important topic! The omission of kinetics cannot be justified on grounds of difficulty: in my experience students find kinetics more straightforward and interesting than some other areas, such as thermochemistry. Nor is kinetics peripheral; it is central to both chemistry and related subjects such as biochemistry. I think it is a mistake to leave out kinetics, and though some instructors may adopt the text despite the lack of kinetics, and construct a course around the material that is there, others will feel the topic coverage is incomplete and look elsewhere for a text. 2. The coverage of remaining topics is satisfactory. The text as a whole is at a low level, and would not be well suited to anything other than a basic chemistry course at school, College or University. This would mean that it would not be chosen for many 1st year University courses that cater for students aiming to be science majors. Nevertheless, many institutions provide courses for students with almost no prior knowledge of chemistry, and this might prove to be a suitable text for such courses. 3. I was disappointed not to find a Chapter list. It would be a simple matter to prepare a 2-3 page list of chapters and section headings; this would provide an immediate indication of topic coverage. 4. Similarly, a glossary would be useful. A first iteration at a glossary could be prepared by selecting each term that has been introduced in bold face in the text and then either redefining it in the glossary, or even cutting and pasting the definition given in the text. Whether definitions are created afresh or merely copied from the text, a glossary should be added. 5. The lack of an index was disappointing, since, with neither an index nor a chapter list, it is difficult to quickly locate an earlier point in the text to check on previous topics. If the text is to be updated frequently, maintaining an index may be non-trivial. Were I using this text in my teaching, a properly maintained chapter list would be an adequate substitute for an index, but to have neither is a disadvantage.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"There are numerous errors in the text, most of them minor typos, mistakes in the numbering of questions, or formatting problems; these should all be fairly trivial to correct. A list of those I've spotted with be sent separately. There are occasional factual errors, but these too should be quite straightforward to remedy. I was not aware of any bias in the text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Almost all the material in the text is \"old\", well-established chemistry. There is little likelihood that this material will become dated in the near future. The main area in which obsolescence is a possibility is the use of examples from current life to illustrate chemical principles. It will be necessary occasionally to check that the material about additives in foods, as a typical example, is still up-to-date, but these nuggets of \"real-life chemistry\" form a small (and useful) portion of the whole, so checking and, if necessary, updating should not be too onerous.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The style adopted is appropriate throughout, providing a good balance between the need to define chemical principles accurately and the desirability of engaging students with a relaxed, slightly chatty approach. New terms are defined when introduced and most explanations are clear and lucid.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"There are a few examples, noted in the list that I will supply separately, in which the structure of the discussion, or the use of a term, varies. However, the overall structure of the book itself is consistent and the number of occasions in which a term","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"In my view, the text is too \"bitty\", being broken into large numbers of small sections in which new topics are introduced and then immediately tested. On the face of it this use of very brief sections seems reasonable. However, I fear that students will learn one small piece of chemistry in just a few minutes, test themselves on it, conclude that they understand it and move on to the next topic at once. A degree of reflection is essential if one is to fully understand new material, and the format of this text does not encourage that reflection sufficiently. The approach chosen has a very short \"horizon\"; I believe there is a danger that the frequent exercises and problems may give students an unrealistic view of how well they have understood the material. This is a tricky issue. Students may find the approach attractive, since new topics are presented in such easily digested bites. I found the short sections very digestible, and I think students will too. I worry about how long the new knowledge will persist though. The author may argue that the end of chapter questions address this, bringing together questions that cover the whole chapter. However, including end of chapter problems does not improve learning, only shows the extent of it. Perhaps my unease is because I have never taught a course that depends upon a text in which new material is so rapidly followed by test-yourself questions. Most texts include plenty of examples of course, but a much smaller number of in-text problems. I'm afraid that I do not know of studies that have looked at this question of how the sections might best be divided, so my concerns may be unfounded. Some of the other reviewers may be more expert in this area and therefore better able to address this. The text is no more self-referential than any first year chemistry text. It would be hard to reorganise the sequence of individual sections of many chapters, since much of the material within a chapter flows logically from simple to more advanced. However, each chapter is largely self-contained, and it would be simple to adjust the order in which some of the chapters are used.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Apart from a small number of issues noted in my comments supplied separately, I thought the text was very clear.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"In numerous places in the text a figure is referred to, but not present. Hyperlinks exist for some of these, but not all. There are also a few minor matters relating to images in the list of corrections to be submitted. Since I was using a hardcopy I had no navigation issues...","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The number of grammatical errors is small, though the number of necessary corrections to the text arising from, for example, one word being run into another, is large. These corrections are noted on the list to be supplied separately.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No issues of note here.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I enjoyed reading this text; there is much to recommend it. The style is relaxed and chatty without being trite or unscientific, the examples and the questions are generally well-chosen, and the number of questions is more than enough for students to fully test their understanding. My reservations can be summed up as follows: 1. There are many corrections, nearly all of them minor, that should be made before the text is released to the academic community at large. 2. I am uneasy about the speed with which questions follow the introduction of a new topic. This may diminish the time students spend reflecting on a topic before they move onto new material. However, I presume that this style of text, with a high density of questions, has been tried in chemistry before and been found to work satisfactorily, despite my concerns. 3. The text starts at a very low level. Although it introduces a good range of fundamental topics - apart from kinetics, which should be added - it does not provide sufficient depth for many 1st year University courses. However, it be suitable for typical basic chemistry introductory courses, for which there is a considerable demand, both in Canada and in the USA.\r\nThis review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":71,"first_name":"Christine","last_name":"Tong","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Vancouver Island University","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"In general this textbook has neither the breadth nor depth of content to satisfy the first year chemistry curriculum for B.Sc. student. The current version would be suitable for a massive online open courses (MOOC), high school, introductory college course for students who do not have Chem 11 or a non-science major. I would also like to point out that more content is better than less for a first-year chemistry textbook because it becomes a reference resource for students throughout their academic career. The current edition of the book contains several major flaws: a) the lack of conceptual problems and higher-level thinking problems b) lack of numeracy building and data interpretation/analysis practice and examples c) integrative problems, although this will always be one of the shortcomings to a modular approach --- which I urge the open textbook community to reconsider d) insufficient number and quality of diagrams/graphics f) contains numerous typos and mistakes. To make the content suitable for a first year chemistry course for B.Sc. students, it must include a chapter on kinetics and thermodynamics (not just thermochemistry) and must elaborate on chemical bonding and chemical equilibrium. For brevity, I list only the most desirable additions to make this book suitable for a, however, there are many more minor changes that would improve the quality of the book. Please contact me if you would like more details.","accuracy_rating":2,"accuracy_review":"This book, at least the print version, suffers from numerous typos that cause both major and minor confusion. These must be fixed in order to be usable for any student. Particular attention needs to be paid towards superscripts and subscripts, and spacing because syntax is critical in chemistry. There are some errors in the accuracy of the content as well. Pg 62, the answer to 337/217 is not 337. Chapter 11, p 633 \"Salting Pasta Cooking Water\": I disagree with the omission of the van't Hoff factor in the solution because NaCl is an ionic solid which forms a strong electolyte in aqueous soluiton so must dissociate in order to dissolve in water. I think it is more appropriate to include the van't Hoff factor as an ideal value or estimate the value as somewhere between 1 and 2 (probably closer to the ideal value of 2) rather than ignoring the value. From a student point of view this is especially confusing because the \"Salting Pasta Cooking Water\" example directly preceeds a sample calculation in which the van't hoff factor is included for a NaCl solution of similar molality. Chapter 12: Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is listed as a strong acid, but this is only true for the first deprotonantion and should be noted, especially because the hydrogen sulfate ion (HSO4-) and sulfate (SO42-) is discussed later in the book. Chapter 12: Definition of neutral as pH = 7 is not correct, it is only true when the temp is 25 degrees Celsius. Either includes a more correct definition (hydronium conc \u0026gt; hydroxide conc) or limit the definition to 25 degrees Celsius.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"The quantum chemical view is Chemistry's most up-to-date understanding of atoms and molecules but this has been largely ignored in this book. I worry that this omission will leave students with an outdated, nineteenth century understanding of atoms and molecules.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The text is clearly written and accessible to students. In some places, it would be desirable to use more technical language because students are learning to become fluent and proficient with the terms and should see technical terminology used in the correct context as much as possible. For the students' benefit, some of the example solutions need to include more steps.","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"The most notable inconsistency is the use of a wedged shaped bond to represent a polarized bond. This is confusing because wedge bonds are usually reserved for representing bonds coming out of the plane in VSEPR model. Conventionally, delta symbols or arr","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This text can be used modularly; however, I see this as a weakness. Modular treatment in textbooks lead to a compartmentalized understanding of the subject, which is undesirable.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The book needs a table of contents, index and glossary in the printed version.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The text version contains regular readability issues in the form of fuzzy text. There are also font size control issues in many instances. In a couple of instances, the html tags are present instead of formatted text. Paragraph and section spacing in the printed version could be improved to enhance organization and readability; for example, a section title that appears at the end of a page can be anchored to the section text so that it starts at the beginning of a new page.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"It is sometimes not clear when a new paragraph begins. New paragraphs should be indented.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The examples that connect chemistry to the everyday experience are good. I would like to see a more global perspective by extending the context of these examples to concerns that are beyond North American boarders. There is also very little discussion of the environment. Regardless of the cultural context, this is a leading concern for our students and society, it is important that students make the connection between chemistry and the environment.","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"The book is text heavy and more diagrams would help to convey the ideas using a different mode, which would be useful for students who prefer pictures to words. The visuals in the book could be vastly improved in terms of appeal and quantity. Discussion of imperial units (ounces, feet, Fahrenheit etc.), which most Canadian students are unfamiliar with, should be omitted. This is especially true for the section on unit analysis in Chapter 2. The current version is a single, gigantic file which takes forever to download and open, even on a fast computer. To be useful the book needs to be divided into separate files – one for each chapter. The single file version allows the entire text to be searchable, but this takes a long time and often generates too many hits to be useful. In the Preface, the author tries to put chemistry in context for students by supporting the view that chemistry is the \"central science\", sandwiched between physics and biology. I feel this hierarchical view of the sciences is antiquated. A more modern understanding is that all the sciences and mathematics, indeed all academic disciplines, are interrelated, each discipline depending on knowledge from all other fields for inspiration and insight.\r\nThis review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":72,"first_name":"Marten","last_name":"Lettinga","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"Thompson Rivers University","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook does not have a glossary, index or table of contents. This textbook is not in depth enough for science majors. However, it might suffice as a prep course for students that have never taken any highschool chemistry. In chapter 4, double replacement reactions are introduced. Yet only precipitation reactions are given as examples even though some of the exercises involve strong acids reacting with weakly basic salts. Arrhenius acid-base reactions are treated separately as neutralization reactions. Also, when single replacement and synthesis (combination) reactions are introduced no attempt was made to present them as examples of redox reactions. Redox reactions are treated separately at the end of chapter 4. Chapter 6 (Gases), is not in depth enough. Kinetic-molecular theory is completely left out. As a result, students will not learn anything about effusion/diffusion or non-ideal gases. Chapter 7 appears to cover basic thermochemistry fairly adequately. However, thermodynamics is not covered deeper anywhere in this textbook. In other words, students are not exposed to the Third Law of Thermodynamics and Gibbs' Free Energy. Chapter 8 (Electronic Structure) also is not in depth enough. The textbook treads very lightly on quantum mechanics. Thus, the student will never learn the contributions made by Einstein, De Broglie, Heisenberg or Schrodinger. There is a short paragraph on photon energies but no credit is given to Max Planck. In the section on periodic trends, the shielding effect and effective nuclear charge are not mentioned at all. Thus, students will get the false impression that actual nuclear charge and average distance of valence electrons from the nucleus (principal quantum number) are sufficient for explaining periodic trends. In Chapter 9 (Chemical Bonding), the concepts of formal charge and resonance stabilization are not discussed anywhere. In the section on molecular geometry, trigonal bipyramidal and octahedral geometries are left out altogether. Also, students are not even introduced to molecular polarity and dipole moments. The next chapter (Intermolecular Forces) briefly jumps into dipole-dipole forces but with few examples and little explanation. Likewise, very few examples are given to understand the relative strengths and nature of dispersion forces and hydrogen bonding. Chapter 13 (equilibrium) seems nearly in depth enough despite the fact that the textbook leaves out kinetics altogether. This chapter includes acid-base and solubility equilibria. However, buffers are only treated qualitatively. Also, the effect of strong acids on solubility of weakly basic salts is not discussed. Electro-chemistry was covered fairly adequately in this textbook although cell potential under non-standard conditions (Nernst Equation) was not covered at all. Standard cell potential also was not related to the thermodynamic equilibrium constant. In the section on electrolysis, there are no stoichiometric calculations involving charge. The final chapter (Organic Chemistry) covers organic nomenclature reasonably well. However, the IUPAC convention for naming of amines and ethers is not used. No mention is made of resonance stabilization of aromatic compounds. Elimination reactions are discussed very briefly. No other reactions appear to be discussed in this chapter.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"In chapter 3, it is implied that all acids must be in aqueous state (so that H+ ions can be dissolved in water). This works for binary acids (such as hydrochloric acid) but not for oxy-acids such as sulfuric acid. The author does clarify that he will expand on the definition of acids and bases in chapter 12. Electron affinity (in chapter 8) has the opposite sign compared to the IUPAC definition, Lattice energy is not clearly defined in chapter 9 (chemical bonding). In some of the exercises in chapter 9, Lewis dot symbols are somewhat arbitrarily assigned to transition metals (e.g. pair of dots for iron). This is very confusing for students. For clarity, Lewis dot symbols should only be assigned to main group elements. The opening essay of chapter 12 (acids and bases) improperly explains the physiological danger of bases as only needing an H+ ion compared to acids needing an OH- ion. At the end of the chapter, the irritating effect of aspirin to the stomach lining due to its mild acidity is overstated.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The content appears to be up to date. The textbook is unified around the theme of food chemistry. From time to time, any new discoveries in relation to food chemistry could easily be updated.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The textbook is quite jargon free. At times, the author may have tried to simplify chemical terminology a little too much. For example, lattice energy is not clearly defined and is not placed in adequate context. Intermolecular forces are discussed only briefly not placed into adequate context either (especially in relation to dipole moment).","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"In chapter 4 (sec. 4.7, exercise 4), students are led to believe that fractions shouldn't be used to balance equations. However, in sec. 7.6, formation equations are balanced with fractional coefficients. Limiting reagent problems are not solved consist","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The textbook appears to be well suited for being broken up into small reading sections and for the order of sections or chapters to be re-arranged. However, the sections sometimes appear to be broken up too much. For example, chapter 6 (gases) starts off by solving a lot of problems involving the simple gas laws. However, when ideal gas law is introduced in a later section, it is not related to the simple gas laws. Acids and bases are introduced before equilibrium. It is quite possible to move the material in the acid-base chapter to the middle of the chapter on equilibrium before the section on acid-base equilibria.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"In chapter 3, the naming of ionic compounds (sec. 3.4) and non-ionic compounds (sec. 3.2) could have been covered in the same section. Common ionic charges could have been related to the group number in the periodic table rather than referring students to a later chapter and telling them to memorize these charges.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"Tables are often spread over two or more pages. Formatting errors occur frequently throughout the textbook whichd will be thoroughly confusing for students. Here are some examples: Sec. 2.3 (Significant Figures) – Example 3 (pg.64) - Test Yourself: The diagram implies that the width is 0.61 cm rather than 0.63 cm. Exercise 1b, 2b (pg.71/72)– scales don't look very uniform. Sec.2.4 (pg.77) – shows \"12 yd = 32 ft\" when author meant \"½ yd = 3/2 yd\" Sec.2.4 also doesn't display the numerator in any the conversion factors. In example 12 (pg. 94), it gets even worse: not only are the fractions not displayed but the second part of the conversion formulas are left out off the solution. Section 3.1 has missing mass numbers in some problems. Many calculations throughout the textbook have inadequate spacing. At times, html tags show up. Some balanced equations are improperly formatted.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are some occasional minor spelling errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"There are no concerns here.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"Non-SI units are not appropriate in a Canadian context. The bar, the IUPAC unit of pressure under standard conditions, is not mentioned anywhere in the textbook.\r\nThis review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":73,"first_name":"Matthew","last_name":"Jensen","position":"Part-time Instructor","institution_name":"University of Northern British Columbia","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"On the whole, this textbook reads at the high school level at best. Though most of the topics necessary in a first year chemistry course at the university level are covered, there is a lack of depth in explanations and concepts. With this being said, this text is far more suitable for students that are inexperienced in general chemistry and require the most basic of background information before entering the more detailed first year chemistry curriculum. The text does include a substantial number of figures that support the written text; however, the figures that are included are, for the most part, not visually striking and therefore may not support learning while assisting in maintaining student interest. The addition of a table of contents, index, and glossary is required in order to allow students to find specific information easily in the hard copy. Many first year students rely heavily on chemistry text glossaries to supplement their learning and studying as first year chemistry courses typically introduce students to a large number of terms and definitions they are not familiar with.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Other than the several typos throughout the text, the chemistry described throughout is tried, true, and accurate. Though diagrams support the text, they tend to lack visual appeal and sometimes appear unnecessary. There does not appear to be any bias in the text, though more discussion of SI units and less discussion on conversion of imperial units to metric units in Chapter 3 would be beneficial.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"The content in this text consists of principles of chemistry that have been well accepted for a number of years and will likely remain so. With this being said there are some notable additions that are necessary for modern first year chemistry courses at the university level. The text explains VSEPR theory quite well while focusing on the Bohr model of the atom; however, Molecular orbital theory, the Quantum Mechanical model, and reaction rate kinetics are not discussed at all. Though these are more difficult topics for students at the first year level, they complement, and can even assist in student's abilities to understand many of the other topics discussed in this text, and thus should be included. Though the text spends a brief time discussing the calculation of pH, it does not discuss buffers in significant detail. It also does not introduce the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation so students will not learn how to easily calculate the pH of weak-acid buffers. As this is a topic that is utilized in many sub-disciplines of chemistry, it should also be included in more detail.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The text is written in a very clear manner. However, I feel it is overly concise and at times over simplified. Students in a first year chemistry course should be learning the technical information behind concepts as this information is going to be referred to for the rest of their careers. This text uses relatively lay terminology to describe concepts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text seems to be consistent throughout with no major issues to note.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"On the surface this text appears to be ideal for modularity. The many small sections could be easily rearranged as needed to fit into a course as desired (and may actually be required in order to help material flow better) and these sections do not heavily reference other sections in the text. That being said, the end of section questions will not engage students in enough depth to truly test their understanding of the concepts at hand and instructors will likely wish to complement these sections with additional assignments or testing.","organization_rating":2,"organization_review":"In addition to a lack of a table of contents, glossary, and index, the text has been arranged in a manner that may be undesirable for many instructors and could place student learning at a detriment if taught using the current order of chapters. Though the questions asked in the \"Test Yourself\" and \"Exercises\" sections are highly applicable, the answers are placed immediately after the question. This can be less conducive to student learning as many of these answers are on the same page as the question making completion of the question without looking at the answer very difficult. It may also be more conducive to student learning to introduce chemical bonding and states of matter early in the text. It is beneficial for students to understand these concepts before discussing other topics in greater detail. It may also be beneficial to move VSEPR theory and molecular geometry to later in the text as is can be more easily understood for many students after chemical bonding has been discussed in more detail. Additionally, it may be more desirable for some instructors to move the discussion on solutions and concentrations closer to the chapter covering the mole and stoichiometry while moving the section on Redox reactions to be included with the chapter on oxidation and reduction. Simply rearranging the order in which these chapters are discussed can easily accommodate these issues when using this text but will likely require additional planning and preparation on the part of the course instructor.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"As a hard copy of this text was reviewed, the largest issue navigating the text stems from a lack of table of contents, which would be useful in quickly finding chapters of interest. Additionally, the hyper-links are obviously not of use in the hard copy, which becomes problematic when trying to view some of the figures that are hyperlinked to the text in the PDF version. In order to use these hyper-links, students/instructors appear to be required to sign into an online service in order to view the material, which is less than desirable for some individuals. This is in addition to multiple typos, including areas where html tags are still visible instead of the properly formatted text.","grammatical_rating":3,"grammatical_review":"The text contains several grammatical errors including small sections with numerous html tags remaining in text or occasional sentences that end mid-sentence or with half of a word before moving to the next paragraph.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"As this is a chemistry text and questions do not utilizes any cultural perspectives, there is nothing to note.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"This text is easy to read but lacks a more technical perspective that first year chemistry students are expected to learn at the university level. Though the overall organization of the text may be less than desirable for some instructors, the fragmented organization can be easily pieced together through a more modular teaching approach. The text on the whole does not provide substantial depth or technical background in many of the topics discussed. Although it may not be appropriate for the first year university level, it does provide enough depth to supplement a general interest chemistry course or an adult upgrading course for individuals seeking high school equivalency before entering university level coursework. Additionally, the discussion on conversion of imperial units to metric units in Chapter 3 is not relevant in Canada and is not often seen in other chemistry texts used in Canadian universities.\r\nThis review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":240,"first_name":"Daniel","last_name":"Crane","position":"Professor of Chemistry ","institution_name":"University of Northwestern - Saint Paul","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is intended for students who have never studied chemistry previously; it is not aimed at science majors in higher education.  The topics are appropriate for the beginner in chemistry.  Certain topics, such as kinetics, are not addressed in any detail, but given the mathematical nature of that topic, the omission of kinetics is not surprising.  By comparison, the well-known competing text written by John Hill, Chemistry for Changing Times, does not address either kinetics or equilibrium.  The topics are reasonably comprehensive for the intended audience, but since the book lacks a table of contents and an index (and even lacks a title page!), elements of a book which are specifically mentioned for the criterion of comprehensiveness, three stars in this category seems appropriate.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"There are a few minor problems.  For example, the author chose a poor example for significant digits involving population (a counted number rather than a measured number), and the awkward statement “most naturally occurring elements exist as isotopes” is corrected later in the same chapter with “as a mixture of isotopes.”   Furthermore, binary compounds in which the electronegativity difference of the two elements is 0.4 – 1.9 are described as “definitely polar covalent,” and by this measure sodium iodide would be “definitely polar covalent” rather than ionic.  Figure 9.2, a periodic table, contains several errors (O is given as D, and the electronegativity of sulfur is incorrect).  Some of these errors undoubtedly would not make it past the reviewers and editors of commercial texts.   On the whole, however, the content is reasonably accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is up-to-date and should not become obsolete soon.  Updating the text, if deemed necessary in the future, should not prove difficult.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is friendly and informal, perfectly appropriate for its audience and is certainly accessible to anyone of fifteen years of age or older.  Orbital filling is explained well with figures (and words) in terms of the periodic table.  The use of humor is appreciated:  “most wine drinkers don’t like to chew their wine” (referring to the solubility of potassium hydrogen tartrate crystals in chapter 13). ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"No problems in this respect.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is divided into multiple sections, and each section is structured with learning objective(s) and example(s).  A “test yourself” problem(s) for the student follows each example.  At the end of each section is a review called “key takeaways” related to the objective(s) and then a number of other practice exercises.  This layout differs from many textbooks, in which several pages of practice exercises are typically given at the very end of the chapter rather than at the end of each section.  Some will prefer a more conventional layout, but overall the structure of the chapters is consistent and very good.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of the topics is similar to many other textbooks.  No new ground is broken in this respect.  In the preface the author states his reasoning for introducing the concept of chemical change earlier rather than later in the sequence of topics, and even though I prefer an \"atoms first\" approach, his opinion is at least as good as mine.    ","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"This is easily the worst aspect of the book.  The formatting of special symbols, superscripts, and subscripts is extremely uneven and problematic.  In addition, the representations of isotopes, with superscripted mass numbers and subscripted atomic numbers, often appear extremely fuzzy.  Everything is readable but sometimes doesn’t look good at all.  All of these problems can be fixed, at least in principle, if you have the time and patience, since the text is available in both Word and pdf versions and is easily modified.  Another example of a formatting or an editing problem is obvious at the top of page 50, where the following example is given for significant figures: “take 337/217, you will get the following: 337”  According to the text, twelve digits are supposed to be shown (1.552995392etc., not 337), but none of those digits were visible in the versions that I reviewed.  Many, many problems with the formatting of equations and unit conversions can be found in Chapter 2 alone.  One table in Chapter 7 is ridiculously poorly formatted.  A depiction of the Bohr model of hydrogen (Figure 8.5) shows unequal spacing between successive orbits, but the spacing is backwards: the higher-numbered orbits are closer together than the lower-numbered orbits.   Sometimes the symbol for “stoichiometrically equal to” appears as the symbol for trademark instead!","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The grammar is fine.  ","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive to me, but that is the perspective of an American who has spent less than 1% of his entire life outside the borders of the United States.  Perhaps this criterion is more important for a chemistry textbook than I think it is.  In any case, Ball’s text is no different in this respect than the dozens of other texts I have used in my career as a chemistry instructor.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Ball tries to stoke the reader’s interest in chemistry with the three essays found in nearly every chapter: the “opening essay,” “chemistry is everywhere,” and “food and drink app.”  These essays are well done and should achieve his purpose with many readers.  \r\nThe text contains fewer figures, diagrams, photos, etc., compared to most other current texts. \r\nThis is a text for introductory chemistry, but even so, no explanation is even attempted, however rudimentary, for some concepts.  Two examples are (1) “ The rule for heterogeneous equilibria is as follows: Do not include the concentrations of pure solids and pure liquids in Keq expressions. Only partial pressures for gas-phase substances or concentrations in solutions are included in the expressions of equilibrium constants” and (2) “To determine the overall voltage of a particular voltaic cell, simply combine the voltages of the oxidation and reduction half reactions.  Even if you need to take a multiple of a half reaction for the electrons to cancel, do not take the multiple of the E1/2.”  In addition, the reader is led to believe that balancing an equation is done completely randomly rather than beginning with the element(s) which appear in only one substance on each side of the equation: “We do this [balancing an equation] one element at a time, going from one side of the reaction to the other, changing the number of molecules of a substance until all elements have the same number of atoms on each side . . . [a]lso, the convention is to use all whole numbers when balancing chemical equations. This sometimes makes us do a bit more “back and forth” work when balancing a chemical equation.”\r\n","created_at":"2015-06-10T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2015-06-10T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":261,"first_name":"Carlos","last_name":"Olivo","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Colorado State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Text covers all the main areas of general chemistry. However, there is lack of picutres in some topics so that students understand the concepts.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Some expressions should be revised (i.e. superscripts and subscripts). Periodic table on page 101 and Table 3.3 on page 108 need to be updated and revised. Some illustrations and images are disproportionated. Some tables are blurry, specially when the equation editor is used.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Contents are up to date. However, reference to the most recent discoveries should be added in future revisions. For example, changes in the Periodic Table. Also, reference to the ACS should be included as an asset for good chemistry and jobs connections.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"Readability is an issue in this text. Pictures and figures are in one page and the explanation stands in the next page. All chapters should begin in new pages. Key takeaways should include key concepts from the chapter, along with definitions. Learning objectives should be quantifiable. Avoid using \"learn\" or \"know\". At least, three objectives should be included per chapter or section.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Font size is not consistent. Other than that, the text is well written and uses the correct chemical vocabulary and terminology. Sections are brief which is good, they focus on little material allowing for studying to be easier for students.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text book is perfect for non-majors and focus on the basic foundations of chemistry.  Some challenging examples or exercises should be added to encourage classroom discussion.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Good organization and sequence of chapters. Topics are presented in a way any non-major student could understand.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Images should be proportionate to the size of the page. Some equations get blurry when size increases. The way images are presented should have more connection with the material explained.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is well written using standard English grammar.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Text is not culturally biased and of course, it has many examples  that are relevant to any group and culture.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":612,"first_name":"Matthew","last_name":"Rail","position":"Adjunct Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Given the book's title (Introductory Chemistry), I would say that it successfully attempts to cover most topics which I would associate with an introductory chemistry course (but not a General Chemistry course).  That is, it would be appropriate for an introductory course geared toward non-science majors or for a chemistry course geared toward prospective science majors (i.e. college students who are majoring in science but have never taken a science course before).  I reviewed the book with this in mind and primarily focused on Chapters 1 - 5 and 9, which cover topics often found in introductory courses.  \n\nI would add though that some topics are left out, notably kinetics.  While this is appropriate for a very introductory course, it's not appropriate for a General Chemistry course.  Further, topics like an Introduction to Organic Chemistry, (which was an included topic) ARE appropriate for a General Chemistry course but not for an introductory chemistry course.  Overall, the book does an adequate job of covering topics needed for an introductory course but does a less than adequate job of covering topics needed for a General Chemistry course.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"The sample problems and examples that I reviewed seemed generally accurate.  However, examples used to explain concepts were not always well chosen and I would disagree with certain word choices the author used to explain concepts.  For example, when explaining sig figs, the author seems to treat them as more of a convention that is arbitrary rather than as a practice grounded in scientific and mathematical principles.  In other areas of the text, the author oversimplifies, such as when he explains the octet rule in chapter 9 and says \"...for whatever reason, having eight electrons in a valence shell is a particularly energetically stable arrangement....\"  This is misleading - the reasons behind the octet rule can be explained using MO theory.  It's perfectly acceptable (and more accurate) when introducing the octet rule to say instead that the reasons behind it aren't going to be explained at that time.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Well, it's a chemistry book...and the basic concepts taught in general or introductory chemistry haven't changed a ton in many decades now.  That being said, I would give it good marks for longevity as the author attempts to introduce everyday examples of chemistry in the world around us - in ingredient labels, cooking, etc.  This (hopefully) will make students more interested in the material in the long run.  It suffers though, from not being a bit more interactive.  Perhaps pairing it with YouTube videos, other CC materials or free resources would make it have more staying power.","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"In my view, the book has too many errors of grammar to be rated as having good clarity.  It also has poor labeling of diagrams (i.e. Figure 4.3) and no consistent use of state symbols in chemical equations (i.e. first equation in section 4.6 among many others).  It's very important to always use state symbols once they have been introduced.  \n\nI would even say that the sections are often out of order.  For example, section 1.1 introduces the concept of chemistry as the study of matter and energy and their interaction.  But then in section 1.2, the concept of science is introduced.  The concept of science is more fundamental and should be introduced prior to or concurrent with the definition of chemistry.  And how the author defines science is nebulous at best (c.f. his reasoning behind why political science isn't a science - it would be better to not use the example at all or to say that certain branches of political science involve the application of the scientific method to issues in politics).  \n\nAnother confusing statement which demonstrates poor word choice is the statement in Chapter 3 that \"Some elements exist as molecules.\"  It would be much clearer, and much less confusing to new students to say something like \"Some molecules are composed of only one element\" or \"Most elements aren't found in nature in atomic form.\"","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"I would give the book mediocre marks on consistency.  I say this mainly because the book has very inconsistent use of state symbols in chemical equations.  It does have good parallel structure in that it has similar structures for each chapter.  And it has a similar tone throughout the book.  But, it also suffers from a lack of sufficient examples and all the examples are of very similar format (i.e. one or maybe two examples and then practice problems).  I think many of the concepts could be explained in more ways so that they would be accessible to a more diverse body of students.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"i would give the book decent marks on modularity.  The chapters are reasonably stand alone and tend to reference concepts which can be learned about from other sources (i.e. a normal textbook, ChemWiki, Khan Academy, etc.).  The book does reference itself sometimes, but it doesn't seem to do this too much.  I think there are particular concepts the author explains quite well and which could be pulled from the text for a lecture or course packet.  His explanation of unit conversions is good as is his example of why coefficients in chemical equations can refer to atoms/molecules or to moles.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"I commented some on this in my comments on clarity, but I would say the book would get mediocre marks for organization and flow.  Even in chapter 1, the concept of chemistry is introduced explicitly before the concept of science, which strikes me as odd.  Chapter 6 (Gases) seems out of place also - why discuss the theory of gases right after stoichiometry but before bonding (Chapter 9).  It does make sense to put Nuclear Chemistry and Organic Chemistry at the end, but the order of Chapters 6 - 14 is odd to me.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"I would give the book a mediocre score for interface.  The graphics are not particularly engaging and, in certain cases they are poorly chosen (i.e. in Figure 4.2 it's difficult to tell a precipitate has formed).  Also, when you click on the links in the text (in the online version) sometimes it snaps to slightly the wrong place.  It should snap to a place where you can still see the title and caption of the Figure, and this isn't generally the case (i.e. Figure 4.1 link or many links in Chapter 3).  Some links don't work i.e. Figure 1.2  Also, some figures don't have complete labeling or have confusing labeling (the label for the nucleus in Figure 3.1 could be confusing to new students).","grammatical_rating":2,"grammatical_review":"I would say the grammar/word choice is mediocre to poor, as I have noted in some of the previous review sections.  To give a further example, in chapter 1, when the author is defining matter, he says that air is \"...thin...\"  This isn't a great word to use to describe air for a chemistry text.  Also in chapter 1, the author, when attempting to describe chemical properties, uses the sentence \"Burning is a chemical property.\"  That's terrible sentence that doesn't make sense.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Well, it's a chemistry text, so this isn't as big of an issue and is more difficult to comment on.  That being said, I suppose the book could try to incorporate more examples of women or minority chemists and their contributions.  Or, in example problems make sure to use a wide array of names which (traditionally) represent men and women.","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"Overall, I would not use this book (as written) for a chemistry course I am teaching.  But, I would make use of certain example problems and definitions that I think the author has done well.  I think the author made a good effort to make a text which is accessible to introductory students but needed more consistency, editing and thought put into the final product.","created_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1006,"first_name":"Jason","last_name":"Powell","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry and Physics","institution_name":"Ferrum College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"The topics listed in the Table of Contents are fairly typical of a textbook aimed at an Introductory Chemistry audience. Upon closer examination, these topics receive a surface-level treatment; this is not inappropriate for a one-semester \"bridge\" type course between high school and college-level chemistry. There is no index or glossary, so students would be forced to rely on the sequential organization of the book to find specific information.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"This textbook is representative of a typical introductory chemistry textbook. There are only minor errors and oversimplifications in the text.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"The content relies on longstanding, tried-and-true examples from the field. It will not lose its longevity, but students (and instructors) may find it difficult to connect to the relevance of chemistry to modern issues.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text has clear explanations written in simple terms. It should be accessible to high school and early college-level students. The explanations are not always the most efficient possible, but neither are those of most chemistry textbooks!","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book entirely self-consistent.","modularity_rating":1,"modularity_review":"The text is very sequential in nature, as chemistry is in general. It would be difficult for an instructor to use the chapters out of the order in which they are presented.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The logical progression through the book is typical of introductory chemistry textbooks.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The textbook is very sequential, and the formatting is very straightforward and easy to navigate. However, it does very little to grab the reader's attention.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The book has been edited for grammar and spelling. There were only a limited number of grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"The textbook was designed around the premise that \"Chemistry is Everywhere\", but I don't feel that the case was made very well throughout. There is no culturally offensive content, but there were fewer connections to everyday life than I would have expected.","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"This book is a good start for an instructor who desires to adapt and develop her or his own supplementary material and examples to flesh out an introductory college-level course. It would readily replace the vast majority of textbooks sold by for-profit publishers in this market, and the effort required by the instructor to adapt the materials would well be worth the effort in terms of cost savings for her or his students.","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1283,"first_name":"Mary","last_name":"Coville","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Lane Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I think this book does a great job of covering almost every topic that you would expect to be taught in an introductory/preparatory chemistry class.  It's missing any discussion of reaction rates though.\n\nThere is no glossary or index and that is a big drawback.  Presumably, you would need to use the find feature of whatever viewing software you are using. This might be tough to do if you are a student reading the book on your phone.\n\nAlso, there is no good illustration of the periodic table.  In the appendix, there is a nice one, but it is split in half over two pages. I've looked at all versions (HTML, PDF and docx) of the text, but there seems to be no way to view the two halves together as a whole.  There is a link provided to a nice periodic table, however.\n\nAnother big drawback is that this book is missing the equivalent of the inside of the front and back covers typically found in a print version of a chemistry text.  Besides the periodic table, you are likely to find a list of elements with their symbols, atomic numbers and atomic masses; a list of common monoatomic and polyatomic ions; a list of common acids and bases; a list of metric prefixes; a list of useful constants and conversion factors.  It would be nice to collect these lists in an appendix so that you don't have to keep flipping through the book to find the information.\n\nI also found the math background that was provided a bit inconsistent.  Showing how to do conversions was well presented.  However, in the section on the pH scale, it is assumed that the student is familiar with and understands what a logarithm is.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found the book to be almost error free.  There were a few typos, but they didn't seem to be serious.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Some of the terminology seems a little bit dated like \"limiting reagent\" instead of \"limiting reactant,\" but otherwise the content is up-to-date.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This book is quite clearly written.  \n\nMy only objection to the writing style is that the author assumes the student is comfortable with math which is often not true.  He makes statements like \"It should be a trivial task now to extend the calculations to..\" when discussing stoichiometry calculations or \"The calculations are not difficult to do..\" when covering chemical equilibrium and then launching into the quadratic equation.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I did not notice any inconsistencies.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Every chapter is broken down into subsections.  Each subsection ends with \"Key Takeaways\" which summarizes the main points of the subsection and Exercises with the answers to the odd numbered ones provided.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I agree that the topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion. The only change I would make is to present Chemical Equilibrium before Acids and Bases instead of after.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Reading the HTML version of the text, it was easy to go from subsection to subsection or from chapter to chapter.  You can easily get back to the table of contents at any time and either choose a specific subsection to go to, or if you don't know exactly which subsection you want, you could choose the whole chapter.\n\nYou could also click on the mention of a figure in the text and you would be taken to that figure.  This was usually not necessary as the the figure would be already on the page.\n\nThe PDF and docx versions are a mess, at least on my computer, a five-year-old Mac. In the early chapters, none of the equations display properly.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"One of the overarching themes of the book is that \"chemistry is everywhere,\" so many examples are used that apply to real life.  There are medical references, but I would have liked to have seen more, as many students taking this class are pursuing an allied medical profession.  I also would have liked more environmental chemistry examples.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1552,"first_name":"Xuan ","last_name":"Wang","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Colorado State University-Pueblo","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book covered most of the areas and subject for an introductory chemistry course and provide a great life-related examples on each topic. Topics on “Hund’s rule and electron diagram ” can be added to Chapter 8. Topics on “dipole moment and triple bond ” in Chapter 9. Topics on “cycloalkanes” might be considered to be included in Chapter 16. ","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"Majority of the content are correct. Here are some errors. 1) Some of those figures/Tables are refereed as \"ball-chXX\" or \"ball-chXX_sXX\" in the text. They should be corrected as Table XXX or Figure XX to prevent any confusion. 2) Chapter 12 Acid and Base, the text uses two single headed arrow in the hydrolysis of acetic acid. It should be one double head arrow. 3) Chapter 13. some of those charges for ions needed to be superscripted and the ionization of acetic acid and water need to subscript in their chemical formula. 4) Chapter 7 Example 10. The question listed the three reactions one after another. Those could be separated to avoid any confusion. No Figure 7.1 is given. 5) Chapter 2 page 50 337/217=1.552995391705069. 6) Chapter 8. page 401. There are some random stuff like \" thes block\" seems nothing to do with the content itself. 7) Chapter 15 page 725, Table 15.1 wrong alpha particle representation. 8) Starting from page 783 Chapter 16, the author omit the hydrogen to name the branched hydrocarbons. It will be better to include those hydrogens, since alkane is saturated hydrocarbons, not just carbon chains.  9) page 63. The process to convert 2.77 kg to mg did not include the correct conversion factor. Also one multi-step conversion is not given here. 10) Page 782. In the column of substituent formula, there should be a hypen after the alkyl group.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"All the content is up-to-date. I like the way the author lay out each chapter, starting with interesting facts about chemistry, then subjects with examples and exercise, key takeaways, Chemistry is everywhere. End of chapter review, and comprehensive exercises. The text is written in the way easy to understand, which can be easily implemented.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The text is written in the language at the students' level with learning objectives. Here are some suggestions the author might consider. 1) Some of those learning of objectives could be more measurable (refer to Bloom's Taxonomy). 2) The key strategies (e.g. a table of all SI units in Chapter 2) The key strategies (e.g. List of rule of significant figures for calculation in Chapter 2, general formula to name compound for Chapter 3, and table of functional group and structures for Chapter 16 ) could be summarized separately. 3) In the solution of some example question (especially calculations), it will be helpful if the strategy could be provided. For example, list what information the students could get from question itself, and how they supposed to get to the answer. In calculation problem, students can get easily lost in where they put the values in an equation.  It will benefit to sharpen students' thinking process. ","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Overall, the text is written in a consist manner and easy to follow. One minor thing is that the author bonded those key terms. However, not every key terms is bonded.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The content for each chapter is appropriately divided into sections. The only thing I notice is that one or two figures are two page after the original place where it is mentioned. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The topics are well-organized and clear to follow. Again, a strategy provided before the solution of some example question definitely help students think. ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"1)\tsome of those element representation in Chapter 15 are blurry and need to be replaced with a clear image. 2) some captions for figures are running into the text, which could easily confuse student. Format with better contrast (may be more space between the two) should be considered. ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"only one typo on Page 811. “ Leaving a carboxylate anion.”","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text and examples or stories are inclusive. ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I really enjoy reading those facts about chemistry is everywhere in our life. Each chapter starts with chemistry facts and end with interesting stories (range from manufacture, forensic chemistry, food science, engineer, physics, and water chemistry) to show why it is important to learn chemistry. It is exciting. The author also provide some tips for problem solving. ","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1599,"first_name":"Amanda","last_name":"Hakemian","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Normandale Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text touches on most of the areas of chemistry that would be covered in a typical preparatory/introductory chemistry course. In most cases, these topics are covered in appropriate depth. A glaring exception is the periodic table – much of the vocabulary chemists use to talk about the periodic table (such as periods, groups/families, main group, transition metals, alkali metals, etc.) is completely missing from this text.\nThe text does not include an index or a glossary – an index in particular would be very helpful.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"In most cases the chemistry, which is by the nature of the text at a basic level, is accurate. There were a few places, however, where the author appears to be trying to simplify things for his introductory audience and this leads to imprecise language that I believe could be confusing to students. A few examples follow:\n- In section 3.1, when first introducing atomic theory, the word “orbit” is used to describe the motion of electrons around the nucleus. Based on the Bohr model, this is a popular image of the atom - one which many students have been exposed to before taking chemistry. However, the quantum-mechanical atomic model (covered in section 8.2) tells us this is incorrect. As students often have difficult time letting go of the image of electrons in orbit around the nucleus, it would be better to use a different descriptor here rather than reinforcing an incorrect image.\n- When introducing the octet rule in section 9.2, it is stated that “(f)or whatever reason, having eight electrons in a valence shell is a particularly energetically stable arrangement of electrons.” This hand-waving isn’t necessary to keep the discussion at an introductory level. Instead, it could be pointed out to students that eight electrons correspond to full orbitals in both the s and p sublevels, which corresponds with an electron configuration matching that of a noble gas.\n- The opening essay for chapter 12 (Acids and Bases) includes a specious argument that bases are more “potentially dangerous” than acids, based on the difference in mass of the hydroxide and hydrogen ions. This argument is illustrated by comparing the hazards of household cleaners with the fact that many food contain acids. Comparing the concentrated bases found in some cleaners with the low concentrations of weak acids in foods sets the students up for lots of conceptual misunderstandings.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The science content of the text is up-to-date, and given that it is at an introductory level, won’t be changing anytime soon. The examples are written in such a way that though they are current, they are not trendy and should not seem quickly dated.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Ball writes in a clear, straightforward style, and he does a good job of defining vocabulary as it comes up. I believe students would find the text accessible, if dry.\nA place where clarity could be improved is the figures. Many times, information is present in as text or as a table, when something more visual would have significantly more impact. For example, the charges of common ions are presented as a list. If this information were presented overlaid on the periodic table, it would be easy for students to notice that certain groups of elements share the same ionic charge.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Chapters are organized in a consistent manner, and I did not notice any inconsistencies in terminology.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The chapters of the text are divided into sections that would easily allow organization into short readings assignments. It would also be possible to only cover portions of a chapter, or to cover chapters out of order.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The material is organized in a “chemistry first” order, rather than an “atoms first” approach. There are certainly pros and cons to both approaches, and an instructor who wanted to cover material in an “atoms first” order could present the topics in that order.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"Online text: somewhat functional, and basic. Many links did not work, including links into/out of the “Appendix: Periodic Table of the Elements” (this is particularly unfortunate since it is common to want to quickly open a periodic table).\nPDF: A linked table of contents, and hyperlinks within the PDF, would both go a long way to the usability of the PDF.\nBoth editions contained references to figures that were not included. Additionally, the text would be greatly improved by the inclusion of an index.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"There were a handful of grammar minor errors, such as an its/it’s substitution.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Though this is not generally applicable to this type of textbook, I can say there was nothing “insensitive or offensive” in the text.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"There are enough small issues with this text that I do not think I would adopt it for a preparatory/introductory chemistry course. However, I could see myself using sections or chapters as reading assignments for a liberal-arts chemistry course – perhaps with minor modification, which is allowed by the CC license.","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":2844,"first_name":"Poupak","last_name":"Khazaeli-Parsa","position":"College Instructor","institution_name":"College of Marin","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text book covers more than necessary topics for an introductory chemistry as a prerequisite for General chemistry. The PDF version doesn’t include the table of contents.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Content is accurate although there are some errors. For example, in 9.7 End-of-Chapter Material, the questions and answers are not matching.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Introductory chemistry hasn’t changed for years, although the real-life examples are up-to-date and can easily be changed. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Most of the topics have been clearly explained, there are some that might need to be explained better. For example in bond polarity table,  0.4 difference between electronegativities might be considered for either “slightly polar covalent” or “definitely polar covalent” bond. There are also questions about expanded octet Lewis structures, (question 9 in  9.7 End-of-Chapter Material), that can’t be answered by the information provided in the text book","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text book is following the same pattern in all chapters. Each chapter include learning objective, key takeaway, examples and exercises with answers. ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The titles and subtitles in each chapter divided the text book in to small reading sections. Bookmarks in PDF version is not showing the titles. PDF abilities hasn’t been used to facilitate access to the chapters.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"In most of the text book topics are presenting in reasonable order. Although not always. For example it makes more sense if polarity of the bonds and polarity of the molecules come after molecular shape. Also appendixes are missing and the last page periodic table, is cut to two pages.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The simple page design makes the text book easy to read. Although more illustrations can make the topic more attractive. In general, the text book doesn’t have enough pictures. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Not noticeable grammatical error.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not culturally in sensitive or offensive in any way.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-04-26T02:34:53.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-26T02:34:53.000-05:00"},{"id":3278,"first_name":" Adam","last_name":" Wenz","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Flathead Valley Community College \u0026 TRAILS","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The coverage in most areas is appropriate for the level of student who would be using this text. \r\n\r\nA couple of things could be added:\r\n- The table of polyatomic ions in chapter 3 should add permanganate, hypochlorite, and chlorite.  Those are also fairly common ions that most other texts include.\r\n\r\n- The halogens are described on the periodic table, but the locations of the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, noble gases, and rare earth metals should also be included.  This is the first text I have seen that does not include them.\r\n\r\nSome areas potentially cover more info than is needed for the intended audience:\r\n- Quantum numbers are often not covered in books at this level – though I would accept that it is merely a matter of preference.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Page 182 – the example that refers to the Grand Canyon being formed because the rocks were dissolved is inaccurate.  Wouldn’t the suspended material (silt, sand, larger rocks) have a much greater contribution to the canyon’s formation than anything related to the solubility of the rocks in water?  The canyon formed because the Colorado River downcut through the rocks as the Colorado Plateau was being uplifted, from a geologic perspective.\r\n\r\nOther than the aforementioned example above, I did not see any other issues with accuracy.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Fortunately, most of the topics in a book like this are not going to change anytime soon.  The one exception would be the information given on the periodic tables in the book.  The version being used could be made current, as it is missing the most recently named elements (since roughly 2010).","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Topics are described clearly, and there are many references to figures and tables in order to better convey certain information.  The text is written at a level appropriate for the intended audience.  Photos and figures used in the text are generally well-designed and not blurry.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Chapters are set up in a very consistent framework, starting with an introduction before leading into the topics being covered.  Wording and terminology are quite consistent throughout the text.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The structure is a bit choppy in the sense that the information is frequently interrupted by exercises.  This is distracting to me as a reader, but it may also be a matter of preference.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Organization of the chapters is similar to other textbooks of this type.  The instructor can cover the chapters in whichever order is desired.\r\n\r\nI would suggest placing the answers to in-text questions to someplace other than immediately after the questions themselves.  This does not seem conducive to student learning to have the answers on the same page as the questions.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"There is no index, nor is there a table of contents.  There is a lot of information in this book, which is good, but finding it is difficult at best. \r\n\r\nThe periodic table provided in Ch. 17 is highly distorted and very difficult to read.  It also needs to be updated with elements that have been named in the last 10 years.  The coloring on this table is good though, and helps to show different parts of the periodic table.\r\n\r\nThere are quite a few instances of when the text tries to refer to a specific figure or table, it instead shows a placeholder (the exercises on pages 504 and 505 are a good example of this).\r\n\r\nFonts are inconsistent throughout the text, and will change size or type multiple times on the same page.\r\n\r\nSuperscripts used for showing exponents or ionic charges are not consistently formatted.  Sometimes they are correct, and other times they are not.\r\n\r\nMany equations used to show how to do calculations look very blurry and could certainly be reformatted to look readable.  Some formulas suffer from bad formatting (i.e. temperature conversions in chapter 2), so they end up giving a completely incorrect formula.\r\n\r\nTables (especially the one showing enthalpy values) need significant reformatting in order to be readable.\r\n\r\nIn short, if someone were to go through and systematically rewrite all formulas, tables, and equations, it would really improve the readability of the textbook.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not run across any errors in grammar.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not see any issues here.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Please note that this review is of the PDF version of this textbook.  This could be a decent textbook for a one-semester course that introduces first-year, non-science majors to chemistry.  It would not be appropriate for a higher level general chemistry course or one that is multiple semesters in length.  If the issues I mentioned in the other parts of this review were addressed, I think this text would serve the intended audience well.","created_at":"2019-11-11T22:35:47.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-11T22:35:47.000-06:00"},{"id":3464,"first_name":"Mary","last_name":"Coville","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Lane Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"All the topics that you would expect to teach in an introductory chemistry course are covered appropriately except kinetics/reaction rates.  However, there is no index or glossary.  There’s also no good periodic table.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no major errors.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Chemistry at this level doesn’t change much over the decades. Some of the language is a little bit dated, for example using limiting reagent instead of limiting reactant.  Also, the word “stoichiometry” often doesn’t appear in introductory texts anymore.\r\n\r\nIn the “Chemistry is Everywhere” boxes, it would be nice to see some examples from this century instead of describing events that took place in the 80’s or 90’s.\r\n\r\nIn chapter 3, there is a list of 56 “common” elements to be memorized including ones like tantalum and scandium.  I think the list needs to be somewhat shorter, or some rationale should be presented as to why each element in the list is important.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I find this book to be very readable and written in simple language appropriate for beginning level students and English-language learners.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"In the acids and bases chapter, the author flips between using H+ and H3O+.  It's a small inconsistency, but can be annoying to introductory level students.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each section of each chapter begins with learning objectives, has examples in the text, and ends with exercises.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"In chapter 3, there is a list of monoatomic ions which the student is instructed to memorize.  In chapter 9, you learn that atoms will form specific ions to satisfy the octet rule.  At no point is the reader shown how to use the periodic table to determine the charge on an ion formed from a representative element.\r\n\r\nThe book could use an appendix with a good up-to-date periodic table, a list of elements and symbols, list of ions, etc.  ","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"The PDF version gets a 1 as equations don’t display properly and many figures don’t show up.  The online version gets a 3.  The equations are fine, but many figures are not visible.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The examples seem chosen to be neutral – relating a historical event, like the explosion of the Hindenburg or describing a factual situation, like the varying thickness of old glass panes.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"If it weren't for the problems with equations and figures not displaying correctly, I would use this book.","created_at":"2020-01-05T09:30:57.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-01-05T09:30:57.000-06:00"},{"id":3512,"first_name":"Beth","last_name":"Manhat","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Linn-Benton Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I am looking for an introductory chemistry book for foundations material (prep chem) and was only interested in specific Chapters of this book and my review focuses on those chapters. The first few chapters would cover a majority of the topics needed in a prep chem class. It also has images, examples, and explanations as needed for most students. The rest of the text does include most topics covered in General Chemsitry.\r\n\r\nThere are some answers for in-text exercises, but not all of them. The book does not have table of contents, index, glossary, or appendix. For a prep chem class, not all of these may be needed if the necessary information is included within the chapters, however, a table of contents would be needed for my use as an OER. ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The book's chapters I reviewed appeared to have accurate chemistry information. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The topics for a prep chem class are valid. It also included some good examples with answers and examples for students to practice; this is not always the case for OERs. \r\n","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"For the most part, the book was clear for terms of word choice (for my relevant chapters). ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book appeared consistent. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book was broken up into sub-units for easier processing. The books also had many examples highlighted in color-coded boxes for easier recognition. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The logic of material within the chapter was, in general, clear and logical. The ordering of the chapters was conceptual then math, which I had not seen before, but was appropriate. ","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Without a table of contents, it took more time  to scroll in order to identify relevancy for this OER. It would also be helpful to have Chapters or sections in the headings/footer while scrolling. Some of the images and proof of concepts were blurry and these may not be accessible for all students. Some of the tables extended onto more than 1 page, with the question on 1 and the answer on the other. This can make it difficult for some students to follow. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I didn't notice any grammar errors or inconsistencies. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No cultural insensitivity or offensiveness noted.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2020-01-15T11:02:49.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-01-15T11:02:49.000-06:00"},{"id":34525,"first_name":"Chandana","last_name":"Meegoda","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Northeastern Illinois University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a comprehensive introductory chemistry textbook intended to provide a fundamental understanding of chemistry. It covers many topics, including: the basic principles of chemistry, atomic and molecular structure, chemical reactions, chemical bonding, acid base chemistry, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry, and applications of chemistry. It is well-organized and provides clear explanations to help students grasp the subject matter. It is thorough and reliable, preparing students to have a strong foundation in the fundamentals of chemistry.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This book has been written by an experienced educator and has gone through many reviews by other experts in the field. The topics covered in this book are based on well-established scientific principles, and the examples and explanations provided in the book are very accurate. As with any scientific book, it is possible there are occasional errors or omissions in this book. Regardless, the reader should feel comfortable that the information provided is generally accurate and trustworthy.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book is relevant for students who are taking chemistry as an introductory course or a general education course. The topics in this book address the basic principles of chemistry, which are essential for building a good foundation of the subject. The book also presents many real-world examples of chemistry, which would demonstrate the relevance of subject matter. Many real-world examples such as food chemistry, environmental chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry are introduced to the reader to make the subject matter more engaging and relatable.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The introductory chemistry by David Ball is clearly a well-written book. The book is easy to follow, and the explanations and examples given are appropriate even for students with little to no prior knowledge of chemistry. The contents in this book are organized in a logical and coherent structure, making it simple to navigate and find specific topics. The chapters are divided into manageable sections, and important topics are highlighted and reinforced with sample exercises. Diagrams, charts, and illustrations provided assist students in conceptualizing and clarifying difficult concepts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is written in a clear logical structure and the material presented is consistent and coherent. Although the book covers a wide range of topics in introductory chemistry, the text maintains a consistent focus on the fundamental principles of the subject. In general, the text is well-integrated and logically connected. Chapter summaries, review questions and exercises are helpful in maintaining consistency. This allows students to apply what they have learned in a consistent and effective manner.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book has been divided into modules that can be easily followed and studied independently from one another. The instructor can customize these modules by selecting specific chapters or sections to focus on depending on the course requirement. The modular approach allows students to focus on one specific topic without being overwhelmed by the subject. Breaking down difficult concepts into more manageable modules is extremely useful for instructors and students alike.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is structured well, with each chapter building upon the foundational principles established in previous chapters. Chapters are clearly labeled and organized and are divided into smaller manageable sections. The information presented is well connected to the broader concepts covered in the chapter. Many helpful features, such as chapter summaries, review questions, and exercises further support its organization.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The interface of the textbook depends on the specific format being used. All features can be accessed with the online version of the textbook and certain features are not accessible with the pdf version.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The book is high in quality, with sentences that are well-constructed and easy to understand. The use of technical terms is appropriate and well defined. The book has been edited and reviewed to ensure that the grammar and syntax are accurate and consistent throughout. A consistent writing style is maintained throughout the book, effectively conveying the fundamental principles of chemistry.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The focus of the book is on the fundamental principles of chemistry rather than on cultural or social issues related to chemistry. However, historical context in which certain discoveries were made, or the ways in which chemistry has impacted society are discussed.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Introductory chemistry by David Ball is a well-written textbook for students who are new to the field of chemistry or for students who are seeking a good foundation on the fundamentals of chemistry. This textbook will be a very valuable source for both students and instructors.","created_at":"2023-04-21T20:08:37.000-05:00","updated_at":"2023-04-21T20:08:37.000-05:00"},{"id":35292,"first_name":"Damilola","last_name":"Akintayo","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"\"Introductory Chemistry\" provides a well-rounded foundation for introductory chemistry, addressing topics from the basics of matter, atomic theory, and bonding to more advanced subjects like equilibrium, nuclear chemistry, and a brief introduction to organic chemistry. The clear progression and logical flow ensure that fundamental principles are established early, allowing students to build on them throughout the course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The textbook is accurate and reflects the standards of introductory chemistry education. Each topic is presented with scientific precision, and examples are clearly explained. The inclusion of real-world applications further demonstrates the textbook's reliability and alignment with foundational chemistry principles.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook remains relevant to current chemistry education needs by focusing on core concepts. Real-life examples in \"Chemistry Is Everywhere\" sections bring practical applications of chemistry into focus, enhancing the subject's relatability and fostering long-term engagement for students​.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is accessible and easy to follow, with straightforward language and examples that cater to a diverse audience, including those with minimal prior knowledge. Definitions, key points, and exercises at the end of sections reinforce comprehension.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The material is consistently organized, with each chapter clearly divided into sections with learning objectives and exercises, ensuring the smooth progression from simpler to more complex concepts. This consistency aids both students and instructors in navigating the material efficiently​.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter stands independently, enabling instructors to customize lesson plans by focusing on specific topics without disrupting the overall flow of the course. This modularity is advantageous for flexible curriculum design and allows students to grasp topics at their own pace.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The textbook's structure is intuitive and systematic, starting with foundational concepts and progressing to complex topics. Each chapter builds logically on the previous one, promoting cumulative learning​.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The digital version of the textbook is easy to navigate, though minor formatting inconsistencies may appear depending on the viewing device. These issues, however, do not impact the readability or usability of the content.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is grammatically sound, with clear, concise sentences and correct usage of technical terms. The overall readability is high, reflecting careful editing​.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"While the text predominantly focuses on the scientific aspects of chemistry, it does touch on historical and real-world applications that may connect with various cultural contexts, making it generally inclusive and relevant for a diverse audience​.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"\"Introductory Chemistry\" is a well-organized and accessible textbook suitable for introductory chemistry students. Its emphasis on practical applications and logical structure makes it an invaluable resource for both instructors and students.","created_at":"2024-10-28T12:57:22.000-05:00","updated_at":"2024-10-28T12:57:22.000-05:00"},{"id":35436,"first_name":"Stefan","last_name":"Tsonchev","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Northeastern Illinois University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book provides a thorough discussion of chemistry for students who have never studied the subject. It covers the fundamental principles of science, and chemistry in particular, the importance of making measurements, atomic and molecular structure, chemical equations and chemical equilibrium. The book emphasizes the major chemical reaction categories, such as neutralization of acids and bases, and oxidation-reduction reactions. It introduces electronic structure and chemical bonds in a well organized manner, as well as condensed matter systems, such as solids and liquids, including solutions. It contains introductory chapters on nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry and polymers. Overall, the book provides a starting point to anyone who is interested in learning more about science and chemistry.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The book is overall accurate, with some issues that need to be addressed by the teacher using the book. As it is typical for an introductory text, there are areas where it is difficult to introduce certain definitions and concepts at the the introductory level. One inaccuracy that should not be in the book is the confusion about the ancient Greek idea about the atom, and the modern atomic theory. Using the Greek term \"atomos\" to name the atoms in modern science was a misnomer, creating confusion, and the ancient Greeks' idea about an indivisible particle has nothing to do with what we cal atoms today. This needs to be emphasized and explained clearly.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"This book is most relevant to students who are taking chemistry in order to satisfy a General Education requirement. In that context, the book is rather useful in providing examples from everyday life, thus demonstrating how science is used everywhere, and how it affects everything we do, from nutrition and health issues to industry. In that regard, due to the rapid advancements in areas like nanoscience and medicine, the book will have to be updated and revised from time to time, if it is to continue to be among the major introductory chemistry texts used in colleges and universities nationwide.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text in this book is written in a clear and organized manner. Each topic is discussed thoroughly, while the students are given examples to illustrate the point being made. For instance, in Chapter 2 there is a very good discussion illustrating how numbers in science are meaningless without the physical units associated with them. A lot of good examples are provided there, teaching the students how to convert units as well. However, the book would benefit from adding more pictures and illustrations to emphasize certain points and concepts. Chapter 6 on gases would benefit a lot from a few more pictures. Also, in Chapter 5, a picture illustrating the concept of the mole would be quite helpful.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The book is clearly organized in a self-consistent manner. After the fundamental concepts are introduced, they are applied to the main areas of chemistry. In this regard, the book follows the standard established for such introductory science courses, to define and establish the basics of the theory first, and then illustrate and apply them in several different areas comprising the essence of the subject. Some minor issues may be pointed out, like in Figure 4.3 it must be pointed out that the ions are sodium and chloride, and then the appropriate orientation of the water molecules relative to the solvated ions must be shown, which is currently not the case.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Overall, the book is well separated into individual modules. This allows the instructors to choose the order in which they teach the course. The order presented in the book is itself a good choice, thus making it easier for most instructors who do not wish to organize their lectures on their own. A few improvements could be made, nonetheless. For instance, there is no need to define acids and bases in Chapter 3, as the author has chosen to do. Rather, they can be defined in their own Chapter 12, keeping the topic on its own. Also, the topic of oxidation and reduction reactions deserves its own chapter, as most textbooks tend to present it. The Periodic table of elements also deserves a separate chapter instead of being put in an appendix. I would also put the topic of Polymers into a separate chapter, in view of their increasing importance and applications.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The book is organized well, it is consistent, and students should be able to follow the ideas and the topics without any problems and assuming no prior knowledge of chemistry and natural science. For instance, Chapter 8 provides a very well organized presentation of the electronic structure of atoms. Yet, some minor adjustments and changes would make the organization of the book even better. For example, in Chapter 16, Organic Chemistry, I would rather introduce all functional groups in a table early in the chapter, and then proceed with examples illustrating the properties due to each functional group, instead of starting with randomly chosen examples.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface is clear and well chosen when it comes to the order in which the topics are organized. I do believe the book will greatly benefit from adding more pictures, tables and illustrations.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have found no issues with the grammar and terminology of the book. The ideas are presented in a clear and logical manner. It seems the book has been proofread and edited to the point where it could be used by anyone who is interested in chemistry and science in general but has no background in those areas.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This book is an excellent introduction to chemistry for people outside of the field. It provides plenty of examples showing the relevance of chemistry and science in general to society and in our everyday life. As such, the book is a valuable educational tool for a broad audience not only in colleges and universities but to anyone who is curious to learn more about themselves and the world.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I strongly recommend this book to instructors teaching introductory chemistry and to students who are interested to learn chemistry in the context of General education, as required by colleges and universities. It is also a pleasant reading for anyone who wants to start learning about science.","created_at":"2025-04-09T00:44:14.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-04-09T00:44:14.000-05:00"},{"id":35470,"first_name":"Shawn","last_name":"Korman","position":"Faculty Chair","institution_name":"Rio Salado College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook does appropriately cover the topics needed for an Introductory Chemistry text.  However, I was not able to find a glossary which might make it difficult for students to use efficiently.  I would have liked to have seen a lot more graphics though as this book is heavy in the area of text.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"During my review of this book, I did not find an errors or misinformation.  The content was well explained and appropriate for this level of chemistry.  The examples were well written and the in-lesson examples had explanations to go with them which is vital to student understanding.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Most chemistry texts would meet this need but yes, this text used up to date information including appropriate periodic tables with the latest elements.  Due to the format though, the image was cut in half which might be misleading to students.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I found that to be very true for this textbook.  The level was on point with what you would want introductory students to be focusing on.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text was consistent in its terminology and felt familiar as you started moving from chapter to chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I felt this was one of the strongest aspects of this textbook.  A student could easily see where good \"break points\" would be.  The use of example problems also helps them see where the breaks are.  I would have like to have seen explanations with the keys for the end-of-chapter questions though.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"It is clear and easy to understand.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"As mentioned above, there was an issue with the periodic table image but that was intentional.  I just do not like the feel of that format.  The links I clicked on all worked.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"None found.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Through the use of more images (mentioned above), the author could integrate more inclusivity in the text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"It was a nicely laid out textbook with great content.  Just needs some more images to really connect the learning for the students.","created_at":"2025-05-07T18:32:19.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-05-07T18:32:19.000-05:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/introductory-chemistry","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:01:53.000-06:00"},{"id":40,"title":"The Basics of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2011,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"The Basics of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry by David W. Ball, John W. Hill, and Rhonda J. Scott is for the one-semester General, Organic and Biological Chemistry course. The authors designed this textbook from the ground up to meet the needs of a one-semester course. It is 20 chapters in length and approximately 350-400 pages; just the right breadth and depth for instructors to teach and students to grasp. In addition, The Basics of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry is written not by one chemist, but THREE chemistry professors with specific, complimentary research and teaching areas. David W. Ball's specialty is physical chemistry, John W. Hill's is organic chemistry, and finally, Rhonda J. Scott's background is in enzyme and peptide chemistry. These three authors have the expertise to identify and present only the most important material for students to learn in the GOB Chemistry course. These experienced authors have ensured their text has ample in-text examples, and ”Test Yourself“ questions following the examples so students can immediately check their comprehension. The end-of-chapter exercises will be paired, with one answered in the back of the text so homework can easily be assigned and self-checked. The Basics of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry by David W. Ball, John W. Hill, and Rhonda J. Scott is the right text for you and your students if you are looking for a GOB textbook with just the right amount of coverage without overdoing the concepts and overwhelming your students.","contributors":[{"id":2577,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":"Dr","first_name":"David","middle_name":"W","last_name":"Ball","location":"Cleveland State University","background_text":"Dr. David W. Ball is a professor of chemistry at Cleveland State University in Ohio. He earned his PhD from Rice University in Houston, Texas. His specialty is physical chemistry, which he teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels. About 50% of his teaching is in general chemistry: chemistry for nonscience majors, GOB, and general chemistry for science and engineering majors. In addition to this text, he is the author of a math review book for general chemistry students, a physical chemistry textbook with accompanying student and instructor solutions manuals, and two books on spectroscopy (published by SPIE Press). He is coauthor of a general chemistry textbook (with Dan Reger and Scott Goode), whose third edition was published in January 2009. His publication list has over 180 items, roughly evenly distributed between research papers and articles of educational interest."},{"id":2578,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":"Dr","first_name":"John","middle_name":"W","last_name":"Hill","location":"University of Wisconsin","background_text":"Dr. John W. Hill is professor emeritus from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. He earned his PhD from the University of Arkansas. As an organic chemist, he has more than 50 publications in refereed journals, most of which have an educational bent. He has authored or coauthored several introductory level chemistry textbooks, all of which have gone into multiple editions. He has also presented over 60 papers at national conferences, many relating to science education. He has received several awards for outstanding teaching and has long been active in the American Chemical Society—both locally and nationally."},{"id":2579,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":"Dr","first_name":"Rhonda","middle_name":"J","last_name":"Scott","location":"Southern Adventist University","background_text":"Dr. Rhonda J. Scott is a professor of chemistry at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. She earned her PhD from the University of California at Riverside and has a background in enzyme and peptide chemistry. Previous to Southern Adventist, she taught at Loma Linda University and the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. In the past 10 years, she has made several presentations at national American Chemical Society meetings and other workshops and conferences. She has also been very active in the development of teaching materials, having reviewed or contributed to other textbooks and test banks."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":524,"url":"http://saylordotorg.github.io/text_the-basics-of-general-organic-and-biological-chemistry/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:40.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:40.000-05:00","name":"Saylor Foundation"}],"formats":[{"id":923,"type":"PDF","url":"https://2012books.lardbucket.org/pdfs/introduction-to-chemistry-general-organic-and-biological.pdf","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":924,"type":"Online","url":"http://saylordotorg.github.io/text_the-basics-of-general-organic-and-biological-chemistry/","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4","textbook_reviews_count":27,"reviews":[{"id":251,"first_name":"Brian","last_name":"Kalet","position":"Academic Success Coordinator","institution_name":"Colorado State University","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text is intended for a one semester general, organic, biochemistry course and as such would not be appropriate for a standalone general chemistry course, organic chemistry course or biochemistry course.  There is no index or glossary.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The text is generally accurate.  However, some typos do exist.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is generally up to date and updates should be easy to incorporate.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very accessible and technical terms are defined appropriately.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Ionic species representation needs to be consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections, however, having an interactive table of contents would be helpful.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The material flows in a logical sequence.  However, it is difficult to jump directly to a specific chapter or figure.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Being able to jump to a specific chapter or figure would be beneficial to students.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Some typos exist.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"The biological examples are useful.  Figures should be numbered so they can be referenced in class.","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":263,"first_name":"Paul","last_name":"Laybourn","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Colorado State University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Overall, this textbook covers all the appropriate topics to the depth necessary for a one semester course on general, organic and biological chemistry.  This textbook includes units of measurement, calculations and the mathematics background necessary top promote quantitative thinking without burying the student in problem sets.  The only omission is Gibbs free energy.  No index, bookmarks or glossary are provided.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"No factual or conceptual errors in this test were noted and the topics and concepts were all presented in an unbiased manner.  There are a few spaces missing between some the words.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Basic general, organic and biological chemistry are not topics that are rapidly being modified or updates with new findings each year so this textbook will remain relevant for many years.  Each chapter and section begins with learning objectives and ends with example problems and exercises and the key takeaway point.  Each chapter begins with descriptions of how the chapter topic relates to health and societal issues, most of which are not likely to become irrelevant in the future.  The topics are well subdivided so updating any revised sections should be easily done.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text descriptions of chemical concepts clearly written and set at the appropriate level for the intended audience.  All key scientific terms are defined in place and all the writing is direct and clear with a minimum of extraneous verbiage.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This text is written and organized logically and consistently.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"As mentioned previously, the textbook topics are divided between the chapters and subdivided with each chapter.  It will quite easy for instructors to pick an choose topics and subtopics the wish to assign for their course.  Changing the order of topic assignment should present no problems.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The textbook topics and chapters begin with a definition of science, chemistry in the context of all scientific disciplines and core chemical concepts and skills.  The text then progresses through the essential general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemical topics with a logical distribution between chapters and in an order that build progressively on previous topics.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The textbook provides no other means than scrolling through the pdf to navigate through the chapters.  Clear, consistent color coding and heading are provided throughout.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The text is free of grammatical error.  There are a few spaces that are missing, perhaps being lost in the generation of the pdf.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"No culturally insensitive content was included.  However, the textbook could be improved through more inclusive examples, applications and cultural relevance.  For example, health disparities between U.S. ethnic groups and between countries.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"This textbook is intended for a one semester survey course, perhaps for pre-nursing students, etc.  In addition, I believe portions of this textbook could be assigned for background and review of core general and organic chemistry topics for students in more advanced biochemistry courses.","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":591,"first_name":"Beth","last_name":"Manhat","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This open course textbook introduces the fundamental of general chemistry (measurements, atomic structure, compounds, energy, reactions, etc), introduces structure and reactions of organic chemistry, and ends with rather substantial chapters on biochemistry.  My interest is with the general chemistry for a prep class. This book contains all the necessary pieces, good figures, and exercises for the purpose of a fundamental chemistry class. I wish the book had a table of contents with pages to navigate the pdf more effectively","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The general chemistry information appears accurate and fundamental.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Introductory chemistry has been fundamentally unchanged. This book present conventional material in a way that can ensure it application.  The types of problems are expected for the level of the writing for this book.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The figures in the early chapters (1-5) make the material more straight forward for understanding. The book had bolded words for clarity, and use adequate tone and description for this level.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text uses the appropriate terms and tone to describe fundamental structure, bonding, and steps for quantitative relationships. I also found the step description easy to follow.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Again the use of a table of contents with page numbers would be helpful here. It is difficult to know how far to \"scroll\" while working blind on chapter lengths and pages.  However, the authors break up the existing text well with figures, captions, and problems to solve.  There are heading fr sections, color coding for problems, and obvious organization to the reader.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The flow and organization of the book is logical. The authors begin with basic general chemistry, increasing complexity through compounds, reactions, energy, and acid base solutions, before reaching organic, and biochemistry.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"I found a few images to be blurry, but well used. The colored boxes for problems were helpful, but often much larger than the text of the questions. I found this to be somewhat distracting.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find grammatical, spelling, or significant formatting errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not detect cultural exclusion or offense.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I appreciate the fundamental and straight-to-the-point angle of this book for any GOB class. I would greatly prefer a table of contents for easier navigation.","created_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":747,"first_name":"Kenneth","last_name":"Friedrich","position":"Instructor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"As the title suggests this book covers the basics of GOB chemistry.  It includes all the appropriate material for a one semester GOB course.  The book brings in organic chemistry topics earlier than many books allowing students to see the links between the various branches of chemistry.  Roughly half the book is devoted to general chemistry and there is a large focus on metabolism at the end.  A table of contents and easy method to move around in the PDF would be preferable.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"In general the information in the book is accurate.  There are a few typos and minor font issues as with any text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The scientific information in the book is not dramatically changing.  The contents should hold up for many years.  The book does a good job of helping students understand the relevance of chemistry in their lives.  Each chapter has sections that tell students about various careers in science and how the information relates to human health.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is well written and gets right to the important information without being wordy.  It is written with beginning students in mind.  It could benefit from more particle level diagrams in the general chemistry chapters to help students with the visualization of various concepts.  However, I wish some of the diagrams and flow charts made for this text were in more texts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is very consistent in its presentation of topics.  It uses the same language throughout to help students link various topics in chemistry.  Each chapter points out important terminology with bolded words.  Learning objectives, examples, skill-building exercises, concept review exercises, key takeaways and exercises are all clearly labeled and presented in the same order in each chapter.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is broken down into small bite-sized chunks of material with many practice exercises.  I think students would benefit from this approach.   Learning objectives, examples, skill-building exercises, concept review exercises, key takeaways and exercises are all clearly labeled and presented in the same order in each chapter.  The lack of an easy way to navigate to each of the chapter sections makes it difficult to move around in the book.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is organized in a typical fashion for GOB chemistry books.   General chemistry topics are first followed by organic chemistry topics and finally biochemistry topics.  The topics in each section are covered in a logical progression.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The lack of a table of contents and an easy way to navigate to each of the chapter sections makes it difficult to move around in the book.  Some sections are divided by page breaks.  All chapters and sections within them are clearly labeled and color coded.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"In general there are no grammatical errors.  There are a few typos as with any text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive.  ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Currently our college has a year long course for our GOB series 3 quarters). If we had a two quarter GOB I would very seriously consider adopting this book. ","created_at":"2016-12-05T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-12-05T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1099,"first_name":"David","last_name":"Canoy","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Chemeketa Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Assuming this book is for an entry level class of students preparing to take a human anatomy and physiology course, it is very thorough in the area of chemistry and acceptably thorough in cell biology.  There is a complete glossary at the end of each relevant chapter and a complete index at the end of the book.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The accuracy is excellent and up to date.  I found no errors or bias.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book would be very useful for an instructor who wishes to introduce students to the basics of chemistry and cell biology in preparation for enrolling in a more advanced human physiology course.  The topics are general enough that they are not likely to become out of date.  The inclusion of historical information and descriptions of professional fields related to the topics adds to the relevance.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The logical sequence of information in this book keeps it clear for the reader.  The availability of the glossary at the end of each chapter also keeps the terminology accessible and understandable.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The consistency for the most part is very good.  There is a break in how chapter questions are organized between the sections on chemistry in contrast to those about biology.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"Two large chapters with many subheadings are chapter 3 (general and organic chemistry combined) and chapter 7 (combining nutrition, digestion, energy, reaction rates, photosynthesis and enzymes).  Within the subtopics some instructors will probably want to eliminate some details (i.e. calculating pOH, discussion of s,p,d,f orbitals or free energy).","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This is a very well organized book and the topics are well connected.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This book is free of any poorly constructed images.  The color and detail is excellent.  The copy I examined did have a structural problem at the end of chapter 7 where the summary and review questions were repeated.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No errors found","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Contributions by more women and minorities could add to the historical notes in this text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"It is always tempting to want to add more to texts we use in our classes.  In this case I would have liked to see more details about cellular structure (ER and Golgi Apparatus).  I would also add a section to Unit 3 on patterns of human genetics/inheritance.","created_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1427,"first_name":"Sean","last_name":"Breslin","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Umpqua Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text lives up to its stated purpose.  It covers basic parts of general, organic, and biological chemistry but without much depth.  It avoids frilly language and is written in a style with its audience in mind.  The authors' choice of health applications were well thought out and appropriate.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Other than a few minor typos, I couldn't find any glaring errors.  Many scanned figures are blurry but still readable and correct.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The authors will likely need to update a few of the very rapidly developing \"health applications\" to keep it relevant.  Overall, however, much of the fundamental theory is well developed and should stand the test of time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text's prose is very accessible to the beginning chemistry student.  All terms are well-defined and are easily searchable with the control-F function.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Each chapter follows a consistent pattern and each chapter builds well on the previous section.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I'm primarily using this text in the third term of a three term intro to chemistry sequence.  Our third term concentrates on organic and biochemical applications.  It is very easy to assign readings that skip around the text.  The mode of presenting material makes this quite easy.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The text is well organized and consistent.","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"The only really disappointing part of the text is its interface.  The lack of a \"clickable\" table of contents (or any table of contents as in my pdf version) made it laborious to skip from section to section and seems like it would be a pretty simple fix.  It would be nice to add more outside hyperlinks, especially for links to better figures than those included.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Minor typos, but not frequent.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"This, like many texts, could benefit from highlighting the contributions of the scientists themselves.  I've found that including the humanity of the researchers often makes complex material more approachable to students.  As opposed to being distracting and a \"diversion\", it often helps the students engage better with the material.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Overall, I'm thrilled to have found this OER.  It's relatively difficult to find a text this basic and to the point with respect to organic and biochemistry.  Most intro gen chem texts don't delve deeply enough into the biological side and organic/biochemical books are too in depth for the course I instruct.  I'll definitely be adopting this text.  Thank you, authors.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1533,"first_name":"Jeffrey","last_name":"Vargason","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"George Fox University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"GOB (General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry) is traditionally taught as either a one-semester or a two-semester format.  Based on the preface, this particular book was specifically written for a one-semester course.  This book does a good job covering the subject of GOB; however, the subjects presented are covered at a sufficient depth for either a one-semester or two-semester course.  There was no table of contents, index, or glossary (clickable or otherwise) in the PDF that I downloaded from the Open Textbook Library and reviewed.  This created a lot of work when navigating within the textbook.  There is a section at the end of each chapter devoted to summarizing the chapter including the keywords.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Overall, the content is fairly accurate.  There are a few errors in figure designations in the text.  For example, there is a reference to Figure 1.2 that details the steps of the scientific method in section 1.2 under “Elements and Compounds”.  Either this was an intentional placeholder for the addition of a different figure that describes “Elements or Compounds” rather than the scientific method or this is an error in the placement of this reference.  In addition, in the PDF that I downloaded and reviewed, there is a reference in section 1.5 to a hyperlink rather than text stating “Figure 1.7 Measuring an Object to the Correct Number of Digits”.  In addition to section 1.5, this type of reference to a hyperlink rather than a title is also found in sections 1.6, 4.6, 9.1, 10.1, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 13.2, 13.5, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 18.5, 18.6, 18.7, and 18.8.  Finally, in Figure 8.4 there is a filled-wedge connecting H and F in hydrogen fluoride.  This may be confusing for students especially since the figure is used to describe polar covalent bonds rather than geometry.  The wedges are used in the subsequent figure (8.5) to represent geometry.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The core chemistry content in GOB at this particular level should be relevant for a substantial period of time.  There are a few instances where there is some obsolescence.  For example, in section 4.6 in the “To Your Health” section there is a reference to the Food Pyramid or MyPyramid.  This was replaced by MyPlate in 2011, so this content is about 6 years old at the time of this review.  However, it would be relatively easy to update this particular section and/or figure.","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"The text was accessible and provided adequate context to help with understanding the chemical terminology.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This textbook had a consistent set of terminology and framework with just a few exceptions that I could find.  In chapter 12, there is a reference preceding Figure 12.2 that requests the reader to recall that the VSEPR theory correctly predicts a tetrahedral shape for the methane molecule from section 4.5.  Section 4.5 doesn’t talk about or show the structure or geometry of methane.  If the reference were changed from methane to carbon tetrachloride or if methane were added into section 4.5, this would provide internal consistency.  The naming of chapter 14 (organic compounds of oxygen) and chapter 15 (organic acids and bases and derivatives) is somewhat problematic in attempting to group related compounds.  Carboxylic acids would seem to fit into either chapter, but are contained in the organics acids and bases categories for obvious reasons (i.e. oxygen containing compounds that are acids).   Thiols aren’t compounds of oxygen though they are somewhat related as noted in the text and aren’t traditionally placed within the category of organic acids and bases at the level of a one-semester GOB textbook.  Esters would seem to fit best in the title for chapter 14, but are traditionally placed in the chapter that contains carboxylic acids since they are related by chemical reactivity (i.e. esterification).   It would seem that there could be a more consistent division of content either by using different chapter names for thee existing chapters or by adding an additional organic chemistry chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is very modular which is a huge benefit of this text.  There is ample division of chapters into sections that can be individually used, abbreviated, or discarded based on the course.  While this text is meant for a one-semester course, it would be difficult to cover all of the included content in 15-weeks and achieve student proficiency in each of the sections. Of course, care must be taken not to remove keywords and topics that are referenced in a future chapter if sections are discarded.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are ordered in nearly the same way as printed GOB textbooks. Some instructors prefer the introduction to organic chemistry found at the end of chapter 4 (section 4.6) in this textbook to be shifted to the beginning of chapter 12.  The authors did address this placement in their preface and it does show some integration of organic into general chemistry even though that was not their focus.  It would seem that this section would need to be reviewed when the students reach chapter 12 which is not a bad thing, but there is a lot of content in the book to cover in the traditional 15-week semester.  The other sections that could fit within either a general or organic/biological chemistry chapter are sections 5.6 (redox in organic and biochemistry) and 7.5 (energy of biochemical reactions).  If section 4.6 were moved to chapter 12, then 5.6 and 7.5 would likely need to be moved into an organic or biological chemistry chapter as well.  In either case, sections 4.6, 5.6, and 7.5 in their present locations don’t present a logical disruption to the flow of the book.  One additional note, the use of wedges is first used within a figure in section 4.5 and then again in section 8.4 and 8.5, but the topic of wedges isn’t explained or described until section 12.2.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The vast majority of the figures and tables were free of distortion and were high quality.  I only noticed a few instances where the layout of figures or tables spans two pages.  The most notable and perhaps distracting instance occurs when a table is not only split between two pages, but one of the rows of content within the table is split between two pages.  In all of the instances that I noticed, the table headings are present on both pages of a split table, which certainly helps mitigate some of the distraction.  I don’t think these pagination issues would be an issue in an ePUB, but the only format currently available from the Open Textbook Library is a PDF.  The lack of other ebook formats is perhaps one of the biggest problems with this particular text.  This type of splitting of content within a row across pages in the PDF is seen in Tables 3.4, 18.4, 18.5, and 18.6.  This doesn’t seem to be about maintaining a large enough font size because the text in Figures 3.7 and 19.13 is very small.  In Table 12.4, the “Condensed Structural Formula” heading is so cramped within its column that the heading is wrapped into eleven rows with a maximum of three letters from the heading in any one row.  In addition, the condensed structural formulas are also wrapped within their respective rows potentially causing confusion for students.  This same type of wrapping of text of single word can be seen in Table 18.2.  In Table 20.1, both the text and structures are all low-resolution bitmapped images.  This particular table would definitely benefit from an update.  Many of the metabolism specific flow charts (Figure 20.4, 20.12, 20.14, and 20.16) would also benefit from a vector graphic based treatment since the text is hard to read when bitmapped.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There were a few typos found in the text and figures.  For example, pyruvate is spelled incorrectly in Figure 20.4.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not notice any culturally insensitive or offensive text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1767,"first_name":"Andrew","last_name":"Tangonan","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Ohio University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"With the growing popularity of a one-semester GOB courses in a lot of academic institutions, this introductory book meets all the necessary requirements intended for that course. The information is presented and organized very well. However, this book has some room for improved navigation within the text.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I find the contents of this book accurate and unbiased.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"This book should stay relevant for a good number of years; the core content is presented in a very straightforward manner and I don’t see it becoming obsolete any time soon. The chapters and the way it was organized and presented should be very accessible to future updates if necessary.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is written with significant consideration for its potential readers. As an introductory book the topics are clearly presented at a level that is easy to follow throughout the chapter. The learning outcomes are presented early on with a good end of chapter follow-ups. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text and terminologies are consistent throughout the book. Each chapter follows the same format that should help the reader learn the content as the authors intended.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This book has 20 chapters designed as a one-semester GOB; that is a lot of topics to discuss with good depth. However, this book has a very good flow (chapters) that you can easily select and tailor topics you wish to highlight or skip. The well-organized sub-chapters with their specific learning outcomes make reorganization even easier.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented well and the content is comparable to most GOB books currently available. They are logical and continuously build from the previous chapter. However, the readability can be improved by fixing the spacing of figures and tables (e.g. a number of figure titles are separated from the actual figure by a page).","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The pdf copy I evaluated only offers “scrolling” as a means of navigating the book. I would be helpful for most readers if some links were included to a referred text, figure, appendix, or even a table of contents, which this book lacks. A table of contents with active links and link-back would also improve navigation in general.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"There are no obvious grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not find anything in the book the might be considered culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This book warrants consideration if you are looking for a free textbook for a one semester GOB course.","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1930,"first_name":"David","last_name":"Merkler","position":"Professor","institution_name":"University of South Florida","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is appropriate comprehensive, covering all the important concepts for the students enrolled in a GOB course.  In addition, the text includes topics of biomedical relevance in an attempt to keep the students interested in the topics covered in a GOB course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Accuracy is fine.  No glaring errors were detected - not uncommon for a GOB textbook since GOB courses cover basic topics in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry that have been around for long time.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"Relevance and longevity for a GOB textbook are hard to gauge since much of the textbook covers very basic concepts that are not likely to change or \"modernize\".  In this text, chapters 1-10 and 12-15 are going to be largely the same in 20 years and were largely the same 20 years ago.  Now, chapters 11 and chapters 16-20 could be updated (upon occasion) resulting from new discoveries in biomedical science.  This reviewer would guess that the chapters covering carbohydrates (chapter 16), nucleic acids (chapter 19), and energy metabolism (chapter 20) might (emphasize might) see important changes in the next 20 years.  Having said that, the basic concepts in these chapters will not change much over a 5-ish year period and any changes would be significant.  Longevity for a GOB textbook is more related to issues like the long term survival of GOB courses (some universities are phasing out a GOB courses) and expectations of the students and faculty from textbooks.  In particular, students seem to expect textbooks to be increasing \"user friendly\" as defined by the students and this expectation will change more rapidly than the materials covered in the chapters.  This text could become \"unpopular\" for stylistic reasons far more quickly than anything related to the scientific concepts covered in the individual chapters.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Well written and quite clear.  The authors have tried very hard to keep in mind the student audience for a GOB course.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Consistency is quite good.  Again, the authors have kept the student audience in mind and kept terminology consistent.  As anyone who has taught a GOB course knows, it is very easy to confuse this cohort of students with terminology.  The authors of this text have done an excellent job, as well as possible, to eliminate this source of confusion with consistent terminology.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Outstanding for this text.  The authors have done a very nice job of dividing the chapters into smaller modules to ease the students through this material.  One challenge for a GOB course is the breadth of material covered and one way to handle this problem is modules.  The authors have done a good job dividing the chapters into appropriate modules.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Organization is fine, except for the chapter on nuclear chemistry (chapter 11).  To be honest, this is a difficult chapter to place \"right\" in a GOB course and making chapter 11 the nuclear chemistry chapter is fine.  If I were an author, I probably would have placed the chapter right before the carbohydrate chapter, after the students have finished their \"path\" through organic chemistry.  I would try to use the nuclear chemistry chapter to remind the students of some key concepts out of the earlier general chemistry chapters and used the nuclear chemistry chapter to try and get the students excited about the biochemical chapters - the use of 14C (and maybe 3H and 32P) in metabolic studies and the use of various isotopes for biomedical imaging.  Also, biochemists use deuterium and 13c a lot in modern biomedical research.  Many GOB students assume that all isotopes are radioactive and an instructor can remind the students that all isotopes are not radioactive by discussing 2H, 13C, or 18O in some biochemical context.  Table 11.5 is an attempt to link isotopes to biomedical uses - why I would have placed the nuclear chemistry chapter right before the initiation of the biochemical section of the text.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I deteced no significant interface problems in going through the chapters.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I detected no grammatical errors in the text, but, to be honest, I did not read every single page with sufficient care to guarantee that the book is completely free of grammatical errors.  ","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Cultural relevance is about as good as can be expected for a GOB text.  The earlier chapters covering the basics of general and organic chemistry are the same throughout the world and, thus, are hard to place in \"cultural\" context.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"If I taught a GOB course, I would give this text serious consideration for use - especially given the fact that my students would be able to use this text without cost (or a minimal cost, if they chose to have a printed copy).","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1945,"first_name":"Jill","last_name":"Shirokawa","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Cincinnati Clermont College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook includes all of the essential content needed for a one-semester General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry course.  Each of the twenty chapters is divided into concept sections containing learning objectives, examples, skill-building exercises, concept review exercises, and answers. In addition, each chapter includes appealing features such as the Opening Essay, To Your Health, and Looking Closer that help students make connections with the chemical concepts presented. Although the subject matter is well presented, items such as a table of contents, glossary, and index are absent in this textbook.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The material in the text is accurate, however, some typos exist. Periodically, throughout the text, a reference is made to a figure, but a non-working hyperlink is provided instead. ","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The chemistry content within the textbook should remain appropriate for a long period of time. The information in the chapter Opening Essays help the students see the relevance of the chemical concepts. Just a few items may need updating. For example, the Opening Essay for chapter 16 contains diabetes statistics that are outdated and the MyPyramid food guidance system in chapter 4 has been replaced by the MyPlate food guidance system.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The chemical concepts are clearly written and are at an appropriate level for GOB students. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The framework of the sections within each chapter remains consistent throughout the textbook.  Each section contains learning objective(s), skill building exercises, concept reviews, end of section exercises, and answers. In addition, each chapter consistently contains features such as the Opening Essay, To Your Health, and Looking Closer, which makes the chapter more appealing for students.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity of the textbook is excellent. The chapters can be easily rearranged to enable a different presentation order of the material if necessary.  Every chapter is divided into concept sections with every section containing learning objective(s), exercises, and answers.  Having the answers attached to each section is more convenient than consistently referring to the end of the chapter or the end of the textbook.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The overall organization of the chapters and the sections within the textbook is very good. There is a logical flow from the foundational material through to the more complex material.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"Due to the PDF format, the biggest interface issue is the poor maneuverability around the textbook. The need to scroll and the lack of table contents makes it difficult to navigate within the textbook.  A linked access to the table of contents would be helpful.  I found the inclusion of non-working hyperlinks as references to be a bit disruptive to the flow of material within a sentence. In addition, a few images are too small and many images are blurry (although readable).   ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors within the text.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I did not find the text to be culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. However, the text lacked photos which could serve as a means to include a variety of races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and different genders.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"In general, I found the textbook to be an enjoyable read and I feel that it is written at a very appropriate level for GOB students.  I liked that the learning objectives are boldly presented at the beginning of each section. Each section is well written and interesting (due to the inclusion of health and consumer information).  My suggestions for improvement are:  to use more diagrams and figures; to include photos to make the text more visually appealing; and to use more bold subheadings to highlight and draw attention to concepts. ","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2110,"first_name":"Stan","last_name":"Svojanovsky","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Missouri Western State University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is very comprehensive and covers the basics of GOB Chemistry for one or two semesters GOB course. The material is feasible for students without and prerequisite knowledge of the subject but students who are already familiar with the basic parts of GOB Chemistry can also benefit from this textbook. The authors added multiple high quality activities (such as audio-video resources, checklists, MCQs) that make the material more interesting and reinforce the learning, comprehension and understanding via critical thinking. The text also provides many examples with step-by-step solutions in order to answer 'HOW?' and 'WHY?' question and gain a solid understanding of the subject matter. The book is divided into inorganic, organic and biochemistry parts with some aspects of analytical and physical chemistry as well. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text is accurate. However, some of the hotlinks to additional material do not work and need to be updated.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The material is written in a long-lasting way, i.e. the main scientific information will not change very fast. Some links need to be updated but it should be relatively easy with the online textbook format. Relevance of the material with biomedical research and human health is a nice addition to the text.  ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook is well written, the material is clear and well explained. Applications of multiple graphs and diagrams add to clarify the concepts. The great advantage of this material is the writing style using the basic vocabulary and informal style. Also 'End-of-Chapter Material' is written in a 'Study Guide' style.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is very consistent in uniform writing style, presentation of the material and interface as well. Each chapter is presented in the same order (i.e. Opening Essay, Learning Objectives, Examples, skill-building Exercises with the solution, concept review Exercises, Key Takeaway). Also, all important vocabulary is presented in bolded style.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The textbook layout is modular with each chapter divided into smaller but complete sub-chapters, clearly separated by topics and activities. All subtitles are uniform through the text and clearly labeled. The length and depth of each subsection is consistent, creating a relative easy online reading, however the navigation to each section might be more difficult for some students to move around in the text. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The textbook is organized in a typical format with initial more general topics, followed by organic and then biochemistry relevant topics. The final chapter provides the connections between previous parts as the book overview.  ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The layout and a PDF text format is accessible via multiple browsers and operating systems. But based on the font size some of the references posted on the bottom of the page are located differently since some parts are divided by page-beaks. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are virtually no grammatical errors in the text.  I found only a few typos that could be easily corrected. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive at all. However, it is focused on US students using typical US culture that might be foreign to students outside US.  ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This book is an excellent addition to existing Open Education Resources (OER) with a high-quality supplements for instructors, such as Instructor Manual, PPT Lecture Notes, Solution Manual, and TestBank Import for any LMS. I highly recommend it. ","created_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2473,"first_name":"Lisa","last_name":"Sharpe Elles","position":"Assistant Teaching Professor","institution_name":"University of Kansas","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook is a great one-semester overview of general, organic, and biochemistry for students needing an introduction to chemistry, such as pre-nursing or exercise science students. There is enough information for students to get a good, basic foundation to chemistry in a short period of time without getting bogged down in too many details. There is no stand alone index or glossary but within the text there are definitions of bolded and underlined words if you hover over them with the mouse.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"There are no errors other than occasional missed spaces throughout the pdf version. A minor annoyance is that the colors of the nucleus and electrons switch between chapter 2 and 4, which could be confusing to students that pay attention to details.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"For the most part, this book is relevant and up-to-date. This chemistry content in this textbook is straightforward and presented in a very practical order that can be adapted (added to) easily when updates become necessary. However, some of the connections to health and chapter introductions will need updates over time to keep up with changes in the health professions. The organic naming section still uses the older nomenclature however, this is common among all equivalent print GOB textbooks. One out-of-date item is the food pyramid in the last section of chapter 4. This link should be changed to the new guidelines. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very practical, clear, and concise, and definitely written with the specific audience in mind. Difficult concepts and topics are broken down in a way that makes sense without losing the relevant connections for understanding chemistry. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Terminology and  is consistent throughout. Each chapter begins with an introduction to the content and ends with a summary of material to review. Each section begins with clear learning objectives and ends with examples, key takeaways, and practice questions with some answers.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Within this textbook the chapter content is divided nicely into sections that are the appropriate length and easy to read. Within each section, there are links to other content in the book. This allows for sections to stand alone, making reorganization into any order easy.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of content is appropriate and fitting for a one-semester GOB textbook. The flow of content works well and there are no unnecessary figures interrupting the text. Nuclear chemistry felt a little out of place but it is a chapter that doesn't quite fit in anywhere logically although it fits a little better within the introduction to the structure of atoms. It would be nice to see more connections to VSEPR and lewis structures in the organic chemistry chapter. It is a good place to review content learned earlier. In addition, there should be a periodic table presented much earlier on and not just in the appendix. It would be really easy to link to any website that has an updated table that students can interact with and learn from.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The pdf version had a lot of spacing issues and distorted figures but this did not seem to be an issue in the online version. Additionally, the format for superscripts on ion symbols was odd in some places, which is a little distracting but should not be confusing. \r\nIt would be nice to be able to click on figures and zoom in to them separately from the text. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There were no grammatical errors noticed. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This book is not offensive or culturally insensitive. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This textbook is definitely designed with the audience in mind, which is much appreciated. Many of the notes and brief descriptions perfectly and clearly break down concepts in a way that is easy for beginning chemistry students to figure out and learn from. In addition, the summary sections at the end of each chapter is very useful and gives students a place to summarize chapter content but also somewhere to start reviewing for exams. ","created_at":"2018-12-15T13:41:51.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-12-15T13:41:51.000-06:00"},{"id":2474,"first_name":"Joachim","last_name":"Bowles","position":"Part-time Instructor - Chemistry","institution_name":"Lane Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Has more depth than necessary for my survey course when it comes to general chemistry and adequately covers organic and biochemistry topics.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No errors noticed.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"While the understanding of the minute details of biochemistry are often changing, this book does a good job of keeping more of an overview on these topics to maintain relevance.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The overall tone is accessible, but it would be nice if there were more sections/examples that demonstrated the topics being applied to real world problems.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Formatting and tone remain consistent throughout the book.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Topics are broken into logical chapters, which in turn have numbered sections. Some of these chapter sections can run long, so having a method to break them up further could be useful.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":" Builds from gen chem topics to organic and finally to biochem.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Distortion on images for chemical equations and molecular structures. Its not book breaking, but some of these are quite fuzzy.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors noticed.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Overall applications/examples lacking, which carries over to inclusivity as well.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall the book presents the topics I need for my course, but the presentation is somewhat bare bones as there could be more of an emphasis on applications (and maybe some historical context for topics like atomic structure). Also, visually some improvements could be made as the figures are often blurry and there's a periodic table at the end that is oddly formatted across two pages.","created_at":"2018-12-17T16:34:26.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-12-17T16:34:26.000-06:00"},{"id":2867,"first_name":"Kinesha","last_name":"Harris","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Southern University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook provides adequate coverage of the topics that would be discussed in a one or two-semester introductory chemistry course for health science or other non-science majors.  It presents topics with an appropriate level of discussion and provides real-world links to the topics discussed to make the material relevant to students.  There is no glossary or index; however, there are bold-face terms throughout the text, which show definitions as screen tips.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content reviewed in the textbook is accurate, error-free and unbiased.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook contains up to date information and provides examples and additional information that cover scientific advances from the last decade.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written in plain language, with content specific language as necessary.  New technical or scientific terms are defined within the text as presented.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent in layout and levels of content from chapter to chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The content is divided into sections within each chapter, which facilitates reading and comprehending the material.  Students can be assigned individual sections or groups of sections to read rather than the entire chapter at once.  There are pre- and post-checks for each section and the sections reference appropriate material in other sections and chapters.  However, the material easily can be reorganized if necessary.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics in the textbook are arranged in a logical manner, albeit slightly deviated from the common presentation of general chemistry topics, but pleasantly so.  I believe the chosen organization groups all of the related materials and orders them in such a way as to allow the students to get a full understanding of the basic concepts and how they apply across the various types of matter.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"There is an unusually high occurrence of broken or missing links to figures and other sections or chapters.  There are missing figures and incorrectly placed figure labels.  Additionally, the screen tips for the bold-face terms throughout the text show up at the top of the screen (beginning of chapter), instead of within the bounds of the paragraph where the term is located, and are usually out of screen view if you are anywhere beyond the first screen worth of text and graphics.  These issues do not, however, take away from the presentation of the material as far as student understanding.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical errors in the reviewed material.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"There are no issues of cultural insensitivity or offensiveness with the textbook.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The textbook provides a good overview of general, organic and biological chemistry.  It is not in-depth, but it provides enough information for an introduction to each of these areas of chemistry.  I think the arrangement of the topics is beneficial and would be interested to know if students respond better to this presentation of material.  The chapters could use a larger selection of problems in the End of Chapter Additional Exercises section and there are some interface issues; however, overall, I think this is a good book for general, organic and biochemistry courses.","created_at":"2019-04-29T23:40:27.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-29T23:40:27.000-05:00"},{"id":2876,"first_name":"Gregory","last_name":"Cornell","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Southern University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This GOB text delivers in providing just what the title denotes.  In this era of having to cram two semesters of material into a one semester course, the text adequately provides basic level content.  The text lacks an index and glossary.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The text appears to be mostly accurate with minimal detection of errors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"In the last 13 years, I have had to utilize several GOB texts, as well as textbook written for non-science majors.  I would definitely attest to its relevance.  Some instructors might like to see more information provided in key areas, but overall, it follows the norm in up to date content.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I find this GOB text to be clear with concise step by step examples for students to follow.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This text shows consistency throughout in its progression of terms and concepts. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is presented clearly and concise in \"bite-size chunks\".  Students are often intimidated by the subject name as well as the content.  These compartmentalized smaller reading sections help students to master concepts before moving on to others too fast.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization of the topics in this text were mostly standard.  \r\n\r\n-","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"There were no distortion of images or confusing displays during the review of this text.  The navigation capabilities are limited to scrolling only. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There were only a few grammatical errors detected during my review.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"There were no cultural sensitivity issues detected during my review of this text, based on the lack of cultural material provided.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-04-30T19:13:16.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-30T19:13:16.000-05:00"},{"id":2924,"first_name":"Pratikkumar","last_name":"Rathod","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"LAGCC","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This GOB book is well-written for non-majors who required to learn basic chemistry in a semester. The topics in the book are adequately described without going into much details. The text provides good numbers of exercises relating to real-world problems which I think is beneficial to the students to understand the relevance of the topics. The introduction of opening essays in the beginning of chapters is a great way to connect the relevance of the information in the chapters with real problems. There is no index or glossary.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The content and the information provided in the book are accurate. However, I find quite a few space errors in the text, especially on page #141 (chapter summary section of Chapter-2). Besides answers of the exercise on the page #207 (problems- 5, 7, 9, 11) does not match with questions.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The chemistry content in this book should remain relevant for long period of time. It includes up to date information.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is written in an accessible way by keeping non-majors chemistry students in the mind. All terms are well-defined and explained in simple (yet scientific) language.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Each chapter in the book does follow a consistent pattern including Learning objectives, examples, skill-building exercises, concept review exercises and key takeaways. The text, font and language used throughout the book is uniform.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The sections and information provided in the book can easily be divided (into subsections or reading assignment) depending on course requirement. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The chapters in the book are written in well-organized and consistent manner. The flow of chapters in the book is logical.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The PDF version of the book offers poor interface. The lack of clickable links for tables and figures is the biggest negative. The resolution of formulas in the text as well as in the problems can be better. ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The book has quite a few typos and space errors but not a major issue.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not find anything that might be considered as culturally offensive in the book.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-05-17T16:04:06.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-05-17T16:04:06.000-05:00"},{"id":3096,"first_name":"Andrew","last_name":"Bonham","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook addresses all the major topics that I would expect to see in a General, Organic, and biological Chemistry textbook.  It could benefit from added material in the following areas: chemical reaction rates, organic molecule chirality, and nutrition.  The topic coverage compares favorably to other common textbooks used for these courses.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is very accurate, with very few errors in its treatment of the subject.  More specifically, the content review exercises included with each section are salient and accurate, sometimes giving important context to the material that preceded them.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"Many chemical concepts are timeless, but particularly in biochemistry, the pace of advancement is very high.  Some of the material related to biochemistry is already dated and should be updated with more modern techniques and examples.  To be clear, nothing is inaccurate-- it’s simply not the ‘state of the art’ anymore, and it’s better to expose students to more up-to-date information.  Particularly given that this textbook will be used in pre healthcare-focused careers, it’s important to supplement the text with examples of techniques that students are likely to encounter in their future careers.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This textbook does an excellent job of using short, direct language to express important concepts, avoiding jargon and speaking at the appropriate level for its audience.  This is one of the great strengths of this textbook.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"It is clear that this textbook originally had one author; it is very consistent and clear in its terminology and tone throughout.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This textbook is extremely modular and self-contained; each section stands on its own with internal introductions, concept reviews, exercises, and summaries.  You could take any chapter and use it independently or interweave it with other resources.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This textbook follows a very common organizational pattern for General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry textbooks, making it easy to adapt for instructors used to other resources.  Within each chapter, topics are presented in a logical manner and build appropriately in complexity.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The web interface of the book is clear, well-organized, and accessible.  The PDF version has topics span pages without clear breaks for different topics at times, and could use effort at better interactive hyperlinking.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The text has some noticeable typos and formatting errors, but very few hinder comprehension.  Core concepts are clearly presented, and the English style and tone is appropriate.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not observe any topics or discussions in the book that would be considered culturally offensive.  For instance, its discussion of genetic diseases was very respectful.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This textbook is comprehensive and correct, but barebones.  A concerted effort to add 3 to 5 additional exercises and challenge problems to each section of the book would be worthwhile and dramatically increase its impact.","created_at":"2019-07-16T10:31:01.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-07-16T10:31:01.000-05:00"},{"id":3325,"first_name":" Adam","last_name":" Wenz","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Flathead Valley Community College \u0026 TRAILS","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The coverage of general chemistry topics in this text is very good considering the level of course for which this is intended.  However, I feel that there are a couple of areas that could use improvement:\r\n\r\nThe discussion of nuclear chemistry in Chapter 11 does not cover electron capture, or positron emission.  Not all texts of this type cover this information, but I feel it would be useful to do so.\r\n\r\nChemical equilibrium is minimally discussed, with no mention of Le Chatelier’s principle.  There is no mention of chemical kinetics.  I would prefer a basic chemistry textbook to at least cover these topics in a qualitative fashion, if nothing more.\r\n\r\nCoverage of organic chemistry and biochemistry topics is very good, and is similar in scope to other GOB textbooks.  I don’t have any suggestions for improvement on these topics.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"On page 866, there is a discussion of D- vs. L- forms of carbohydrates; the structure of L-(-)-glyceraldehyde appears to have an error.\r\n\r\nFew, if any, other errors were noted.  Most other errors are likely artifacts from conversion to pdf format, as they involved mainly formatting issues in equations.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content of a chemistry text at this level is unlikely to see drastic changes over time, with the exception of newer techniques and technologies seen in biochemistry.  As such, I feel this book would not need updates very often.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the periodic table given at the end of the text could be updated to be current.  Based upon the information given, it appears to date from the late 2000’s.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written very well.  Topics are presented in a clear fashion.  The text is written at a level appropriate for the intended audience.  Flowcharts, photos, and figures are well-designed in general.  Some tables (e.g. the amino acids table) could use reformatting for better clarity of the information contained therein.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Chapters are written and organized in a very consistent manner.  Terminology is up to date and used consistently throughout the text. ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is broken up into sections, followed by a series of practice exercises.  Some readers may find this distracting and choppy, but it is a matter of preference.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The chapters are organized in the order typically found in GOB type textbooks, which is just fine.\r\n\r\nIn-text exercises and end-of-chapter questions have the answers given immediately afterwards.  I suggest moving the answers to another portion of the book (perhaps an appendix).  This would improve student learning, in my opinion.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The pdf version of this book does not include a table of contents, nor does it include an index.  This makes navigation to a particular topic more difficult unless you happen to know which chapter contains the desired material beforehand.\r\n\r\nWhen the book was converted from online to pdf format, the embedded links within the text remain blue in color, suggesting that the links are still active.  However, those links are all inactive.  This could be remedied in a number of ways.\r\n\r\nOther links are embedded in the text (such as those on page 479), and they are active.  However, the links might need to be updated, as the material on those webpages does not fit with the context of where they are in the book itself.\r\n\r\nFigures and tables, in general, seem to have retained their proper formatting during the conversion to pdf.  They seem to be well thought out and convey their information well.\r\n\r\nMathematical formulas (such as those showing conversion factors) are not always consistently formatted…they appear as though they have been copied from one place to another, and appear blurry as a result.  This may be an artifact of the conversion to pdf format.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not run across any errors in grammar.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not see any issues here.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Please note that this review is of the PDF version of this textbook.  The online version of this text may not have as many formatting issues.  Even though this text is listed as being intended for a one-semester GOB course, I feel it could also be modified for use in a two-semester GOB sequence.  The first semester could cover the general chemistry topics, followed by the second semester being half organic chemistry and half biochemistry.  This book should serve the intended audience well.","created_at":"2019-11-27T15:29:20.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-27T15:29:20.000-06:00"},{"id":3478,"first_name":"Chandra","last_name":"Kunapareddy Ph.D.","position":"Assistant Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Blue Mountain Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"As the authors stated in the preface of this book, this book is ideal for the survey of the GOB chemistry full semester course. However considering I teach at an institution that teaches in quarters semester instead of a full semester, I need to cut down on a couple of chapters and topics from this book to make it appropriate for my students. I do want to use this book for single quarters to teach general, organic and biological chemistry in separate quarters. I find that the general chemistry component is very comprehensive to teach in the one-quarter semester. However, the book went lighter in content for organic and biological chemistry. Which makes me need to look for supplemental content to make up for the needed content for the quarter semester for each of organic and biological section. I find that this book uses much fewer images than a regular textbook. It would be great if this book can add more images throughout the book to keep a student engaged. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I used this book for the introductory general chemistry one quarter and covered chapters from 1 to 11. I didn't find any inaccuracies with the text in these first 11 chapters. I also adopted this book for the survey of GOB chemistry class with selected topics and I find no issues so far.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"This book does a good job of covering necessary basic topics to introduce chemistry for non-majors students. However, many of my students are non-chemistry majors and they always look for justification to learn any new chemistry concept. The book will look much more relevant for students if it includes a few more health-related applications for the major concepts. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This follows a pattern similar to any GOB textbook available in the market. So, it does have good clarity of chapters' progressions and the content discussed under each chapter. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent in its style of presenting information in each chapter. Each chapter starts with an opening essay, followed by sub-sections that discusses that covers parts of the chapters in a progressive manner. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I like how this simplifies each topic by consistently presenting learning objectives, concept review exercises, answers, key takeaways, more examples, and answers before moving on to another topic in the same chapter.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"No problems here. As I previously mentioned in the modularity section, the book is very organized and very easy to find the information especially if you use an online textbook. For my online chemistry class, I copy and paste the link of the specific chapters on the canvas shell page for my students to directly access it online.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I commend the author's effort to put together this book available in OpenStax mode. However, this book could use some formating help to make it more attractive for aspiring users. For example, it is uncommon for a textbook to left indent through the book instead of adjusting the sides. The book at times has less clarity element symbol. For example, for example, 5 on page 107 of the textbook has given mass and atomic number information of the elements Cl, I and other elements. The authors try to paste an image instead of using MS word to present this information, which leads to blurry images of the elements. It is still readable but it feels low clarity. I have observed these types of similar issues when the textbook presents problem-solving equations using conversion factors.  ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"There are no obvious grammatical errors. The students in my class liked the way the book is written as it is very easy for them to read.  For a professor who used publisher books in the previous years, this book might seem a little informal in writing. However, it doesn't bother me much, because as I won't require to read this as thoroughly as students since I am already familiar with the content over the years. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No issues here.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I commend the effort put in by the author to make this book available for free. Thank you on behalf of all the students who are using this book.","created_at":"2020-01-06T22:49:27.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-01-06T22:49:27.000-06:00"},{"id":3597,"first_name":"Soumya","last_name":"Bhattacharya","position":"Assistant professor","institution_name":"University of Providence","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is quite comprehensive. Given that this course can be either 2 semesters (16 week each) or 1 semester (8 weeks each module General + Organic \u0026 Biochemistry), the book is detailed enough in materials presented to be adapted for an abridged, more focused direction.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The informations are accurate and concise for the course the book is intended for.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The health science references were well placed. Given that the majority of the readers of this kind of textbook will be allied health science majors, the examples and extrapolations are quite relevant.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The language is simple and lucid. The technical terms are both defined and explained with adequate examples.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"-","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"-","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of the chapters are pretty standard. For this kind of a textbook, atoms first approach suits better and that is how exactly the book is laid out. ","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The formatting requires a lot of work. The figure headings and the actual figures must be in the same page. The subheadings or the headings with their accompanying texts should have been tried to be kept in one page, wherever possible. This book should have been under the scanner of a compositor for much better visual appeal. Use or certain colors (like orange) was a disaster. It actually distracted the reader and made it harder to focus. The organization will tremendously enhance the learning and teaching experiences.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"-","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"-","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2020-02-28T10:36:46.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-02-28T10:36:46.000-06:00"},{"id":4007,"first_name":"Danna","last_name":"Sharp","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"Shenandoah University","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a standard text for a course intended as an introduction to chemistry, organic, and biochemistry for non-majors. I do feel it could be improved by additional figures and images to explain concepts. It definitely lacked in this. \r\n\r\nA few things I noticed:\r\n-the text does not teach students how to draw covalently bonded lewis structures (it does teach ionic)\r\n-drug kinetics are not mentioned in the organic/biochem section\r\n-quantum description of atoms does not explain the electron jump in the d orbitals\r\n-no arrow pushing is used in the organic section and students are required to memorize reactants and products instead\r\n\r\nHowever, all of these things may be fine depending on the course. Other than the omission of lewis structures, I found this text adequate but high on the memorization requirements in the organic and biochem sections.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book was accurate. Most of the issues I felt came from issues of omission. This happened by not going into more depth on explanations of topics to help improve student comprehension instead of focusing on memorization based learning. \r\n\r\nThis again may be fine depending on your course.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"I liked the examples relating chemistry to the real world at the beginning of each chapter often having a medical focus.  As many students who take courses like this are in medical related fields, I find it very helpful.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"This book reads like a dense workbook. It has very good definitions of terms and lots of practice problems with solutions, however, it lacks images and figures to help describe concepts and ideas. So if your students need a lot of practice problems, and your class is supplemented with a lecture with lots of images to help the students visualize concepts, this would be an ideal text. It is also intended for non-majors.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Book was very consistent and easy to locate content. A lot of problems are included in the text and nearly all had solutions. So it provides a lot of practice for students.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text was very easy to read. It was also very concise which I appreciated. Very good definitions!","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I felt this text was very well organized. Everything was where it was supposed to be and the material covered is standard for what is expected in a non-majors course.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text had no interface issues I noticed.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No Grammatical Errors that I saw. Sometimes it would gloss over or skip more complex explanations of topics.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text was not culturally insensitive in any way.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"In summary, this is a standard text for a course intended as an introduction to chemistry, organic, and biochemistry for non-majors. I do feel it could be improved by additional figures and images to explain concepts. It definitely lacked in this. \r\n\r\nI would also appreciate a lessened focus on memorization in the organic and biochemistry portions (personal preference). Nearly all practice questions and topics were based on memorization. The reason as to why certain chemical and biochemical reactions happen was not included. There was a good focus on applications in the organic and biochemistry sections however. \r\n\r\nIn my opinion, the best parts of the text were how concise and clear the definitions were and how all of the problems had solutions for the students to check their work with.","created_at":"2020-06-18T21:01:44.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-18T21:01:44.000-05:00"},{"id":4343,"first_name":"Mary","last_name":"Coville","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Lane Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"There is no glossary or index and the text could really use one.  An enormous amount of material is covered, and if a student needs to review something from earlier or look up a definition, the chapter sub-headings aren’t sufficient.  The book could also use a more extensive appendix that includes all the tables that normally appear inside the front and back covers of a physical textbook – table of polyatomic ions, list of common ions, conversion factors, etc.  Most subjects are covered appropriately but more coverage could be given to chemical equilibrium.  Also, condensation and hydrolysis reactions could be more effectively emphasized.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no glaring errors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book was written before the periodic table was filled in.  Also, I would like to see an update in the next year or so that includes a description of SARS-COV-2 in the section on viruses.  There is currently a description of HIV and the drugs used to treat it in the virus section, and that probably needs to be updated.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written in simple language appropriate for beginning college students including English language learners.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found no problems with consistency.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"I did not like that the intro to organic compounds, including describing functional groups, occurs in chapter 4: covalent bonding.  Then in chapter 12, where organic chemistry really begins in earnest, the authors refer back to chapter 4.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Other than putting the intro to organic compounds in chapter 4, the organization is good.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Some figures were missing in the online version.  My browser prevented me from accessing the PDF version.\r\nI liked that there was a choice of reading the entire chapter continuously or proceeding through it section by section.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive, but there is little cultural diversity in the examples.  The main text focuses on the science.  Inset “career focus” boxes use gender neutral pronouns, although for “genetics counselor” a photograph is included where the counselor is a white woman and her client appears to be a woman of color.  There are only a few depictions of people and they are of dead white scientists: Linus Pauling, John Dalton, William Morton (dentist to first use diethyl ether as a general anesthetic).","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2020-08-26T13:42:09.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-08-26T13:42:09.000-05:00"},{"id":4573,"first_name":"Marissa","last_name":"Shepherd","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Rogue Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"I felt like this book is a basic outline of a GOB course, but felt lacking in many areas. This might be appropriate if you were covering the entire book in one quarter, but not suitable for a full year GOB series. Generally the gen chem section was good, but was shockingly sparse in gas laws.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Seems accurate, but could use more examples especially of more difficult concepts.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"I did like the intro stories in the beginning of each chapter which also helps relate the material, but it needs more pictures to be engaging.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The writing is clear, but a lack of formatting and pictures makes the textbook feel like a huge wall of text which will be difficult for students.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Very consistent with itself.","modularity_rating":2,"modularity_review":"Unfortunately, this portion hurts the textbook the most. The pictures are extremely small compared to the text and very few and far between. This leaves the feeling of a huge wall of text. Formulas and chemical expressions are given in the same font as the main body which exacerbates the issue.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"Generally follows the expected \"GOB\" series course material. There are a few sections that are lumped together and it is lacking in the biochemistry section.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Very small images especially in the biochem section detract from the experience and make it difficult to comprehend the material.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Grammar is good","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Good references!","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"I hope this book will be developed more. I have been searching for a good open source GOB replacement textbook, but this has been shockingly difficult to find. More engaging and better thought out visuals will help the book. \r\nIt also needs more references in the back, standard tables.","created_at":"2021-01-13T15:44:17.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-01-13T15:44:17.000-06:00"},{"id":33669,"first_name":"Nissa","last_name":"Garcia Ivers","position":"Adjunct Chemistry Professor","institution_name":"Southwestern Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is great for an introductory chemistry class - it covers all the necessary learning outcomes for my particular course. I would like to point out that perhaps for the Converting Units chapter, perhaps more examples showing explicitly how units cancel would be much more helpful for instructors.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not so far seen any errors in this text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is matter of fact, so it will withstand the test of time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is clear and concise, however, I think that it can benefit using more visual aids/illustrations for more visual learners. The addition of visual aids can contribute to its clarity.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent in language and style, as well as the format. It is consistent in the presence of end of chapter material, which I particularly like since it summarizes each chapter nicely.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"It would help if this textbook was customizable, however, this is easily addressed by assigning specific chapter readings and pages to students.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I like the sequence of the book - the order is how I normally would teach an intro to chemistry class from chapters 1-6, after which I would go to chapters 9-10.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The navigation of the online book is ok, but I wish that the table of contents would be on the side, and it can stay on display as I click through chapters. I wish there were more illustrations and more visual examples, which would really improve on this book , and show more work for the problem solving aspect, such as the stoichiometry part  and calculating concentrations and converting units, in addition to mentioning the steps, which it already does.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not found any grammatical errors","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is matter of fact, so I didn't see any cultural issues with this book","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2022-01-28T15:26:23.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-01-28T15:26:23.000-06:00"},{"id":33943,"first_name":"Alan","last_name":"Rowe","position":"Adjunct Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Tidewater Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Very comprehensive---  Currently pre-Nursing studetns are only required to take the first part of the 2 semester GOB course so only 1/2 of ths text would be used in that course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Very nice treatment of chemical concepts at an approprite level","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Text is relevant , but It would really benefit from real world examples  of the chemical concepts covered, especially those related to healthh care","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Good clarity-  concise but not overly so","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Cosistent form chapter to chapter","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Most chemistry text for GOB are similar--  this one follows that pattern","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The material is organized in the manner that I would like to present the information-- one concept follows the next almost seamlessly","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"no problems here","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Seems to read very well using grammatical structure easy for the student to follow","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"no indication of any cultural references at all","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The exercises with answers are helpful as well as those without the answers (in the chapter and at the end of chapater problems). Both could be assigned to the student, one for them to check and the ones without answers to see if the student really understands.  The main weakness of the text seems to be not showing the specific work (units crossed out, etc) for numerical problems (unit conversions, stoichiometry problems, etc)  Students really need those specific steps to help them build confidence towards attempting them themselves.","created_at":"2022-07-01T11:33:04.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-07-01T11:33:04.000-05:00"},{"id":34436,"first_name":"SATHIAMOORTHY","last_name":"BALASUBRAMANIAN","position":"Chemistry FACULTY","institution_name":"Rochester Community \u0026 Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book is adequately comprehensive and covers all chapters of a GOB chemistry course. The content is well organized and explained clearly. Students need to review the practice questions for better grasp of concepts.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Mostly error free and accurate","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This text book is highly relevant for GOB course students who need to take this course for Nursing, dental hygiene and other programs.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Very clear and precise and written in a manner which is easily understood at student's level.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Consistent for all chapters.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is divided into various sections based on \"Learning Objective\". Under each section, I like the skill building exercise and practice questions. This way the student can attain mastery in each topic by going through the skill building exercise and solving the practice questions.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Well organized meeting the learning objectives of this course in each chapter.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"No issues. Easily able to toggle between various chapters, no distortion of diagrams or images.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Didn't come across significant grammatical errors","cultural_rating":1,"cultural_review":"Not applicable","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I will recommend this for students who need a text book to master topics of GOB. All the chapters which are part of GOB course curriculum are covered in a an easy to understand manner. The application of concepts can be learnt by doing the practice questions under each learning objective. Highly recommended!","created_at":"2023-03-06T21:45:48.000-06:00","updated_at":"2023-03-06T21:45:48.000-06:00"},{"id":35324,"first_name":"Casey","last_name":"Clements","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Tidewater Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers most of the topics of a first semester GOB course, but it is lacking reaction rates and barely covers chemical equilibrium.  Other than those topics it covers the needed concepts with sufficient depth.  \nEach chapter contains some practice questions with answers, and each chapter ends with a summary and additional practice questions with answers.\nThere is no index or glossary, which in such a large textbook would be helpful.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not encounter any obvious errors in the accuracy of the material presented.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"This book presents the foundations of GOB chemistry, which will continue to remain relevant over time.  The periodic table in chapter 2 and the appendix needs to be updated, but most other content is up to date.  \nI enjoyed the “Looking Closer” and “To Your Health” sections which present the students with real world applications, but some of the examples might lose relevancy over time.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The content is presented clearly. There are some worked examples of math-based problems.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"I would have preferred that shared pairs in Lewis structures were consistently represented as a line instead of sometimes as a line and sometimes as two dots.  Even within the same molecule they used two different ways to represent the shared pairs which is confusing for students.\nIn some examples, such as when discussing VSEPR Theory, the book omits the lone pairs on the outer atoms without mentioning that they are omitted.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The book often feels very text-heavy, it would be nice if there were more images and diagrams.  The material is well labeled and sections can easily be assigned as needed.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Overall, each chapter seems well organized.  Each section includes text, practice questions, and answers.  Each chapter ends with a summary and additional practice problems and answers. \nThe section about organic chemistry in chapter 4 might be better placed in chapter 12, but otherwise the topics are presented in a logical fashion.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I did not encounter any issues with the interface of the online version.  In the pdf version there were some dimensional analysis problems and chemical reactions that went off the page, and a few Lewis Structures that were too small to read.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not encounter any obvious grammatical errors in the textbook.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I did not notice any insensitive or offensive content, but it would be nice if the book contained more diverse examples.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, this textbook is a good choice for a one semester GOB chemistry course.  I would need to supplement the book with more information about chemical equilibrium and reaction rates, but the rest of the required material is covered.","created_at":"2024-12-02T13:20:29.000-06:00","updated_at":"2024-12-02T13:20:29.000-06:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/the-basics-of-general-organic-and-biological-chemistry","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:12:39.000-06:00"},{"id":69,"title":"General Chemistry: Principles, Patterns, and Applications","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2011,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":null,"accessibility_features":["unknown"],"description":"The overall goal of the authors with General Chemistry: Principles, Patterns, and Applications was to produce a text that introduces the students to the relevance and excitement of chemistry. Although much of first-year chemistry is taught as a service course, Bruce and Patricia feel there is no reason that the intrinsic excitement and potential of chemistry cannot be the focal point of the text and the course. So, they emphasize the positive aspects of chemistry and its relationship to students' lives, which requires bringing in applications early and often. In addition, the authors feel that many first year chemistry students have an enthusiasm for biologically and medically relevant topics, so they use an integrated approach in their text that includes explicit discussions of biological and environmental applications of chemistry. Topics relevant to materials science are also introduced to meet the more specific needs of engineering students. To facilitate integration of such material, simple organic structures, nomenclature, and reactions are introduced very early in the text, and both organic and inorganic examples are used wherever possible. This approach emphasizes the distinctions between ionic and covalent bonding, thus enhancing the students' chance of success in the organic chemistry course that traditionally follows general chemistry. Finally, the authors made a conscious effort to treat material that has traditionally been relegated to boxes, and thus perhaps perceived as peripheral by the students, by incorporating it into the text to serve as a learning tool. To begin the discussion of chemistry rapidly, the traditional first chapter introducing units, significant figures, conversion factors, dimensional analysis, and so on, has been reorganized. The material has been placed in the chapters where the relevant concepts are first introduced, thus providing three advantages: Eliminates the tedium of the traditional approach, which introduces mathematical operations at the outset, and thus avoids the perception that chemistry is a mathematics course; Avoids the early introduction of operations such as logarithms and exponents, which are typically not encountered again for several chapters and may easily be forgotten when they are needed; and Provides a review for those students who have already had relatively sophisticated high school chemistry and math courses, although the sections are designed primarily for students unfamiliar with the topic. Consider this text for your course if you are interested in In summary, a text that represents a step in the evolution of general chemistry texts toward one that reflects the increasing overlap between chemistry and other disciplines. Most importantly, if you want a text that discusses exciting and relevant aspects of biological, environmental, and materials science that are usually relegated to the last few chapters, in a format that allows the you to tailor the emphasis to the needs of the class. Request your desk copy today.","contributors":[{"id":3151,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Bruce","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Averill","location":"Strategic Energy Security Solutions","background_text":"Bruce A. Averill grew up in New England. He then received his B.S. with high honors in chemistry at Michigan State University in 1969, and his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at MIT in 1973. After three years as an NIH and NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Brandeis University and the University of Wisconsin, he began his independent academic career at Michigan State University in 1976. He was promoted in 1982, after which he moved to the University of Virginia, where he was promoted to Professor in 1988. In 1994, Dr. Averill moved to the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands as Professor of Biochemistry. He then returned to the United States to the University of Toledo in 2001, where he was a Distinguished University Professor. He was then named a Jefferson Science Policy Fellow at the U.S. State Department, where he remained for several years as a senior energy consultant. He is currently the founder and senior partner of Strategic Energy Security Solutions, which creates public/private partnerships to ensure global energy security. Dr. Averill’s academic research interests are centered on the role of metal ions in biology. He is also an expert on cyber-security. In his European position, Dr. Averill headed a European Union research network comprised of seven research groups from seven different European countries and a staff of approximately fifty research personnel. In addition, he was responsible for the research theme on Biocatalysis within the E. C. Slater Institute of the University of Amsterdam, which consisted of himself as head and a team of 21 professionals, ranging from associate professors to masters students at any given time. Dr. Averill’s research has attracted a great deal of attention in the scientific community. His published work is frequently cited by other researchers, and he has been invited to give more than 100 presentations at educational and research institutions and at national and international scientific meetings. Among his numerous awards, Dr. Averill has been an Honorary Woodrow Wilson Fellow, an NSF Predoctoral Fellow, an NIH and NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow; he has also received an NSF Special Creativity Award. Over the years, Dr. Averill has published more than 135 articles dealing with chemical, physical, and biological subjects in refereed journals, and he has also published 15 chapters in books and more than 80 abstracts from national and international meetings. In addition, he has co-edited a graduate text on catalysis, and he has taught courses at all levels, including general chemistry, biochemistry, advanced inorganic, and physical methods."},{"id":3152,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Patricia","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Eldredge","location":"R.H. Hand, LLC","background_text":"Patricia Eldredge was raised in the U.S. diplomatic service, and has traveled and lived around the world. She has degrees from the Ohio State University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Virginia, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she obtained her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry following several years as an analytical research chemist in industry. In addition, she has advanced offshore sailing qualifications from both the Royal Yachting Association in Britain and the American Sailing Association. In 1989, Dr. Eldredge was named the Science Policy Fellow for the American Chemical Society. While in Washington, D.C., she examined the impact of changes in federal funding priorities on academic research funding. She was awarded a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship with Oak Ridge Associated Universities, working with the U.S. Department of Energy on heterogeneous catalysis and coal liquefaction. Subsequently, she returned to the University of Virginia as a Research Scientist and a member of the General Faculty. In 1992, Dr. Eldredge relocated to Europe for several years. While there, she studied advanced Maritime Engineering, Materials, and Oceanography at the University of Southampton in England, arising from her keen interest in naval architecture. Upon her return to the United States in 2002, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor and a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Toledo. Her research interests included the use of protein scaffolds to synthesize biologically relevant clusters. Dr. Eldredge has published more than a dozen articles dealing with synthetic inorganic chemistry and catalysis, including several seminal studies describing new synthetic approaches to metal-sulfur clusters. She has also been awarded a patent for her work on catalytic coal liquefaction."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":28,"url":"http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/General%20Chemistry%20Principles,%20Patterns,%20and%20Applications.pdf","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:36.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:36.000-05:00","name":"Saylor Foundation"}],"formats":[{"id":258,"type":"PDF","url":"http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/General%20Chemistry%20Principles,%20Patterns,%20and%20Applications.pdf","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":259,"type":"Online","url":"https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_general-chemistry-principles-patterns-and-applications-v1.0/","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"3.5","textbook_reviews_count":10,"reviews":[{"id":107,"first_name":"D.K.","last_name":"Philbin","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Allan Hancock College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is designed to serve science and engineering majors requiring a one year course in general chemistry and the text contains all of the required material and topics to accomplish this task. In the preface, the authors list eight specific objectives they wish to accomplish with this text and I feel that they do indeed accomplish their goal. The text contains numerous interesting \"real world\" examples of applied chemistry (fireworks and their composition being one of my favorite) which will act as effective \"hooks\" to capture student interest. These examples coupled with classroom demonstrations (various salts dissolved in methanol and ignited, to explore the colors of fireworks) have proven effective in capturing student interest. The text lacks a table of contents, index or a glossary and the lack of these is a serious impediment to students. There are some very serious formatting issues which may have been the result of converting from a .doc or .docx format to a .PDF and these the errors make sections of this text unusable. This is strikingly apparent in chapter 14, Chemical Kinetics where many operators (e, superscript, etc) have been replaced with blank squares. The instructor would need to spend significant time correcting these format errors and very little time would be left for teaching! There are also formatting problems with subscripts in chemical formulas NOT appearing as subscripts, again a formatting issue.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"If one were to ignore all of the formatting errors present in the text (see question #1 above) then the accuracy would be more than adequate. In assigning the accuracy score I am NOT including the formatting issues.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The text and its examples are both relevant and timeless; the classic Haber-Bosch Process for the production of ammonia is but one example. I appreciated the example of the existence high levels of iridium in 66 million year old sediments being major evidence for the asteroid impact that may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, something my students can appreciate and relate to. The author uses the above iridium example in a very nice discussion of the scientific method. If instructors adopting this text had access to the original document (.doc or .docx) then required updates would be easy and straightforward; editing the text as a .pdf file would be to burdensome.","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"The text has more than adequate clarity, however some of the example calculations would benefit from additional formatting. An example is determining the empirical formula of Penicillin; the calculations are written in a linear fashion such that the average general chemistry student would be lost trying to follow the example given. Also the formatting problems discussed in question #1 make many equations so confusing as to be incomprehensible to a general chemistry student.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is quite consistent in terminology and presentation.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The lack of a table of contents prevents the text from being easily reorganized and/or realigned. / / All of the typical topics for a year long general chemistry course are present and with an adequate table of contents the text would be very modular.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"It seems like every instructor has their preferred organization/structure/flow preferences for the general chemistry course they teach! This text is written in such a manner that it would be fairly easy to customize the content to fit the particular instructors preferences.","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"Simply put; there are just to many errors in equation (both chemical and mathematical) formatting to make this text useable.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"I see no grammatical issues.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not applicable. This is a chemistry text.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"Teaching at a community college with a significant minority population and a large number of first generation students where the costs of a college education is a significant issue, I am always looking for ways to lower the cost of their education without compromising quality. I was excited to learn of the Open Textbook Library as a method of reducing textbook costs and since a major part of my teaching load is teaching the year long general chemistry sequence I was hopeful that this text would meet my needs. Unfortunately, because of the significant formatting issues present I will be unable to utilize this text. If in the future the problems I have highlighted in this review are corrected, I would be willing to adopt this text and I would be eager to hear my students reaction to an Open Textbook Library product.","created_at":"2014-07-15T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2014-07-15T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":447,"first_name":"Jeffrey","last_name":"Bodwin","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Minnesota State University Moorhead","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"There does not appear to be an index or glossary in the .pdf version of the textbook. The textbook does cover all the major topics typical of a first year General Chemistry course, as well as some of the more popular additional topics that are sometimes covered if there is sufficient time. Although the text can be searched for keywords quite easily, the lack of an index or glossary would make it difficult for a student to use this textbook if they were not familiar enough with the subject to be able to choose appropriate keywords to search.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The content appears to be accurate in its intent; however, the errors and omissions in the .pdf version of the textbook lead to things being wrong (or very difficult for an entry-level student to interpret) in a number of chapters.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The examples in the textbook are both timeless and current, providing a good mixture of “How was this discovered?” and “How do we use this now?” application for the student. Implementing updates could be a challenge given the static nature of the .pdf format, but should be manageable.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text of this textbook is clearly written and should be quite accessible to entry-level students.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The terminology and voice of the textbook is consistent, although many of the formatting and technical errors can cause problems in this consistency. See for example cases where “delta” is used or subscripts and superscripts are used.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The textbook should be reliably modular, although the errors make it difficult to use in any manner. In addition to the page numbers, the authors and/or publisher should consider putting headers on each page denoting the specific chapter (and topic) of the material.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The organization is appropriate. Structure and flow are significantly disrupted by the formatting and technical errors.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"This is a disappointing example of an online open textbook. The formatting is quite simply horrible with many missing figures, repeated sections of the text, poorly or incorrectly formatted figures or equations and other (presumably technical) problems that make the text essentially unusable. Any even cursory review of the text by the authors and/or the publisher would have caught many of these problems before publication.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"There are occasional grammatical and typographical errors throughout, but they do not significantly impact the readability of the text.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The figures used in the .pdf version of this textbook are virtually devoid of any humans. While this prevents over- or under-representation on any group, it is disappointing that the authors do not choose to feature the human side of chemistry more prominently, as would be consistent with their stated objectives to make chemistry more relatable to the student. This would also be an opportunity to proactively feature chemists and other scientists from traditionally under-represented groups to serve as aspirational role models for the students using the textbook.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"This open textbook is disappointing. Averil has authored some quality texts in the past, so I am unsure if the problems lie with the author, or the publisher, or just the randomness of software interpretation when uploading and downloading large files. I suspect that all parties involved in the publication of this open textbook bear responsibility for the poor quality product they have provided. Contributions of this poor quality do an extreme disservice to the open textbook community by giving naysayers an example of what appears to be shoddily pieced together content.\n\nI downloaded the .pdf file of this textbook and opened it offline. (This is the only format available directly from the University of Minnesota open textbook webpage.) If that mode of access is the root of some of the technical problems/errors I observe, then I suspect the same problems will be ubiquitous with students attempting to use this open textbook. I went to the publisher’s website and found the .html version of the book to be better (it has a table of contents/index, and many of the problems with figures are resolved), but it only took until the middle of Chapter 1 to find the message “Sorry this image is permanently unavailable” in place of what should have been Figure 1.6 through 1.9. The .docx version is consistent with the .pdf version with many (perhaps all) of the same errors.\n\nThe stated philosophy of the textbook is sound, and I appreciate its intent. My approach to general chemistry is similar and I would welcome a reliable textbook (especially an open textbook) that aligns well with my preferences. The technical errors in this textbook are glaring and should be unacceptable. I would not consider using this open textbook for my classes, and furthermore, I would encourage the authors, the publisher, and the University of Minnesota to remove this content from the web unless and until it can be presented in a more responsible fashion","created_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1219,"first_name":"Krista","last_name":"Nishida","position":"Clinical Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Washington State University","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"There are two versions of this text, an online version and a pdf version, with a significant difference in quality between them.  The pdf version does not have a table of contents, glossary, appendix or index, making it extremely difficult to navigate, and leaving out the reference aspect of a textbook. The online version, on the other hand, contains all of these things, and follows the table of contents accordingly.  The online controls allow you to click to the previous chapter/section, the next chapter/section or back to the table of contents, making it quite easy to navigate.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"Again, there is a difference between the online version and the pdf one.  The online version is formatted correctly, so that mathematical equations and calculations line up appropriately and all symbols, superscripts, etc. are displayed correctly.  This formatting is lost in the pdf version, making it difficult to follow the examples even as a professor in the subject.  These accuracy issues apply only due to formatting in the pdf version.  I found no inaccurate information, calculations or equations when reading through the online version.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"As general chemistry concepts are not changing, I find no longevity issues.  The examples given are relevant to the real world, and tie in nicely with things that the students are better able to understand.  The only issue would be those formatting ones that would be necessary updates for the pdf version.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The text itself is clear and well written, but again, the formatting within the pdf version makes it hard to understand and follow.  Again, the online version is much better, but I cannot expect all of my students to remain online to read their textbook.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Terminology and framework is consistent.  I did not find any significant changes in how the material was presented or the terms used.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The online version is easy to parse into small sections or pieces, enabling you to assign different sections at different points in time.  The pdf version would be impossible, as there is no table of contents, and it is trial and error with a lot of scrolling to find out where you are.  There are no additional indicators or labels of section numbers or chapters except at the beginning of each chapter or section.  If the examples or exercises in the sections and chapters were numbered with the chapter and section, that'd make it a lot easier.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in a logical order for a typical science major oriented curriculum.  The flow is good.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"Navigation and the interface on the online version is good.  It allows the reader to click to skip back to the previous chapter/section or ahead to the next, as well as back to the table of contents, all in one click from a menu that stays at the top of the window. Occasionally, when you are scrolling through worked examples with equations or calculations, that top navigation menu is visible, but you cannot click on it.  This issue stops when you scroll away from those areas.  There are also images and figures within the online version that show up as \"permanently unavailable\".  \n\nThe pdf version is very difficult to navigate, and the lack of formatting makes the text blend together and is difficult and monotonous to read.  The images that are \"permanently unavailable\" in the online version do show up in the pdf version, but all of the equation and calculation formatting make them show up in a long string of characters, with the loss of any LaTeX or html formatting.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any significant grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"While I did not find anything that was culturally insensitive or offensive, I also did not find much that showed human culture at all.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"While the overall text and content of the textbook are the same in both versions, the online version is a much better textbook than the pdf version.  The online version has a few issues, such as the missing images/figures, but the formatting and ease of navigation make up for those few instances.  The pdf version's lack of formatting, table of contents, glossary, index and appendices make it an unusable textbook.  Not everyone is connected to the internet 24/7, so until the pdf version catches up to the online one, I would not use this with my students.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1318,"first_name":"Alvin","last_name":"Holder","position":"Associate Professor in Chemistry","institution_name":"Old Dominion University","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is designed to serve biological and biomedical students, engineering students, general education students, health sciences students, pre-medical science students, and science majors requiring at least one year course in general chemistry and the text contains all of the required material and topics to accomplish this task.  This textbook is a precursor to students who will be studying organic I chemistry and those students who may have to study advanced inorganic chemistry after the freshman and sophomore years, even the former section is too short in nature.  There are many stimulus materials in the form of cartoons/figures, but some of their quality is not up to standard.\n\tThe text lacks a table of contents, index or a glossary and the lack of these entities is a serious deficiency. There are some very serious formatting issues which may have been the result of converting from a .doc or .docx format to a .pdf format and these the errors make sections of this text illegible. The online version has a warning in some places, i.e., “Sorry! The image is permanently unavailable.”\n\tThe instructor will have to spend significant time correcting these format errors and very little time would be left for teaching the material.  There are also formatting problems with subscripts in chemical formulas NOT appearing as subscripts, again a formatting issue.  This issue is more predominant in the pdf version, where fractions are not shown.  It would have been wise for the authors to use Equation Editor to write mathematical equations and use ChemDraw for the structures and major equations (followed by saving the files in the .tiff format).  \n\tThe pdf version is way too long (2.365 pages in total).  This is very expensive ($$$) for printing and very difficult for reading.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"The textbook has some errors in conjunction with the formatting mentioned in question 1 from above.  One case is where the electronic configurations of Cr and Cu are not correct.  In another case, the magnitude and the units are not separated by a space, e.g., 25°C should be written as 25 °C.  \nThe history of chemistry is NOT accurate as this began in Africa/Egypt, where khemica is an ancient Egyptian word for chemistry.  The history of chemistry should have been researched as the history of chemistry is very biased towards Europeans versus other races who really have been practicing chemistry for many years.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text and its examples are both relevant and timeless; the classic Haber-Bosch Process for the production of ammonia is an example.  Topics such as thermochemistry, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry are some of the topics that I learned as a high school student at The Lodge School in Barbados in the 1980s. Such topics will be around for many years to come.\n\tOne thing to note, If instructors adopting this textbook had access to the original document as a MS Word document; then required updates would be simple and straightforward; as editing the textbook in converting a .pdf file to a MS Word document would create many problems, all due to the points made in question 1 above.","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"The textbook is more than adequate in terms of clarity, however some of the example calculations would benefit from additional formatting as soon as possible.   It is best to use Equation Editor to write the answers, and show the answers and equations, line by line, where dimensional analysis would be easier to understand.  A good example is in the use of this problem:\n\tEthanol has an enthalpy of vaporization of 42.3 kJ/mol. The compound has a vapor pressure of 1.00 atm at 78.3 °C. At what temperature is the vapor pressure equal to 0.500 atm? (R = 8.314 J/K mol).  Also, the calculations involving percentage abundances should be rewritten. Note that calculations involving moles, molar masses, the use of Avogadro’s constant should have been organized in a better fashion.  The oxidation number of a proton and a hydride wasn’t clear.  The textbook needs some overhaul in some areas, especially the topic involving transition metal chemistry.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is very consistent in terminology and presentation, even with all of the errors and formatting within.","modularity_rating":2,"modularity_review":"The lack of a table of contents prevents the textbook from being easily reorganized and/or realigned.   All of the typical topics for a year-long general chemistry course are present, but having a table of contents the textbook would be very modular.  Personally, chapter 8 should have been merged with chapter 2.  All thermochemical topics and problems should have been in one chapter.\n\tA chapter with covalent and ionic bonds should have presented along with Lewis dot structures.  A more definitive chapter on mathematical concepts should have been the first chapter, inclusive of logarithms, indices, standard notation, and significant figures, and some brief statistical analysis.","organization_rating":2,"organization_review":"It seems as if the authors have preferred their own organization/structure/flow preferences for the general chemistry course they have taught in the past! This text should have been written in such a manner that it would be fairly easy to customize the content to fit a particular instructor’s preferences.  See my answer for question 6.  Some of the topics could have been reorganized and be combined as some appear to be segregated.  The last chapter involving organic chemistry was tacked on and appeared to be rushed to make a comprehensive textbook.","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"Simply put; there are just too many errors in equation (both chemical and mathematical) formatting to make this text useable.  See my answer to question 1.","grammatical_rating":2,"grammatical_review":"The textbook contains one grammatical error, where consistently, the authors began sentences with the word “because”.  It would be wise for the authors to have an English proof reader read this online textbook and correct this and all grammatical errors. We need to have future STEM scientists write manuscripts and textbooks that are free of grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a chemistry textbook that will be very useful for all races as chemistry is a universal science.","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"As an instructor at an extensive research and teaching institution with a significant minority population (34%) and a large number of first generation students and military veterans, the costs of a college education is a significant issue.  As such, we at ODU, are always looking for ways to lower the cost of their education without a compromise in quality. I am very excited to learn of the Open Textbook Library as a method of reducing textbook costs, and was hopeful that this textbook would have met the needs of such students. Unfortunately, at this moment in time, because of the significant formatting issues and the way the content is presented,  I am  unable to recommend this text to the instructors who teach at the freshman level. If in the future the problems I have highlighted in this review are corrected, I would be willing to recommend this textbook to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Old Dominion University.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2312,"first_name":"Gabriele","last_name":"Backes","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The online text is comprehensive and addresses all topics needed in a one-year science major’s general chemistry curriculum.  It is well organized and is laid out in the traditional approach.  Each chapter contains graphics and illustrations, though many images are missing - labeled as permanently unavailable.  This is especially evident in chapter 14 (Kinetics), with minor omissions in just about every chapter.  Minor formatting issues in chapter 16.2 distract from the otherwise very nicely written section (or text in general).   / Each chapter also includes a set of end-of-the chapter exercises.  I think the text certainly could benefit from additional exercises, as well as perhaps adding a section of challenging exercises.   / The text includes a very comprehensive appendix with all necessary tables and data.   / I liked the fact that each section opens with a ‘learning objective’ and ends with a ‘key takeaway’.   / The text definitely compares well with other texts designed for a major’s chemistry course.  Customization of the text for use in any general chemistry course is certainly possible.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"As far as I can judge, the content is accurate and I did not come across any major flaws or misconceptions.  ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is laid out such that it would be very easy to add to each section as necessary.  At this point, applications within the text are current and will be able to be used for quite some time (figure 2.22 should certainly be updated).  I would like to see a few more current events, figures, tables, or links to current events, woven into the text.   / Any updates that will have to occur over time could be easily integrated and should not affect the flow of the text. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is well-written, it is concise and its content is easy to follow.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is very consistent throughout in its layout, formatting and writing style.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Adequate.  Each chapter could very easily be adopted as a stand-alone chapter ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The chemistry book has been written to reflect the traditional order of topics.  I feel that the layout along with the nature of the book allows for any changes if a different arrangement of topics is what is desired by the curriculum.  ","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"I opted to review the online version (rather than downloading the pdf).  Navigation of the text was easy using my PC and I did not come across any issues of loading of images.  Some of the images seem to be relatively small and I was wondering how these would look on a smaller tablet or IPad (which is what many of my students use).  Also, all chapters have links that refer back to previous chapters but none of the links opened on my PC.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical or spelling errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a chemistry text.  I have not found any issues.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This book is very nicely written and easy to follow.  The content is accurate, the text comprehensive and could easily be used in a general chemistry curriculum.  It is a great online chemistry book and I would certainly think about adopting it for our general chemistry courses in the future.  However, at this point, it is not quite ready to be used as there are formatting issues and many missing images which distract from the otherwise very well written text.  ","created_at":"2018-09-12T13:22:50.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-09-12T13:55:02.000-05:00"},{"id":2374,"first_name":"Michael","last_name":"Russell","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Mt. Hood Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers the essentials of a first year chemistry course, but it lacks depth and \"readability\". Indeed, this text could not be used as a standalone teaching option. The first part of the book, “Introduction to Chemistry” does a fair job discussion the scientific method, the basic precepts of chemistry, and history of chemistry; however, I found the discussion of significant figures (a topic critical in my opinion to the first year chemistry curricula) insufficient in detail or scope.  Also, the text book would benefit from additional pictures and tables, anything to break up the eternal monotony of the words used in the text.  I deeply appreciate the time that went into creating a book like this; however, small details would benefit the reader (and student of chemistry) greatly.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not encounter any mistakes or inaccuracies while reviewing the text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook was written in 2011, so up to this date, the book seems very relevant.  An update would, as always, be appreciated!","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text uses a readable prose style.  Although not super exciting, it is quite clear and consistent…. the determined reader will be able to finish and find the experience satisfying.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is very consistent in its terminology and framework.  I did not see overlapping definitions, or exceptions to previous sections, etc. ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"With the exception of the first chapter, I found the text readily divisible into smaller segments.  This would be quite useful in a seminar course, or perhaps a course over a specific segment of chemistry…. very cool.  However, the first chapter - and arguably the most important - seems to blend together in an undividable cluster…. and this is a shame: if I wished to talk about, say, significant figures, it would be nice to \"copy and paste\" those section(s) into a new document to share with the class, etc.  Instead the introduction topics mesh and overlap each other, and I'd probably need a second textbook to augment this book were I to adopt it for my classes.  I realize the option to make a text divisible is the prerogative of the authors, but it would be nice to have such a feature available.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The text is organized in a logical and very clear fashion. The format follows established progressions as set by other chemistry textbook authors…. there should be no major obstacles for teachers adopting this book for their classes.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"I was quite surprised that the beginning of the textbook did not have a table of contents in the PDF version.  The website and online version had a table of contents…. the PDF version would benefit greatly from a list of the different chapters, etc.  Also, to increase the readability of the material, adding in colorful pictures, diagrams, tables and examples would be wonderful: the text is rather dry at the moment, which I find disenchanting since the material is so fraught with wonder and awe.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I saw no obvious or glaring errors in the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text did not rely on \"he\" or \"she\" and remained mostly gender neutral.  I saw nothing in the text which would exclude specific races, ethnicities or backgrounds.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I appreciate the considerable efforts by the authors to create this text, and I wish to thank them for sharing their work with the public in this arena - thank you!  If you ever decide to write a new version (or if you are considering adopting this book for your own classes), it would be nice to have some post-2011 information included; also, PLEASE include a table of contents in the PDF version of the textbook!!!  The addition of additional pictures, diagrams, tables, etc. would brighten the reader's experience greatly.... just an idea.  Overall I like this book, and given a few additions and changes, it would be great as well.","created_at":"2018-11-09T15:03:12.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-11-09T15:03:12.000-06:00"},{"id":2534,"first_name":"Soheila","last_name":"Adl","position":"Adjunct lecturer","institution_name":"LAGCC","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"Both PDF and online versions have good coverage of subjects with some unnecessary overlap of the same topics in different chapters. For example the atomic structure discussion in sections 1.4-1.7 of chapter 1 is more and less is discussed in Chapter 6.  Chapter 1 of the book (Introduction to Chemistry) is too long and tedious to read (for the students) since it covers many unfamiliar topics for the freshman students of general chemistry 1. Instead of atomic structure that is discussed in chapters 2 and 6, the dimensional analysis (unit conversion) should be introduced to students in chapter 1 which has been included in chapter 3 of this textbook. PDF version of the book lack Table of contents, navigation bar and glossary. The outline of the book pages in PDF version need to be improved to help with the readability of the material. The images and graphics need to be properly positioned in PDF version as well. The online version lacks glossary as well but the navigation bar and Table of contents are appreciated. Although the subject coverage of the book is satisfactory, I would change the order of topics in some chapters and eliminate the overlap materials. The formatting issues of PDF version and organization of the topics in some chapters make it difficult to adapt this textbook as a standalone teaching book. ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Some of the terminology used by the Authors  been abandoned and replaced by the recent authors of the general chemistry books. For example in chapter 5, section 5.3 under classifying chemical reactions, 3 classes of the chemical reactions are named as exchange, condensation and cleavage which are known as replacement (double or single), combination and decomposition respectively in the majority of the recent general chemistry books. Although those terminology used in this book are correct, they are not up to date and if this textbook is used in conjunction with the other general chemistry book may cause confusion among the students. In general the book has been written with good accuracy.       ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The basic fundamental principles of chemistry are still intact and relevant and the book's content is up to date. I am not sure about the accuracy of the history of chemistry. It needs to be thoroughly examined based on the true historical facts.  With all computer programming languages like html, j query and other programming tools already implemented in both PDF and online version of any book, it is easy to add, edit and update any textbook.   ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"the text is quite clear and consistent  but the authors tend to over explain some topics that makes the reader to lose interest. A concise and clear written style would be more interesting. It would help the students to capture the essence of the topics by showing the step by step calculations using Equation Editor. From my own experience I know that  students have hard time to grasp the dimensional analysis  problems if solutions are not demonstrated with the proper format.       ","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The textbook is quite consistent in used terminology and manner of , writing style and presenting the topics. unfortunately the formatting issues especially with PDF version and missing images affect the consistency of the textbook.y    ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The lack of table of contents and navigation bar in PDF version make it hard to find a specific topic. for the online version, with the exception the first chapter,   there's a reliable modularity throughout  the textbook.  Adding page number and header on the top of pages to show the specific chapter are recommended. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I rated 4 the online version for its organized manner. The PDF doesn't have that degree of organization due to the layout and formatting issues. If I am to adapt this textbook, I would definitely change the order  of some topics for several chapters to make it compatible with my educational system syllabus.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The PDF version needs a dramatic formatting change. The online version needs a glossary, page number, header to show the relevant chapter and the missing images should be fixed. There is overlay of the scrolling pages over the navigation bar that can be fixed by a computer programmer.   ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"I didn't come across a grammatical errors but in PDF versions there are many cases of spelling errors caused by the elimination of spaces between words. for example page 57 on PDF version that the space between two consecutive words has been eliminated. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a chemistry book and totally is unbiased.  ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"The online version of the textbook has a good coverage of the subject and I'm considering to introduce it to my students as an option to save money.  The order of topics in several chapters and lack of proper formatting issues are the  major drawbacks for me in adapting this textbook for my teaching. That being said, I greatly appreciate the efforts of the authors for taking time to produce this textbook.","created_at":"2019-01-15T22:55:17.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-01-15T22:55:17.000-06:00"},{"id":2875,"first_name":"Leanna","last_name":"Giancarlo","position":"Associat Professor","institution_name":"University of Mary Washington","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text covers all of the major topics found in a two-semester, first year General Chemistry course and has the appropriate tables (thermodynamic quantities, equilibrium constants, etc.) as labeled appendices.  The table of standard reduction potentials (Appendix E) would be more difficult to use than most other textbooks as the potentials are listed alphabetically by symbol.  The periodic table in Appendix H is also too small to use.  The pdf version does not include a table of contents, index or glossary of terms.  The online format is better in this regard with links to chapters and topics in the table of contents.  A glossary and index are still lacking.   This text is more comprehensive than many others in terms of acid-base equilibria as the authors do an excellent job of providing examples of quantitative amounts at equilibrium for both weak acids and weak bases (the latter is frequently absent).  ","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"The chemical and mathematical content appears accurate (although the Lewis structure provided for carbon in Figure 8.7 is incorrect); however, there are key ideas that are not discussed in enough detail for students to assess their importance.  One of these are the exceptions within electron configurations (Chapter 6) where the families of Cu and Cr are only highlighted in Figure 6.4.  Emphasis on this difference in the normal pattern of electron configurations and an explanation as to why are missing in the text or figure caption.  Additionally, a discussion of shielding appears to be lacking.  ","relevance_rating":2,"relevance_review":"The content is not up-to-date with many images having been removed and a “publication” date of 2011.  ","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"The written text and the problem-solving strategies are fairly clear and straightforward.  More careful definition of terminology would aid the student as well as elimination of advanced material (e.g. wave function description of molecular orbitals).  Many chapters contain too much extraneous information that make it more difficult for students to focus on the important learning objectives and key takeaways that are assets to the work.  For example, removal of the “Essential Elements for Life” and “Brief History of Chemistry” from chapter 1 or “Trace Elements in Biological Systems” in chapter 7 would improve the flow for the student reader.  While several of the graphics (e.g. Tables 2.2, 2.5 and Figure 2.12) are very well done, some figures are unnecessary where they currently occur in the text or provide information that is too advanced for a student at this level.  (For example, Figures 2.3 and 2.4 would be more appropriate when electron and molecular geometries are introduced in Chapter 9, and the titration curves that appear in conceptual problem 3 section 4.9 would fit better after acid/base equilibria, buffers and titrations are formally presented in Chapter 16.) ","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"The format of the textbook is fairly consistent:  within most topics is a learning objective (set apart with a colored box), text, followed by examples (highlighted with a different colored background with a self-consistent format), key equations (another colored background), summary, key takeaway, concept and numerical problems (both with answers).  Not all of the chapters contain Application Problems (in a section titled “End-of-Chapter Material”), where students are given additional practice without the guidance of knowing the topic in advance.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is fairly readable and divisible into smaller sections; this allows the instructor/student to omit sections that may seem extraneous or to jump to essential skills (e.g. metric prefixes, temperature conversions, preparing a graph, etc.).  The text is well organized and given its structure can be easily be re-organized to suit a course’s goals.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Aside from intercalary information, the topics are presented in a logical fashion, beginning with standard ideas of the scientific method and measurement, progressing to the elementary structure of the atom, stoichiometry and reactions, energy, more detailed structure of the atom, periodic trends, bonding, molecular shapes, phases of matter, kinetics, equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry.  ","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"The online version of the text is missing images (statements of apology and notices that images have been permanently removed have been inserted, rather than removing the call to the figure, renumbering within a chapter and editing the text).  This was distracting and impeded the readability.  The pdf version does not contain these statements (the images have simply been omitted), and the text appears cleaner looking with a larger font.  Unfortunately, the pdf version is missing essential aids (table of contents, index, etc.) and hyperlinks; this makes the pdf file difficult to use when a student/instructor attempts to navigate to a specific location within the text.  Finally, the font sizes (especially) within the images/graphics changes.  This makes information seem more important than was intended by the authors.  (Note:  font changes also occur in the online text but it is less distracting in this format.)  ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The text is relatively free of grammatical errors; however, equilibria is generally used as the plural of equilibrium. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive.  ","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-04-30T17:32:34.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-30T17:32:34.000-05:00"},{"id":5149,"first_name":"Steve","last_name":"Acquah","position":"Associate Research Professor","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"It is very comprehensive as a general chemistry textbook, with more information presented than what would typically be required. This resource can be adapted to support students of various majors. Although the subject matter is relevant and consistent when compared to other textbooks, both the online version and the PDF are due for a major update to the formatting to take advantage of evolving learning styles and the need for quality learning resources as we emerge from the pandemic. The adoption of remote learning technologies during the pandemic highlighted the need for open access resources for teaching, and this textbook could have been a critical tool for instruction. I like the addition of the learning objectives that help maintain a clear focus for the chapters, and overlapping themes help connect the concepts, which is an essential part of learning. Improvements to the navigation of the textbook are still required to help students and faculty, but as a freely available teaching resource, there is a lot of potential.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content does not seem to have any errors except for the missing images listed in this review.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The book continues to be relevant as it is based on the underlying principles of chemistry. The textbook benefits from having more information than what would typically be required, further supporting a modular approach for instruction.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The PDF and the online version of the textbook are clear to read. Students can work through the chapters, but additional edits to the format of some questions would be helpful to guide them.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Many images do not have figure numbers assigned, which affects the consistency throughout the textbook. This issue can be corrected in future revisions while the missing image placeholders are restored.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The textbook chapters are modular in design; however, there are still problems with the navigation due to the missing table of contents in the PDF. Lecturers would need additional preparation time to integrate a modular approach to the textbook.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of the textbook is generally good, providing many different ways to adapt the content for lectures and instructional media resources. Chapter 7 has a good section on the allotropes of carbon which I can adapt for short virtual presentations.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The PDF Version needs significant work to improve the interface as the heading may appear at the end of a page instead of adjusted to a new page for aesthetics. (See pages 61, 62, and 87 for examples) The image for Figure 2.2 on page 97 is not at the correct ratio.\r\n\r\nThe online version has many figures that are permanently unavailable. This is a comprehensive list of the missing images:\r\n\r\nFigures 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.16, 2.9, the image at the start of chapter 3, 3.1, 3.7, 3.9, the image in example 13, the image in example 15, the image at the start of chapter 4, 4.4, the image in example 8, the image in example 11, (no figure number - Darkening of silver bromide crystals by exposure to light), 4.14, 4.16, 4.21, 4.23, 4.24, 5.12, the image at the start of chapter 6, 6.9, 6.13, (no figure number - Potassium burning), the image at the start of chapter 8, 9.27,  10.15, 10.16, 11.1,  11.10, 13.5, 13.8, 13.22, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3,  14.4, 15.1, 15.12, 15.13, the image at the start of chapter 16, 16.22, 16.25, 17.4, 17.9, 17.11, 18.6, 18.7, 19.2, (no figure number - A galvanic cell), 19.8, 21.10, 21.11, 22.14, 23.4, and 23.5.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The grammatical errors that I found were linked to the formatting, likely on the conversion to PDF. In general, there are no other grammatical errors that I noticed.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"There are no specific cultural references. It would benefit from the inclusion of possible regional differences in the way subject topics could be taught as footnotes.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"It is clear that a lot of time and effort has been put into this textbook that provides a comprehensive view of chemistry. Over time it seems that the online version has lost the links to many of the figures, and this will need to be addressed in future revisions. The formatting of the PDF still needs a lot of work to make it easier for students to navigate.","created_at":"2021-06-26T19:23:27.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-26T19:23:27.000-05:00"},{"id":33834,"first_name":"Terrie","last_name":"Salupo-Bryant","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Manchester University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The online text has a Table of Contents, but no index. Words in boldface are defined by floating the cursor over the word.  The FlatWorld print text has a Table of Contents and index, but no glossary though definitions for some terms in boldface are shown in the margin.  In general the Averill \u0026 Eldredge textbook covers all of the topics found in typical General Chemistry textbooks.  I found the Kinetics chapter lacking in integrated rate law problems.  I prefer to use a different open access textbook for this topic.  Otherwise it has a good variety of example problems throughout each chapter.  The book does not have a large variety of end-of-chapter problems.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I haven't had any problems with inaccuracies.  I have a number of high ability students who don't hesitate to ask questions when something doesn't make sense, but they haven't pointed out any problems with the textbook.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The hardcopy Flatworld textbook of Averill \u0026 Eldredge has some interesting youtube.com video links that may become outdated, however, these are not included in the online open access textbook.  The online book is written with minimal reference to things that will become outdated.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook is presented at a level for first year chemistry students.  Molecular level representations of substances and reactions work well with macroscopic level images and symbolic representations (i.e. chemical formulas and balanced equations).","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The quality of the work is consistent throughout the textbook.  Since the textbook questions will most likely not be used as assigned homework since online homework platforms are now available, answers to all questions should be consistently provided.  Answers to Example problems within the reading consistently show the answers and how to work through the problems.  Conceptual problems in general do not have answers provided, but in some places the odd numbered answers were provided.  I'd rather have space dedicated to numbered problems with answers than space dedicated to conceptual questions without answers.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Numbered sections contain multiple subsections that I wish were numbered in some way.  For many of the reading assignments, I assigned only certain subsections, but there wasn't a concise way to indicate them on my syllabus without citing the title of each subsection.\r\nIt is rather easy to provide a link to each numbered section in our learning management system.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Chapters are presented in an organized manner not really different from the average General Chemistry textbook.  The font and visual presentation in the online textbook, however,  is somewhat monotonous.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"In the online text, there are a fair number of Figures that are listed as 'Unavailable\".  The most readable version is the FlatWorld print textbook.  The presentation and highlighting are visually more appealing and organized.  The online version has just a mediocre presentation.  The pdf version has too many formatting problems to be a viable textbook for students due to reactions and equations appearing garbled and illegible in places.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no problems with grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Since the figures are primarily of chemical substances and processes, I would consider the textbook culturally neutral.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Averill and Eldredge is a decent book to use as a free textbook.  If I could choose any textbook for students, this wouldn't be the one I'd choose, but it's a good option if it's a priority to keep student textbook costs down.  I really wish it had as many chapter end problems as most print textbooks have.  When students express that they would like more example problems, I like to point them to problems at the end of the chapter categorized by section topic that have answers provided.  This textbook doesn't allow me to do that.","created_at":"2022-05-05T21:47:44.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-05-05T21:47:44.000-05:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/general-chemistry-principles-patterns-and-applications","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:01:51.000-06:00"},{"id":219,"title":"Chemistry","edition_statement":"2e","volume":null,"copyright_year":2019,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"Chemistry 2e is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the two-semester general chemistry course. The textbook provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of chemistry and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. The book also includes a number of innovative features, including interactive exercises and real-world applications, designed to enhance student learning. The second edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Substantial improvements have been made in the figures, illustrations, and example exercises that support the text narrative.","contributors":[{"id":3493,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Paul","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Flowers","location":"Pembroke, North Carolina","background_text":"Senior Contributing Authors Paul Flowers, University of North Carolina at Pembroke"},{"id":5058,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Klaus","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Theopold","location":"Newark, Delaware","background_text":"Klaus Theopold, University of Delaware"},{"id":5059,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Richard","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Langley","location":"Nacogdoches, Texas","background_text":"Richard Langley, Stephen F. Austin State University"}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":106,"url":"https://openstax.org/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:37.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-13T15:46:02.000-05:00","name":"OpenStax"}],"formats":[{"id":146,"type":"PDF","url":"https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e?Book%20details","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":147,"type":"Online","url":"https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e?Book%20details","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4.5","textbook_reviews_count":57,"reviews":[{"id":257,"first_name":"Benjamin","last_name":"Reynolds","position":"Assistant Professor and Director Chemistry Learning Resource Center","institution_name":"Colorado State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is very comprehensive and includes all of the content areas expected in a comprehensive general chemistry textbook for use in a two-semester general chemistry course. The text also includes an extensive set of appendices including a section on essential mathematics and the usual tabulated data (physical constants, thermodynamic data, standard potentials, etc).  Extensive open-source art has been incorporated into the text along with all additional features that extend the text beyond just content and allow customization of the text for use in a variety of general chemistry courses. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Content is accurate and can easily compete with any other general chemistry textbook offered by the major publishing companies.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The general chemistry content is up-to-date and reflects some of the best practices in presenting core chemistry concepts to students including extensive use of graphic visualizations both in the content body as well as practice problems and worked examples. Applications used within the text are current and most will hold over time, however, some examples and side notes may become irrelevant with time such as the use of statistical figures. Updates to these applications, facts, and figures would be easy and straightforward and they do not impact to the core content of the text.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is written with a nice balance between introducing technical terminology and ideas while supporting learners who are just starting out in college-level chemistry.  The book is certainly written to a college-level and some descriptions and explanations may be difficult to follow for learners with language difficulties or weaker science backgrounds.  Nonetheless, the book is well-written and edited such that most statements and explanations are kept concise and to the point which should make the information more accessible to wider range of learners.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is very consistent with a clear framework for providing explanations, supporting examples, and practice problems.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The book has a similar modularity to most general chemistry textbooks which is limited without further customization.  For students using the text as a reference source, the different content areas easily standalone assuming an appropriate prior knowledge background.  As pointed out in the preface, the chapter content could be rearranged. However, as with most general chemistry textbooks - the topics in later chapters build upon some topics in earlier chapter. This is mostly a function of the nature of general chemistry itself coupled with the comprehensive structure of this textbook.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The book is organized in the typical structure of nearly all general chemistry textbooks.  The advantage in the open-source structure is the ability to customize and adapt the sections and chapters for use in a variety of course designs.  The book has been written in a traditional topic order but includes a description of a potential atoms-first sequence for faculty desiring that sequence.  However, the preface warns that the reordered sequence may require careful consideration of textual consistency.  Nonetheless, the adaptive and customized nature of the book allows adopters to make any necessary changes as they see fit for any desired alternate sequencing in the content.  ","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The online interface is clean and professional looking. Navigation requires a small learning curve, but quick links allow you to readily jump from topic to topic. The system seemed to be fast, but occasional server lag was noticed upon linking from topic to topic as each page was loaded.  In addition, due to the open-source nature, 'please donate' screens appear periodically and break the usability and flow of the textbook.  These donation screens can be off-putting from a faculty side and certainly could be damaging to learners when trying to quickly find and use the information in the book. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is well-written and appears to have been heavily edited to omit and avoid grammatical issues.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The text makes good use of references to a wide variety of interesting applications and issues across a range of cultural aspects.  The use of freely available open source images and links to web-based supplements hint at global sources of information.  While the book is not culturally-offensive, the examples and applications are certainly US-centric.  This US-centric view may limit the books attractiveness to the international audience.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Openstax Chemistry is an exceptional starting point for a free, open-source textbook.  The content, examples, and supporting materials are on-par with most publisher textbooks. However, the customizable and adaptable nature of the Creative Commons licensing makes the book an ideal option for breaking away from the grip of publishing companies.  This general chemistry textbook is a viable and excellent alternative for any faculty member who has struggled with textbook adoption and has spent far too many hours haggling with publishers and sales reps over student pricing, bundling of 'extras', and the inevitable 'how many students in your class' mentality. Whether you teach a class with 30 students or 300 students - this textbook provides a reliable and 100% customizable general chemistry for free. No haggling, no dealing with sales reps, and no 'new editions' every 2-3 years just for the sake of new editions. ","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":306,"first_name":"Ted","last_name":"Picciotto","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Portland Community College - Sylvania","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers all areas one would expect in a general chemistry textbook.  I really liked how in many of the sections there were great particle level examples as well as links to Phet animations and tutorials to help solidify concepts.  I also liked how many of the concepts were simply stated.  The style of writing was very clear.  The amount of detail in many cases would be perfect for my community college general chemistry course.  I know writers of many textbooks feel as if they need to include more difficult concepts or added detail to add to the rigor of the text.  As I am not looking for pages and pages of thermodynamic equations and derivations for a 1st year general chemistry course, I did not miss them.  I am not sure if this text would be appropriate for an honors level general chemistry course.  It did, however, provide a nice in-depth discussion of molecular orbital theory with a blurb on LEDs as well.\n\nFor the majority of the text, the succinctness without excess verbiage was a plus.  The risk is, of course, that an instructor may find certain sections under explained.  For example,  I thought some of the detail and examples were a little sparse in the Collision Theory discussion in the kinetics section which would benefit from more particle level images and animations as found in the other chapters.  It would be something easily supplemented by the teacher.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"As it is a general chemistry textbook without much interpretation of feelings and events as found in liberal arts classes, the text came across as unbiased.   While reading through the text, I did not find any errors.  I feel for most texts these tend to pop up in the worked problems and solutions which I did not fully explore.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I really like how each chapter made a significant effort to contextualize the chemistry content and relate it back to student's everyday lives.  As it is included in the introduction section of each chapter I imagine it would be very easy to update over time.   If I had any complaint here it would be that I would like to see even more contextualization throughout. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"As I mentioned previously in the comprehensiveness section of the review, I thought the book was very clearly and simply written.  Perfect in my mind for the 1st year undergraduate science student or honors chemistry high school student.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The writing tone is consistent throughout.  The lead editor did a good job putting their voice to the content.  The only inconsistent aspect in my mind is that some sections were great relating the particle level view to chemistry concepts while others seemed a little underdeveloped.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"At PCC we don't just run through the topics of a text in order as we use a guided inquiry workbook created by Moog to lead our discussions.  We then assign various sections of the text to provide reinforcement of a topic.  After reading through this text I felt it would be very easy to assign individual sections.  They all appeared to be very 'stand-alone' in nature.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics were presented in an \"atoms first\" type framework which is fairly common among general chemistry textbooks.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I found the text very easy to use on my PC.  It was a minor annoyance that the loading of a number of images had a bit of lag time which was a little distracting.  I wonder if the size of the images could be reduced without loss of educational value?  I also tried to read the on-line version from my iPhone.  It also had the same issue of slow loading time for the images.  I tried the molecular shape Phet simulation on my iPhone as well and it loaded but did not work properly versus on the PC where it worked fine.  For some reason I could not get the Polarity interactive tutorial to work on my PC but will reboot and try again. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Well edited and written.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Chemistry is a notoriously difficult topic to try and tie into other cultures as much of the recent advancements took place in Europe or the US.  I don't feel it is impossible however.  I think it would great to include more historical references to different cultures such as gunpowder in china for the stoichiometry chapter as well as the historical advances made in the middle east.  There is also room to discuss the advancement of women in chemistry.  Marie Curie was briefly mentioned for her notable two Nobel prizes in the section on nuclear decay but again I think an emphasis on diversity could be taken up a couple notches.  Do note that this book is average in respects for the general textbook  industry meaning most texts approach cultural awareness in a similar fashion, thus the average rating.  It is not deficient in  any way compared to standard textbooks.  I would like them all to improve as a whole.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I would like to convince my department to adopt it.  We don't \"teach from the text\" but rather use the textbook as a resource to supplement our guided inquiry activities in class.  This would work fine.  I also like how it offers a number of resources for the instructor in terms of powerpoints, testbanks, as well as different options for affordable on-line homework systems.  It is an improvement over ChemWiki in my opinion due to the contextualization (which could be expanded) and the particle level images and embedded animations and tutorials.  ","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":322,"first_name":"Samuel","last_name":"Keasler","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Valley City State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book provides a fairly complete overview of what your would expect to see in a general chemistry textbook. This text provides additional information not directly related to the chemistry content (e.g. portrait of a chemist) that may be interesting or important to some users, both through text boxes in the book and numerous links to material on the web, taking good advantage of the ebook format. The book contains a thorough, linked index and a glossary at the end of each chapter. There are a significant number of questions at the end of each chapter and some effort has been made to include conceptual questions and questions integrating multiple topics.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Overall, the book seems to have been carefully prepared and reviewed. I didn't see any major issues with accuracy.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The book does a good job of choosing interesting applications of general chemistry (e.g. respiration and low pressure weather systems when talking about the behavior of gases) that won't become less relevant with time. My only concern would be that the numerous links to external resources may become dead if the content is deleted or moved but this would seem to be a straightforward update.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is clearly written and easy to understand. There are an adequate number of examples for which the important steps are clearly explained. I was particularly impressed with the large number of generally useful figures included in the text which is often a significant shortcoming of open resources. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"There didn't seem to be any significant issues. Terminology is maintained throughout and the approach to solving problems relies on a regular, consistent approach.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"There aren't enormous blocks of uninterrupted text but I wish that the book were divided into more sections that can be navigated using the table of contents. The thermochemistry chapter, for example, is presented in only three sections. The fact that the authors do a good job of breaking these sections with subheadings partially mitigates this problem. It's not possible (or desirable), to avoid referring back to previous material in later chapters, but it doesn't appear that it would be a large problem to cover material out of order to suit the needs of a particular class.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The textbook adopts a \"chemistry first\" approach, though the authors provide an alternative framework in the introduction for an \"atoms first\" or \"molecules first\" approach, with a minor caveat about modularity. Within the framework that the authors have chosen, the book is sensibly structured and organized. The chapter and section organization seem to have been carefully considered.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"For the most part, graphics and figures look fine, even in the lower quality version of the PDF. There are some minor issues with the formatting, such as the heading for a textbox falling on one page, and then the vast majority of the text ending up on the next page. I think some of the end of chapter questions could have profited from a little more blank space in between problems to make it easier to locate specific questions. The fact that the index and the table of contents are both linked make navigation convenient and easy.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I didn't see any significant problems with the spelling or grammar.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"In the \"Portrait of a Chemist\" sections the authors have made an effort to include a fairly diverse group of chemists.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I was impressed with the book overall. The authors have clearly put forth a substantial effort to construct a resource that can be an adequate substitute for an expensive hard copy textbook. As mentioned above, I was particularly impressed with the large number and good quality of the figures which are often not available in open texts. Between the ancillary materials that the authors have provided and the numerous links to other resources on the web, I think the authors have been mindful of some of the biggest obstacles to adopting open resources and have made a good effort to address them. ","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":351,"first_name":"Julian","last_name":"Tyson","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Within the confines of the two-semester, general chemistry sequence, the text is comprehensive.  Index is a mess.  Glossary of key terms at the end of every chapter is good.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate and almost error-free.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The basic science doesn't change all that much.  Modern texts try to make the subject relevant to the everyday experiences of students.  Periodic updates will be needed.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"All chemistry texts are written in a rather impersonal style.  This text is just fine with regard to voice and word choice.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Excellent.  The \"editors\" have been vigilant and done a good job.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is very fine grained in terms of modularity.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Topics are presented in a clear, logical fashion.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Interface is no problem.  In the pdf verison, worked example boxes are sometimes split between two pages.  Just a little harder to work with than wehn all on one page.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is well over 1000 pages.  I am not convinced that it is free from grammar errors, but there are so few that they are not a distraction.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Not so good here.  The writers are aware of some gender problems, but a broader interpretation of diversity is lacking.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I teach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I have held a full professor’s position since 1989. Prior to that I was, for 13 years, a faculty member at Loughborough University in the UK. Umass Amherst offers a two-semester, general chemistry sequence for non-chemistry STEM majors, and a two-semester general chemistry sequence for chemistry majors. Students in STEM majors, who are also members of the Honors College, also take these courses. I have taught only the first semester of the non-chemistry general chemistry course, which I have done on 10 occasions (summer 95, 96, 2015; fall 2001-4, 2010, 2014 and 2015). Until the fall of 2014, we have used various editions of “Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity” by Petrucci and Harwood, and “General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications,” by Kotz and Treichel. From 2014 onwards, we have been using “General Chemistry OWL” by Vining, Young, Day and Botch. Full disclosure: Bill Vining used to work at Umass Amherst, but is now at SUNY Oneonta; Roberta Day and Beatrice Botch are retired Umass Amherst faculty. Our decision to adopt was taken by the instructors of both the first and second semesters courses.\n\nThis OpenStax College text is comparable is all respects to the other texts with which I am familiar. The order of the chapters is exactly in line with current thinking (the alternate “atoms first” approach is also described), the depth of coverage is the same (the book is 1393 pages long when viewed as a pdf file), and the ancillary material is, if anything, broader in scope (there are links to simulations and videos, boxes featuring famous chemists—both living and dead, and boxes showing connections to (a) everyday life and (b) other sciences).\n\nThe book is visually appealing with plenty of photographs, colorful line drawings, worked examples on a blue background, and plenty of white space. The authors use the full width of the page and so there are no wide margins in which material might be placed in parallel with the text; everything is presented serially. The text is inelegant in places, particularly in the writing of chemical equations: fractions (such as ½) are given with full size numerals and there are no spaces between stoichiometric coefficients and the associated formula. \n\nAlthough some 16 individuals have contributed to the text (including three senior authors), there is excellent consistency between the chapters. This has been helped, no doubt, by the input of some 54 reviewers (two of whom are my colleagues at UMass Amherst). There are also very few typos or word processing errors (the substitution of “special” for “spatial” by well-meaning spellcheck software, will I fear, cause some confusion; others, such as the missing final “l” of “final” are less problematical). The authors have decided to distinguish between “weight” and “mass,” and there are almost no instances where a writer has not done so correctly. They have also decided to use the IUPAC numbering of the groups in the periodic table.\n\nThe writers have, I think, tried to be sensitive to gendered stereotypes and several examples of the activities of scientists refer to “she.”  Of the 12 “Portrait of a Chemist” entries, 4 feature women, and for the two living ones, there are pictures. Of the male chemists featured, only two do not have pictures. Why not take this one step further and include some racial diversity in the picture?  The text needs a close read (and some editing) from a diversity viewpoint. It is clear, for example, that the writers of the very first sentences in the book think that all chemistry students own fancy electronic alarm clocks, cells phones, and a car (in which they drive to campus to attend their chemistry classes).\n\nThe first chapter, the hardest in many ways to compose, is perhaps not as good as those is some other texts. The authors do not indicate whether prior knowledge of chemistry is assumed and start as though the reader knows little or nothing, but the chapter soon strays into territory where prior knowledge is definitely needed. One of the problems at the end of the chapter requires a knowledge of “amu.”\n\nEach chapter starts with a statement of the learning goals and concludes with a list of key terms, key equations, a summary of each section, and a large number of exercises and problems (nearly 100, for example, at the end of Chapter 1). In the pdf version, there are answers to the odd-numbered problems; in the web version there is a link to “show solution” for some of the problems, but for those that I followed, only the answers were given. The OpenStax website indicates that an instructor’s solution manual is available (as well as PowerPoint material). I have not looked at either of these. The web version of the text features an “ask us” tab that tracks the reader. When I clicked on this, I was presented with a dialogue box asking for my question, some details, and my name and email address. On providing these, I received an email message to the effect that I would get a response within one business day (as I submitted my request on a Saturday morning and am writing this on Sunday morning, I am still waiting).\n\nI am not competent to provide detailed commentary on the treatment of the “second-semester” topics (chapters 10 – 21), and so I have confined my examination of text to the treatment of the first-semester material, which is covered in Chapters 1 through 9. The balance between the coverage of the two semesters is appropriate:  the first-semester material occupies 532 pages, leaving 715 pages for the second-semester material. There are 13 appendices (61 pages), answers to the odd-numbered problems (77 pages) and index (8 pages). The index must have been machine generated and is badly in need of attention: initial capitalization produces a separate entry (for example Alkane and alkane), as does the addition of “s” to make the plural (as in alkene and alkenes), as does the insertion of a hyphen (such as base-ionization constant and base ionization constant). But what’s the point? A pdf text can be searched electronically with the “find” feature, ditto the web version of the book.\n\nThe results of my, admittedly small, sampling of the “interactives that engage” simulations and videos, of which there are 50 for the first 9 chapters (out of 97 in total), were mixed. A simulation of experiments related to density was excellent, but a video about “plasma” was not. This latter was embedded in a website where in inadvertent click of the mouse presented me with many images of scantily clad, grossly overweight, former celebrities from which I could escape only with some difficulty. I applaud the inclusion of plasma as the fourth state of matter and was delighted to see that it was mentioned as a component of “specialized analytical instruments used to detect trace amounts of metals.”  However, as is always the case with general chemistry texts, the widespread application of atomic emission (and absorption) spectroscopy in chemical analysis was not mentioned at all in the later relevant chapter. Now that I have shown my analytical chemistry hand, I can report that this text is not really any better than others in the treatment of analytical topics. The topics of precision and accuracy are dealt with competently when first introduced (though an archery target with what looks like bullet holes may baffle some students), but the terms are not deftly handled at some later points of the text. There is also lax use of the terms “analysis” and “determination.” \n\nHowever, more important topics at the early stages of student’s introduction to chemistry, such as the mole concept, are handled entirely satisfactorily. I have no negative critical comments to make about such topics; the book does an excellent job once we are passed the rather clunky first chapter.\n\nThere are 42 “Chemistry in Everyday Life” features that supposedly tie chemistry concepts to everyday issues and real-world application","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":376,"first_name":"Dean","last_name":"Atkinson","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Portland State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook covers all of the typical areas addressed in the (many) General Chemistry texts that are on the market. The layout is very similar to the one that we are currently using and the coverage in each subject area is equal to or better than our current text. There is an effective and highly functional (using embedded links in the pdf file) table of contents and index. There are also cross-links within the text to all of the Tables and Figures as well as to external sources, including the excellent PHeT simulations maintained by the University of Colorado. Nearly every section and subsection includes an example problem that is keyed to the material. This allows for ready integration of the quantitative and qualitative levels of understanding that is critical to success in General Chemistry.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is accurate and almost entirely free of typographical errors (we would presume that there would be few errors of substance in a subject as well-developed as General Chemistry). Some of the \"real world\" examples touch on areas that can be considered politically controversial (like Global Climate Science) but these are well done and stick to unimpeachable facts, so their accuracy is a strength of the text. To my eye, these sections are pretty neutral and unbiased. The majority of the content is comprehensively and accurately presented and there is little controversy in the presentation of the science behind General Chemistry, most of which is decades, if not centuries old. I have not carefully checked the veracity of the answers to the problems at the end of each chapter (of which there are a very good number) but I am a pretty good copy editor and I only found three typographical errors in the six chapters that I carefully read. This book therefore has less errors in it than all of the commercially produced editions that I have used in the last twenty years.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"As I mentioned in the point above, the vast majority of the content in a General Chemistry textbook hasn't changed in decades and isn't likely to change much in the foreseeable future. The \"real-world\" examples and artwork are the things that I can see will need updating. As they currently exist, they are very topical and well-chosen and all show high relevance to the sections that they were placed in. There are a few examples of reuse of artwork of examples, but these are actually useful in showing the students the \"connected-ness\" of the material and to reinforce the concept of building a topic from fundamentals upward. The beauty of the open-access format is that updating these \"extra\" sections of the text will be relatively painless and I could even imagine a user-forum where students or faculty could submit their own contributions to the list of connections and relevant examples. I also expect that the use of video (instead of stills) within the chapters will continue to become seamless, allowing much more accessible illustrations of the material. Obviously these types of things will never be easy to implement in a hardcopy text. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is easy to read and is careful to explain the first (and in some cases repeated) occurrence of necessary jargon, which a study of Chemistry is obliged to include. The sections are relatively short and avoid long explanations of the application of equations and other actionable concepts by including clear and relevant example problems. The explanation of the key concepts was as clear or clearer than that in the text we are currently using. The links to the external sources should significantly improve the students comprehension of the material, since it allows them to clearly visualize the material that is described in the text. All of the links that I followed connected cleanly and quickly to the targets, all of which were on-point to the material in that section. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Again, this is a bit of a given in General Chemistry texts, where there is broad agreement on the presentation of the content, including symbology, terminology, and algorithm. This book is both internally consistent in its treatment and externally consistent with the accepted approach (at least in the traditional sense, since the new atoms first approach represents a slightly different paradigm). I should note that each chapter also stands on its own allowing some freedom in choosing the order in which they are presented. At my institution, which is on quarters, we save Chapters 5, and 9 for the second term and then progress through to Chapter 13 in the rest of that quarter, and I see no problems in that order for the presentation in either of the first two terms. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is wonderfully modular with clearly encapsulated sub-sections, nearly all of which have example problems and related end of chapter homework. Almost every sub-section has an external link to help illustrate the material or a \"real-world\" example to improve the currency. We (faculty who teach General Chemistry) tend to follow the same rough order of presentation, as I noted above, but at my institution, we also use a POGIL workbook, which does not always align exactly with the order of topics in the text. I think it would be easy for faculty (or even students, who are not always used to using an index or table of contents) to identify the subsections (often referred to as modules in the text) that relate to a given POGIL assignment. None of the modules in any of the six chapters that I read carefully would require more than a half-hour of dedicated study time for the initial reading by an average student.    ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Again, this large scale organization of this book is similar to the large majority of General Chemistry textbooks on the market, so it is a bit of a given that this is the right way to do it. But as noted in the point above, the small scale organization of this text into small digestible modules, most of which incorporate relevant example problems and external links or examples is what makes it so readable. There are always difficult transitions and/or conceptual cul de sacs in the material in a General Chemistry class, but this text does a better job than many of easing those transitions and attempting to show how the material fits into the bigger picture. ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I must confess that I only used the pdf version of the text (there is also an online reading tool and a hardcopy that can be printed and mailed to the student) but I did try it out on a computer, ipad mini, and older Blackberry device and it was quite usable on all three. The operating system on the Blackberry was old and out of date, so that was the only device where the links in the text didn't work properly. On both the ipad and my desktop and laptop, the links worked quickly and were never broken. The illustrations (tables and figures) were clear and faithfully displayed on all of the devices as is typical of the modern generation of adobe pdf files/readers. One real advantage of this reading mode is the access to the page thumbnails or bookmarks and the \"last view\" button that allow a reader to hop back and forth between the beginning and end of the book, chapter, etc. The one oddity that I did note is that some Example problems and other content would split between pages in the pdf, which most people would avoid during compile-time by inserting new pages. This was minimally distracting, but presumably easy to fix(?)","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"As noted above, I am a pretty decent copy editor and I detected few typos and no clear grammatical errors (being somewhat generous in attributing the source, I'll allow) in the text. In general the authors adopted a clear, concise style and tried to keep sentences short and simple. ","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"It is difficult to make a dry subject like chemistry culturally inclusive (or even exclusive) but the authors did select both male and female scientists to highlight, which is appreciated. Some of the slightly politically touchy areas like the real-world connections to climate change science will probably cause some readers discomfort, but they are scientifically correct and uncontroversial in their limited conclusions. We aim to teach students the scientific method, so they should begin to grapple with areas where demonstrable facts are in contradictions to their previously held beliefs. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I was very pleasantly surprised in reading this book. It is a very high quality General Chemistry textbook and I think we will take a serious look at adopting it. ","created_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-01-07T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":500,"first_name":"Joseph","last_name":"Villa","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Umpqua Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is an excellent as a choice for a one quarter or two quarter chemistry class. The subjects cover all the essential information. The glossary is complete. There were many subjects included that are not included in my current textbook that is used for Introductory Chemistry.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Book has been great so far. I (and my students) have not uncovered any mistakes.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Having an online presence can make updating the book a much simpler process. The content was very up to date. Examples given were timely and still relevant to today's student.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Text was easy to follow and clear for students. Not too overly wordy with nomenclature.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent in terms of terminology. Words that are defined early on in the text are used again later.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"I appreciate the shorter chapters. Smaller reading sections make it seems less daunting to students and easier to break up assignments.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I think the topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion. It makes sense to the introductory student, and as an instructor I don't have to skip chapters and then come back to them later.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"Interface looks and works great. Navigating through the pdf and clicking on links embedded in the text is a great tool for expanding on ideas in the classroom.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"None found (yet).","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I found no examples that were insensitive or offensive in any way.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I am very happy with using the textbook in my class. I know my students are thrilled about the price. \nI usually have the pdf open on my classroom's workstation. If I need to refer to a diagram I can click to it immediately and show it on the big screen. I can also click on links to further enforce ideas and show some great application and demonstration videos.","created_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":545,"first_name":"Krzysztof","last_name":"Kuczera","position":"Professor","institution_name":"University of Kansas","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is quite comprehensive. Standard areas of general chemistry are covered very well, at level above that found in most currently used texts. The numerous and well chosen examples and exercises are well designed to help students master the material","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text is accurate. I have found it free of errors and bias.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The main concepts of introductory chemistry such as atomic theory, the periodic table, equilibria etc. have been well established for many decades. Relevance is introduced  through use of common everyday examples in the home, environment and industry. Well chosen illustrations and PhET animations help make this a modern text. Numerous modern examples, like new materials, devices and environmental aspects of chemistry are highly relevant today, but may be relatively easily updated with future scientific progress.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is clear, well organized and easy to read. Well designed and carefully chosen illustrations are a great help in understanding the concepts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The treatment of is consistent, a single style/voice maintained through text. Terminology use is well explained.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is well designed for modularity. Every chapter has multiple well delineated sub-sections. Re-ordering chapters to emphasize a more atoms-first approach is easy.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is well organized, topics are introduced in a clear and logical fashion, with new material building on previous knowledge. Introductory and closing sections ensure a smooth flow of information.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Navigating the text is easy (I read the PDF version through a web browser). One feature that I disliked was splitting tables across pages.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is grammatically correct.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The 'Portrait of a Chemist' vignettes introduce the reader to the achievements  of a diverse group of chemists.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This is an excellent text, comprehensive, clearly written, well organized. I especially liked the multiple examples of chemistry in everyday life. I am recommending this book for use in my department.","created_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2016-08-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":958,"first_name":"Jeannine","last_name":"Eddleton","position":"Advanced Instructor","institution_name":"Virginia Tech","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"A side by side comparison of this text and two others currently on the market (Silberberg/Amateis and Atkins/Jones/Laverman) reveal a nearly identical coverage of overall content/subject matter.  There are differences in sequencing at times but I value Openstax's explicitly presented alternative sequencing scenario.  The other two texts have significantly more detailed tables of contents, glossaries, and indexes.  In my opinion, however, this detailed presentation of contents is over-rated in terms of effectiveness for the student's learning and while it distinguishes one text from another, if cost and access are the issues to be addressed here by the existence of open textbooks, then the Openstax Chemistry text does the job.  Modern textbooks are, again, my opinion, regurgitations of each other.  Nothing is missing from Openstax that is found in other texts.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I believe accuracy is the most difficult trait to \"review\" since I usually only find errors during the close reading done while I am teaching from a text (and from having students do close reading and problem solving from a particular text).    That being said, I see no errors, glaring or otherwise in my page by page comparison of several definitions (Ksp, dissociation, Hess's Law, Dalton's atomic theory).  Though the latter is broken down into 5 postulates compared to the traditional 4...but that's really just a result of style of presentation of that particular item.  I find no accuracy issue to report here.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"ALL of the tradition/conventional/necessary/foundational content is included here.  There are certainly no too many necessarily updateable examples/figures/photos.  Up to date is an interesting way to try to assess a basic chemistry text...fact of the matter is that the subject matter does not change!!!!!","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Chemistry is, by nature, a \"second language\".  But Openstax does no more or less jargon usage than is necessary and the clarity is absolutely consistent with the best products on the commercial textbook market.  In addition, the absence of \"margin notes\" makes the open page of the Openstax text a calm proposition.  I believe the STUDENT is well-served by the Openstax level of clarity.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Yes!  In addition, it is consistent with the best products on the commercial textbook market!","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I've no issues at all with the modularity.  In fact, I prefer the look of the Openstax page.  Modern textbooks are WAY too jam-packed with information per page and that makes them hard to read!  There are plenty of sub-units to allow for instructor-initiated alternate reading scenarios.  I comment on some modularity issues that are also flow issues below.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Indeed, the organization is nearly identical to best-selling products currently on the market.  Organization/structure/flow is always a personal preference on the part of the instructor; with respect to this issue, I have no critical comments to offer for the Openstax text.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I did find a number of Tables (2.3, 2.4, 4.2, 10.4, 15.1, 18.2, as examples) and Examples (7.11, 10.6, 11.3, 11.4, 20.10 for example) that continued to the next page.  Those are just representative cases...the book is FULL of this particular interface issue.\n\nI don't believe Tables should EVER continue to a next page in a textbook (though that is certainly necessary for bound volumes of tables like the CRC!) and while it is not at all uncommon for Examples (example problems) to need to run to the next page, the examples I list here have only the title of the example problem on the bottom of the page and then the worked example in its entirety on the next page...I believe this to be particularly distracting.  Tables in other texts with which I am familiar are far more densely packed and subsequently more difficult to read but at least they are all contained on a page.  Honestly, though, I'm only going to knock one point off of my rating, below, because I don't think most students care about this especially now that they are moving to reading in digital format...really they care about how much that textbook costs.\n\nOne thing I really like about the Openstax text is the complete lack of \"margin\" information.  Those margin notes have become way too distracting.  In modern texts, the \"margins\" are full of dense material, not \"notes\".  The pages of the Openstax text are calmer, more spaciously presented, less colorful...good stuff.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I see no glaring errors in the Openstax text with spelling, punctuation, super and sub-scripting, capitalization, etc.  I find third person prose a tedious read, but that is convention and the Openstax text, sticks to it!","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The Openstax text does a good job of minimizing persons in photos where their presence is of no consequence but if I'm being hypercritical (as a reviewer should!) I'm wondering why we have a large photo of Walter Kohn and a blurb but no photo of Dorothy Hodgkin?  And there are a number of figures and photos that could be changed to include persons of color; the text is overwhelmingly Western and white.  That's pretty traditional in the discipline and it needs to change.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Hands down worthwhile for the $$$.  I would teach from this text without hesitation.  Though at this time our department uses a common text, making individual instructor preference irrelevant.  If there existed a non-majors basic chemistry text, I would not hesitate to class test it!","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1026,"first_name":"Davida","last_name":"Brown","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"George Fox University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is quite comprehensive and covers all the material I want it to.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Content is accurate. Does still include d-orbitals in hybridization, which has lately fallen out of favor.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I think the book is relevant and should be easy to update if necessary.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The level seems appropriate for first-year college students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book uses a consistent vocabulary and terminology. It is easy to keep track of the new words being introduced.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The book seems fairly easy to break into smaller reading sections. However, compared to other chemistry texts, there are fewer subsections per chapter. This occasionally means the professor has to say \"We won't cover the information on the bottom of page 105\" rather than simply saying \"We'll skip section 4.3.\" ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The topics are fairly logical. Occasionally, it feels like the book makes a right-hand turn (for example, ionic equations are given very sudden and swift treatment) and starts covering a subject for which the background has not been fully established.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The interface is quite nice.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not found any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"I always wish chemistry texts would find a way to highlight non-white, non-male scientists, and this text is no different.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1053,"first_name":"Owen","last_name":"Lofthus","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Virginia Western Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook has a thorough coverage of general chemistry, and has good coverage of subject matter I rarely am able to touch on in a general chemistry course, such as coordination compounds and the chemistry of the representative elements.  The text has sufficient depth and breadth, and incorporates some historical references as well to assist in the explanation of concepts.  The book is laid out in a logical pattern, and has a useful table of contents and index, as well as multiple appendices replete with useful information.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The information contained in the chapters I read thoroughly was accurate and gave excellent explanations of the topics.  I did find a few errors here and there, typographical in a few figures, but you find typos in every textbook, every edition.  The actual text of the book I read appeared to be without error.  Quotations were accurately referenced (I checked the one by Lagrange).  Most of the topics covered in general chemistry have had little change for years.  There appeared to be no apparent bias in the information presented in the textbook.  I found it to be informative and fact-based.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"There are several instances of examples that have come from recent events around the world, as well as those that are traditionally included in chemistry textbooks.  I would find it difficult to think the textbook would fall out of date, as the material in a general chemistry class would have little variation over time.  The examples that are primarily “real-world” appear to be separate from the bulk of common textbook information, a design feature that lends itself to efficient updating for future information to be included, revised or revisited.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language used in the textbook is appropriate and adequate for explanation of chemical concepts.  In fact, at times it reads more like a lecture than a textbook, which I think helps the student with more detailed information than that of other textbooks.  Having the learning objectives listed for each section assists the students in understanding what they will learn and should understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook layout varies little from the textbook I currently use and could most likely be used by reordering the chapters in this text with little effort.  There is a logical grouping of information, and there is a similar presentation throughout the textbook.  I saw little variation in the explanation of material between this text and others.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"As I mentioned above, the textbook could be used with little rearrangement in my current classes.  The chapters, due to limited crossover in the text, are capable of being arranged in a different order than the current version.  I like the fact that the book even provides an “atoms first” order, suggesting the alternate pathway through the material.  I believe this text can be organized easily and effectively for the students based on the faculty member’s choices.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization of the textbook is similar to other general chemistry textbooks I’ve seen, so there isn’t anything surprising it the structure of the chapters or the flow of the text.  I have rearranged lectures in the past based on the books I have used, so that I don’t have to introduce material in later chapters to explain the material in the current chapter.  I believe this book would help alleviate this issue.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I used a bound copy to evaluate, but also looked at the textbook online.  It appears nearly identical.  The only difference is that in the print version, examples were numbered while those online were not.  Figures have numbers in the hard-bound version while they are in-line with the text online.  One benefit of the online version is that after each section, the end-of-chapter questions are right there.  The only thing that was distracting is that the examples in the book seem to extend on to the next page, and tables stretch over two pages also.  It would make more sense to start the table at the top of a page and have it all together.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors in the chapters I read thoroughly.  It reads well, and is put together well.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I found it to be very relevant to the times technologically, and did not see anything that would be offensive or insensitive to any particular group.  I appreciate the effort of putting scientist features in the text, and would suggest incorporating more of these features with a wider variety to benefit outreach for chemistry as a whole.  Also, I had to flip through each chapter to find information on scientists, as there was no index for those features.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Looking over the textbook, and considering the very low cost for students, I am seriously considering using this textbook instead our current text.  Before looking at the text, I had been a bit wary due to a colleague in a different discipline who struggled with open resources that were disjointed, and had terrible figures.  After reviewing this book, I found the pictures to be clear, concise, and useful.  Additionally, the text itself is well-written and organized in a logical fashion.","created_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1582,"first_name":"Matthew","last_name":"Cranswick","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Colorado State University - Pueblo","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers all of the basic concepts usually found in general chemistry textbooks, but also delves into advanced topics such as transition metals and coordination chemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry.  The inclusion of these chapters allows the curious student to learn more about these topics in preparation for other courses, or for the instructor to touch upon advanced topics building upon fundamental concepts in general chemistry.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The book is accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The contents are up to date, and the examples given in the text are relevant to real world applications that students may encounter.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is clearly written and makes difficult concepts clear.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent in its use of terminology.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity is excellent and allows the instructor to use this text as an Atoms First edition, if needed.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization and flow is consistent with many General Chemistry texts.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The interface is very nice, and the printed edition is also very good.  The printed edition has \"Link to Learning\" sections that allow you to review specific topics.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The book's grammar is correct.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally offensive.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1740,"first_name":"Alan","last_name":"Jircitanp","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Penn State Behrend College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is as good as any printed Chemistry Textbook.  It has an index that lists all (and more) fundamentals of chemistry: Phases, physical and chemical changes, atomic model, ions, nomenclature, Periodic Table, the mole, formulas, concentration, reactions and stoichiometry, Thermodynamics, Lewis dot structures, polarity, bonding, gases, Intermolecular Forces, phase diagrams, Kinetics, equilibria, acid-base chemistry, titrations, pH, electrochemistry, etc.  \nThese are all fundamentals in General Chemistry I and II; needed to understand many phenomena and solve problems.  For example: understanding Lewis dot structures to determine why certain things dissolve (or don’t) (sugar in water vs. oil in water) and how that can be used to make better water or oil based paints.  Polarity and electronic ink, Gorilla® Glass (ions in glass strengthen the glass, based on Periodic Properties (Periodic Table)), goiter (iodide ion deficiency), Mohave Desert Solar Power plant, Astronomy (energy and supernovae) and atoms.  \nEach chapter has practice problems as the student goes through the chapter (some with answers worked out stepwise, some with just answers).  The book gives lots of examples where chemistry shows up in a typical person’s daily life- food, minerals (rocks), cleaning products, air bags, etc.\nAt the end of each chapter a review key terms list, a chapter summary and more problems for the student to work through at the end of each chapter as more practice.    \nThe book goes into at least adequate detail on all needed topics, and a few in even more detail than I (personally) need (but more is better than not enough).  These are: significant figures, Mulliken’s oil drop experiment, and atomic mass units (amu’s).   \nAs for not enough detail (the absence of one thing in an equation, Ch. 11): The book doesn’t give quite enough detail on the change in boiling point or melting point of a solution via the Van’t Hoff ‘i’ factor.  No book has that constant, that I’ve seen, in many years.  Also, Ch. 13: I derive the integrated forms of the rate law, this book does not (it is a mix, many books don’t show the derivation, but a few do)   \n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"In the book, the examples relate well to everyday life and give lots of accurate uses of chemistry and accurately worked out examples (math problems).  In terms of errors, most are typographical (ex.s p. 174, ‘sight’ instead of ‘side’, p. 191 duplicate notes (1 and 2), p. 235 (Tfina – Tinita instead of Tfinal – Tinital), p. 489 (effusion instead of effusion), p. 490 (xygen and ydrogen instead of oxygen and hydrogen).  \nThe only accuracy issue (minor) was on p. 345; electronegativity was defined as electron pulling power of an atom, but with NO mention of it being an atom IN a molecule.  \n","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Lots of everyday examples (cell phones, cars, brewing beer, fruit ripening chemistry, artificial sweeteners, examining molecules in exhaled breath as early disease indicators, ionic compounds and their uses (CaCO3- antacid), solid rocket fuels, touch screens, lithium batteries, etc.  Some of these will be around for a long time (and already have been), some will change or become outdated.  But since the book is primarily on-line (but students can have it printed and bound for a small fee; a nice feature for those that want a physical copy), updates are easy to implement.  \nThe book already has the ‘new’ definition of the standard meter and the ‘new’ concept of atom economy (not just percent yield).  \nBook still has a few elements in the Periodic Table missing.  Not crucial, but since the elements were made ‘official’ this past summer (2017), the Periodic Table should be up to date (missing Nh, Mc, Ts and Og).  \nBut basic information is there and because chemistry books are written mostly as fundamental facts (that haven’t changed much in many decades; ex. water will always be essential to life—like the fundamentals of physics (ex. gravity)) the book won’t ever really be out-of-date.  \n","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Nice pictorial representations of chemical processes.  Shows representations of atoms combining to form new compounds.  Great as students often have trouble “seeing” this concept.  Ex. 2 H (two separate atoms) vs. H2 (two combined atoms; a molecule) vs. 2 H2 (two molecules).\nTerminology in explaining terms is adequate, some definitions are clearer than others, but all terms are defined in plan, clear English.  And not chemistry textbook explains everything perfectly.  This book is just as good as any other in terms of this (and this one is free!).  \n","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Every chapter is consistent in that it has a small introduction with a real-life example or current issue that we are trying to solve.  This is followed by the chapter being divided into sections with main topics for each section with example problems throughout (some worked out step-wise, some with just the answer).  Then end of chapter list of terms to know (with definitions), then the chapter summary, then many more practice problems for the student to work out.  Each chapter also has real-life examples and profiles of people that contributed towards our chemical understanding or policy-making through environmental stewardship.  ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Just like a printed text, it is split into chapters and sections within the chapters.  So you can navigate to any page or section you want, much like a printed book.  It also has Figures, Tables, and little sub-sections with chemistry of every-day things and examples that break up the chapters nicely.  ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The order is a typical order of presentation of General Chemistry textbooks (note: there are two versions, the ‘regular’ order and the ‘atoms first’ approach.  The ‘regular’ order was reviewed here).  But the order isn’t that crucial as teaching from the book (being separated into chapters) allows the professor’s syllabus to be put together in whatever order they would like).  Since the topics often build off of each other, the first few chapters tend to not be moved around much, but later chapters can be moved around a bit more.  \nIn terms of within each chapter; again the flow is logical (brief introduction, then each section with a main topic (with examples and short topics on chemistry or the people behind the chemistry), then an end of chapter review, then more practice problems at the end of the chapter.  \n","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The format is a bit different depending upon what device you are using, but all allow easy navigation through the book.  On a tablet device, one can tap the screen and get a small representation of all the pages, just flip through them like a book, or scroll on the bar below the pages representation to go through the pages even faster (with pages marked as you move the bar from left to right).  \nIncludes links to videos and applications that help visualize concepts not possible (as easily) with a printed textbook.  \nAll pictures (Figures, Tables, etc.) are clear (Note: there are two versions of the book, a high and a low resolution, and both are very easy to see and are very clear without any visibility issues.  Pictures used well in conjunction with everyday examples.  Lots of worked examples, examples with just an answer, crossing out of units (showing each step in unit analysis.  This makes for a very clear and easy way to follow this concept.  Unit analysis is a very important concept, not just for chemistry, but any scientific analysis).  \n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The book is written in plain, simple to understand English whenever possible.  Sometimes some special terms are unavoidable, but this is fairly rare.  Also see #2 accuracy and #10 (below).  ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"More about the facts / compounds / science than people… but science is based on facts and has always been written in a neutral third-person- so really not an issue (more an issue if it were a humanities text).  But pictures with people / people’s hands are all colors- so even more inclusive and relevant than chemistry books of the past.   Also includes scientific contributions from men and women from many races and backgrounds (England, Russia, Germany, India, US, etc.; environmentalists, biochemists, mineralogists, brewers, farmers, etc.).  ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This book is an excellent one for its clarity, examples, video examples, worked problem examples, organization, and range of topics covered.  It is doubly excellent in that it is free online, so it saves students money and because it is online, students are much more apt to read it (they have the internet constantly via their cell phones).  ","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1876,"first_name":"Kevin","last_name":"Mark","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"LaGuardia Communiy College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Yes, the book covers all the material that is covered is the same as our current General Chemistry 1 textbook.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Yes, I could not find any inaccuracies when going through the textbook","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"I believe chemistry theory on the first year level has remained somewhat consistent for the past couple of decades and I do not foresee any changes in the near future. The format of the textbook will allow for easy changes as the sections are nicely compartmentalized.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The chemistry concepts are presented in a clear, concise and straightforward manner","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The terms used are consistent with other General chemistry terms","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This is the strength of the textbook in its ability to divide and subdivide the chemistry materials","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Yes, the material is presented in a similar manner to other textbooks","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"All images and charts are clear. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I did not notice any insensitive or offensive remarks. There is a  couple of images that have company labels that could be changed.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"One addition for the textbook could be more worked out examples in chapter 3 and 4 as I believe the mole concept is one of the most vital concepts for students to understand in General Chemistry 1","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1904,"first_name":"Carlisle","last_name":"Chambers","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"George Fox University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The OpenStax textbook for college-level General Chemistry provides the typical topics covered in this class. (Atomic theory, stoichiometry, gas laws, electronic structure, bonding theories, equilibrium, thermodynamics, kinetics, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, organic chemistry.) The topics are covered in good detail and at a level that is appropriate for beginning chemistry and biology majors. The appendices are likewise appropriate for the intended audience. Each chapter contains a useful glossary and summary of important points from the main text. The book also contains a large number of worked examples in each chapter. The end-of-chapter problems are at the appropriate level in terms of completeness and rigor.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The chemistry content is accurate. Some of the example exercises and solutions to end-of-chapter problems contain errors. The errors seem to be present in both the hard copy and online versions of the textbook.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The contextual information is helpful, relevant, and current","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing style is clear and accessible. I have used the book for two years now and I have not any students complain that they have difficulty in understanding the book. Chemical terminology is introduced, explained and used in ways that are natural and appropriate.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is internally consistent in terms of the terminology and approach to understanding introductory chemistry principles.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity of the book is good. As discussed below, I typically rearrange specific sections from Chapters 3, 4, and 11 with no problems to student understanding.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The textbook follows a fairly standard organization for introductory General Chemistry. While the organization is logical and clear,  there are aspects of the organization that I would do differently. The book introduces the mole concept, empirical formulas, and molarity (Chap. 3) before chemical equations (Chap. 4.) In fact, I teach the sequence that I prefer by jumping back-and-forth between chapters 3 and 4. The students seem to be able to handle that approach without difficulty. I likewise introduce the concept of electrolytes (in Chap. 11, Solutions) while discussing aqueous reactions and ionic equations in Chapter 4. The chapter on gases can be taught either after stoichiometry (Chap. 4) or along with liquids and solids (Chap. 10.) The textbook works for either approach. Overall, the organization is fine and I have been able to adapt it to my preferred approach to introducing the key topics.  ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The textbook is easy to navigate, both in the hard copy and online forms.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The writing is free of grammatical and stylistic errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The textbook is culturally sensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall, I like this textbook very much. The quality of the entire presentation (text, figures, pictures) is excellent. My students appreciate that different modes available for using the book.","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1918,"first_name":"Jeffrey","last_name":"Vargason","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"George Fox University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Overall the book is fairly comprehensive and covers all the material that I teach in general chemistry.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Not surprisingly, there are differences between the online version, PDF version, and hard copy version of the textbook.  Hopefully, there is an annotated list of changes as they are made to the online version so that these can be provided to students and professors with the hard copy or PDF.  For example, the Born-Haber cycle in chapter 7 describes cesium fluoride in the figure and table in the online and PDF versions, but the hard copy version describes cesium fluoride in the figure and a mixture of cesium chloride and sodium chloride in the table.  In chapter 6 section 1, the first figure has errors in equating the cycles per second to hertz in the PDF and hard copy versions, but it has been fixed in the online version.  Errors are easy to repair in the electronic version but will obviously remain in the used textbook market until a newer hard copy edition is printed.  However, it would be helpful if the errors were uniformly fixed in both the PDF and online versions so there are only two versions: a consistent electronic version in either PDF or online format and an out of date printed hard copy version that will be fixed in the next printing run.  ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content presented is still relevant in my reading of the text.  Any longevity issues should be relatively easy to fix in the online and PDF versions.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text was accessible and provided adequate context to help with understanding the chemical terminology.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text used consistent terminology and provided a list of key terms and their definitions at the end of each chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is broken into numbered and titled sections and titled subsections e.g. 10.1 Intermolecular Forces contains subsections for Dispersion Forces, Dipole-Dipole Attractions, Hydrogen Bonding, etc.  As a result, a chapter should be able to be broken up into distinct reading sections or reorganized assuming care is taken to cover/introduce any prerequisite terminology.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book provides a fairly logical and clear flow, as it is similar in organization to other general chemistry textbooks.  One addition would be to add exact references to the sub-parts of each figure.  For example, when the text describes homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures, the text correctly references the figure however it could be more specific by identifying the sub-part of the figure e.g. 1.13a vs. 1.13b.  This is applicable to the downloadable PDF and hard copy of the book only.  The online version provides hyperlinks in the description of both to the figure.  However, this type of reference where the parts of a figure are separately referenced is rare in the text and don't detract from the structure and flow.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Navigation of the online text and PDF were problem free for me.  The images and charts all seemed to be high quality in both formats.  However, the one note I will make is in the lack of consistency of figure numbering in the online, PDF, and hard copy versions.  If a student is using a different version of the textbook (online vs. PDF/hard copy) than the professor, you should be aware that the figure numbering system is different.  The figures in the PDF/hard copy are designated with the chapter number and figure number separated by a period e.g. figure 8.11 (chapter 8 figure 11).  However, the figures in the online version are only numbered consecutively and the numbering starts over in each chapter section.  As a result, figure 8.11 in the PDF/hard copy is the eleventh figure in chapter 8, but it is labeled figure 6 in the online version because it is the sixth figure in chapter 8 section 2.  It would be great if all versions of the text used the same figure numbering system.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice serious grammatical errors that detracted from the readability of the text.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I did not notice any culturally insensitive or offensive text.  The text has incorporated “Portrait of a Chemist” subsections to highlight “the work of prominent figures from history and present day so that students can see the ‘face’ of contributors.”  There are twelve scientists highlighted in these sections, however not all of them have pictures of the highlighted person which may help students better picture themselves in those scientists.  In addition, more of these subsections could be included to build a group of chemists that better reflects the current cultural diversity within the field.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1939,"first_name":"Rong ","last_name":"Zhang ","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"University of South Florida","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is quite comprehensive. It covers all the main topics that are usually covered by General Chemistry (both I and II). The order of these topics is appropriate and easy to follow. The index at the end is pretty long (9 pages), which also indicates that this book is quite comprehensive.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Most of the content are accurate in the chapters that I read through. There are a few typos here and there, which could happen to any book that has 1300+ pages. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Many chapters start with a short introduction and a real life picture. They are up-to-date. Also, they could be easily replaced with a more up-to-date introduction as time passes by. I really like the \"Chemistry in Everyday Life\" feature in this book. Almost every section has one or two \"Chemistry in Everyday Life\" examples to relate the chemistry with our lives. These examples make it easier to understand chemistry, especially for the readers who learn chemistry for the first time. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language in the book is easy to follow. The chapters that read through explain the content with adequate explanation, real life, figures, tables, math examples and even videos (Link to learning). Some of the examples require multiple-step calculation. Then a flow chart was given to help explain the steps, which makes it easier for students to follow the steps and understand how to solve the problem. Hopefully, with the examples with this, students could eventually draw their own flow chart to solve multiple-step problems. Some figures are really good. For example, Figure 5.11 on Page 235 clearly demonstrates the energy direction between the system and surroundings and also the temperature change for both endothermic and exothermic reactions. I am ready to adopt this figure for my class. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This book is very consistent in terms of its framework. Each chapter has the following components. \n(1) a short introduction with pictures. \n(2) definition and description of concepts and theories, followed by examples. \n(3) \"Chemistry in Everyday Life\" to connect content of that section with real life\n(4) \"Link to learning\", which are videos for demonstration \n(5) \"Key terms\" to summarize the definitions of terminology in that chapter. \n(6) key equations and content summary\n(7) end-of-chapter practices (100+ practices for each chapter)\nIn addition to the list above, the format of the book is quite consistent, which makes readers easy to follow. ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each section has its own description and examples. I can use all the sections in the order as the book, or if it is needed, I could easily rearrange the sections to the order I need. I don't see much reading disruption to do so. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are arranged in a similar order as most other Gen Chem textbooks: structure of atoms, molecules, nomenclature, reactions, thermochemistry, bonding, intermolecular forces, solution, kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, etc. I noticed that \"Gases\" chapter is after \"bonding\", while most General Chemistry textbooks have \"Gases\" after reactions. I feel it is OK both arrangement. I don't see any issue with it. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The hyperlinks worked really well for me. I can navigate within the book without any problem. I really like the \"Links to Learning\" in the book. They took me to videos or simulations. If I were a student who is taking General Chemistry, I would be very happy to watch the videos to better understand the material. Also, the videos can be accessed at any time, which are good supplement to our lectures. Also, simulations allow students to try different things to explore what would happen, so they can better understand the content. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not see grammatical error in the text. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I don't see any content that is culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I really like this book, not only for the affordability but also for the chemistry content. If I have to give my comments, please see below. \n(1) It would be convenient if there is a button on every page to take me to the book content table at the beginning. \n(2) I hope there are more \"Links to Learning\" in the book. They help students to understand the content. Also, simulations (such as https://phet.colorado.edu/) could be added as \"Links to learning\". So students could learn and practice by running simulations. I feel that the book would be more interactive. ","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2133,"first_name":"Roger","last_name":"Bontems","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Vermilion Community  College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"\nThe text covers the standard topic for 1 year (2 semester) college chemistry.\n\n\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Content is presented in historically accurate/accepted view of chemistry.\n\n","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"\nChapters flow in a natural progression for learning. Beginning with the scientific method and continuing on with traditional basic chemistry topics, stoichiometry, energy, structure, kinetics equilibrium and acid base.   Examples can be easily changed to fit modern norms. \n","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"\n\nChapters are divided into sections with each section having introduction, theory, examples and problems to worked out by the student.\n","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"\n\nThe same methodology including  terminology/symbols are used throughout the book.\n","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"\nTraditional college chemistry with subject matter divided into rational chapters and sections.  Extensive review, including summary and glossary,  at the end of each chapter should prove to enhance learning. \n","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"\nChapters and sections flow in a logical fashion.  Each  chapter contains problems of varying difficulty , starting with simple and progressing to difficult.\n","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"\n\n Illustrations and explanations are clear and movement from page to page is easy. \n\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"\nI did not note grammatical errors and found the writing easy to follow and understand.\n","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"\n\nThe text contains examples of contributions to chemistry from young and old, male and female, historical and modern. There are abundant examples of chemistry how it applies to modern popular and classical cultures.\n\n","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"\nThe text to should provide for an excellent chemistry course for outdoor and environmental programs at VCC .  The text is comprehensive with sufficient rigor to be sufficient as a stand alone for any college chemistry course.\n","created_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2138,"first_name":"JING","last_name":"HAO","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"George Fox University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book covers the material that is commonly covered General Chemistry course. The chapter layout are almost the same as other textbooks. It is a fairly comprehensive textbook.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is quite accurate, especially for the actual teaching content, concepts and terms. Occasionally I do find errors. This is very understandable given that the book quite new to the market. The good thing about this book is that since it's an online version, it updates and correct the mistakes quite often, instead of having to publish a new edition with a high price every year.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Unlike biology, chemistry knowledge don't change as fast, it's been pretty set for years, especially for General Chemistry. The content in this book is pretty accurate and compressively covering all basic General Chemistry knowledge and is no different from the other two most popular textbooks by Brown and Tro. It's going to be a competitive textbook on the market for years.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is written in a quite concise and clear manner can be easily understood.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The terms are used consistently throughout the book.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is clearly divided into sections and subsections. It's easy for us to assign the readings selectively given that it is impossible to cover the whole book. Sometimes, I do feel some sections are too long and can be broken down further, but it's just individual opinions.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is presented in a clear, logical fashion. I like that the problems are solved in a stepwise guided module, which is quite clear compared to other textbooks. I also like how the book incorporate animation links to Openstax source which is only available to faculties for other textbooks. In addition, all the solutions to end of chapter homework problems are available for free, students don't have to purchase a solution manual.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"It's quite clear.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I don't see grammar mistakes, or it doesn't stand out to me.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It introduces scientists whenever relative.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Textbooks are used as a reference for college students. The percentage of students actually read the book is pretty low. If this is the case, is it worthwhile to invest a few hundred dollars on the textbooks? I think this is a great textbook itself already, it is even greater given that the it's free, and can be easily accessed in a variety of ways. Thanks to Openstax for providing this great resource for students and faculties.","created_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2179,"first_name":"Adelaide","last_name":"Clark","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Oregon Institute of Technology","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text appears to cover a similar list of topics to those covered in the more expensive text I currently use in my courses. This is good for faculty looking to switch because topics are still covered and there will be a textbook section to refer students to.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content appears to be as accurate and error-free as possible. One of the benefits of this textbook is the annually published Errata to help users identify errors to correct for their classes. Also, if glaring mistakes are found after the rigorous review required by Openstax, the web-based books are able to be updated, which traditional print texts cannot do as easily.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"One of the nice things about chemistry is that a lot of it has been around for so long that it is hard to be “outdated”. There are some specific examples connecting chemistry to things that students encounter in everyday life that could be outdated quickly depending on how quickly technology continues to progress. There are also boxes informing students how science interconnects with other scientific disciplines. These are in a lot of cutting-edge or constantly changing fields such as biochemistry and climate science, respectively. Depending on how these sciences continue to change, these examples could also quickly become outdated. But the \"basics\" in the text should remain relevant for years if not decades.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is written with as much clarity as a science textbook can have. With professional quality graphics, connections to real examples, and access to online demos for clarification, this text is above and beyond the traditional print resource.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is cohesive and uses the same formatting throughout the chapters. This is comforting for readers who may already be daunted by the subject matter, giving the book a predictability in style.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is very well broken down into readable sections with great visual aids as well as links to online modules to complement or illustrate concepts. While links may be listed in a traditional printed text, having the ability to click the link right there is invaluable. Additionally, each section lists learning objectives that will be of use to students and faculty alike when it comes time for assessment.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"There are typically two methods for presenting information in a General Chemistry sequence and like most popular texts, both are available here (Chemistry and Chemistry: Atoms First). For the most part, Chemistry seems to follow the topics in a very similar order to the textbook I currently use in General Chemistry (Tro, A Molecular Approach). This is useful for instructors looking to make the switch because it limits the amount of curriculum rearranging they will have to undertake in well-established courses. With Openstax, there is also an option for excluding or reordering sections to fit the course needs, which is not an option with more traditional texts.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"One of the benefits of this text is the number of interfaces it is available on (which allows for assessibility). This review was written based on the iBooks and Online interface. Both appear to work very well and are very user-friendly, while I prefer the interface on iBooks personally. For those looking for the more traditional textbook experience, print and PDF copies are available but the iBooks and online interfaces give users an interactive experience with previously mentioned hyperlinks to online simulations and other modules. The iBooks version also condenses examples and other large areas to scrollable boxes, making them easy to skip over if they aren’t important to the reader.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The book uses exceptional grammar without topics going over the heads of the intended audience.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"One of the features of this text is a supplemental section in select chapters “Portrait of a Chemist”. While there is a nice gender diversity of the scientists features, racial diversity seems a bit lacking. This may be a consequence of the subject matter, but efforts to be more inclusive in future editions could be made. There is a fair representation of various countries, however.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This text appears to be an excellent text for general chemistry curricula and I look forward to adapting my classes to utilizing this low-cost option.","created_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2367,"first_name":"Robert","last_name":"Kovacich","position":"Chemistry Professor","institution_name":"Columbia Gorge Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"If you are teaching chemistry for science majors this is the textbook you should be using. All content for GenChem classes will be found in the text, it is 1347 pages long, you will find every topic you want to discuss in your class in this textbook. You institution most likely has some sort of \"Course Content Guide\" for the courses you teach, if you compare that guide with this textbook's table of contents and/or index you will find content for all of content you are required to cover. \r\nThis book is usable for GenChem for non-science majors, BUT, you will have to skip sections as it dives too deep for non-science major content requirements. I am currently using this text for my non-science major course and have had to make adjustments, meaning I will not, for instance say, \"read chapter 3\" I will have sections of chapter 3 assigned, and will let them know that the other sections are more comprehensive than we will be covering in this course.\r\nYou can buy a hard copy for $20-40 buck, pick one up, then set it next to any of the traditional publisher textbooks like Tro or Brown/LeMay or Che, you will find that they look the same. The part that is different is that those text  are well over $200 and this one is  $20 in a hardcopy, BRAND NEW, or out right free in a pdf.\r\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have been using this textbook for 3 years now and have found all of the content to be accurate. There are errors. These errors are typos, grammar errors or errors in a calculation. There is a pdf listing all of the known errors and OpenStax periodically revises their textbook to fix these errors. Find those known errors here: https://openstax.org/errata/?book=Chemistry\r\nIf you find one you are encouraged to point it out here:\r\nhttps://openstax.org/errata/form?book=Chemistry\r\nI have not found any bias in this text, I am not sure what kind of bias there could be in a chemistry text, but I am sure it is possible.\r\n","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This content is current. I mean this is GenChem, not much new has been learned at the GenChem level. Again, you will find this text to be comparable to all publisher text. If there is a major change in the content of GenChem, this text will be changed within months of the need to change its content.\r\n\f\r\n","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I have been teaching chemistry for two decades, so pretty much anything written in chemistry is clear to me. “Jargon/technical terminology” is pretty much the definition of a chemistry textbook. The book is written at a college level, readers at a college level will find this text readable, but it will be full of jargon and technical terms.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Yes, this text is consistent, it is linear. This is kind of a drawback if you intend to jump around from chapter to chapter. If you are not reading the chapters in sequence you will be missing terms and concepts germane to the understanding of later chapters.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Yes, you can easily divide this book into content segments. But as stated in earlier in the Consistency portion of this review, if the segmentation is not done in a linear fashion, there will be difficulty in understanding. In the way that trying to teach algebra to someone that has not learned how to multiply and divide.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I don’t always agree with the order in which this text is written, but I do agree that the organization is clear and logical. As the student or instructor you will be following a very organized content path.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This text is as professionally typeset as any textbook you will have very seen. This is not a bunch of chem profs putting all of their notes into a Word doc, the people that laid out the text and graphics were/are professionals. They have been trained in Publisher and or Illustrator and or Photoshop or whatever other publishing style software exists. Money was spent, and it was well spent.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are occasional grammar error, the nice thing is the can be found on the Errata page I listed earlier. And if not, you can inform them of the error and it will be updated in the next revision. Having actual input is empowering.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"There is not much culturalness to a chem text, which means it would be difficult to be insensitive about any particular culture. The only diversity associated with a text of this nature is the inclusion of the work of scientist form varied cultures of the world. You will find this text includes work from many different cultures, and occasionally bios on the scientists who made chemistry related discoveries. ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I would like to see a non-science majors version of this text.\r\nI am very please with all of the available Student and Instructor resouces; solutions guide, test questions, lecture slides, and LMS cartridges.\r\n","created_at":"2018-11-08T13:15:09.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-11-08T13:15:09.000-06:00"},{"id":2466,"first_name":"Zahra","last_name":"Niroobakhsh","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Missouri - Kansas City","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook is quite comprehensive and covers all the essential information used for Introductory Chemistry.\r\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book contents are quite accurate in all chapters that I read through.\r\n","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The contents are relevant and up-to-date.\r\n","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text has high level of clarity and was easy to follow for students. \r\n","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book terminology and vocabulary remain consistent throughout all the chapters.\r\n","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is clearly broken into sections and subsections. I didn’t have any issue with the book modularity. \r\n","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is organized in a clear and logical flow.\r\n","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The interface works great. The images and tables are pretty clear.\r\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find grammatical error in the text.\r\n","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not find any insensitive or offensive contents in the book\r\n","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I used this book for my “Introduction to soft materials” course in order to review some introductory chemistry topics. The book provides all necessary information in introductory chemistry with a clear language and nice formatting. The figures and tables are well presented and convey the information very well. My students found the book very helpful, simple, and easy to follow. I highly recommend this book. ","created_at":"2018-12-14T13:14:15.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-12-14T13:14:15.000-06:00"},{"id":2500,"first_name":"Alan","last_name":"Levine","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"MOBIUS","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The scope is pretty standard for a GChem text, addressing all the standard topics for a one-year course. I found the summary at the end of each chapter to be better than most.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I found a few errors, but mostly minor ones. Hopefully these can be addressed in errata/revision.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The examples and asides seem relevant, and are drawn from a broad enough range of topic areas to appeal to student interest.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"Mostly, new concepts are introduced as sets of 'rules' then illustrated through specific example. There is usually only one worked-out example per concept, which is probably insufficient for concepts as complicated as solution stoichiometry, MO theory, and the like. ","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"A few terms were used with less than complete pre-definition, but there is a glossary at the end of each chapter that covers most of these.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Modularity is one of this text's biggest strengths; I noticed very little internal cross referencing other than a dozen or so references to \"a later chapter\", but none to a previous section.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Topics are logically ordered, although one could argue for gases to appear a bit earlier in the sequence and redox balancing a bit later.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I had no problems with navigation nor display. Clickable page number links provided in the TOC and my own liberal use of control-F assured that in my case.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Mostly the diction, grammar, sentence structure, etc., are acceptable for the purpose at hand. Unfortunately, the weakest usage of language appears throughout chapter one (which I believe should be thoroughly revised for this reason).","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The examples and illustrations chosen are sufficiently inclusive. If anything, some might be considered culturally sensitive to excess; e.g., the discussion of mass vs. weight of an astronaut on page 16 includes \"her weight on the moon is only.....\", neglecting the historical fact that there have been, as yet, no female astronauts on the moon.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I would like to be able to report errors via a much more streamlined process, and I would like to see all errors removed.","created_at":"2019-01-07T17:29:16.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-01-07T17:29:16.000-06:00"},{"id":2615,"first_name":"Sarah","last_name":"Porter","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Longwood University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"In comparing this book to our standard general chemistry text book, it has all of the bases covered. I see a few places where content seems to be a little bit lacking or hard to find (for example, they don't seem to spend much time on solution stoichiometry, or I just couldn't find it). However, it seems to be comprehensive for a two semester general college chemistry sequence. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not see any errors or concerning information. The text all seems to be pretty standard for general chemistry. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"General chemistry textbooks are usually very standard. This book is organized in a way that I am accustomed too from many other print texts so teachers will find it easy to incorporate into their existing curricula. I like the embedded links to YouTube videos - though the authors will have to ensure that those links stay active. Students will like the embedded videos and simulations.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text seems easy to read and gives many relevant examples that students will relate to. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The written text is internally consistent. The writing style is consistent throughout the chapters.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The side bar table of contents makes it easy to select a sub-section of a chapter and the chapter headings will make it easy for a teacher to identify an appropriate section of reading. Each sub-section is reasonable in length and is interspersed with many examples and external links.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"As previously mentioned, general chemistry texts are usually pretty standard. This text matches what I am used to from print books in its organization, which will make it easy for teachers to integrate into existing curriculum. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I did not check every single link but all of the ones I tried seemed to be in order. The graphics are good quality, and also seem like they can be copied and pasted which will make it easy for teachers to prepare lecture material to align with the book. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not have any problem with the cultural relevance of the text.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-03-05T08:08:15.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-03-05T08:08:15.000-06:00"},{"id":2636,"first_name":"Michelle","last_name":"Wiley","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Linn-Benton Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book does a good job of covering the topics that would be covered in a first year chemistry course, but it does not go in as much detail on every topic as many other chemistry textbooks do. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any problems with accuracy.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Most of the information in the text is standard and should not become out of date quickly. The main parts of the text I could see requiring updating are the real-life examples of chemistry. These examples are in small, blocked off portions of the text, so if they needed to be updated or replaced, it would be straightforward, and only a small portion of the text would need to change. There were also several links to web pages, which could require regular updating.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Clear language is used to define terms and describe concepts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I did not find any issues with consistency.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each chapter was clearly divided into several sections, and each of those was usually divided into several subsections. The chapter and sections were easily identifiable, but the subsections were a harder to differentiate, especially when viewing the online version of the text. In the pdf version of the text, the subsection headings were at least in a different color, so they were easier to identify.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book was organized well, and in an order similar to most other standard chemistry textbooks.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The interface works well, and the table of contents on the side of the web version make it easy to jump to different sections of the text.  I did find the layout of the text to be somewhat distracting. Each figure creates a break in the text, which can disrupt the flow of reading and make the text look less cohesive. I also found the font choices distracting in the online version. The equations are always bigger than the normal text. Overall, the formatting of the web version made the text look unpolished. The pdf version was better, but neither were to the standard of traditional chemistry textbooks.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not find this text to be culturally insensitive in any way.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This book would be a good choice for an introductory chemistry class, where not as much detail is needed and students might not be as committed to chemistry and willing to pay for a conventional book. For a more advanced chemistry class, I think it would still be a good option, since students are more likely to have access to a book that is available free online. However, some subjects would require supplementation in order for students to understand them in necessary detail.","created_at":"2019-03-07T14:07:44.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-03-07T14:07:44.000-06:00"},{"id":2673,"first_name":"Lucas","last_name":"Thompson","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Gettysburg College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I am using this textbook this year to teach second semester general chemistry where we cover kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. I have found that the book does a good job of covering the basics but I have had to supplement with more advanced problems in the equilibrium sections.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Overall, I have found the book to be accurate. However, I have found a few smaller pieces that I have issue with. In the acid-base chapter there are some problems at the end of the chapter that I find to be counterintuitive and I think will lead some students to be confused. For example, a problem asks the students to write a net ionic equation for NH3 to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid. While that it certainly doable, it seems odd to me to use a prototypical weak base as an example of an acid. There are a few minor typos but I am sure that those will be fixed in the second edition.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book will be a good long term option for the general chemistry sequence. I recently found out that there is a second edition of the book available so that is promising to see that it will continue to get updates.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I have been happy with the clarity of the textbook so far.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I have not found any areas where the consistency of the textbook was lacking.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity of the textbook is a little bit different than what I have used in the past (Zumdahl) so it has taken some adjusting to the sections. I haven't found it to be a problem but I do end up jumping around in a chapter a bit relative to the order that the topics are presented. It has worked well so far.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Overall the organization of the book seems to be very similar to many other general chemistry textbooks out there on the market. While I would prefer to see some things presented in different order, the current structure works well and is easy to follow. I do like the summary sections at the end of each chapter.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I have mainly used the PDF version of the textbook and I have found it to be easy to use and very readable. The navigation from the introduction works well and all of the embedded links I have clicked on worked.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The textbook does a good job with grammar and accessible language. ","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"This book is primarily about the science with some examples of the people who have studied a particular chemical concept. The highlights of individuals and pictures of people doing science is a moderately diverse mix but could certainly be improved.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I have only used this textbook for a couple of months now but so far I have not found any glaring problems with the textbook. It is a well done textbook for a general chemistry course. I feel that if you want to push beyond the basics, it leaves a bit to be desired in terms of more advanced concepts or problems. However, this is easily addressed with other supplemental materials. Having a high quality low/no cost option for a textbook is fantastic and any downsides to the text are easily made up for by having it open access. I see that there is a new second edition of this book and I hope that it improves upon the current edition as it is a valuable resource to the field. ","created_at":"2019-03-15T10:29:56.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-03-15T10:29:56.000-05:00"},{"id":2716,"first_name":"Jose","last_name":"Cabral","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"OhioLink","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is analogous to some very popular general chemistry textbooks, as and deserves serious consideration as an alternative. Its content is quite comprehensive, while the sequence of chapters is quite traditional for non-atom first textbooks. I find that some sections, such as the quantum chapter, is quite thorough, with only little being insufficient, like the consideration of isotopes. Over all, the book has good examples and graphics, is written clearly, has a summary at the end of the chapter, and has good exercises at the end of the chapter. One other good feature is that the goals of each chapter are clearly specified at the start of the chapters.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I specifically reviewed the chapters on equilibria and quantum chemistry. Both of these chapters have a good balance of theory and mathematics. The theory of blackbody radiation and de Boglie’s wave mechanics as well presented. Likewise, the chapter on equilibrium accurately describes Kc, Kp, Ksp, and Kf. Additionally, the treatment of Le Châtelier’s principle is well exemplified.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book strives a bit to place chemistry in a modern context. It includes many examples of the \"context,\" with many essays on topics such as modern materials, electronics, and global warming.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is well written, and addresses the topics in a clear and scientific manner.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The intricate and difficult topics for students are just as clear and well structured as the simpler topics.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Both the chapters and the contents or topics of each chapter can be moved a bit. The topics in each chapter are well structured. These can easily be assigned as independent units, allowing instructors to create a different sequence of topics for instruction. Additionally, a chapter such as that of transition metals, usually taught late in second semester, could be easily moved up to fashion  a different sequence.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The layout follows classical structure and sequence of chapters.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I downloaded and reviewed the pdf version of the book. Everything was displayed appropriately.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The book is well polished and reads well.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"This books is very similar to textbooks in general: all are lacking good examples of chemical discoveries made by non-majority persons. This book suffers from this issue, though it does highlight contributions by majority women.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Overall this is a good book and deserves serious consideration as an alternative textbook.","created_at":"2019-03-31T09:40:01.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-03-31T09:40:01.000-05:00"},{"id":2775,"first_name":"Benjamin","last_name":"Topham","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Longwood University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers the standard topics included in general chemistry in a traditional order and at an appropriate level, if sometimes a bit brief. The glossary in each section will be useful for students to identify and review key terms. There are a decent number of practice problems in each section.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not notice any major issues in the accuracy of the content. I did not review most of the solutions to the practice problems for accuracy.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is current and the fundamental concepts will remain valid. The sections that discuss applications will benefit from regular review/updates.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is generally clear and technical terms are introduced and defined. It is comparable in this respect to many other general chemistry textbooks.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text appears consistent on multiple levels (chapter organization, section organization, and terminology and language). ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The tabs (online version) make navigation between sections simple. The text is broken into small enough sections to be accessible to students. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization is standard for a general chemistry book and will be familiar to instructors. For instructors who prefer a different order, the modular nature of the book may prove useful. ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface seems fine (online version on a Windows desktop and a Macbook). The links (that I tried) all functioned properly, but will likely need to be checked on a regular basis. The formatting on some of the equations could be improved for clarity.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I was not distracted by any grammar issues.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The book is concise enough with most topics so that opportunities for cultural diversity are limited. Some experiences are assumed but not offensive.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Although the visual appearance of the pages does not grab attention, this book does a sufficient job of covering the expected material in a straightforward manner.","created_at":"2019-04-12T09:18:20.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-12T09:18:20.000-05:00"},{"id":2863,"first_name":"Katherine","last_name":"Crowder","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Mary Washington","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers all of the standard general chemistry topics and includes tables of thermodynamic properties, acid and base ionization constants, Ksp and Kf values, and standard reduction potentials. Includes a comprehensive index, easy to understand table of contents, and answers to end-of-chapter problems in an appendix at the end of the text.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No noticeable errors in material presentation or example problems.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Includes relevant real-life examples and introductory material for each chapter. Includes interesting asides on notable scientists. Includes links to interesting videos and simulations.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Text is simple and clear. Each section starts with a bulleted list of learning objectives.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Uses consistent terminology throughout. Follows pattern of presenting material then has extensive worked example problems related to the material. Uses H3O+ throughout (instead of H+).","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Sections seem appropriate, but it would be nice to be able to subdivide some of the larger topics (ie - calorimetry, buffers, acid/base strength, etc.).\r\nWhen referring to previous sections or chapters, it would have been nice to include links that made moving to that section easier.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Material is presented in a common order for general chemistry, with gases coming later in the first half of the book close to the chapter on solids and liquids. ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Lewis structure images were quite blurry, may not translate well to mobile applications.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No noticeable grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook was not culturally offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"There were no examples of base titration curves; other than that there were worked examples of pretty much every permutation of common problems.\r\nThere were good chapter summary materials in addition to the section learning objectives that would make review easy for students.\r\nThere was a bit of disparity between the number of end-of-chapter problems per chapter, ranging from 49-116 in the common chapters covered in general chemistry. Average of 82 problems/chapter. There were no comprehensive/challenge problems that combined multiple concepts.","created_at":"2019-04-29T17:10:40.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-29T17:10:40.000-05:00"},{"id":2870,"first_name":"Caroline","last_name":"Schneider","position":"Senior Instructor","institution_name":"Louisiana State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"**Notes: my comments compare this Open Stax text to the \"standard\" one we use (\"Chemistry: Central Science\", by Brown, Lemay, Burnstein, etc. - referred to as \"BLB\"). This review is for the 1st edition.**\r\nThis text is over 1300 pages long (at least twice as long as most general chemistry textbooks) and hence, not surprisingly, very thorough.  Almost every typical general chemistry topic is covered in at least as much depth as in the BLB text, and usually moreso.  For example, the gold foil experiment is discussed throughly, as well as the relevance of Plank's discovery.  There is even mention of Amonton's gas law, which is not often included in general chemistry texts.  There are some minor exceptions to that that I noticed, which includes: (Ch 2) a table of common cations and names is missing; (Ch 7) a section for periodic trends in reactions isn't included; and (Ch 5) a lack of a discussion of (chemical) potential energy (electrostatic or Coulombic).","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I found a few odd typographical/formatting errors, but I am not sure if that was due to my e-reader (Books app on an iPad) - e.g., the \"u\" was repeatedly missing from the phrase \"significant figures\" in the in-text examples, a couple super-/subscripts were not in line.  The thing I noticed that was conceptually incorrect was an illustrated figure in Chapter 9 where the volume of a liquid increased far too much due to an increase in temperature (misleading, since that was not the point of the figure).  The language appeared generally free of any bias towards any sub-discipline.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I found this text to be on par with current available textbooks. The phrasing and approaches will be relatable for some time. It was consistent with common methods of teaching concepts. It even had a few figures I had not seen before, but were very insightful. There were some parts that I am on the fence about:  e.g., a \"featurette\" - how beneficial is it to have a photo of a current highly regarded scientist (and TED speaker)? Also: is using a mercury-based barometer still a relevant way to teach pressure?","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language used was overall easy to read, and fairly interesting, as for as textbooks go. While there is use of (by nature of this being for college-level chemistry) a good deal of discipline-specific language in this text, it is consistent with other texts on the market. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Section headers, in-text examples, formulas and \"featurettes\" are consistently formatted. No lack of consistency was noticeable to me.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The body of this text was organized into well-defined sections.  Very rarely did this text reference knowledge found in a previous chapter/section; hence, the information was encapsulated well.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"In addressing this text's organization, the challenge is naturally that a \"logical\" flow is a bit different to each individual.  While I have minor issues with the order in which our text (\"Chemistry: Central Science\", \"BLB\") has organized certain concepts, I have over the years grown accustomed to the order presented there.  For example, BLB places general reaction chemistry before solution chemistry, but this text discusses moles and molarity before stoichiometry is even broached, and I find this placement to be novel.  This text places chemical formulas (e.g., NaCl, H2O) before introducing the periodic table.  BLB presents Lewis structures before polarity (this text does the opposite), and I prefer BLB's approach.  This text places enthalpy and Hess' law when discussing bonds, rather than in the energy chapter, which can also work.  Overall, I did not find anything to be very illogical about the flow of this text. Whether or not the organization is best, however, in the end depends upon the reader her-/himself.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"There were no major issues with navigating, but a somewhat significant minor one: while the chapter titles (in the table of contents) functioned as links to the start of their respective chapters, the section headers, listed under the chapter titles did not.  I checked this using both a computer and a tablet (iPad).  Adding this feature in would be very helpful in improving navigation.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical mistakes. There may be some present, but they were not obvious.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"While chemistry texts do not generally deal with culturally-relevant content for the most part, by virtue of this text having \"featurettes\" that showcase either significant chemists or applied chemistry topics (e.g., blood pressure), there are some components that have cultural relevance.  There was no offensive language or stereotypes that I saw.  Photos either were of males (usually white, as \"featured\" chemists), of people with indistinguishable races.  It would have been nice to have a \"featurette\" on a significant female chemist.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This review is for the 1st edition of this text. I was unaware that a new edition would be published during the couple weeks I spent reviewing this textbook.\r\nFor other users of BLB: this text has rearranged the content within chapters, starting with Chapter 6 (such that BLB Chapter 13 is now Chapter 11).","created_at":"2019-04-30T09:58:18.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-30T09:58:18.000-05:00"},{"id":2981,"first_name":"Deborah","last_name":"Exton","position":"Tenured Senior Instructor (II)","institution_name":"University of Oregon","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a large, comprehensive general chemistry text.  It is comparable in coverage to the text we currently use, Chemistry 8/e, by Silberberg and Amateis.  As with almost all general chemistry texts, it contains far more content than can be effectively taught in a typical two-semester or three-quarter sequence but since everyone covers things a little differently, there is content here for everyone.  There is a chapter on organic chemistry at the end of the text but outside of that, there doesn't appear to be much integration of organic chemistry concepts.  There is also no chapter on biochemistry or modern materials and polymers, all of which are becoming increasingly important in the curriculum.  The index in the online version links to the relevant section, which is useful since there are no page numbers.  The online text is also searchable by keyword.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"There are far too many examples and end of chapter problems to thoroughly review but the ones I checked were accurate.  The content also seemed to be accurate.  I did note one error that could be easily fixed in section 13.1 after graph C, where the minus sign in the formula of N2O4 should be deleted. The minus sign in front of the 2 should be deleted.  The minus sign in the formula pops up again in the next paragraph.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content in a general chemistry course does not change significantly over time.  This book has \"boxed feature\" essays, Ted Talks, etc,  that bring in current events and will need to be updated over time but this will be easy to implement.  Other than that, the content is relevant and the text will not become obsolete for some time.  ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is fairly readable but there are places where key information is somewhat buried in the text and students will have to search for the content and meaning, or instructors will need to be aware and supplement.  For example, when students study calorimetry they do a lot with q (heat) and yet the importance of this term, how to determine the signs, the significance of it being a path dependent function, etc, could all receive more emphasis.  Thermal equilibrium is mentioned but not stressed, and yet this is what drives all heat exchange processes.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The style and \"voice\" seem to be consistent throughout.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The book would be more readable with more sub-subheadings.  Students don't read books from front to back anymore and instead are looking for the small \"bites\" that provide them the information they are looking for.  It is a little challenging to find these short passages and if this would encourage the students to read more it would be great but I'm afraid it may be a source of frustration and cause them to give up.  I typically teach using this same chapter sequence but it looks as though the sequencing could be reorganized without much difficulty.  Changing modules within a chapter could be more problematic, as would be expected, since later concepts build on previous concepts.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The book has a very standard structure and chapters flow in a logical fashion.  I found it frustrating to read so frequently \"more about this later\" and \"as seen in an earlier chapter\".  The former should be expanded to explain when or where it will be explained later, or why it isn't important now, or not even be mentioned.  The latter should include a reference to where in a previous chapter.  Ideally this would be a hyperlink but I understand that this isn't an actual ebook and that may not be possible.  The end of chapter \"key terms\" should also contain a link (as is included in the index) or page number, as should the end of chapter \"key equations\".  Also, the key equations need an explanation identifying what the equation is used for.  For example in chapter 5 the equation \"delta U = q + w\" is given.  This should be \"change in internal energy:  delta U = q + w.  The equation by itself, without an explanation or page reference, is somewhat limited.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I viewed the online version of the text and didn't have any problems with the content displaying properly.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors that I noticed.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"It would be great to see more mention of important work and discoveries by women and persons of color.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I was pleased to learn about this text and the customizing options available with OpenStax.  The book isn't perfect but none are and for the price, seems like a very reasonable option for general chemistry students.  The end of chapter problems could use a little more rigor in places but those can be supplemented so this isn't a drawback to the book.","created_at":"2019-06-11T19:06:40.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-06-11T19:06:40.000-05:00"},{"id":3521,"first_name":"Dave","last_name":"Erickson","position":"Assistant Teaching Professor","institution_name":"Bowling Green State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text covers the material that would be expected in two semesters of general chemistry along with more specialized topics that often are omitted from other texts.  This text also seems to have an appropriate balance of narrative and background compared to the more technical mathematical aspects.  The figures and tables are what you might expect but could be improved and added to in future versions.  The end-of-chapter material includes section summaries, terms, and a reasonable set of exercises.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The accuracy of the material seems error-free to the point I would expect from any textbook.  ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The general chemistry concepts will not become obsolete any time soon.  The applications and relevance often can become dated but the chosen examples will have reasonable longevity.  The material is presented in such a way that is consistent with current chemistry pedagogy.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is easily readable and provides adequate background for each topic.  Links to internet resources and others are easily accessible to supplement the writing to further clarify the concepts.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent from chapter-to-chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter could be presented individually and is fairly comprehensive and not requiring reference to later chapters.  There are sufficient sub-headings.  If this text is not chosen as the primary text for a course, it is reasonable to use chapters and sections from this text to supplement other texts without much problem.  ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The progression of topics is reasonable.  There is always discussion about the overall order of topics and is this case is no different.  Particular courses may wish to reorder the sections and should not be problematic due to the modularity.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The PDF version was reviewed and the links and overall headings made it easy to navigate.  Images and charts displayed correctly.  The layout of the text was readable and has a very professional/commercial appearance.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Grammatical errors are minimal in this version.  I'm sure there are some to be corrected but are not an impediment to the readability or accuracy of the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text presents material consistent with what might be seen with other textbooks.  It may be possible to include additional examples from various backgrounds and cultures to further enhance the text in future versions.  ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I have not used this textbook exclusively in any course at this point but it is a legitimate alternative.  ","created_at":"2020-01-17T21:53:16.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-01-17T21:53:16.000-06:00"},{"id":3711,"first_name":"Peter","last_name":"Barra","position":"Adjunct Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Raritan Valley Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book  is comprehensive and covers the typical topics in a one year general chemistry sequence. It has an index and glossary at the end of each chapter. I would have preferred that it also had a glossary for the entire book for students that don't know what chapter's glossary a word is in (though the index would be of use here).","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I am not aware of any errors in this book.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"First year chemistry is a very well defined curriculum and there is no reason to expect that this book will lose relevancy over time. Applications of chemistry are presented in a different colored panel and set off from the main text which will facilitate changes. As an online text, updates will of course be easy to make.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is clear and to the point. Important terms are in bold and explained in the text but I would have preferred that they were also links to more information about each term for students that need more support. The illustrations are great and the annotations are well designed to make the depicted ideas clear and easy to understand. I especially like the practice of the \"magnifying glass\" that allows the viewer to \"see\" the microscopic causes of macroscopic characteristics and effects.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is highly consistent in its organization and how it progresses through a topic.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is broken into modules that are labeled and organized from the basic to more involved topics in that chapter.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are organized in a logical fashion that is appropriate for first year chemistry but due to the modularity of the chapters the order can be easily adapted to particular professors needs.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface is simple and effective. The sidebar with the table of contents make jumping to a particular chapter module easy. At the end of a module is a simple previous and next button. Having those two buttons float at the bottom of the screen window might be more convenient to some users. I would have also liked the ability to click on a picture, diagram or illustration to make it larger and click again to return to full text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I am not aware of any grammatical errors in the book.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book is not culturally insensitive or offensive. Most pictures do not show people. It uses historically relevant pictures of people. Modern pictures do show people of different backgrounds and cultures.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"While the odd answers were available at the end of the book some may prefer that all practice problems had answers and that they were available at the end of each chapter.","created_at":"2020-04-11T10:50:47.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-04-11T10:50:47.000-05:00"},{"id":3735,"first_name":"Ganesh","last_name":"Ghimire","position":"Assistant Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"West Virginia University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I have been using this book for 2 years in a row. It covers everything to the point it is necessary for undergraduate level chemistry. Chapter outlines, end of the exercises are very easy to navigate.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I haven't found any significant errors so far.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book should be current for a while I believe.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"In various places, various concepts could be exemplified in simple ways. Still the explanations are okay.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"there is nothing to comment on consistence and coherence.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This is probably the best part of this book. I like the online version.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"There is always space for improvement, but still clear.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Again, this is best thing I like about the online version of this book. Everything is in place as it is supposed to be.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Haven't found any.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I didn't find any culturally insensitive material in the book.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This book is the best I have adopted so far. At times, I feel like things could be simplified or exemplified in a simple manner using everyday circumstances, but overall this book meets a perfect textbook requirements.","created_at":"2020-04-18T15:49:23.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-04-18T15:49:23.000-05:00"},{"id":3740,"first_name":"Sarah","last_name":"Payne","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Louisiana College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I switched from a top five mainstream publisher text to this text in the Fall of 2019. I did a side by side comparison of topics before switching and was very happy with the initial surface comparison. After using the text for a year, I am still happy with the my choice to switch. It covers all the key topics thoroughly.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Content is quite accurate. While I did not go through the text with a fine tooth comb, I found no glaring inaccuracies.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The beauty of General Chemistry texts is that it takes quite a while for them to become obsolete or seriously out of date because they teach fundamentals that, while they do change, do not change rapidly.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Very well written.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Very consistent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I had no trouble breaking text into daily and weekly readings.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This text order is set up like any other traditional chemistry text. I choose to cover Chapter 16 (Thermodynamics) directly after Chapter 13 (Fundamental Equilibrium Concepts), because I like to have a closer tie between Thermodynamic and Equilibrium. Additionally I have a lab that highlights this connection early in the second semester. -I did the same rearrangement in my last text. There and here it works well.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I really like that there is a print text available, as well as web and pdf based. All are fairly well put together. I have had some trouble with dead links here and there, but that is to be expected. One minor complaint is there is no periodic table in the print version of the book (not an OPENSTAX issue, but the fact that it is printed inexpensively by a third party). The printed/pdf text does have some very minor white space issues, because of image size and placement.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no glaring grammar issues.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"N/A","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I am extremely happy with my transition. It helped to level the playing field for my diverse group of students this year. This text, in addition to some tweaks in classroom presentation in materials, seemed to help comparable students score much better on exams (with no appreciable change in exam content).","created_at":"2020-04-20T11:59:38.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-04-20T11:59:38.000-05:00"},{"id":3756,"first_name":"Kirubel","last_name":"Tekletsadik","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text book  is comprehensive for science literate person.  And also within the text key words are high lighted  when clicked on it takes to glossary.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Most of chemical concepts are accurate.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The text gives the application of chemistry to day to day life. And also the sample problems are applied in which reader can visualize chemical concept .In other words, VISUALIZATION  of chemical concept through problem solving related to applied fields.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text book need clarity in terms of sentence structure. For reader who had prior knowledge in chemistry the wording might be clear, but fist time reader, it may cause little luck of clarity.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The flow of chemical concept and terminology  looks constant through the book .","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text book has flexibility to divided them into smaller sections according to need of the user.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization goes from simple to complex concept in Chemical concepts","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The text book has good to use in any only browser without losing images","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Some grammatical error , particularly sentence structure to explain microscopic concept for novice.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text book inclusive all diverse culture.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"The text book is accessible for various reader in flexible and affordable way.","created_at":"2020-04-23T21:08:20.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-04-23T21:08:20.000-05:00"},{"id":3935,"first_name":"Silvia","last_name":"Brossard","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Chemistry - 2e covers all the topics typically taught in General Chemistry classes. The topics are presented in a concise way although the book has over 1300 pages. The text provides an effective index and glossary after every chapter. Examples of calculations are included in every chapter but there are so few of them, compared to a textbook I am currently using, that it is surprising that it is enough. It might be a good thing for students who tend to have busy lives, to present to them only necessary information instead of overwhelming them with a number of examples, solutions, and problems.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text explains numerous details regarding nomenclature that are sometimes missing  in different textbooks. For example stannous chloride vs. tin(II) chloride and referencing it to the practical use of the first name that can be found in the ingredient list of toothpaste. Another example is explaining the correct way of using symbols for Kelvin vs. Celsius degrees. There are lots of terms in chemistry that need to be used in a more consistent way. That would prevent student confusion that sometimes is caused by terminology. This textbook clarifies lots of very important details, which helps to organizing concepts in a more logical way.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The textbook is relevant although some TedEd video links are about 10 years old and newer talks could be referenced instead. There are lots of examples of chapter concepts applied to everyday life which makes the topic more meaningful and easier to relate to. Including links to the videos explaining the concept more in-depth is a great feature of this textbook. Based on my experience, students benefit from watching videos and gain knowledge a lot faster since they are more used to media than books.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Terminology in the text is accurate and presented in a proper way.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"In terms of terminology and framework, the text is consistent and up to date.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Well-organized modularity makes it easy to navigate through the text. After reading the first chapter the reader knows how to find sections of interest in the following chapters.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Interface does not have any significant  issues. The only thing I would improve is the quality of some photographs taken. Also, adding more images would help students who are visual learners to understand concepts such as chemical reactions.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors were noticed.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"It's a chemistry textbook. Showing examples of chemists coming from different backgrounds might be something to consider.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, it's a great textbook for General Chemistry.","created_at":"2020-06-09T23:46:04.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-09T23:46:04.000-05:00"},{"id":4070,"first_name":"Mohammed","last_name":"Hussoin","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Roxbury Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Comprehensiveness: text covers all areas of Principles of chemistry I and II at Roxbury Community College for two semesters. Chapters are placed appropriately although I would prefer chapter 5 “Thermochemistry” to be placed as chapter 15 just before thermodynamics. The book has an extended appendix-almost 200 pages which is twice of other similar text, which is very good. To make both students and Instructors life easy, I would prefer to have some multiple choice and true/false type of questions directly in the text.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"It is almost impossible to write a text book of this size error-free and unbiased.  But I could not find anything, it does mean not there is none. The book is updated to the current time.  Classical evidence is the periodic table which is the latest possible and it can be easily updated when needs be.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement. Topics and chapters are fluid, when new things show up or things need to be updated, they can be easily inserted or deleted whatever the case may be.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is written in standard American English. Any High School graduate with 2.5 or above GPA should be able to understand the subject matter. It is written in lucid and common phrases again using common technical terminology. But needs to be remembered that chemistry has its own language like all other disciplines. And that needs to be learnt.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Terminologies are consistent throughout the book and without much jargon.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"If one of the chapter that I mentioned (chapter 5 “Thermochemistry” to be placed as chapter 15 just before thermodynamics) is rearranged the book can be easily divided into four 4 subunits. Each subunit can have roughly four chapters. But this can be easily done during the lecture as well.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Chapters are arranged in a nice scaffold.  So, there is flow and student should not get lost.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I find the text free of significant interface issues (navigation, distortion of images/charts, or other display failures) although many other images can be added if necessary.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any syntax error. Again a book of 1331 pages can have some of them.  I have seen some of them even in standard text book published by world famous publisher, e., g. McGraw Hill but I did not mind.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is one of the places where I have not seen any racism of any nature, it does not mean there is none.  Another professor can easily find some somewhere.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I feel confident that this book will suffice for my fall course, although I will be making some modification, especially in the presentation style, type of questions etc. Basically I am accepting this book for my fall course.","created_at":"2020-06-24T14:24:40.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-24T14:24:40.000-05:00"},{"id":4125,"first_name":"Ann","last_name":"Cutler","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Indianapolis","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This general chemistry book includes 21 chapters. The topics presented extend through all of the typical curriculum of an ACS-assessed general chemistry full year course. For example, measurement, dimensional analysis, nomenclature, atomic and electronic structures, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, gases, chemical bonding and structure are presented in Chapters 1-9. Inter-molecular forces, properties of solutions, kinetics, equlibria (general, acid/base, and other) are presented in Chapters 10-15, and chemical thermodynamics, electro-chemistry and nuclear chemistry are presented in Chapters 16, 17 and 21. Chapters 18 and 19 focus on descriptive chemistry of the elements, transition metals and coordination compounds. Chapter 20 presents a strong introduction to organic chemistry functional groups and properties with an emphasis on applications within the students' experiences (food, medicine, etc.) \r\n \r\nThe text is quite comprehensive. Sub-topics are well organized and clearly presented. The majority of specific skills and concepts likely to be taught in general chemistry are covered here and covered well, if somewhat more briefly than the non-OER books with which I am familiar. I feel the presentation of topics is not only sufficient, but may prove less overwhelming to students unfamiliar with reading and using textbooks. Also, the flexibility of using an OER textbook is that an instructor can readily insert content and skills sections that are of particular interest to the class at hand. If there's a particular topic that an instructor feels should be supplemented, that process is straightforward. \r\n\r\nEach chapter includes a short introductory paragraph, list of key terms, key equations, a set of short summaries identified by section and a set of practice problems by section.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No errors or inaccuracies have been noted. \r\n\r\nI was especially impressed with the living nature of this book. Since its first publication, the community of users has identified a limited set of errors and these have been corrected or are currently in review. Unlike a publisher-produced textbook (in which one can find several errors even in the fifth edition, for example), the community debates and improves this book. From the front matter: \"Subject matter experts review all errata suggestions. OpenStax is committed to remaining transparent about all updates, so you will also find a list of past errata changes on your book page on OpenStax.org.\" And you do.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book presents content that reflects our current understanding of the fundamentals of chemistry but also reflects current best practices in chemistry education at the college level. The process by which this book could (and likely will be) modified to reflect changes in our understanding of either content or educational process are easy to envision.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"My experience suggests that students struggle with comprehension of written information, especially technical information. General chemistry textbooks must include a range of technical language and convey complex relationships in text and equations in a way in which students can apply the skills. This book does a good job of addressing student reading needs within the constraints of the nature of the subject and the goals of the courses it supports. The clarity of the book's prose is about equivalent to others I've recently perused or used. The use of images is well done. The high-value images convey or support important information and break up the text for students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The presentation of information is well organized and this organization is highly consistent throughout the book. A little familiarity with the book is all that is needed on the part of the student to be able to navigate it well. Each chapter is presented as a series of sections, each of which instructs toward a set of clearly written learning objectives. Example problem solutions are presented in a gray box format, links to learning (simulations or videos) are presented with orange titles and outlines, and applications (chemistry in everyday life) sections appear with maroon headers and maroon outlines. Each chapter ends with a glossary of key terms, a set of key equations, a short summary of each section's content and a set of practice problems by section.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Modularity is quite good, and this is especially helpful in presenting the subject in an online format. Each chapter is presented as a series of sections each of which centers on a short set of specific concepts and skills (which are reflected in well-constructed learning objectives). I am using this modular structure now to support review of key concepts and calculations skills in an online summer general chemistry laboratory course. I can easily provide a hotlink to JUST those sections of the text that are critical for students to review before they attempt the lab.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization of this book (CHEM2e) is typical of many current general chemistry textbooks. I note that the gases chapter is presented later in the book than I have found is typical, but I find no issue with this. As is often the case, the later chapters (those beyond electrochemistry) may vary in content and order. In this text, nuclear chemistry is presented after the descriptive chemistry of the elements and the chemistry of transition metal complexes. In other books I've used, the nuclear chemistry chapter was immediately subsequent to electrochemistry, and a chapter on introductory biochemistry was included following the introduction to organic chemistry. \r\n\r\nI note that Chemistry LibreTexts has versions of the OER CHEM2e book that have been mapped onto popular non-OER general chemistry textbooks, so transition is easier for faculty making the change. There is also another OpenStax version of this book that presents atoms-first. I have not reviewed this book and don't intend to use it, but the atoms-first approach has already been addressed by the authors.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I have been impressed with the stability of the platform. I have used the web interface and I have used the downloaded pdf. All text and images appeared to me to be exactly how the authors intended. I haven't yet tried much navigation on my phone, but I expect that my students will try this. \r\n\r\nNavigation on the web interface is easy and reliable. The table of contents will take you immediately to the section you intend. I find the ability to hotlink directly to sections in the book of real value as I support students in their learning.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not noted any grammatical or typographical errors in the book or supplemental materials.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I have not noted any issues with cultural insensitivity.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I was hesitant to switch to an OER textbook because I was concerned about quality and--to be frank--about adding another major change for the faculty in my department during this time of massive shifts in how we are being asked to do what we do. I felt, though, that we had to address the cost issue of textbooks for our students, especially now. \r\n\r\nAfter polling our students about how many of them actually could (or did) buy the previous, expensive publisher textbook, and how many actually read and used the book if they bought it, we started examining the OER option. I've been very impressed with the quality and usefulness of this book, and I know that access from Day 1 of the class for every student can make a positive difference. We all have so much more to manage these days!","created_at":"2020-06-29T08:00:37.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-29T08:00:37.000-05:00"},{"id":4238,"first_name":"Jay","last_name":"Ratliff","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Limestone University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook is appropriate for a college-level, two semester general chemistry sequence.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not found errors, nor have my students reported errors to me.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The use of examples recognized by students as being relevant to their future careers could be improved.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I think that the text is written at an appropriate level for college students to read \u0026 understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I haven't found any inconsistencies, nor have my students reported any.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is reasonably self-contained, to the extent that it's possible to do so with a general chemistry text.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"While I don't think the text is disorganized, some content is not in the chapter I would have chosen to place it in.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Most of my students use the pdf version and don't appear to have difficulties with accessing portions of the text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I haven't encountered any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I haven't observed any cultural insensitivity. However, the inclusivity could probably be improved somewhat.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This is a good textbook suitable for a two-semester general chemistry course. I've used it for the last two years and continue to be happy with it. My students have the textbook from day one and this is one fewer area where financial issues can impact their learning.","created_at":"2020-07-09T07:42:51.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-07-09T07:42:51.000-05:00"},{"id":4253,"first_name":"Deana","last_name":"Jaber","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Marymount University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a comprehensive textbook for general chemistry. It covers all areas and topics of the subject matter that would be covered in a two-semester general chemistry sequence. The textbook has an effective index and glossary. The symbols and topics listed in the index have the page numbers highlighted so the reader can be directed to the page in the textbook where the symbols and topics are discussed.\r\n\r\nAs for the glossary, key terms for each chapter are listed at the end of each chapter as opposed to listing the key terms in the entire textbook at the end of the textbook. I find this approach easier to follow and useful. If there is one change I would recommend, it would be to include page numbers indicating where to find each key term.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not come across any content that was inaccurate, erroneous, or biased in my view.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is up-to-date and the “Link to Learning” feature will allow for any updates to be added easily. Also, the “Portrait of a Chemist” is another feature that will allow for recent updates as you can highlight young chemists who are at the height of their careers and their discoveries. For example, the textbook directs students to watch a 2012 TED talk by Lee Cronin entitled “Print Your Own Medicine”. In addition, the “Chemistry in Everyday Life” is another feature that will allow for any necessary updates to be implemented easily. And finally, the “How Sciences Interconnect” section provides the space for necessary updates to be made such as the BRAIN initiative which is a federal initiative announced in 2013.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is well written and easy to follow. The illustrations are clear, effective and have good color contrast. I particularly liked the “Check your Learning” section. Most textbook have examples of solved problems for students to read. However, what I liked about this textbook was that it followed each solved problem with a section to “Check your Learning” so students can solve a problem like the one they just read about. The answer to the problems in the “Check your Learning” sections are listed below the problem. \r\n\r\nIn addition to providing adequate new context, the textbook provides context that students need to review to understand new material. One aspect of the “Link to Learning” feature is the direct access to math review skills (https://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/fyp/mathrev/mr-scnot.html). I found this resource useful and needed as many students struggle with math. It is useful to have a math resource to direct students to at the outset and throughout the semester as different math concepts are employed in the chemistry.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent and well organized. The three sections: “Key Terms”, “Key Equations”, and “Summary”, at the end of each chapter are helpful and a good summary. Also, the chapter outline at the beginning of each chapter is useful. Also, any terminology definition is a click away with an eBook. One main advantage of using an eBook that a hard copy textbook could never compete with is the easy access to integrative links. The “Link to Learning” feature is useful as it makes interactive exercises and animations a click away for students. How wonderful is it that I can watch a TED talk related to what I just read by simply clicking a button? I found the PhET simulations, IUPAC interactives, YouTube videos, and TED talks a useful feature.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The textbook is divided into smaller reading sections. This allows the instructor to assign smaller reading sections at different points within the course. This is also a nice feature for the online homework system. The fact that the textbook is conveniently divided into smaller reading sections is a useful feature. This allows, for example, for problems in the online homework system to be linked to a specific subsection of the chapter or a similar solved problem in the textbook and not an enormous block of text.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The coverage and scope of this textbook is like the scope and coverage of many of the chemistry textbooks used worldwide for General Chemistry courses. The contents of this textbook are organized in an effective way that carries the reader from the basic concepts to the more advanced ones in chemistry. That is also the case with most chemistry textbooks. However, the order or the material presented varies from one textbook to another. For example, the chapter on gas laws is covered here in chapter 9. In another textbook this chapter might be covered earlier. The content however is no different.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"It is wonderful for students to have access to a textbook for free in an eBook format through a web view, PDF format (students can download through OpenStax.org), or even a hard copy textbook for a low cost. The most important interface aspect of this textbook is the fact that it is integrated with several online homework systems which will hopefully encourage students to read the text. There are several reasons to convert from a traditional hard copy textbook to the chemistry OpenStax textbook. Among them and firstly, it is free for students to use and is no different that the hard copy textbooks we have been using for years. Secondly, switching to an online homework system that integrates OpenStax textbooks into its problems allows for students to directly access the section of the eBook that they need to review to answer the questions.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not come across any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not come across text that is culturally insensitive or offensive. I think the textbook has features that allow more examples of inclusiveness to be added through “Chemistry in Everyday Life”, “Portrait of a Chemist”, and “How Sciences Interconnect”. It is not easy to get students excited about science topics, particularly the ones that seem so abstract. Over the years I found it useful to introduce one or two examples or phenomena in each chapter to help students relate the chemistry concepts they learned in class with an example from everyday life that they can relate to. I want students to figure out the purpose of learning each chapter and how they can take that knowledge to solve a real-world problem. On that front, I liked the “Chemistry in Everyday Life” section of this textbook. This section is not uncommon in other chemistry textbooks but what I thought was neat and less common to see in other textbooks is the section entitled “How Sciences Interconnect”. I also enjoyed reading the “Portrait of a Chemist” section. These sections are what could get a student interested in science and I find them as valuable and powerful as teaching the science itself.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"No.","created_at":"2020-07-18T09:24:47.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-07-18T09:24:47.000-05:00"},{"id":4273,"first_name":"Oleksandr","last_name":"Kokhan","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"James Madison University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook is certainly adequate for a typical 2-semester college-level General Chemistry. It covers all essentials included in the comprehensive ACS exams but also contains some extra topics to use in more customized courses. My only issue is that the included end-of-chapter problems are very limited.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not found any glaring errors. In fact, I am impressed that some common issues migrating from one publisher to another for years have been avoided in this textbook.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook is doing much better job than competitors connecting various chemistry topics to everyday life. There is still plenty of room for improvement but even the current content/examples will stay relevant for at least a decade.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written at an appropriate level. I wish though, that not only the key terms were highlighted but the entire sentences explaining those terms. Maybe this was an issue of pdf rendering, but it was somewhat difficult to quickly find key terms in the text and their meaning with a lot of other graphics and headings.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The notation and conventions are used consistently throughout the text. This is really impressive considering that this is only the 2nd edition and the number of authors involved.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Various units are sufficiently self-contained. They are also easy to link.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I primarily use pdf of the textbook and there are significant formatting issues. Besides the difficulty of finding key terms mentioned above, there are multiple large blank spaces throughout the book. We normally keep undergraduate students to a higher standard of formatting and presentation.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I primarily use the book in its pdf format, so I cannot comment on the web interface. The pdf format has enough hyperlinks helping to quickly move between different parts of the book (eg., to Appendices, etc.).","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical issues.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The authors did a better than average job finding relevant examples and staying culturally sensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Arguably, this textbook is better than anything available from the major publishers with the neverending stream of “new” editions, issues and typos not fixed for years, etc. The fact that a free textbook is at least as good is truly remarkable. However, what makes me pause is a very limited choice of end-of-the-chapter problems and no obvious Canvas/Blackboard question banks. Historically, online homework systems were one of the main deciding factors in adoption of specific textbooks.","created_at":"2020-07-29T23:51:59.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-07-29T23:51:59.000-05:00"},{"id":4354,"first_name":"Brooke","last_name":"Woolman","position":"Arapahoe Community College","institution_name":"Arapahoe Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all the topics found in a full year general chemistry course and is aimed at chemistry majors and other science majors. It covers all essentials included in the comprehensive ACS exams. The chapters and chapter contents are similar to comparable commercial textbooks.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"So far I have not found any errors within the text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"General Chemistry is well enough established that the book will remain relevant. This textbook does do a very good job connecting various chemistry topics to everyday life.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is written at an appropriate level. The book was very clear. Chemistry is a very difficult subject to understand no matter how it is written. I think the multitude of written examples, practice problems with solutions, and external links really help the students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text maintains a consistent format from chapter-to-chapter, which will help students in navigating the text. I did not notice any inconsistencies with terminology or abbreviations.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This seems pretty typical for introductory chemistry texts. The fact that there are a lot of modules or sections is advantageous especially when instructors may need to bounce around modules or exclude some for time constraints. I did think that the end-of-chapter problems could be broken down better.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion-- it seems to be consistent with the other texts out there. I think the authors did a good job of arranging the subject matter such that the fundamental principles students need to build a chemical foundation are presented first.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I viewed the online version of the text.   The on-line interface is easy to use and the search box and embedded links are useful. I did not experience any issues related to distorted images or images that would not appear. Also, all of the external links I clicked on worked with no problem and didn't have any problems with the content displaying properly.  I love the integration of PhET simulation links/suggestions which help students dive deeper into specific concepts than conventional texts, so that is a major plus.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Correct grammar is used throughout the book.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"There is a good balance of representation of female vs males, which is good.  However, I do feel the book could add more cultural diversity in its examples.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, the quality of this textbook is similar to textbooks I have used in the past. The one area where this textbook could improve, is in the end-of-chapter problems, which include relatively few challenging problems or problems that ask students to draw on multiple concepts within the chapter or between chapters. The book isn't perfect but none are and for the price, seems like a very reasonable option for general chemistry students.  I do think that the availability of a print copy is advantageous, as some students preferred a paper copy.","created_at":"2020-09-28T11:46:52.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-09-28T11:46:52.000-05:00"},{"id":4394,"first_name":"Helia","last_name":"Morales","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book includes material covered in a one-year general chemistry course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not noticed any errors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book presents fundamentals and examples of general chemistry that do not change rapidly.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language and style in this book are straightforward.  It is clear and at an appropriate level.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is well organized and consistent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Every chapter presents the content in several sections and includes an outline, key terms, summary, key equations and problems.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The content is organized in a logical way.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The book is available in pdf and online format and both have good quality pictures and text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not noticed any errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a technical culturally neutral book.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2020-11-19T14:48:52.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-11-19T14:48:52.000-06:00"},{"id":4437,"first_name":"Nissa","last_name":"Garcia Ivers","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Central Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I have used this textbook for a General Chemistry I class and this has everything that is needed to successfully introduce the student to chemistry topics in a general chemistry I class and meets the needs of the learning outcomes of a General Chemistry I class. I especially like the key terms and equations per chapter – it helps so much summarizing all the pertinent information in a chapter, and it’s just a click to access this. The book also covers topics for a full sequence of General Chemistry.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"There have been no issues with accuracy in the problems I have worked with or used thus far.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The examples used can withstand the test of time – the examples will always be relevant and will always be applicable.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language that the textbook uses is approachable and straightforward, so it’s perfect for a learner.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is fairly consistent – even the arrangement is consistent per chapter, which is divided into introduction, the parts of the chapter, key terms, equations, summary and exercises. The students like this because they know what to expect per chapter.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I used a different textbook before where the sequence of topics are different from this textbook. I wanted to stick to my previous textbook's sequence because it made more sense to me, and I was able to reorganize the sequence of some of the topics of this textbook with no problems and not much difficulty, so I am satisfied with the way the sections are divided.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I prefer a slightly different sequence in some topics from chapter 2-7, but that’s just my personal preference because it’s something I’m more used to. However, the way that this textbook is organized works very well and it flows well with no big gaps, in terms of content, between each section.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Between the pdf and viewing it online, I like viewing it online because I can just click on the table of contents tab and go to whatever chapter I need to. I like the online interface a lot – it’s easy to search terms, jump between chapters and just overall more convenient than a physical textbook. The pictures are of good quality and no distortion has occurred and there are no formatting errors, everything seems to be well-aligned.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not noticed any grammatical errors during my use of the book.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The textbook is purely scientific and focused on chemistry, so the examples don’t really focus on cultural backgrounds or diversity.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This is a great textbook to use for a General Chemistry sequence for the first year.","created_at":"2020-12-04T16:04:59.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-12-04T16:04:59.000-06:00"},{"id":4534,"first_name":"John","last_name":"Sirois","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Alaska Anchorage","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is directly comparable to other references published by major companies such as Pearson Publishing.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Only a few small typos were found but the content itself was scientifically accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Fortunately, chemistry has not changed much since I learned the material as an undergraduate. The source material is accurate and the examples used to emphasize these are current.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is well written and concise. This allows students to get the required material directly. Additional real-life examples allow the student to relate to the material more easily.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Each chapter has the same layout and the navigation of the text is straight forward.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter could be used as a stand alone module to emphasize that concept. For example the acid-base chemistry chapter could be used to compliment a Biochemistry course that needs to review this material for amino acid functionality.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The basic concepts are introduced and then built upon systematically to create a culmination of material used to dive into more complex topics.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text is easily navigable and using the search bar function is one of the major benefits of the online version.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Several grammatical errors and typos were found but nothing to significantly impact learning.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No cultural insensitivities were discovered by me and I have not had any reports from students.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I was reluctant to use OER material when I started teaching because I was so familiar with the well-known text books. But, once I started reading this text I realized how similar the material was and how important it was for me to provide accessible references to my students. The major difference would be the quality of the pictures and diagrams but these are supplemented with other OER material from various sources to emphasize each topic.","created_at":"2021-01-07T12:50:19.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-01-10T15:59:39.000-06:00"},{"id":4705,"first_name":"Brad","last_name":"Neal","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Indianapolis","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers all the standard topics you find in a general chemistry text for science majors.  I found there were certain sections I had to provide more supplemental materials for students compared to other texts, but it wasn't overly burdensome.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any errors or issues with accuracy in the text but I have not personally worked out every question at the end of each chapter.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Examples used are relevant to ordinary life.  Where appropriate, metaphors are used that are applicable and approachable by most readers.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is clear for the most part.  There are only a few places that I recall thinking something could be reworded to enhance clarity, but nothing beyond what I'd find in any other text.  For my student audience  (a PUI with a high number of first-generation college students), the text was much easier for students to read and understand compared to other texts on the subject.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent with it's use of terminology and the degree it expects the reader to retain information.  The writing follows a very similar framework topic to topic which seems to provide students a structure to help orient their reading and learning throughout the semester.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I find this text to be quite modular with only a few examples where sections are noticeably longer than others.  The text could be reorganized chapter-wise to an extent without causing major issues for readers without prior experience on the topic.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in an order that is fairly standard for general chemistry texts that are not atoms first in nature.  That stated, the gas chapter appears after thermodynamics so the ability to talk with students about PV work during thermo is quite difficult to the point of being impractical.  I personally don't find this to be a deal breaker.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface is completely fine.  It did not overly impress me nor did it leave me feeling ill toward it.  It was what I would expect from a book that is available in a hard copy, PDF, and online format.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any major grammatical issues.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I found no material presented, examples, or metaphors that would be culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The value to price ratio of this text is incredibly hard to beat.  I did have to provide supplemental readings and sources for a few areas I personally wanted to cover more in class.  The amount of these extra materials was definitely double what I provided using previous books but even at double it was not an onerous burden.  I would advise anyone considering this book to look through each section briefly to determine how much you would need/want to supplement for yourself, content-wise.  Students largely have commented they were comfortable using the book as their main text and all appreciated the cost significantly.","created_at":"2021-03-23T18:41:29.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-03-23T18:41:29.000-05:00"},{"id":4759,"first_name":"NARESH","last_name":"PANDYA","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Kapiolani Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook covers all essential topics normally covered in a one-year general chemistry course taught to both science and non-science majors. The topics are covered in a logical sequence and are consistent with most textbooks. The one topic that is out of sequence is the chapter on gases which is normally covered earlier. However, personally, I have always covered it later and just before the chapter on solids and liquids. This allows students to study all three states of matter sequentially. \r\nImprovements could be made by the addition of learning outcomes, page numbers, and the inclusion of more challenging and conceptual problems.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Overall the textbook doesn’t have any glaring errors. In chapter 2 when discussing the use of Roman numerals when naming ionic compounds that contain metal ions that have variable charges, it was pointed out that the old nomenclature of using -ous and -ic was out of date. However, some of the end-of-chapter problems still use out-of-date nomenclature. Also, for a simulation on measuring density (Example 1.2), Flask player is required. However, my computer no longer supports Flash player.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook has in general kept up with any significant changes that have occurred in the last couple of years. One specific example being the SI standard definition for a  kilogram. The inclusion of YouTube videos, PhET simulations, Ted talks throughout the textbooks gives students access to relevant topics.\r\nHowever, the addition of current topics such as climate change and other real-life situations could be added to make the topics even more relevant.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook is generally well written and so should be easy to read by students. It is organized and easy to navigate.  The embedded figures and pictures are good and clearly aid in making the textbook more appealing to the reader. Maybe the addition of Learning Outcomes at the start of each section would be helpful for students. This is especially important because faculty are currently required to report how well students meet learning outcomes to the administration for accreditation purposes.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The presentation of the material is consistent throughout and makes for easy reading and navigation by the reader.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Chemistry is in general taught using a scaffolding approach. Meaning some topics that are taught earlier need to be recalled for later chapters. So most chapters are not completely independent. However, instructors can rearrange the topics to their liking without significant impact on the student’s ability to learn the material. For instance, an atom first approach rather than the traditional approach is preferred by some instructors.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The textbook organization is not that different from most textbooks. I personally like the coverage of the gases chapter being later and prior to the chapter on solids and liquids. This does impact the coverage of the First Law of Thermodynamics. However, this topic could be discussed in the Thermodynamics chapter which is normally covered in the second semester of the general chemistry class.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I only looked at the online version and found the textbook easy to navigate and links worked as expected. The ability to navigate between sections and chapters with a single click is a great strength of the online version. The quality of the pictures and figures was good. \r\nAlthough I did not look at the pdf version I am happy that it's available for those who prefer a physical copy.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I didn’t note any grammatical errors or other typos.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I didn’t see any discussion or pictures that appear to be culturally insensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall this opportunity to review the textbook has been a good experience. I see that the authors have produced a good textbook that provides a solid foundation for a two-semester General Chemistry class. I feel the authors could include more end of chapters questions that bridge the gap between the macroscopic and nanoscale world. Also, more challenging problems that expect students to demonstrate the overall understanding of the topics covered in the chapter would be beneficial.","created_at":"2021-04-12T15:48:18.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-04-12T15:48:18.000-05:00"},{"id":4805,"first_name":"Dhabih","last_name":"Chulhai","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Indianapolis","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Chemistry - 2e is a very comprehensive first year (2 semester) text for freshmen general chemistry. Some chapters may be on the lighter side, but this missing information is nothing that an instructor cannot bridge him/herself.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any obvious inaccuracies with the data presented in this textbook.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook is up-to-date and does not contain information that will soon make it irrelevant --- it is, after all, a general chemistry textbook and most of its contents have been \"settled science\" for decades.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Information is presented in a clear, accessible way. Of note is the fact that each chapter starts by connecting the contents of that chapter to some real-world example.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is internally consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The book is modular. However, the material is not divided equally across chapters. For example, some chapters might take 2-3 weeks to cover, while others could be covered in less than a week. In addition, a lot of the material is dependent on material that came before it --- this is not a criticism, this is just science --- but it means that I cannot rate it a \"5\" for modularity.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is well organized. Most of the material is modular (see my comment on modularity), which means that an instructor can (mostly) reorganize it as he/she sees fit.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I love the book's interface!","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no major grammatical errors --- though I'm hardly an expert on this.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook is not culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I've been using this textbook for 2 semesters now. It is adequate for introductory general chemistry and I love how accessible it is for my students --- particularly my financially -disadvantaged students. I don't see myself switching away from it unless a better free/open source general chemistry comes along. I will never go back to a costly textbook for general chemistry again!","created_at":"2021-04-20T13:45:16.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-04-20T13:45:16.000-05:00"},{"id":4983,"first_name":"Sonja","last_name":"Gamby","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"North Shore Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text is well laid-out. It is easy to navigate while comprehensive enough for a majors chemistry course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text is edited well. I'm sure there must be one but I haven't noticed any typos!","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is relevant and is updated as needed.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is clearly written. Context is added when appropriate.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text presents a consistent framework with many links connecting content across chapters.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The chapters are divided into sections and also contain chapter summaries.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The text is presented in a logical flow.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"You can view the text online or as a pdf. Both modalities are free of interface issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are few if any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"There is no specific focus on inclusive examples however the text is not offensive in any way.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The text has a test bank, power points and end-of-chapter problems/selected answers associated with it. Overall, this is very easy to implement.","created_at":"2021-05-25T22:36:46.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-05-25T22:36:46.000-05:00"},{"id":5039,"first_name":"Dilip","last_name":"Paul","position":"University Professor","institution_name":"Pittsburg State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book covers basic topics of General chemistry I and II that are traditionally taught for science majors in the US.  There are a few other specialized topics that are given at the end of the book that can be taught if time permits in addition to the learning pace of the students in the class. Although the contents of the subject matter are well organized in a way to enhance learning, the location of the chapter of gas laws (chapter 9) seems to me is in out of sequence a bit.  My belief is that once the students learn stoichiometry and limiting reagent concepts in aqueous solution (Chapter 4), they are ready to apply these concepts for the gas phase reactions (chapter 5).   However, the individual instructor can tailor the instructional sequence keeping in mind his/her students’ ability, and prior understanding of the subject matter.  Overall, the text book well serves the need for our students.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The presentation is generally straightforward and uses typical introductory chemistry terms and conventions. The content is mostly error free and easy to read.  If there are any minor typographical errors or numerical inaccuracies, those could be easily spotted by an instructor.   As a stand-alone reference for a student working alone, it is light on providing motivation and context for the subject. As such, this book is better suited as a course text, where an experienced instructor can provide some of this additional framing.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book deals with fundamental concepts of chemistry such as understanding of the periodic table, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, chemical kinetics, electrochemical reactions, and chemical equilibria involving acid-base and gas phase reactions.    These concepts are universal for general chemistry I and II classes, and its applications are noticed in all upper level chemistry courses.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Key concepts pertaining to different chemical processes are clearly presented and discussed throughout this book.  The text is written and formatted well keeping students in mind. In addition, different sections of the text appear to be designed to build upon each other, and the flow of material allows readers to cover material in a reasonable amount of time. Students may also find individual topics and sections to be accessed easily without going through a lot of extraneous material.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The terminologies, conventions and units used in this book are consistent with science education all over the world, and are maintained throughout the entire textbook.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The subsections within each section are not listed in the table of content, and neither have they been listed anywhere in table of content. This brings a little challenge for new students as they are mostly unfamiliar with the subject matter and makes it difficult to plan what to read without reading through the whole book or section.  Although in this instance instructors can guide students to choose a section and help students browse through other subsections, if needed.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The sections and subsections in this book follow a logical progression with each being very concise.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The table of content is not elaborate and detailed enough to include subsections. The sections and subsections are not labeled appropriately, this presents navigational issues in locating topics without going through the whole book. A couple of images are also not very clear either due to the quality or resolution of the pictures used.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This is an easy to read book with the use of simple sentences and appropriate grammar.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Although this textbook contains information or reference of real-world situation, those may not be viewed as culturally sensitive, and is written in an overall inclusive voice.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The book is well written and organized for students interested in learning the basic concepts of chemical phenomena in two semesters.  No prior chemical background is required for using the text.  There are a few books that combine the visual, theoretical, and historical perspective of chemistry with contemporary chemical processes. Additionally, this is also a great resource for students on a budget.","created_at":"2021-06-03T15:28:40.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-03T15:28:40.000-05:00"},{"id":5042,"first_name":"Ashley","last_name":"Garr","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Central College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text contains 21 chapters and covers all material in a typical 2-semester general chemistry course.  It is clearly written with chemistry majors in mind.  Appendices included with the text are appropriate for a general chemistry course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content appears to be accurate, although I have not solved all the in-chapter and end-of-chapter problems.  It does seem from the list of errata that the text is updated and corrected as needed, so if you came across an issue, it would be reasonably easy to suggest a correction/clarification.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I see no reason why this text would not be relevant in years to come; general chemistry topics tend to be widely accepted.  They include the most current periodic table and a section with the updated definition of a kilogram, so it appears to be updated regularly.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I think the book is very clear in most instances, although a student with no previous experience with chemistry may find some sections a bit difficult to get through.  I don’t know that this is any worse than most general chemistry textbooks.  I appreciate the way the text explained topics, especially in the beginning chapters.  Differences between commonly confused terms were stressed.  Later on, I also found concepts that were explained in multiple ways to help students understand fully.  Example problems are worked out step-by-step, especially in the beginning of the book.  Some problems later on are less explicitly worked and could cause some students confusion.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent.  Chapters are organized the same way throughout: introduction, sections of material, key words, key equations, summaries, end-of-chapter problems.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text was modular.  I teach general chemistry in a slightly different order, but I feel that this text would allow me that freedom to move a later chapter or section up and push an earlier part back without much confusion.  In terms of navigation, it would be nice if the different headings in the sections were also included in the table of contents.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The text is organized in a reasonable way and flows nicely.  Transitions between chapters didn’t feel choppy despite the modularity of the text.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The online version of the textbook is easy to navigate and works well/looks nice.  I’ve looked through the pdf and didn’t see any issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"While I’m sure there are some, I haven’t noticed any.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book doesn’t explicitly include cultural references and is in no way offensive.  It does include these great “Portrait of a Chemist” in different sections.  Some of them are more “historical” chemists, but there are some more recent ones.  These do insert some sense of diversity to the text.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"There are many things I like about the text.  The learning objectives included at the beginning of each section are great and book is well illustrated.  The key words, key equations, and summaries at the end of the chapters are great quick resources for students.  I love the “Portrait of a Chemist”, “Chemistry in Everyday Life”, and “How the Sciences Interconnect” sections.  These make the text relevant to experiences the students are familiar with.  The text includes links to videos and simulations that students can watch or manipulate systems.  A few of the simulations required Flash Player, which I don’t have.  It also appears that there are resources available online and faculty are able to integrate the book with classroom management systems.","created_at":"2021-06-04T12:11:44.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-04T12:11:44.000-05:00"},{"id":33567,"first_name":"Andrew","last_name":"Zhou","position":"Assistant Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Grace College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I have used this textbook for 2.5 years. The contents are comprehensive and the indices and appendices are very user-friendly. Students generally take the standardized exams for General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I/II. Some students can obtain scores with the percentiles being above 90% and even 100% .","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"While the majority of the contents is accurate, there are some minor errors. For example, the caption of Figure 6.30(b) says \"Covalent radii of the elements are shown to scale. The general trend is that radii ... decrease across a period.\" However, Figure 6.30(b) doesn't support the claim that \"radii decrease across a period\".","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Most of the science discussed in General Chemistry was developed long time ago. This textbook make the contents relevant to our modern society in different ways. One example is that the introductions many, if not all, chapters discuss very recent things that are related to the science to be discussed. I personally like this part.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This text is written using simple languages and is easy to understand without any ambiguity according to my 2.5 years of using experience.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I have not seen any inconsistency","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I frequently change the orders of the sections in a few chapters w/o any problems in order to go through these chapters following my own idea flow. For example, for Chapter 7, I first discuss 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.6 b/c they are mainly about covalent bonds/compounds; then I will discuss 7.1 and 7.5. Also, I don't go through Chapter 1 directly to Chapter 9 for General Chemistry I. I normally first discuss Chapters 1-4, then Chapter 9, and then Chapters 5-8.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are organized in a way as the contents go deeper and deeper, making it especially user-friendly for students with weak chemistry background","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I have not encountered any interface issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not seen any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook is inclusive in different ways. For example, when it discusses the science history/how some knowledge was developed/initiated, it mentions contributions by people in different regions/time and of different background","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The questions in the exam bank can be improved significantly to better prepare students for the American Chemical Society standardized exams for General Chemistry I/II. Faculty members using this textbook including me are expected to make this happen.","created_at":"2021-12-22T22:23:23.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-12-22T22:23:23.000-06:00"},{"id":33818,"first_name":"SATHIAMOORTHY","last_name":"BALASUBRAMANIAN","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Rochester Community \u0026 Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a very comprehensive text book which covers all aspects of General chemistry I and II. It is exhaustive and students can use this book both as a reference and also as a study guide for understanding the concepts of chemistry.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Yes the content is accurate and nearly error-free except for a few errata mentioned by fellow reviewers.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Highly relevant and up to date.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Well written and any student can understand concepts by just reading the relevant chapter.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Very consistent in terms of terminology, framework and language used.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I really like the modularity of the book. It has divided chapter into various concepts which can be clearly understood.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Topics are presented in a logical and clear fashion. There is clarity of thought as one navigates from one paragraph to another.","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"NO issues regarding navigation. I read the book online and had a pleasant time.","grammatical_rating":1,"grammatical_review":"Very low grammatical errors except for the errata mentioned by fellow reviewers.","cultural_rating":1,"cultural_review":"Does not apply to this text book.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I like this book as any student of Gen chemistry will benefit from it. The principles are well explained and easy to comprehend under various headings. The examples given to understand the concepts are relevant. The language has been kept simple and precise. Diagrams, images are self explanatory and it supplements in understanding the concepts.","created_at":"2022-05-01T20:09:16.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-05-01T20:09:16.000-05:00"},{"id":33861,"first_name":"Casey","last_name":"Clements","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Tidewater Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The OpenStax Chemistry textbook covers all the expected topics for general chemistry 1 and 2 in sufficient depth.  This book covers all the required course learning outcomes at my college.  Each chapter contains helpful worked examples, images/diagrams, key terms and equations, summary, and end of chapter questions.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not found any errors in the accuracy of the content presented.  As an online resource the publisher can correct errata quickly.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book presents the foundations of general chemistry, which will continue to remain relevant over time.  The only updates that might be needed in the future would possibly be updated examples or applications of the chemistry content.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The content is presented clearly.  The text is written in an accessible style and the technical words are appropriately defined.  There are worked examples of the math-based problems and images/diagrams that help to clarify the conceptual topics.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I have not found any cases of inconsistency in the text.  Each chapter follows the same format and terminology is used consistently.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity is appropriate.  The text is broken down into easy-to-read sections and there are sufficient images and examples throughout each chapter to aid in understanding.  I like that I can provide my students with a link to a specific section.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Each chapter seems well organized.  I do not cover the chapters in the order presented, but that is often the case in any chemistry textbook.  The only negative aspect of the organization I found was that the length of the chapters can vary greatly.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The book is available as a pdf, as a printed copy, and as an eBook which gives the students the ability to choose the option that works best for them.  I have not had any problems with the online interface.  I like that I can provide links to specific sections or images for my students.  The textbook navigation is straightforward.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have encountered minimal grammatical errors in the textbook.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I have not noticed any insensitive or offensive content, but it would be nice if the book contained more diverse examples.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I have used this book for my general chemistry 1 and 2 classes for over two years with success.  It is comparable to the expensive textbooks that I had used previously, but it can be provided to the students for no cost.","created_at":"2022-05-17T14:22:53.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-05-17T14:22:53.000-05:00"},{"id":33894,"first_name":"Amanda","last_name":"Glass","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Johnson County Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The material covered in this textbook includes what is generally found in a two-semester General Chemistry course textbook, in the appropriate detail. There are also a few \"bonus\" chapters that people could supplement their regular curriculum with based on student interest or need.\r\n\r\nTo be a bit \"picky,\" I was surprised that Arrhenius acids and bases were not defined in the textbook or glossary. There is mention of an Arrhenius acid in the Brønsted-Lowry section of the acid-base equilibria chapter, and some historical perspective is given, but it was less than I've seen elsewhere.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is correct; I found no egregious errors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The material gets linked to outside resources in order to make sure that it is modern and relevant. Examples given are interesting and common enough to be engaging and interesting to today's students.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Text is written at a level appropriate for college freshman/general chemistry students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Language is used similarly throughout the text; the flow is good and the format is consistent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The sections make sense and are manageable. Sections within a chapter are independent, but also flow well into each other.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The flow of this book make sense and follows the organization that most gen chem books follow. Gases are later in the semester, which I prefer (but I know some don't.) There's also an Atoms First version of this text, so if someone prefers that order, they wouldn't have to go out of order with this text, but could instead choose that option.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Navigating within the PDF was incredibly simple and easy. The clickable Table of Contents was fantastic, and the search feature simple and user friendly. The document resized easily and no distortion of graphics was observed.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"As far as I know, the grammar is correct. The text reads very well and easily.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The Portrait of a Chemist sections intentionally include women. More scientists of color could definitely be included; this is something we as a field have a lot of work to do.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T22:30:33.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-06-02T22:30:33.000-05:00"},{"id":34672,"first_name":"Qingsheng","last_name":"Liu","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"James Madison University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook is comprehensive and covers all key topics of general chemistry I and II at a college level. The indices and appendices provided are very friendly.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content itself is accurate. There are no noticeable errors except very few typos.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook is up to date. It contains a lot of linked YouTube videos, PhET simulations, Ted talks which are convenient for current students to learn and understand relevant topics.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook is presented in a straightforward way. All chapters are well laid-out. Learning objects of each topic are clearly shown at the very beginning. The everyday life examples used allow students to relate to the material easily.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. Each chapter has the same layout, which is easy for students to navigate.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The chapters can be divided into sections. Some topics could be reorganized by instructors without having a significant impact on student learning.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The overall sequence of the topics in this textbook is arranged in a logical order. In each chapter, the content is well structured. I do like some features in this text, including the learning objectives listed at the very beginning of each section and the Chemistry in Everyday Life,","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I didn’t find significant interface issues. All links worked so well. All images and charts are clearly shown with good resolutions. However, there are a lot of blank spaces which could be effectively used. Some figures and charts are too big. In addition, the captions of figures could be a little smaller than the text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"At least I didn’t note any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I didn’t find any content that appears to be culturally insensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall, this is a very good textbook considering its quality and accessibility. It has many good features that are convenient and helpful for students to understand the material. I hope more end-of-chapter exercises can be added for students to practice.","created_at":"2023-09-09T17:38:16.000-05:00","updated_at":"2023-09-09T17:38:16.000-05:00"},{"id":35046,"first_name":"Tulay Aygan","last_name":"Atesin","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The OpenStax Chemistry- 2e covers core concepts and required course learning outcomes of a two-semester general chemistry course. I have been using it for my general chemistry 1 lecture (Chapter 1 – Chapter 9) in the last three semesters. It is very comprehensive.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate. I haven't encountered any errors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook covers how chemistry concepts apply to our daily lives and the world around us. My students find all examples very helpful. Their favorite example is making a grilled cheese sandwich in section 4.4.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Learning objectives at the beginning of each section, figures and examples are very helpful. I assign the “Check your learning” questions and exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce the key concepts covered in each lecture.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent throughout. Every chapter contains an outline consistent of an introduction, several sections, key terms, key equations, summary and exercises.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Most sections can be covered in a 75-minute class time. In some lectures, we covered more than one section.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This textbook includes interactive exercises and real-world applications that are very helpful. The clickable “table of contents” and “exercises” are easy to navigate. We cover Chapter 9 (Gases) after Chapter 4 (Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions) and before Chapter 5 (Thermochemistry). For Lewis structure examples introduced in section 7.3, we go through steps 1-5 for each molecule/ion instead of going over each step for all five examples.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Throughput the semester, we accessed the textbook online from our learning management system (Blackboard). I also downloaded a pdf version to my computer for easy access when I am working offline. PhET simulation links have been very helpful for my students to learn challenging topics such as molecular shapes covered in section 7.6.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I haven't encountered any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook is available in both English and Spanish. Being a faculty in the second largest Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the continental United States in terms of enrollment of Hispanic students (92% of UTRGV students are Hispanic), I choose this book because of its bilingual content.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I have been using this textbook for my general chemistry 1 lecture since Spring 2023 semester. It is well organized and overall, my students find it very helpful. Since it can be incorporated into Blackboard, it is readily accessibility. Two-thirds of UTRGV students are first-generation college students. This open-source textbook has been instrumental for students who cannot afford to purchase a textbook. “Check your learning” questions, exercises at the end of each chapter and linked answers to odd questions have been very helpful to reinforce the examples covered in lectures.","created_at":"2024-05-16T08:39:46.000-05:00","updated_at":"2024-05-16T08:39:46.000-05:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/chemistry","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:01:34.000-06:00"},{"id":334,"title":"Chemistry: Atoms First","edition_statement":"2e","volume":null,"copyright_year":2019,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"Chemistry: Atoms First 2e is a peer-reviewed, openly licensed introductory textbook produced through a collaborative publishing partnership between OpenStax and the University of Connecticut and UConn Undergraduate Student Government Association. This text is an atoms-first adaptation of OpenStax Chemistry 2e. The intention of “atoms-first” involves a few basic principles: first, it introduces atomic and molecular structure much earlier than the traditional approach, and it threads these themes through subsequent chapters. This approach may be chosen as a way to delay the introduction of material such as stoichiometry that students traditionally find abstract and difficult, thereby allowing students time to acclimate their study skills to chemistry. Additionally, it gives students a basis for understanding the application of quantitative principles to the chemistry that underlies the entire course. It also aims to center the study of chemistry on the atomic foundation that many will expand upon in a later course covering organic chemistry, easing that transition when the time arrives. The second edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Substantial improvements have been made in the figures, illustrations, and example exercises that support the text narrative.","contributors":[{"id":3584,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Paul","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Flowers","location":"Pembroke, North Carolina","background_text":"Senior Contributing Authors Paul Flowers, University of North Carolina at Pembroke"},{"id":5063,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Edward","middle_name":"J.","last_name":"Neth","location":"Mansfield, Connecticut","background_text":"Edward J. Neth, University of Connecticut"},{"id":5064,"contribution":"Author","primary":false,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"William","middle_name":"R.","last_name":"Robinson","location":null,"background_text":"William R. Robinson, PhD"}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":222,"url":"https://openstax.org/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:38.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-13T15:52:42.000-05:00","name":"OpenStax"}],"formats":[{"id":396,"type":"Online","url":"https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-atoms-first-2e","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":397,"type":"PDF","url":"https://openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-atoms-first-2e","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4","textbook_reviews_count":39,"reviews":[{"id":908,"first_name":"Shoshanna","last_name":"Coon","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Northern Iowa","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text covers all the topics of a typical 2-semester general chemistry sequence for science majors.  The order of the topics is designed for an \"atoms first\" approach, as the title indicates.  {This text is a derivative of openstax Chemistry by three of the same authors, which has the more traditional order of topic coverage, getting into stoichiometry much earlier. }  The order of topic coverage after the initial \"atoms first\" portion is unusual:  gases before thermochemistry; thermodynamics before equilibrium; kinetics after electrochemistry.  I will reorder the topic coverage if I use the book.\n\nI examined the text in the pdf version (on a PC) and in the online version (on an iPad).  Each chapter (in pdf) or subsection (online) ends with a Key Ideas and Equations section and a Glossary (not linked).  The index is not as well done--multiple entries for one topics/word for different capitalization or even plural vs. singular.  However, the page numbers in the Index are linked (in the pdf anyway).  \n\nThe Search feature in the online book is case sensitive.  For instance, when looking for TED talks mentioned as additional resources, I got no results search for ted or Ted.  On the other hand, a search for CO returned results for both CO and Co, which is a problem in my opinion.  \n\nRegarding level of coverage, it is largely comparable to other texts I have taught from, including the current \"atoms first\" commercial book that we are using.  Some examples and end of chapter problems do not cover all aspects of a problem, however.  For instance, in the section on combustion analysis, there is no example or end of chapter problem for a compound that contains oxygen.  Only hydrocarbons are used.  In fact, there are no end of chapter problems on combustion analysis at all.  \n\nThere were also times when I felt a figure could have improved the presentation, such as the initial discussion of diffraction/interference and constructive and destructive interference.  There is a very nice photo of an interference pattern, but no figure illustrating constructive and destructive interference, which is an abstract concept that can use some pictorial help for students to understand.  ","accuracy_rating":2,"accuracy_review":"The text has some accuracy problems--mostly in figures or in end of chapter exercises.  I did not find any major inaccuracies in the text, outside of a typo here and there.  Here are some of the errors I found:\n\nEnd of section/chapter exercise 1.37c has an incorrect solution given (in the online version).  The question asks for SI base units or derived units and the answer: km/s is not an SI base unit or a derived unit using SI base units (as all the other answers were).  Should be m/s.  \n\nIn the discussion of quantum numbers, sometimes the magnetic quantum number was not subscripted.  \n\nIn the section on successive ionization energies, the text refers to a change of color in the table when the core electrons are being removed.  There is no color change in the table (either in online or pdf).\n\nIn the section on aqueous reactions, an example is given of the formation of a AgF precipitate and says to refer to the solubility guidelines/rules.  But fluoride isn't in any of the solubility rules.  How is a student to know that AgF is insoluble?  Also in the section on aqueous reactions, gas formation reactions are not included as a class of reactions (or a subclass of acid-base reactions), although there is one example in the chapter of a gas formation reaction.  \n\nEnd of chapter exercise 7.76 refers to phosphorus pentoxide, which is not a substance in the given reaction.  Tetraphosphorus decoxide is given in the problem.  \n\nFigure 8.5 (pdf) or Fig 4 in Gas Pressure (online):  The right-hand illustration is incorrect in showing the \"h\" that is added to atmospheric pressure in an open-ended manometer.\n\nFigure 8.14 b) in pdf:  Axis labels are incorrect.  Should be 1/V vs. P or V vs. 1/P rather than V vs. P.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The topics in general chemistry are well-established so the main content of the book will continue to be relevant and have good longevity.  One positive feature of the book is the inclusion of connections to other sciences, and connections to technology and the real world.  These are current and up-to-date now, but as technology advances and applications change or new applications are found, this is the part of the book that would benefit the most from updating.  Since these are set out in boxes within the text, the updating should be fairly easy.  The book also includes a \"Portrait of a Chemist\" feature.  As time goes on, new portraits could be introduced.  Again, because these are set out in boxes, it is easy to find and update them.  \n\nOne section that could use a slight expansion of content to be more relevant is Molecular Orbital Theory.  The book does not cover anything beyond diatomic molecules, not even with a mention or a figure.  ","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The book is a derivative of openstax Chemistry, by three of the same authors, which has a more traditional order of topic coverage.  The authors have paid some attention to making the reordering of topics comprehensible, adding text or bringing sections (such as the mole concept) in early enough to be of use and not confuse the students with concepts that haven't yet been introduced.  Despite that, I felt that the topics of electronic structure, chemical formulas, Lewis structures, and bonding theories, showed that they were \"out of order\".  What I mean by that is that they were not written with the level of detail and pedagogy in which early chapters in chemistry books are usually written.  They assumed that students were already \"up to speed\" in their learning process, so to speak.  For instance, I think that the relationship of the quantum numbers to the structure of the periodic table could be made more explicit, as could the writing of electron configurations, specifically those of ions.  It was here in this section that the reordering showed up in vocabulary--the terms alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens, periods and groups are used in this section, but the section of the text in which those terms are specifically introduced and defined comes later in the book.  I suggest that the section on the Periodic Table be moved much earlier in the book--definitely before electronic structure of atoms, but could even come in Chapter 2 right after Atomic Structure and Symbolism.  \n\nAnother place that I felt the book \"got ahead of itself\" because of reordering of topics was in Chapter 4, which shows a potential energy curve for the bonding of two hydrogen atoms, but it doesn't explain what 0 potential energy is defined as, or what negative potential energy means.  In fact, energy hasn't been addressed much yet at that point (for instance, no discussion yet of potential energy vs. kinetic energy), so there's little context for understanding this figure.  There is a section on Energy Basics in the Thermochemistry chapter (chapter 9).  I also was not thrilled with the reference in Chapter 3 (in the section on light emission and absorption) to an endothermic process absorbing light and an exothermic process emitting light.  This is the FIRST mention of endothermic and exothermic in the book, and to link it with light at this stage is not helpful.  Along those same lines, electron affinity is defined so that it's actually Delta U or Delta H, so the EA of Cl is negative, in contrast to other books where EA is the energy released when an atom gains an electron.  This may create confusion for those who have had chemistry before.  And how to indicate the trend with arrows?  Increasing electron affinity means decreasing value of EA (on a number line, anyway).  \n\nThe discussion of the deBroglie wavelength is ambiguous because of the symbols used.  It talks about lambda (sorry, no Greek letters in this text box) meaning something different than it does in light equations, but then talks about v (velocity) vs. nu, which have the same symbol in this particular sentence!).  In the online version, the velocity symbol is inconsistent from usage to usage--sometimes it's clearly an italic v and sometimes it could be a nu.  In the pdf, v and nu look the same in all usages.  So are the authors talking about the lambda symbols being the same, but meaning something different, or are they talking about v and nu?  \n\nAnother area where some additional attention to topic order would help is in Formula Mass and the Mole Concept, which is in Chapter 6 (Composition of Substances and Solutions).  This section is very explicit and should come much earlier in the book.  It could be in Chapter 2 along with Chemical Formulas and where the mole concept is first introduced.\n\nThe section on Lewis structures was comprehensive, covering basic examples and the important exceptions.  However, in the presentation, the authors are working through four examples simultaneously.  I think this would be hard to follow for a student who is just learning to draw Lewis structures.  I believe it would be better to do those examples individually, highlighting the differences in each one from a simple one--for instance, what do you do when there's a charge on the species?  \n\nThe discussion of molecular polarity centers on dipole moments and vector cancellation.  This is difficult to envision in a trigonal planar and tetrahedral geometry and there was no figure to help with that.  There was also no good criteria mentioned for how to decide if a molecule is too symmetrical to be polar.  I tell students if the molecule has at least one polar bond and has a definite, unique top, then it's polar.  In the Properties of Polar Molecules, it mentions alignment in an electric field and a brief mention (too early?) that polar liquids dissolve in other polar liquids, and nonpolar liquids dissolve in nonpolar liquids.  This would be a perfect place to do an early introduction of the concept of intermolecular forces (at least dipole-dipole) to say that polar molecules have higher boiling points than nonpolar molecules of the same size.  I did not like the electronegativity difference criteria that the book uses.  Their criteria of pure covalent having an electronegativity difference of less than 0.4 means that a C-H bond is considered by them slightly polar covalent.  And their cutoff for polar covalent at the high end of 1.8 difference means that HF looks ionic, but it's polar covalent--they mention it as an exception.  But a higher cutoff of 1.9 or 2.0 would solve that problem.  \n\nOne thing that I think would aid clarity throughout the book is more use of bold and italics to emphasize important ideas or statements.  Usually only terms are bold.  One example that I noticed is the idea that the sum of the formal charges must be equal to the charge on the species.  This was buried in a paragraph and not emphasized in any way.  It would be easy for a student to miss this important idea.  \n\nIn general, the layout made it easy to miss a short paragraph sandwiched in between examples.  A little more white space to set off the text would be helpful.\n\nI did feel that some topics were done with good clarity.   I appreciated the figures of all of the s, p, d and f orbitals.  Most general chemistry texts do not include the f orbitals in figures.  I also thought the authors did a good job of making an early distinction between ionic and covalent bonds.  \n\nThe section on nomenclature was good and corresponds well to the way I approach nomenclature.  I feel that nomenclature is absolutely foundational to the rest of chemistry, so I was pleased to see the authors spend considerable space on it and yet approach it in a systematic way.  I would like to see important binary acid exceptions such as hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen azide mentioned.  \n\nThe hybridization section stated plainly that hybridization was devised to rationalize experimentally observed molecular geometries--something I heavily emphasize--and makes it fairly plain that the hybridization goes with the VSEPR geometry in a one-to-one correspondence.  It does not use the term \"promotion\", but rather that the electrons distribute themselves among the hybrid (and unhybridized) orbitals.  There were good figures--perhaps not as fancy as in some commercial texts, but clear enough.  \n\nI was pleased to see the \"stoichiometry map\" in the Reaction Stoichiometry chapter.  I use that concept myself, and by the end of the first semester, have it filled in with heat and volume of gas as well as the quantities shown in their map (entities, grams, moles, volume of solution).  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Some of my comments in Clarity relate to this.  Because the book was not written from scratch to be atoms first, but rather was derived from a traditional topic order text, there are some issues with vocabulary showing up too early, before it has been defined (such as some column names in the periodic table, or a potential energy curve before potential energy has really been discussed at all).  \n\nThere seem to be some minor notation differences between the online book and the pdf, particularly with velocity and nu.  \n\nI have already mentioned some questionable use of endothermic and exothermic as it relates to the absorption and emission of light.  I have never seen this in any other book.  ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modularity of this book is quite good.  Although some of the sections are longer than others, this is inherent in the topic being covered, or the authors have provided a lot of examples, which is all to the good for students.  I found the online book easiest to find a specific subsection I was looking for, but it only displays just that subsection, so for scanning through a chapter, the pdf is easier to work with.  \n\nChemistry is not a subject that can completely avoid self-referencing, because the material builds on itself as the chapters progress, so references to and connections to earlier topics are helpful, not to be avoided.  Likewise, the occasional \"foreshadowing\" can be helpful.  For example, it's useful to know why we need to learn how to draw Lewis structures--so that we can predict the shape and polarity of the molecule, which in turn has implications for its physical and chemical properties.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I have addressed this most in Clarity.  There are some problems with logical progression of ideas and terminology due to this being a derivative of a traditional-order text.  The authors did make a good-faith attempt to present the material in an atoms first approach that students can follow and learn from.  There are simply still improvements to be made.  I have made several suggestions for some topics that can be moved earlier to help with this.  I also would like to see some sort of author's notes about why they chose the order of presentation of topics in the second semester portion of the book--why thermodynamics before equilibrium?  Why kinetics after electrochemistry?  Some books do kinetics as a lead-in to equilibrium, since the typical definition of equilibrium is that the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction.  ","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"As mentioned above, the online version is good for quickly getting to a section of the book you want to find, no matter where you are in the book currently.  In the pdf version, you have to scroll all the way up to the table of contents to link to a new section.  The pdf is easier to scroll through a complete chapter though, and the pdf has all the examples numbered, the figures and tables numbered sequentially, and the end of chapter exercises all numbered.  The online version has none of the those numbers, but the appropriate end of chapter exercises are at the end of each subsection.\n\n I ran into several issues with the interface.  In Chapter 1, the plasma video did not play on either iPad (online version) or PC (online or pdf).  \n\nIn the pdf version, it would be helpful to have a reminder to readers/students that when you link out, you need to open the link in a new window.  If you fail to do this (as I did many times), when you go back to the pdf you are at the very beginning instead of where you left off.  \n\nThe online version does not have Example numbers or Exercise numbers that the pdf has.  Also the figure numbers do not correspond between the online version and the pdf version.  How can the online version be used for teaching--how can I tell students which exercises are assigned or which examples to look at?  \n\nChapter titles are NOT on the first page in the online version, only the Chapter number and \"Introduction\".  You have to go to the Table of Contents to see what the name of the chapter is.  Also, on that first screen in the pdf version, there is a \"By the end of this section, you will be able to...\".  This is collapsed into \"Summary\" in the online version.  Why?  Why not display it?  \n\nIn the online version (on iPad at least), when the Table of Contents is used to move to a section, the title of the displayed section goes vertical and does not scale to the width of the frame the way the text does.  You have to collapse the Table of Contents in order to be able to read the title of the section well.  \n\nWhen the pdf is first loading, you cannot hotlink in the Table of Contents to sections later in the document (until the pdf gets done loading).  Clicking on a link too far down in the Table of Contents too early in the loading process takes you back to the front of the document.  \n\nThe link to Appendix B in Chapter 1, Measurements section, goes to the preface in the online version on iPad always, or goes to the front of the pdf document if the pdf has not fully loaded.  \n\nIn the online version, a box came up that told me a newer version was available, and when I clicked on it, it switched me over to openstax Chemistry (not Chemistry Atoms First)!  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"A few typos here and there, but overall well edited for grammar.  ","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The portraits of a chemist do include some women.  I admit I was not able to review all of them, but based on reviews of the original openstax Chemistry, of which this is a derivative, gender diversity seems to be all the diversity that is shown.  The book is very US centric and includes some strange examples, such as mentioning by name a 2014 Lambourgini particular sports car in an example problem.  Are the authors getting \"product placement' gigs?  \n\nOn a more serious note, the colors used on the periodic table are quite pale and I suspect students who are color blind would not be able to distinguish the difference between metalloids and non-metals, in particular, and seeing the difference between metals and non-metals may be tough as well.  \n\nI also noticed that one figure showed meat on a grill (as an example of a chemical reaction students might have seen) and a later figure showed (and mentioned) a cheeseburger.  International students who don't eat beef or other meats for religious reasons might not appreciate these kinds of examples being used when there are others available that are not food-related.  \n\nOne of the special topics boxes is on Climate Change, which may generate some discussion in class.  That would be a good opportunity to talk about Evidence for hypotheses.  Too often, college chemistry gets presented as \"here's what we know from the last 300 years\" and there's nothing to discuss.  ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I am currently teaching from an atoms first commercial book and I really hoped to find that this book would be a good substitute I could recommend to my colleagues.  Although there are some quite strong points of the book and some parts are better than our commercial book, at this time (December, 2016), however, it has too many errors and inconsistencies in approach that it is not an improvement over what we are currently using, even to be free to the students.  If I have time over the summer, I can edit it myself.  I hope, however, that the authors will take another look at it and improve it.  \n\n","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1009,"first_name":"Chad","last_name":"Park","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"University of Arizona","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers all the typical material in an introductory chemistry text. It is completely useful and relevant to a freshman level general chemistry course. I would like to see a chapter on green chemistry and perhaps a bit more biologically relevant chemistry although that may be outside the scope of the book.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Content is great and seems accurate.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"The text is nicely updated and goes to great lengths to have relevant examples for general chemistry students. I would think that more examples and a longer text would help. \n\nThe section on precision and accuracy uses the classic archery / target example. However, it would be better to look at these terms relevant to measurements. \n\nThe text actually covers a great deal of material and is updated compared to some other texts I have seen. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Overall the text is clearly explained. The section on dimensional analysis is both relevant and quite clear and I'm glad to see it written and explained so well. The example problems that are presented are done at a very basic and easily understood level. I think that it would be relevant even as a supplemental text to recommend for struggling students. ","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is quite consistent. It's kept at a constant level. A few of the pictures are lower resolution than the others though. \n\nThe consistent use of equations throughout is nice as well. Some texts try to exclude mathematics which is a huge mistake in my opinion. \n\nI think I like that thermodynamics is spaced out throughout the book and introduced in between several chapters. At first that seems a little disconcerting, but it's done in a nice way and probably allows the student to learn a little thermo at a time instead of all at once in a single chapter. ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This seems sufficient but is typical for introductory chemistry texts. I would like to see links between sections allowing an interested reader to be able to jump to other relevant portions of the text. The fact that there are a lot of modules or sections is advantageous especially when instructors may need to bounce around modules or exclude some for time constraints. There are a few chapters that seem out of order compared to \"classic\" chemistry texts but I think the modularity here is a distinct asset.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"It follows the classical bottom-up approach to chemistry and I find that reassuring in a way. Taken with the large modularity of the various sections, I think it would be a good book for an intro class to consider. Chapter 3 on waves, radiation, the Bohr model, etc., is detailed and well written. I didn't expect to see it emphasized early like that. However, it's written at an appropriate level for beginning chemists. \n\nI also didn't expect to see the chapter on the gas laws placed so far after descriptions of chemical bonding. In such a modular text it doesn't particularly matter and it may make more sense to talk about, say, molecular orbital theory before Boyle's law.\n\nIt's also a little strange that chemical equilibria comes so much later than stoichiometry and balancing equations. I think it may work better this way though. It's just different than the layout of chemistry texts with which I'm familiar.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"As mentioned in general comments, the text could benefit somewhat from more example problems and would benefit greatly from more problem sets and exercises. I liked the online connectivity to the \"Build A Molecule\" website.\n\nIt's a little weird that the text will include \"Table\" and \"Figure\" without a table or figure number. The fact that it's a hyperlink to the relevant item is great, but it's a little strange to read that way.\n\nIf anything, I would like to see an online text have a great deal more hyperlinks to content. \n\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical errors. ","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"This seems like a great choice for many English speaking countries but seems primarily aimed at students in US institutions. ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"A lot of the sections seem short. The text, especially in it's nicely modular format, would benefit from longer sections. Critically, there would be a vast improvement by supplying many more problems and worked examples. The problems supplied are nice, comprehensive and detailed. And there are, in fact, a fairly large amount of them and I realize it may take away from space for regular material. However, a lot more of them would be extremely useful. It helps instructors write exams and more importantly, it lets students have a vast amount of problems to work for practice. Maybe if there was an online only component that included an expansion on the problem sets.\n\nMany of the figures are well done and at a high quality.","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1013,"first_name":"Lisa","last_name":"Smith","position":"Chemistry Instructor (Tenured; Non-Ranked Institution)","institution_name":"North Hennepin Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I think this textbook covers all areas and ideas of the subject taught in the first two semesters of a college-level general chemistry course.  At the end of each chapter there is a glossary as well as key equations to help the students organize information.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book seems to be error-free and accurate upon basic review and skimming.  I did not complete every end-of-chapter question nor read every word.  I like that the periodic table is updated with the more recent elements that have become official above atomic number 108.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"I feel the visuals are modern and can stand the test of time.  ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I like the way the text is written to be approachable for a wide variety of students.  I think balancing chemical reactions could be done in a clearer way, as it is hard to tell which numbers are the co-efficients.  Perhaps formatting them differently (bold) would help student identify during the learning phase.  The same goes, for example, balancing redox equations in Chapter 16 versus Chapter 7.5.  In Chapter 16, it could be laid out a little more clearly.  I really like the diagram on page 365 that shows how moles are related to a variety of stoichiometric quantities.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Upon general review and skimming, I think the terminology is internally consistent.  I feel that the formatting and delivery of step-wise instructions could be improved.  I would add numbers or bullet points instead of having important directions embedded in paragraphs.  This could make it hard for students who are mastering English as a secondary language.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"One example I see is that there could be more clarify in connecting previous topics.  For example, balancing redox reactions in Chapter 16 could have either copy and pasted the same procedure from Chapter 7, with the additional new rules in Chapter 16.  This would've added more consistency and clarity.    I can see how chunks can be re-organized, which makes it nice.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I feel the book is organized in a manner that matches other printed textbooks.  This provides easy reference, especially if moving around material.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"It took awhile for the textbook to download, so I see limitations with weak internet access or making a 'quick' reference.  I would highly recommend just saving a pdf copy.  This flexibility allows readers to search for specific terminology quickly.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I feel the grammar meets requirements.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"I feel the book could add more cultural diversity in its examples and visuals.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I look forward to piloting this with my General Chemistry students.","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1061,"first_name":"Lanette","last_name":"Upshaw","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Virginia Western Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book was very comprehensive.  The index and glossary were a great asset and reliable.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The textbook was very accurate.  I saw minimal inaccuracies.  Most issues were grammatical, which were limited.  There were a lot of environmentally related examples, which I love because I use these in class, but not all professors may feel the same.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Examples and images used will work for years to come.  Many of the images (both pictures and molecules) are standard that you would see in most any textbook.  However, what I like about the online text is that there are external links to many videos, PhET simulations, etc that allow the book to reach a more technologically geared student population.  I also like the usage of current examples such as biofuels related to enthalpy, climate change, etc.  These may have to be slightly modified over the next decade, but they will still be relevant.\n\nIt would be helpful to include more information related to current batteries (fuel cells, batteries in electronic devices, etc).","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book was very clear.  Chemistry is a very difficult subject to understand no matter how it is written.  I think the multitude of written examples, practice problems, with solutions, and external links will help the students solidify required theories and mathematical equations.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook was very consistent.  Every section followed the same outline, which made it very easy to navigate through each chapter.  The inserts of pictures and facts related to the topics of the section was very engaging (ex. Gekkos related to intermolecular forces, etc).  The extra information included was varied between different disciplines allowing students of most majors to relate to topics (ex. DNA related to biologists and health profession fields, biofuels related to green chemistry and engineering, etc).  Hopefully this will help to engage students that otherwise might not normally be interested in the chemistry discipline.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"It would be very easy to integrate this online textbook to my current general chemistry courses I teach.   Each chapter is also broken down into sections like a traditional textbook.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"It would be nice if the solutions were given to all of the problems instead of the first series in each set.  Otherwise, the flow of the textbook was logical and consistent.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I did not experience any issues related to distorted images or images that would not appear.  Also, all of the external links I clicked on worked with no problem.  I did have some issues when I would try to advance to the next section.  Occasionally, I would have to go back to the previous page and then click the “next” button to advance to the next section.  I had an issue with Figure 1 taking a really long time to load in section 16.4.  Not sure if it was from my end related to the internet or an issue within the textbook.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There were minimal grammatical issues.  Overall good job on the editing.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Yes.  All examples are relatable to a multitude of races and varying disciplines/professions.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The links on certain topics such as SI units and conversions, math review, significant figures, etc will be a great additional resource for students that are struggling with the topic.  The PhET simulations were also a very helpful resource for visualizing concepts.  It would be very easy to integrate some of these into the lecture linking the online textbook more into the course,  hopefully encouraging students to utilize the textbook.\n\nNeed to add an expanded table of just polyatomic ions.  Many professors use this table to guide students of what polyatomic ions they need to have memorized.  I also loved the Eric Brockovich example because I already use this in lecture.\n\nChapter 6 – There was no summary in the introduction section of chapter 6.\n\nChapter 7 – I love that the concept of gravimetric analysis is added to the lecture book because we use this as one of three techniques in lab to verify an alum compound synthesized.\n\nChapter 8 – Great example of the use of diffusion with UF6 gas to enrich uranium.\n\nChapter 9 – The integration of enthalpy related to combustion reactions and emerging biofuels was excellent.\n\nChapter 11 – The heating and cooling curve section could be expanded.  This is a topic my students often struggle with, and I generally have to work at least two different types of problems to increase their understanding.  The expanded section on X-ray crystallography was a great addition to the lattice structure in crystalline solids section.  Explanation of the distillation process related to oil was excellent, so students can really understand the process and energy required to refine oil.  Also, the section on colloids was excellent because not all current chemistry books include this information.\n\nChapter 12 – I felt chapter 12 could be slightly expanded to include more information surround entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy.\n\nChapter 14 – I like how the information related to acids/bases is in one chapter: weak/strong acids and bases, buffers, and titrations.  Many textbooks break this information into multiple chapters so students struggle more to see the connections.\n\nChapter 16 – The corrosion section was an excellent edition so the students can relate electrochemistry to something they have seen their whole lives.\n\nChapter 17 – The graph in Figure 5 of section 17.5 will help the students understand the development of the two-point equation.\n\nChapter 18 – Chapter 18 is generally out of the scope of a general chemistry textbook. However, it does have some great examples of the applications of preparing chemicals or elements, so it would be a nice addition of time allows and/or the professor has a more advanced class.\n\nChapter 20 – The biological examples related to radioactivity were an excellent addition.\n\nChapter 21 – Exactly like an organic chemistry chapter in a traditional textbook.","created_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-04-11T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1247,"first_name":"Thomas","last_name":"Sommerfeld","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Southeastern Louisiana University","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"The table of context suggests an interesting atoms-first text text for science majors, since the order is a bit more courageous than usual, with thermodynamics very early and kinetics last, but I think this is an approach well worth trying out. Unfortunately, the authors do not implement their approach, as, for example, core ideas from kinetics are still heavily used in the equilibrium chapter (see below). Another great idea for reordering content is to put the section comparing bond strengths of covalent and ionic substances at the end of the energy chapter. Again, unfortunately, the authors stop, however, with the lattice energy of just one compound and do not bother to convert that into an per cation/anion contact amount so that no real comparison is possible. \nBe that as it may. A real shortcoming of the book is the incomplete copy-and-paste job. This book started out as a traditional macroscopics-first book, and the authors rearranged the material into a second atoms-first book. There are many problems that remain to be fixed from an incomplete eagle’s eye proofreading (see below). \nA second serious shortcoming of the book, which becomes especially obvious when one takes a look at the more advanced topics, is that most of the material has been strongly simplified in comparison with other typical texts for science majors. Therefore this text seems to be more of an advanced non-science major book.  \nSince each chapter has a glossary, I do not think that would be a problem, however, Appendix B: Essential Mathematics is poorly written and does not cover the material necessary for text.","accuracy_rating":2,"accuracy_review":"Of course, one only really starts noticing errors once one is teaching out of a book. Here, I flipped through a couple of chapters, and took a brief look. This is far from the careful eye of an editor.\nFig. 2.18 should be before Fig. 2.16 and 2.17, and the latter figures need to be extended to indicate that atoms are either represented by letters or by spheres.\nSection 2.4 is largely incomprehensible as placed in the text. This is probably due to the cut-and-paste job the authors used to rearrange their macroscopics-first into an atoms-first textbook.\nPage 124, photoelectric effect: “Somehow, at a deep fundamental level still not fully understood, light is both wavelike and particle-like.” Somehow textbook authors seem to keep copying other freshmen texts. The nature of light is fully described, the theory is called quantum chromodynamics, whether that means anyone understands it is as debatable as quantum mechanics for atoms. However, in most advanced quantum chemistry book the photoelectric effect is treated without quantum chromodynamics ever being mentioned. In other words, light is treated as a classical wave, the metal is treated quantum mechanically, and it works. On the other hand, there are wonderful experiments showing that C60 and porphyrin rings also undergo double slit scattering. Why, oh why use totally misleading examples when there are phantastic chemical ones?\nFig. 3.20 Highly misleading. Smells of the Bohr model.\nFig. 3.21 Many problems. Coloring just the region with the phase information gives a pretty graph, but it needs careful discussion and a clear caption. Some goes for the radial density plots. A common y-axis for all three graphs, potentially with a scale, would be a plus.\nPage 464 ..., Energy: \n“Heat is usually released or absorbed, but sometimes the conversion involves light, electrical energy, or some other form of energy.” Brutally misleading sentence. Neither light nor electrical energy are heat, and “some other form of energy” is surely not heat either. \n“Thermal energy is kinetic energy associated with the random motion of atoms and molecules.” Not so. Thermal energy is the temperature dependent part of the internal energy. This energy may be stored in kinetic energy, but it can also be stored in vibrations, which are half kinetic and half potential, or it may be stored in totally different degrees of freedom such as spin-like components.\nFig 9.6 The depicted process is correct only if the two substances have no internal degrees of freedom, for example, one rare gas, one diatomic gas would not work. \nEntropy Chapter:\nPage 661: Explanation of S = k ln W for large N incomprehensible, unless “macrostate” is also introduced, and the formulas for the Ws of the most likely and least likely macrostates are derived or at least given. \nFig 12.11 right panel is wrong: S should increase as a log function (not linearly)\nSection 12.4 “Free energy is a state function, and at constant temperature and pressure, the standard free energy change (?G°) may be expressed as the following ...” This is highly misleading. The point is that P=Psys=Psurr and T=Tsys=Tsurr, not, say, simply Psys=constant. Moreover, in the whole chapter and in the subsequent chapter the standard and non-standard quantities are not cleanly distinguished, which may be considered overly pedantic, but is of course crucial on page 711 in the subsection “Free Energy and Equilibrium”.\nEquilibrium chapter:\nKinetics is introduced last, but equilibrium is still motivated with kinetics (Fig 13.2, 13.6). This can, of course, not work. Something has to give.\nFig 13.11 Highly misleading. (1) the position of K is not only determined by Delta-G0, but also by the mathematical form of Q itself. (2) The authors leave out Delta-G, which is the slope of the G(reaction progress) curve.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Freshmen chemistry is a pretty settled subject. Thus, one should not think it is among the subjects needing frequent updating, and for most of the text that seems indeed to be true. Alas, most textbook authors present atomic and quantum theory as if we still lived 1935, and the current book is unfortunately no exception. Large quantities of chapters two and three belong into the poison cabinet of a few brief “historical remarks” boxes. Yet, I would support keeping this material only, if there were “historical remarks” boxes equally introduced in the remaining text. That is for gases, energy, acids and bases, redox processes, etc… .","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"Much of the text is written clearly. However, there are various sentences, which are unclear are even incorrect (see above); paragraphs or sections, where concepts are not sufficiently explained (e.g. section 2.4); and subsequent paragraphs without obvious connection. The latter two issues are, again, most probably the consequence of taking a traditional macroscopics-first textbook, and copy and pasting it into an atoms-first textbook. All three need quite a bit of work before I would use the text in my classroom.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"As far as I noticed the text is mostly consistent, but that is far from any guarantee, and owing to the copy-and-paste job into an atoms-first book I would be careful. The only obvious problems that caught my eye were the issues of clearly distinguishing standard versus non-standard thermodynamic functions as well as the energy and the enthalpy occasionally.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"The text can be easily divided into chapters and sections. Yet, most sections have subsections, and those are first of all not numbered, second, not part of the table-of-contents, and therefore-and most importantly-not part of the pdf (or html) index. This is a huge missed opportunity the authors should improve upon.","organization_rating":2,"organization_review":"The flow of topics follows mostly the standard “atom-first” approach, however the authors chose to explore a slightly different order with thermodynamics very early and kinetics last. As I mentioned above, I think this is an approach well worth trying out, but unfortunately the authors do not follow through consequently. For example, the equilibrium chapter still uses kinetics as introduction and in explanations. Similarly, a short introduction to energy is needed before the atomic structure chapter in an atoms-first book; it is missing here.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I used the pdf, and apart from the index, which could have more substructure, it worked fine for me.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Nothing that stood out from the background of content errors and misleading explanations.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"The only examples this rubric applies to are the 12 “Portrait of a Chemist” features distributed throughout the text. While it is probably clear to everyone that chemistry as a science has been and is probably still is dominated by white males. Even though we may see a tipping point towards Asia in the future, clearly, if one aims for name recognition, the examples picked by the authors need to reflect that this. However, selecting 10 white, two hispanic, and no asian chemist (provided I counted counted correctly) seems a bit over the top.  ","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"No","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1273,"first_name":"Gary","last_name":"Mort","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Lane Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"It's fully and adequately comprehensive. The General Chemistry curriculum is nearly de facto standardized. It's rare to find a text that overshoots the mark (unless, and they're labelled as such) for an \"Honors\" class -- usually, ironically as a \"Principles\" text. It's somewhat more likely that a text will undershoot either in breadth (rarer) or depth (moderately common). This text falls well within the mainstream for freshman texts. Internal reference materials are adequate (and in any case neither could, nor should, be comprehensive). You don't have to \"go somewhere else\" for needed material, students should be learning that they will need to do that in any case.\n\nPersonally I'd rather work with a text that \"goes too far\" (within reason) in depth than one that undershoots. Students are generally (nearly universally) accepting/grateful for \"don't worry about that\", they're less accommodating with \"well we'll need to dig deeper on this\". (It is, after all, literally, \"not in the book\" . . .) I'd wind up doing some picking and choosing, omitting a handful of things near the end of the text, as I nearly always do, in favor of slowing down and covering more thoroughly some of the more central/core topics.\n\nIt's less a flaw than a question of style, but if I were writing my own book? there would be a bit more depth here and there, and a few less topics overall.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no meaningful errors of fact or logic. The presentations are sound. They represent current thinking in both meaning and presentation.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text takes the \"near timeless\" approach. The examples are germane, but have long lives -- they're not driven by the news cycle. This seems entirely appropriate/acceptable. It's up to the instructor to provide social context for the value of any particular topic at any particular point in time. The text is a sound summary of the chemical underpinnings of much of the world around us, it is not, and need not be, \"Chemical and Engineering News\".","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Noticeably written \"in English\" without sacrificing technical clarity or the need for specificity in definitions and terminology.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book feels seamless. There are no noticeable differences in voice or approach. (Something that is noticeable in a fair number of multi author texts.) And it doesn't feel \"over edited\" (also common, particularly in high number editions.) While not exactly \"fresh\" (which can also include \"raw\" and \"grating\") the approach is clean, smooth, not mechanical.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"It's fundamentally entirely modular. Sections and be used or referenced as needed/desired, and they're in coherent, but digestible chunks. It doesn't lend itself to \"read this page/paragraph\" or whatever, but in the context of this class a section is a \"light\" assignment. As with any rearranging done by an instructor (instead of an author) the content editor needs to keep a wary eye on concepts being in place as they become needed.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics, while clearly delineated, flow seamlessly together. Enough so that it's entirely possible to read from section to section (ignoring \"homework\") without disruption, which carries through, where it's appropriate from chapter to chapter. For example you can start reading Chapter 12, and find yourself thinking \"this seems like an odd thing to find in the \"Thermodynamics\" chapter, only to realize that you've been reading Chapter 13 (\"Equilibrium\") for some time now and hadn't noticed the switch over.\n\nThe atoms first approach has appeal and power. Whether or not it would suit the individual's or institutions needs/abilities is a somewhat different question, but done well, and it is here, it's an approach that students seem to flow with better. You start with some broad macro, definitions, math and then start building chemistry from the atom up. The traditional approach is driven in part by history (this is how we figured this out in the first place) and in part by \"they need to get into the lab, and understand what they're doing when they get there\". The last is a challenge for someone unwilling or unable to respond to \"yeah, but they also need to understand that a fair amount of science is a sort of informed (sometimes better, sometimes worse) fumbling around in the dark.\" We often place great value on that in nonmajors classes, that sense of \"this is what it means to do science\" isn't well conveyed to the very students we're proposing to send forth to do it.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"All interface elements worked well. No distortions were observed. The display worked well (on both a large desktop monitor and midsize laptop). I did not evaluate the \"paper\" (PDF) version in print or online.\n\nWhile it's not the intent of the \"open\" movement, reading the text online made me wish for \"jump ability\" -- being able to get back to a ICE table (without remembering what it's called) when I need to do so several sections after its use is illustrated. It is a text, not a Wiki, but if you work online much \"hyper available\" information becomes normal. I don't think that would even occur to the print user (except maybe as \"I wish this was online\").","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"It's remarkably smooth and clean.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Chemistry is heavily populated by what I describe as \"dead white guys\". This text is representational of that. It doesn't seem to reach for examples outside of the mainstream, but maintains a kind of content neutrality. \"These people did these things, the things are ultimately what matter.\"","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Unless you've got some particular (and possibly peculiar) approach or goal in mind you can use this text to teach an entirely sound General Chemistry. I could literally switch to this text today -- late in the Gen Chem year, and walk in to the classroom without missing a beat. It isn't \"exciting\" (rare in any case) but neither is it dull (common). It is both sound and accessible. Homework is more than adequate. The illustration program is good. The structure of the text will be familiar to anyone that's taught Gen Chem. It's certainly more than \"good enough\".\n\nIn short?\n\nThis is a good book. Worth adoption.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1291,"first_name":"Abha","last_name":"Verma","position":"Asst. Prof.","institution_name":"Xavier University of Louisiana","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"It is indeed a good book for students who are starting out chemistry at college level because a wide range of learners and students of different backgrounds can follow it. Graphic Visualizations along with some other audio tools, make this book interesting and will enhance student learning. This will help understand the concept better.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"This is a very well written book with very very few grammatical mistakes. However, I did not solve for all the exercises and problems to see if all the answers were correct.\nSome statistical figures and periodic tables need to be updated.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Most of the text had enough and to the point information, which is a great asset, most of the time. Some learners, however may feel that the concept was not explained in details.","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"The text is written in lucid and understandable language. I would however want to point out that there were certain sections where there was a lot of text and no illustrations to clarify. For example in the periodic table section, a new student of chemistry may get bored by just reading about how elements are classified. The authors may give some tables or visual illustrations to show the relationships.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is fairly consistent throughout.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The different sections and topics could be assigned to students individually since most of these are autonomous.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The flow of this text is similar to any other general chemistry. However, it can be customized according to course requirement.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Most of the text has no interface issues, except when calculations are shown and the text size is very different from the rest of the text. Otherwise, the resource links were quite easy to open.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"As I have mentioned earlier in accuracy, this is a very well written book with very very few grammatical mistakes.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Based on cultural relevance, this text is as would be any other general chemistry book. Most of the examples are from North American continent and may not be understood by international students.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Overall, this book can be used for learning core concepts of chemistry for a wide audience starting at college level.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1539,"first_name":"Alicia","last_name":"Glatfelter","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"University of North Carolina - Asheville","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"All areas typically covered in a two-semester General Chemistry course are included in appropriate detail.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"There are a few inaccuracies pointed out by other reviewers that I won't rehash.  Chapter 13, in particular, has poor definitions of Q; the entire beginning of Chapter 13 is very poorly done, enough so that I will not use the text, although the rest of the chapters I examined seem quite satisfactory.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Content is up-to-date and should continue to be relevant for quite a long time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"For the most part, the book is very clearly written and easy to follow.  There are a few exceptions where terminology is used before the terms have been introduced (noticeably, exothermic/endothermic), likely due to adapting a standard text to the Atoms-First approach.  Chapter 13 is an exception - the beginning of it, especially, is very poorly done.  My hope is that one of the senior contributing authors will take the time to rework this material.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"For the most part, this book is consistent, with a few instances of terminology being used before being properly introduced (for example, endothermic/exothermic).","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The textbook is divided into sections within each chapter, each of which would be an appropriate reading assignment.  I believe it adapts itself well to using some of the chapters out of order, if desired.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization and subdivision of topics in the book is well-done, logical, and clear.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I found no interface issues in either the online version or the pdf.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I didn't read the entire text, but I read enough to convince myself that the authors have a good grasp of the English language - I found no errors in any of the sections that I examined.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Cultural relevance in a subject such as chemistry is fairly difficult to achieve, as chemistry has been mostly dominated by dead white guys.  I found no examples of cultural insensitivity.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, the book is well-done. The topics are covered in satisfying clarity and depth.  I've been teaching an atoms-first approach from a standard textbook for several years, and now prefer this approach.  There are lots of illustrations which I feel are very helpful and informative, and even links to videos and simulations.   There are substantial end-of-section problems, some of which include the answers. Two factors are significant enough to prevent me from adopting this text. One is the lack of numbering of worked-out in-text examples and end-of-chapter problems.  I don't see how I could assign the end-of-chapter problems when they aren't numbered.  This should be a fairly easy change to implement, and I imagine that most users of the textbook would appreciate the examples and problems being numbered.  The other problem is Chapter 13.  I only paid attention to the chapters I use in teaching the first semester of General Chemistry, and the chapters on equilibrium.  All were fine except Chapter 13, which badly needs some attention by one of the senior contributing authors before I would consider adopting the textbook.  If these two factors are addressed, I would definitely want to use this book in my course.","created_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1592,"first_name":"Richard","last_name":"Farrer","position":"Associate Professor - Chemistry","institution_name":"Colorado State University - Pueblo","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The content of the book mirrors that of the majority of general chemistry books on the market.  The last few chapters (18-20) are materials that would lead to future courses.  The last few chapters (18-21) are associated with focus on specific elements (metals, metalloids, and nonmetals).  Chapter 19 deals with transition metal complexes and Chapters 20 and 21 introduce nuclear chemistry and organic chemistry.  Additionally, the book has several appendicies that include thermodynamic properties, equilibrium constants, and other fundamental data.  The book does not go overboard with extraneous materials that are fond in several, current publisher texts.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"While I have not read the entire text, the book appears to have minimal errors.  Additionally the content is both accurate and unbiased -- however I have not come across any recent general chemistry texts that lack accuracy or are biased.  All of the examples and problems that I encountered while perusing the book, were complete and accurate.  ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Again, since this is general chemistry text, the book should have sufficient shelf-life, unless there is a major change in the content that is presented in general chemistry.  I don't feel that general chemistry textbooks need to be updated every three years.  The book covers the relevant topics that have been the relevant topics for several years.  There should be no surprised in the content covered by the book, and the book will not lose it relevance as time moves forward.  The online version is also very good, and is probably the first online book that I have read that I prefer the ebook to the printed version.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is easy to read and is very clear in its used of terminology and chemical references.  Clearly it has the necessary 'jargon' required for a chemistry book, but it does not go out-of-the-way to include undefined or incorrect terms.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent in its use of scientific terms and vocabulary.  Chemical definitions that are required for a specific topic are provided, and, from what I have read, the book does not introduce materials without first defining the necessary terminology that is used in that chapter.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"It appears as if the authors put time into development of the text so that chapters could be moved around with vary little issue.  However, I have not tried to do this, and I would guess there will be some issues that cannot simply be moved to any other place in the book.  Because chemistry builds on itself, there are situations where the order needs to be specific, and trying to change this would not be good.  That being said, it is apparent that the authors have tried to produce a book that is flexible in the order in which things are indroduced before others.  ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I am an \"Atom's First\" guy.  I like introducing atoms and molecules before moving onto calculations, stoichiometry and kinetics.  The authors have done a goo job in presenting the material so that students are required to understand that composition and structure are tremendously important for chemistry to know.  If you are more of a traditionalist, then check out the other version of the book that takes the traditonal approach amd is available through OpenStax.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"As I stated previously, I found the online book to be easier to read than any other online book I have read.  I really like the interface of the book and am and honestly preferred the etext to the printed version (I have both).  I think the authors did a very good job of writing a book that could work in both formats.  I love the scrollable material that is in the etext.  There are very few books that I would prefer to read off of a computer screen or a tablet (or phone), but this book was nice to read online.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not found grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a good question, and I have not done the majority of the problems, and therefore have not seen if the end of the chapter problems present any culturally issues.  The parts of the text, that I have read, do not have any culturally relevant issues.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"We have been looking for a book that we could provide to the students free of charge.  There is so much material out on the internet that, if a student was saavy, he/she would be able to find the find the material posted online as either pdfs or videos.  I love the theory of open source books for, at least, the lower division courses.  The materials covered in this book are exactly those covered in any descent general chemistry text available today.  We have made this text available to our students in an order to keep unnecessary costs to the students to a minimum.  I also like that the copyright allows the user significant flexibility in the addition, removal, and reordering of the published material -- it will allow for us to adjust things to fit our students and our faculty.","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1862,"first_name":"Maury","last_name":"Howard","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Virginia Wesleyan University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Overall, the text covers all of the major areas one would expect in an introductory text book in an atoms first approach.  The depth of coverage was appropriate to first year college students even at varied skill levels.   \n\nThere were only minor issues observed upon a single read-through, primarily in the introductory chapters.  For instance: Metallic bonding is not mentioned in bonding chapter (addressed briefly in Ch. 10, then omitted from glossary) also metallic compounds / their properties is not in addressed in early chapters.  Applying accuracy and precision to measurement and measuring tools would be valuable. ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"This text appears to be in agreement with most general chemistry texts.  I appreciated the historical perspectives in the earlier chapters and evolution of modern atomic and quantum theories. For the most part the topics were well introduced and thoroughly treated with multiple examples and often supported by engaging visual and interactive links.  \n\nHowever, I had a problems with the treatment of thermal energy in the textbook.  Both accuracy and clarity were at issue, a couple of specific instances:\nI do not agree with referring to absorption and emission of photons as endo and exothermic.\nThermal energy is not kinetic energy, it is heat.  Heat is thermal energy, not energy flow/transfer (as defined in the text), otherwise, how can an objects release or absorb heat as described later? (p.474)\n\nA few additional, specific errors noted:\nFig 8.5 incorrect height is marked on third manometer.\nEx 5.2  Is something missing?  \"...we divide...\" by what?\nFig 5.3 (typo) - sigma p orbital lower in energy than sigma p (should be pi p).","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I thought the examples provided were particularly engaging and well suited to today's students.  The content, as written could be readily updated.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"For the most part, the text was well written and the concepts broken down well and explained thoroughly for students.  The examples worked out in the text are well conceived and descriptive. And, I particularly like the calculation flowcharts provided for the quantitative treatment of reactions and materials.\n\nA few unclear points to mention:\nWhat to call the formula of ionic compounds is not addressed (formula unit?)... the text mentions they are not molecular but, also not simply empirical, but suggests no term -- confusing. \n\nThe introductory sections for Ch 9 and 13, specifically, are not clearly written; and almost appear to be summaries preceding each chapter.  As such, they are difficult to interpret until the chapter has been completed and terms have been identified and defined.  Ch 9: Thermochemistry is not as well written as some of the other chapters (the introductory section being particularly flawed), and has a few other specific issues mentioned previously.\n","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Overall, well done.  Specific issues have been mentioned previously with regard to thermochemical and thermodynamics sections (including equilibrium).","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The chapters will do quite well as standalone, but some of information provided in the earlier introductory chapters is prerequisite knowledge for the more specific/advanced chapters (and a few of them refer back to prior introduction of topics).\nThere are a few examples of out of place references (one example:  Ch 3: description of ideal blackbody refers to ideal gas for clarification, but that has not yet been introduced)\n","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Good flow, as arranged for atoms first approach, although I think stoichiometry, balancing reaction equations and reaction types cold be introduced sooner.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I used the pdf version of the text, and aside from a slow download, had no issues.\nThat said, multiple platforms are required for the interactive links which may result in issues for some students, as they may be using different means to access them. (Flashplayer, HTML5 vs Java - sometimes problematic).\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I saw no issues with grammar. ","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Not a wide net for cultural diversity, but likely as wide as readily cast for historical to modern science demographics.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"If the issues with Ch 9 (thermochemistry), 12 (thermodynamics) and 13 (equilibrium) can be resolved, and the chapters revised for clarity, I would readily adopt this textbook. ","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":2124,"first_name":"Sathiamoorthy","last_name":"Balasubramanian","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Rochester Community and Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book is adequately comprehensive and covers all chapters for two semester general chemistry course. The content is well organized and explained clearly. This text book will be useful even to those students who don’t have any chemistry background.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Appears accurate and error free on basic reading.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This text book is highly relevant for a general chemistry course. The various concepts are well organized and explained in detail. This book can be used by a student to self teach the various fundamental principles.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This text book is easy to understand and is supplemented by excellent examples. I would specially highlight the various examples given in the text book as they are the tools which lead to clear understanding. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Is consistent throughout","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The authors have well thought out the various sections in the text book. One can use any of these sections in providing assignments to students.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The highlight of this text book is that the content has been well laid out with relevant diagrams and flowcharts. It’s easy on the eye and one can navigate around comfortably. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I used the pdf version and had no issues navigating the text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Nothing to comment.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Not applicable","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The authors have done an excellent job in presenting a text book which is self explanatory. Would  recommend to my general chemistry course students. ","created_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2435,"first_name":"Alan","last_name":"Szeto","position":"Assistant Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Fort Hays State University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Being a textbook at the \"General Chemistry\" level, CHEMISTRY: ATOMS FIRST carries the hallmark of any book bearing \"General Chemistry\" in its title in terms of having 20 or so chapters (which can be easily divided into two halves for a two-semester course sequence in General Chemistry I and II) covering all of the essential topics that the faculty expect students to have mastered before taking Organic Chemistry.  There is no obvious omission or addition of topics in ATOMS FIRST, for those who are very familiar with the General Chemistry curriculum.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"With 20 or so chapters, ATOMS FIRST begins with the \"essential ideas\" in the definition of matter, physical and chemical changes, significant figures, SI and metric systems of units, and dimensional analysis.  Then, a chapter on \"atoms, molecules, and ions\" is followed by three consecutive chapters on electronic structures and periodicity of the elements, chemical bonding, Lewis structures and molecular geometry, and advanced bonding theories.  The focus returns to macroscopic matter immediately in the next chapters in discussing the mole concept, empirical and molecular formulas, molarity, and reaction stoichiometry.  The next set of chapters are gases, thermochemistry, solids and liquids, and solutions.  While the \"switch\" from atomic and molecular to macroscopic occurs as the mole concept (the Avogadro number) is introduced to bridge the gap between the \"very small atoms and molecules\" and \"how many of these atoms and molecules would be necessary make up matter that we can see, feel, and touch,\" other General Chemistry textbooks traditionally do not discuss quantum mechanics until after gases and thermochemistry.  It is not clear whether there is a distinct advantage in ATOMS FIRST over the other General Chemistry textbooks to bring home the message that molecular structures (Lewis structures and molecular geometry) do offer further insights into the explanations of different states of matter (solids, liquids, and gases), other physical properties of matter, and chemical reaction mechanisms although placing quantum mechanics earlier in the book does encourage faculty and students to concentrate more on the importance in understanding atomic and molecular structures before all other topics.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The chapters in ATOMS FIRST can be easily re-arranged and taught in various different sequences.  Updates can be made and new materials can be incorporated without altering significantly the original presentation.  In this sense, the book is robust and should withstand the test of time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The major concepts of chemistry are introduced with proper amount of contexts.","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"Many students find chemistry a difficult subject because of the constant changes of topics from atomic and molecular to macroscopic levels and back.  As commented on earlier under \"Accuracy,\" it is not a matter of whether ATOMS FIRST is consistent or not in the use of language but rather it is able to help students overcome the inability (and fear) of following the changes of topics without getting lost.  An ideal chemistry textbook \"should\" help students overcome this challenge so that it becomes natural for them to switch between atomic/molecular and macroscopic levels as various physical and chemical systems are addressed.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The chapters in ATOMS FIRST are individually well organized.","organization_rating":2,"organization_review":"Once again, ATOMS FIRST forces the audience to learn quantum mechanics, chemical bonding, and advanced bonding theories before the mole concept and stoichiometry.  It is not certain if such organization (or re-organization) without further support in subsequent chapters can make ATOMS FIRST more effective serving as a General Chemistry textbook than others.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The conceptual and quantitative exercises are nicely and appropriately inserted throughout each chapter.  Navigation from section-to-section and chapter-to-chapter is easy via the table of contents and the \"search\" function.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Not culturally insensitive","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"None","created_at":"2018-11-30T23:02:31.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-11-30T23:02:31.000-06:00"},{"id":2508,"first_name":"Chris","last_name":"Saunders","position":"Clinical Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Boise State University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is book is fairly well representative of what you will find in most Atoms First textbooks.  There is plenty of coverage of the fundamental topics that you would expect in a full year of chemistry at most institutions.  Later chapters provide more specific topics for instructors to use depending on the structure of the course.  Ch. 18 and 19 are a nice addition that aren't always found in other textbooks for instructors looking to go a bit more in depth in some topics.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"On my first reading, I did not encounter in obvious issue with accuracy or bias.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book provides a well thought-out framework that will allow for easy updating and adaptations.  Much of the fundamental concepts covered haven't drastically changed in many years but the examples put forth in this text are up-to-date and relevant to today's students.  It's nice to see a text where the fundamental concepts are solid, but the new ways in which these concepts are being applied is addressed.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I did not encounter any clarity issues.   The use of examples throughout the text allows students to read and see examples in a timely manner, rather than referring all practice until the end of a chapter.  The end-of-chapter summaries help with understanding new terms presented in that section.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Each chapter feels similar in its overall construction which is important in helping students learn how to effectively use a particular text.  There are some times where I noticed that certain chapters treated subjects as new (chemical formulas) while they had been previously introduced (not in as much depth) in a previous chapter.  I think a better effort could be put forth to make sure these prior topics are referenced back to more clearly.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book was well thought out in regards to which topics were organized into each chapters.  In many cases, this thoughtful organization improves upon other versions of this type of textbook.  This scheme would allow most instructors to easily move around in the text in their own order if they prefer.  \r\n\r\nWithin individual chapters, each section is broken up effectively with useful references and examples.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"I think that most instructors of general chemistry would agree that this is one of the areas where textbooks can truly set themselves apart from other textbooks.  While there isn't any new organization here that is particular groundbreaking, I did find enough thoughtful changes to appreciate the effort the authors have put into organizing the text.  I particular found the organization in the first 5 chapters to be effective.  The later half of the book has some chapter ordering that I wouldn't personally use, but the modular nature of the book renders this a moot point.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I have had no issues crop up with using the web version or pdf version.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"As with any text of this nature, I am sure there are errors, but I have not found any in my readings so far.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"There was nothing about the book that was offensive, however I think there were missed opportunities in some of the choices that were made about which scientists to highlight.  More examples or highlights of important scientist of a wider cultural variety would be nice to see.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-01-10T09:31:12.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-01-10T09:31:12.000-06:00"},{"id":2545,"first_name":"Joseph","last_name":"Villa","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Umpqua Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text was very comprehensive. Chemistry: Atoms First serves as an effective introduction to physical science techniques and manners of thinking. All of the material included in a traditional two-semester general chemistry course is here.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased. I found no issues with the text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Fortunately, all OpenStax textbooks are web-based and can be updated periodically when deemed pedagogically necessary. The process to submit corrections is easy to navigate. The reader can find a list of past changes on the specific book page on OpenStax.org. Necessary updates appear to be relatively straightforward to implement. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is written in a clear, comprehensible language. When it is necessary to use jargon or technical terminology, appropriate context is provided.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The chapters and topics are broken down into small enough sections it makes the text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections which can be assigned at different points within the course. Because the book is openly licensed, the instructor has the freedom to use the entire book or pick and choose the topics most relevant to the needs of their individual course. Additionally, chapters can be taught or read in a slightly modified and preferred order without presenting much disruption to the reader.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"This title is an adaptation of the OpenStax Chemistry text. It has been reordered to fit an “atoms first” approach. Atomic and molecular structures are introduced much earlier than in other approaches I have taught. The introduction of more abstract material is delayed so students have time to acclimate to the study of chemistry. Topics are introduced within the context of familiar experiences whenever possible. Chapter sidebars entitled ‘Chemistry in Everyday Life’ tie chemistry concepts to everyday issues and real-world applications of science students encounter in their lives (i.e., cell phones, solar thermal energy power plants, plastics recycling, and measuring blood pressure).","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features which may distract or confuse the reader.\r\nThe web-based nature of the title allows instructors to provide a direct link in their syllabus to the sections in the web view of the book. \r\nThroughout the text, there are features drawing the students into scientific questioning by taking selected topics a step further. \r\nThe text has numerous clear, effective illustrations, diagrams, and photographs.\r\nChemistry: Atoms First also has added links to relevant interactive exercises and animations helping bring topics to life through the ‘Link to Learning’ sidebars of the chapters. \r\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors in the text.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It tries to make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Sidebars entitled ‘Portrait of a Chemist’ present a short bio and an introduction to the work of prominent figures from history and present day so students can see the “face” of contributors in this field as well as science in action. Many of the historical references lack diversity, but most of the early historical scientists were males of European descent. This is no fault of the publisher or authors.  ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I will definitely start using this textbook as my adopted text when I start teaching the introductory chemistry course this coming fall. I am very happy with the other OpenStax Chemistry text that I have been using in my General Chemistry class as well. My students like it as well.\r\n","created_at":"2019-01-24T16:20:55.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-01-24T16:20:55.000-06:00"},{"id":2685,"first_name":"Melissa","last_name":"Rhoten","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Longwood University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text covers all of the material normally encountered in a year-long general chemistry course.  It also includes relevant tables (equilibrium constants, thermodynamic parameters, etc), review of mathematical concepts, and unit conversions.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no errors associated with the content of the text.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is current and representative of knowledge and theories used in teaching chemistry at an introductory level.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The language used is clear.  However, the authors used the following style often, \" Figure shows a sample of liquid bromine at equilibrium with bromine vapor...\", where the word \"Figure\" is hyperlinked.  This example is taken from Chapter 15.  In the text there should be a figure number (in this case Figure 4).  When you click the word \"Figure\", you are taken to the appropriate image/graph/table.  You can use the back button, which does not alway return you to the exact spot where you were before clicking to see the figure.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found no issues with the text's use of terminology and framework.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter is broken down into smaller subsections, which makes it easy to assign small portions of reading at one time.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"THis text seems logically organized especially given its focus on an atoms first approach.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I found no interface issues when accessing this text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I saw no grammatical issues.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I saw no culturally insensitive or offensive references in this text.  ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-03-20T13:34:30.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-03-20T13:34:30.000-05:00"},{"id":2819,"first_name":"Ray","last_name":"Mohseni","position":"Lab Director/Assistant Professor","institution_name":"East Tennessee State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book is comprehensive and covers more materials that what needed for two semesters of general chemistry course. The content is well organized and students with a range of chemistry background can benefit from it. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Based on a the first four chapters I looked at, the material is very accurate. ","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The textbook is relevant for a general chemistry course. The different concepts are well organized in details. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"It is easy to comprehend with real-world examples that students could easily relate to.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"It is very consistent based on the chapters I looked at. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I like the option of moving the topics around within a chapter. This flexibility allows the instructors to modify the chapter based on the student's chemistry background in the classroom. \r\n","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of the textbook is very similar to the textbooks from the main publishers, ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I use the pdf version for the review, and did not find any issues. ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Reviewing the first five chapters, I did not found any grammatical errors. But if I do, I will not be surprised. Based on my experience writing a lab manual, I can still find grammatical error after even the third edition. ","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"More diversity can be used in photos and graphics. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":" I was honestly a little hesitant to review an open chemistry textbook to begin with. I am glad, however, I got a chance to do it. This textbook is as good, if not better, than the textbooks by publisher. I am seriously considering it for my general chemistry sequence courses. \r\n ","created_at":"2019-04-22T14:15:47.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-22T14:15:47.000-05:00"},{"id":2881,"first_name":"Divina","last_name":"Miranda","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Southern University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook is quite comprehensive and covers the major topics in an introductory chemistry course.  It provides, index, glossary, and appropriate tables (thermodynamic quantities, equilibrium constants, etc.). ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book's chemical and mathematical content appears accurate however there are key ideas that are not discussed in enough detail for students to assess their importance. One of these is the exceptions within electron configurations, specifically the difference in the normal pattern of electron configurations of Cu and Cr atoms. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The contents are up-to-date and it also talks about current technologies that can be explained by relevant concepts. Its detailed descriptions of the properties of \"interesting\" atoms and compounds like hydrogen and ammonia) can provide extra motivation for students to love chemistry!","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The written text and the problem-solving strategies are fairly clear and straightforward. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The format of the textbook is fairly consistent: within most topics is a learning objective, text, examples, key equations, summary, and end-of-chapter problems. The book's terminology and voice remain consistent throughout the chapters as well.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The topics are clearly broken into sections and subsections. For topics that can overlap like thermodynamics and thermochemistry, concepts were clearly explained in terms of the topic in each area.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in a logical fashion, beginning with scientific method and measurement, progressing to the elementary structure of the atom, stoichiometry and reactions, energy, more detailed structure of the atom, periodic trends, bonding, molecular shapes, phases of matter, kinetics, equilibria, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Images and tables are clear enough for use. ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The text is relatively free of grammatical errors; however, equilibria is generally used as the plural of equilibrium. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive. ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I highly recommend  the textbook for a two-semester General Chemistry course.  It accurately introduces fundamental concepts in a relatively understandable manner. Step-by-step solutions to problems like balancing chemical equations are included. More colorful diagrams could be added though.","created_at":"2019-05-01T14:52:48.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-05-01T14:52:48.000-05:00"},{"id":2905,"first_name":"Kalani","last_name":"Seu","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Earlham College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text covers all of the major topics for an introductory chemistry course with relevant reference tables and review material when needed.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"From what I have looked at, the material seems current, accurate, and relevant.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The material is relevant for a two-semester (1yr) general chemistry course.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written clearly and concisely.  The figures were clear and complimented the text well.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The framework, formatting, and organization all seem to be consistent and easy to follow.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The material was broken up into multiple sub-sections with Key Terms, Key Equations, Summary, and Exercises sections for each chapter.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The material is organized logically similar to most other textbooks I’ve worked with or seen.  However, in an atoms first approach, it may make sense to cover Nuclear Chemistry earlier in the text (after Ch.2).  Also, I don’t think that the chapter on Organic Chemistry is necessary, as students will see this material when they take an organic chemistry course.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I really like the online interface.  The ‘Contents’ button and scroll bar at the top of the page made it really easy to navigate through the textbook and to jump between various section and sub-section.  This also makes it easier to link the textbook to a course webpage.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"When looking through this text I did not notice any grammatical errors.  However, I would not be surprised if some minor errors and/or typos are found, as this is common with any textbook that is used.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The content that I looked at was unbiased and I did not see anything that might be considered culturally insensitive. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I liked the step-by-step diagrams to help students map out how to solve problems and appreciate the use of dimensional analysis.  I also liked the “LINK TO LEARNING” sections that provided visualizations or an interactive interface to further learning and exploration of various topics.  It’s also nice that the practice problems are separated by the chapter sections from which those problems originated. ","created_at":"2019-05-14T15:31:47.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-05-14T15:31:47.000-05:00"},{"id":3101,"first_name":"Ann","last_name":"Taylor","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Wabash College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all the topics found in a full year general chemistry course.  There are additional appendices with help for students who need to review mathematical concepts or dimensional (unit) analysis.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any major errors in the book.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The canon for General Chemistry is well enough established that the book will remain relevant.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The examples used are clear, and there is sufficient detail without being overwhelming.  I particularly like the chapter on measurement and significant figures; they clearly walk through how to estimate one more place than an analogue instrument is calibrated.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Terms are used consistently throughout the book","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"We teach \"atoms first\" general chemistry starting from the nucleus, which meant I taught Chapter 20 relatively early (the first two weeks) of the course.  There was assumed knowledge of kinetics, and they acknowledge it (\"Since first-order reactions have already been covered in detail in the kinetics chapter...\")  This is appropriate, because re-deriving kinetics equations would be redundant for those using the book in the published order, and by stating where the information can be found, the reader can easily find that section and learn it.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This is a standard arrangement of topics for an atoms-first Chemistry textbook.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There are several benefits of the book's interface.  There are embedded applets/videos/online experiments called \"link to learning\" that allow students to visualize processes and conduct experiments, some of which are included in the end of chapter questions (for example, Rutherford's gold foil experiment in section 2.2 and questions 8c and 9d in the exercises).","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Correct grammar is used throughout.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"There are very few images of people in the book, and the ones pictured are the scientists who made substantial discoveries.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I used this online textbook in my General Chemistry course last year.  The student reaction was generally positive.  The availability of a print copy is adventageous, as some students preferred a paper copy.","created_at":"2019-07-17T22:41:29.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-07-17T22:41:29.000-05:00"},{"id":3191,"first_name":"David","last_name":"Harvey","position":"Professor of Chemistry \u0026 Biochemistry","institution_name":"DePauw University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook covers all topics typically found in introductory courses in chemistry aimed at chemistry majors and other science majors. The chapters and chapter contents are similar to comparable commercial textbooks. ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"After several semesters of use, I have not found any errors within the text itself. I have found occasional errors in the textbook’s answer key to the odd numbered end-of-chapter problems and in the solutions manual available to instructors. There is a link to an errata page that lists all reported errors and their status (in review, reviewed and no correction, and corrected).","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Its introductory chemistry! Other than the development of an atoms first approach, there has been no significant change to the basic structure of the courses that will use this textbook. As new external resources become available, the electronic nature of this textbook will allow the authors to provide links to those resources.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is easy to read and the worked examples are presented with sufficient details. The figures, particularly, and the tables are well thought out and useful.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text maintains a consistent format from chapter-to-chapter, which will help students in navigating the text, particularly in its on-line format.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The individual chapters are divided into appropriate sub-sections or reasonable length and make consist use of sections that provide key terms and key equations, a summary of the chapter's contents, and a set of end-of-chapter exercises.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The order of topics for a first-semester course are logical when using an atoms-first approach. The order of topics for a second-semester course (thermochemistry, thermodynamics, equilibrium chemistry, and kinetics matches my preferred structure. Those faculty members who prefer to cover kinetics before thermodynamics and equilibrium chemistry, or between thermodynamics and equilibrium chemistry, should have no difficulty adapting this textbook to that order.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The on-line interface is easy to use and the search box and embedded links are useful. The one limitation to the interface is the amount of text that is displayed. On my monitor the banners at the top of the page, while not large, nevertheless reduces the amount of text that is visible. Many of the figures are sufficiently large that they are not completely visible unless zooming out, which can result in text that is too small. In almost all cases, the figures could be reduced significantly in size without affecting the figures utility to the user.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any concerns in this area.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The textbook appropriately places its primary focus on the technical details of chemistry. There are several Portraits of Chemists, which highlight the contributions of a reasonably diverse set of chemists; these are few in number, however.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall, the quality of this textbook is similar to the commercial textbooks we have used in the past. The one area where this textbook could improve, is in the end-of-chapter problems, which include relatively few challenging problems or problems that ask students to draw on multiple concepts within the chapter or between chapters.   ","created_at":"2019-10-18T11:01:41.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-10-18T11:01:41.000-05:00"},{"id":3301,"first_name":"Brooke","last_name":"Woolman","position":"Chemistry Lecturer","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all the topics found in a full year general chemistry course and is aimed at chemistry majors and other science majors. The chapters and chapter contents are similar to comparable commercial textbooks.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This is only my first semester using this textbook.  So far, I have not found any errors within the text itself.  My only issue that I did come across was with the answers in the back of the book.  I noticed on Chapter 8 for the end-of-chapter problems, the answers in the back switch from odd to even which led to some confusion with the homework.  ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"General Chemistry is well enough established that the book will remain relevant.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book was very clear. Chemistry is a very difficult subject to understand no matter how it is written. I think the multitude of written examples, practice problems with solutions, and external links really help the students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text maintains a consistent format from chapter-to-chapter, which will help students in navigating the text. I did not notice any inconsistencies with terminology or abbreviations.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This seems pretty typical for introductory chemistry texts. The fact that there are a lot of modules or sections is advantageous especially when instructors may need to bounce around modules or exclude some for time constraints. I did think that the end-of-chapter problems could be broken down better. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"This is my first time teaching using an atoms-first approach, but it seems to be consistent with the other texts out there.   The order of topics for a second-semester course (thermochemistry, thermodynamics, equilibrium chemistry, and kinetics) is a little different from my preferred structure (I prefer to cover kinetics before thermodynamics and equilibrium chemistry) but I did not have any difficulty adapting this textbook to that order.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The on-line interface is easy to use and the search box and embedded links are useful. I did not experience any issues related to distorted images or images that would not appear. Also, all of the external links I clicked on worked with no problem. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Correct grammar is used throughout the book.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"I feel the book could add more cultural diversity in its examples. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, the quality of this textbook is similar to textbooks I have used in the past. The one area where this textbook could improve, is in the end-of-chapter problems, which include relatively few challenging problems or problems that ask students to draw on multiple concepts within the chapter or between chapters.  I do think that the availability of a print copy is advantageous, as some students preferred a paper copy.\r\n","created_at":"2019-11-20T14:24:43.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-20T14:24:43.000-06:00"},{"id":3635,"first_name":"Lou Ann","last_name":"Tom","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Susquehanna University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"I did not see anything inaccurate in my review.  More details follow:\r\nChapter 1 provided good coverage of scientific method (it is nice that it is in first chapter), and all the basic Ch 1 topics.  The example problems are relevant and good demonstration of the math.  I like how the example problems are set apart in blue.  Then the “Check your Learning” problems are good with answers for immediate feedback for students to practice.  The 1 click to PHET simulations is extremely useful for those students who learn visually by seeing demos instead of just reading.  I also really like the number and types of examples in the chapter.  Measurements and significant figures are explained better than in some textbooks and the visual information and explanations are better examples than in some textbooks.  Also, the use of conversion factors was shown well.  Dimensional analysis examples were very good and I like the way the units are shown as being cancelled.  Temperature calculation examples were good and the pictures of thermometers were fine.  The Key Terms and Definitions and Key equations at the end of each chapter were good.  The summary is OK and hopefully the students won’t just read this!  The end of chapter exercises are relevant with many examples.  It is nice that they are broken into sections with headings.\r\nCh 2 has nice demo of the laws, including the law of multiple proportions.  Also has a nice demo of Millikan and the other scientists’ studies and results.  \r\nCh 3 has a lot of info in the chapter but it is all relevant in that chapter.  Nice explanation and demo of electromagnetic radiation and all the associated concepts and calcs.  Nice useful figures.  It is good that goes right into electronic structures and electron configurations and orbital diagrams, and then periodic trends and then introduces ionic and covalent bonds.  These are critical for understanding the following chapter concepts.\r\nCh 4 has More in-depth discussion of ionic and covalent compounds and naming. This could use a more extensive list of polyatomic ion names and multivalent cations.  Nice demo of VSEPR models.\r\nCh 5 provides pretty standard info which is presented well.  I like the info on electron configuration and bond order for molecular orbitals. I like the early intro to valence and conduction band in fig 5.39 because they will see this in many future classes and it is not usually presented in general chemistry.\r\nCh 6 provided a nice intro to solutions and associated calculations. That is followed by balanced equations and stoichiometry in Ch 7.  Hopefully it won’t be too much to learn the types of solutions and stoichiometry in one chapter.\r\nChapters 9 (thermochemistry), 14 (acids/bases and buffers), 15 (solubility) and 16 (electrochemistry) all look OK.  Chapters 18 and 19 look useful but we usually never get to these by the end of the year.  We would try to incorporate some of the sections into the semester following a brief introduction to biochemistry, which is lacking in this textbook.  Chapter 20 is a nice presentation of nuclear chemistry, with many modern and relevant and interesting applications.  Chapter 21 is a nice chapter on organic chemistry to introduce this next type of chemistry at the end of the semester. \r\nI am not sure why there are often duplicates in the index and the only difference is singular vs plural.  I am not sure if there is some advantage to this but it seems a bit confusing.\r\nThe Appendices are helpful.  The tables and data look clear and comprehensive.  However, in Appendix A, the colors in periodic table are too light.  In App B Essential Math is important for many students not strong in math.  App C – E, G and J are fine and comprehensive.  I would prefer to see Table numbers or letters at the top of the tables rather than at the bottom to be consistent with standard practice. App F is handy for other classes too.  I like the Lewis Structures in App H and I.  In App L, for the standard reduction potentials, although I think it is unusual to be found alphabetically instead of in order of decreasing potential, I do like that the different oxidation states of the same elements are next to each other to find them easier instead of having to search down through the table.  In App M, the isotopes and types of emission for each is nice to have handy. \r\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not observe any inaccurate information or any information presented in an inaccurate or biased way.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content was typical of most general chemistry textbooks used for a one year-2 semester introductory course for chemistry majors.  The relation of chemistry to other sciences and Chemistry in Everyday Life is very well done.  We use a similar general chemistry textbook, Atoms First approach, to teach chemistry and biochemistry majors as well as majors from other sciences.  Especially for those other majors (biology, neuroscience, Earth and Enviromental Science, etc.) it is very important to relate chemistry to current life and to their interests in order to convince them that this information is relevant to them and their fields, to get their interest from the start.  I think this information is critical to get buy-in from those students, as well as those interested in chemistry.  The Links to Learning are also useful.  I find that students will use links to learn the information from websites, and these being right in the electronic textbook are very useful.  ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The explanations are clear and the examples are well-written.  The pictures are clear and relevant. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The chapter styles and sections within each were very consistent and useful.  ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The modules seem well organized.  Specifically, the example problems are relevant and good demonstration of the math.  I like how the example problems are set apart in blue.  Then the “Check your Learning” problems are good with answers for immediate feedback for students to practice.  The 1 click to PHET simulations is extremely useful for those students who learn visually by seeing demos instead of just reading.  I also really like the number and types of examples in the chapter.  The Key Terms and Definitions and Key equations at the end of each chapter were good.  The summary is OK and hopefully the students won’t just read this!  The end of chapter exercises are relevant with many examples.  It is nice that they are broken into sections with headings.\r\nIt is nice to have half the answers in the back for students to use and to have half that are not provided.  However, the answers that are provided maybe should all either be odd or even for consistency.  This is not critical if there is some reason this was done in this way, but it might be easier for faculty to assign if they were more consistent.  However, this is not terribly important and would not prevent me from adopting the textbook. \r\n","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The information in the chapters flows well.  The order of chapters seems fairly consistent with other Atoms First textbooks.  Ch 8 the gas chapter and CH 10 Liquids and solids and CH 11 solutions look pretty typical and comprehensive although we don’t cover gases and liquids/solids until the second semester, after we have covered equilibrium (Ch 13, good use of ICE tables) and thermochemistry (Ch 9) and Thermodynamics (Ch 12) which all look like they are organized will within the chapters.  Ch 17 Kinetics looks good and comprehensive but seems unusual that it is after electrochemistry.  We would use this earlier in the year but the chapters seem sufficient that some of the chapters can be taught in an order different from that in the textbook.  We would use Ch 20 (nuclear chem) before Chapters 18 and 19.  We are teaching organic I and II before the second half of general chemistry (II), so may introduce Ch 21 earlier but it works fine at the end of the textbook for most curricula. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I used the .pdf version and it was fine.  I did look at the on-line version but did not have steady internet access so having the .pdf version was very important.  Personnally, I like to have a hard copy to prepare lectures.  However, the .pdf was easy to read on the computer screen, although I am not usually in favor of this format.  On the computer, I like reading from top to bottom and some on-line texts, you have to scroll through pages left to right and you cannot see the whole page at once so you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page before clicking the right arrow.  This on-line textbook did not seem to have that problem.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not see anything significant but have not taught from it yet so would pick up small errors after one year of use.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not see any issues with this. ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I am looking forward to trying this textbook for my general chemistry course next year.  ","created_at":"2020-03-08T12:51:49.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-03-08T12:51:49.000-05:00"},{"id":3691,"first_name":"Corinne","last_name":"Deibel","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Earlham College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I'm impressed with the comprehensiveness of this textbook and how it compares to the published textbook we currently use.  Overall, it provides a great alternative.  \r\nOne area that I would like to see expanded is the section on the types of reactions, which is folded in the stoichiometry chapter (Ch 7).  The concept of complete and net ionic equations should have been integrated within the precipitation and acid/base reactions instead of standing alone in the \"balancing equations\" section. The acid/base reaction section is also a bit light.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I haven't found any inaccuracy in the textbook","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The \"Chemistry in everyday life\" boxes are very well done. They contain attractive graphics and information relevant to the current student population (ex: Chemistry of Cell Phones).","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written clearly and judiciously incorporates figures, examples, external links, etc. \r\nFigures, which are used extensively, are clear and convey the important information in a visually appealing way.\r\nI like the details in which the calculations are showed. For example, the dimensional analysis section clearly explains each of the steps involved in a calculation and progresses from simpler to more complex problems.\r\nAlthough I do appreciate the \"Key Equations\" section at the end of each chapter, it would be nice to highlight the main formulas in the text better (draw a box around them for example) so that students can refer to that section more easily if needed.    \r\nI found that the \"link to learning\" boxes judiciously placed to help illustrate important concepts. \r\nThe stoichiometry problems are well explained. The problems are mapped out before any calculations are attempted, which allows the student to better understand the concept before trying the math.\r\nThere are some small sections with extra information that might confuse some students.  For example, the formula to convert between Celcius and Fahrenheit is unnecessarily confusing. You should just give the formula and show the derivation in a link for students who are interested in the math.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"All the material is presented in a consistent manner and the format is consistent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I find this book easy to work with in terms of modularity. As a radiochemist by training, I like to cover some nuclear chemistry as soon as the students learn about the nucleus and Rutherford. I could easily integrate sections from the Nuclear Chemistry chapter (Ch 20) to supplement the atomic structure presented in chapter 2.  As we teach a one-semester general chemistry course instead of a more traditional two-semester course, we do cover some later chapters earlier in the course (e.g. kinetics, thermodynamics), and this book would let us do that.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Most of the chapters are organized in a logical fashion for an atom-first textbook.  I found a few concepts out of place, such as electrolytes not being mentioned until chapter 11. It would be helpful to introduce that concept in chapter 7 when discussing the types of chemical reactions, most specifically to introduce the strong vs. weak acids and bases concept.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I haven't found any issues with interface.  The search engine is very helpful.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors found while reading the textbook.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Could try to reference/portray scientists from a variety of backgrounds.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Those are picky comments from a chemist with a background in nuclear chemistry, but I find some sections of the nuclear chemistry chapter a bit light compared to other textbooks I have used. For example, there is no mention of the term activity (only referred to as deca rate), or no clear explanation as to how the band of stability graph can be used to predict decay modes.  I do, however, appreciate the sections on nuclear power, the use of radioisotopes and biological effects of radiation that are well done and increase the relevance of the topic for the students.","created_at":"2020-03-28T20:25:21.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-03-28T20:25:21.000-05:00"},{"id":4029,"first_name":"Gabriele","last_name":"Backes","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is comprehensive and addresses all topics required in a one-year science major’s general chemistry curriculum. The text begins with a nice introduction of how widespread chemistry is and quickly moves into various topics of chemistry. What follows is a thorough coverage of each topic and this text and could easily be incorporated into an existing curriculum. It contains all the elements of a regular textbook, which includes a table of content, key terms and key equations at the end of each chapter, as well as all tables such as ionization constants, thermodynamic parameters, and many other essential data tables fitting for a general chemistry text. \r\nThe text is easy to read, though it lacks the rigor compared with the textbooks that are currently on the market. The text could benefit from additional exercises, especially those exercises that are more challenging, and more rigorous.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not come across any inaccuracy or misconceptions.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The text is current and its content, for the most, part up-to-date. The text is laid out such that any new discoveries or updates can be easily integrated over time. To that effect, the text would benefit from additional every-day applications in the ‘How Sciences Interconnect’ or ‘Chemistry in Everyday Life’ boxes to add more contemporary material.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is easy to read. It is concise and major concepts are easy to follow and easy to understand. It has all the necessary verbiage, definitions and easy to follow explanations. Each chapter ends with ‘Key Terms’, ‘Key Equations’, and a section-by-section ‘Summary’ for easy review. \r\nBoxes such as ‘How Sciences Interconnect’ and ‘Chemistry in Everyday Life’ should perhaps be highlighted in a different color than the sample exercises to allow the reader to more readily locate the information as one navigates through the pages.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent throughout in its formatting, writing style, and language used. Each chapter highlights illustrations, tables, and practice examples, which are easy to follow and reinforce the concepts. There is some inconsistency in the formatting. Some images, especially Lewis structures in chapter 4, appear to be enormously out of proportion relative to other ones.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This is adequate. Each chapter could very easily be adopted as a stand-alone chapter and the chapters could be moved around without much sacrifice in the content.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This book is very nicely written and easy to follow. The content is accurate, the text comprehensive and it could easily be used in a general chemistry curriculum. There are a couple of formatting issues with superscripts in the introduction of chapter 14. Other than that, I did not come across any major issues. The ‘Chemistry in Everyday Life’ sections add relevance and interest to each chapter.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I opted to review the online version and had no issues navigating through the chapters nor did I have any issues with loading of images, or links to other sites. Each chapter has working links that refer back to previous chapters, and to the tables in the appendices. Links to videos outside of the textbook make a good addition. It would be nice to have an interactive periodic table.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical or spelling errors while reading the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I have not found any issues with the text being culturally insensitive.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, this book is nicely written, easy to read and the content is accurate. Even though the text contains all the necessary verbiage, definitions and explanations, some of its chapters are a bit on the short side.","created_at":"2020-06-22T11:21:50.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-22T11:21:50.000-05:00"},{"id":4167,"first_name":"Philip","last_name":"Shivokevich","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Tis book provides good depth for a range of introductory courses, from basic to more advanced major intro courses. Provides an excellent discussion of every topic covered in courses that I've taught, plus a few more.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no issues with the accuracy of the text,","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The book provides a wealth of high-quality images. These are great for use in lectures and activities. It would be great if the authors included more connections to other disciplines and relevant topics (eg. climate change). These topics would help students find the relevance to the readings.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Very accessible and clearly written. Does a good job of defining unfamiliar terms as they are introduced.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found no problems with consistency.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I have used the text as a companion for several courses, and can assign portions of it without concern for context. Sections are strong for stand alone use.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Overall, I like the organization of topics better than most texts. However, I still find myself mixing things a bit to better suit my particular teaching style.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I use the pdf version, and it provides excellent quality text and images. The images also have high resolution, which is great for incorporating them into lecture slides.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"Minimal grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"No offensive or insensitive portions. The text was somewhat inclusive, but could improve a bit here.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall I think that this is a great resource for students. I have often referred to it for a different spin than the departmental text, and used it for images on my lecture slides. I plan on adding links to the text for my fall classes, as well as the department's required text for the course. \r\n\r\nI would likely use this as the main text for my courses if not required to use a paid text by the department. I think that it is of equal, and often of higher quality, than paid texts that I have taught with. I also find it to be much easier to mix and offer sections as stand alone portions than other texts.","created_at":"2020-06-30T10:20:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-30T10:20:00.000-05:00"},{"id":4226,"first_name":"Benjamen","last_name":"Taber","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Central Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book fully covers the General Chemistry sequence, and includes a few \"additional\" chapter such as ones ones on nuclear chemistry and organic chemistry from which an instructor could add sections (or a student could read to satisfy some curiosity). This book compares well to commercial texts, and is aimed at chemistry and science/engineering majors. The index, glossary, and appendixes are organized well, easy to navigate, and comprehensive.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This book appears to be accurate, error-free, and unbiased.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"General Chemistry is fairly well-developed, so this book's content will remain up-to-date. The very nature of OpenSTAX allows for updates, and further additions will likely maintain similar electronic formats (and not significantly deviate from the print version).","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This book is clear. Chemistry can be a difficult subject for students to grasp, but with lots of examples, plain language, practice problems, and an atoms-first approach, this book does a good job of communicating concepts and placing them in context.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This book is quite consistent, maintaining a cohesive style and flow throughout. I did not find any inconsistencies in abbreviations, terminology, or units.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"This book is fairly modular and chapters/sections are for the most part self-contained. It's possible to cover a subset of sections in a chapter, cover sections out-of-order, and cover chapters out-of-order. For example, one could cover electrochemistry (Ch. 16) except for the section on potential, free energy, and equilibrium (16.4) before covering thermodynamics (Ch. 12), and then return to 16.4.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Having taught the General Chemistry sequence using the more traditional flow (stoichiometry early), I believe that the atoms-first approach will do a better job in building the foundations of chemistry. I appreciate how this book builds the foundation of chemistry (atoms, their electrons, and how they interact) in context (developed to explain observations). This gives students a platform upon which to stand when systems become more complicated (ex. chemical reactions in different conditions).","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This book's interface is clean. Navigating is easy, especially with the embedded links in the digital versions, and there are no distortions to figures and charts. I did not find any issues with dead or misdirected links, including ones to external sources.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This book utilizes correct grammar throughout.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"While not insensitive or offensive, this book is not explicitly inclusive. There's opportunity for the third edition to be more inclusive, helping more students see Chemistry as their domain.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall this is a good book that covers the first-year General Chemistry sequence. Having online, downloadable, and print options for the book helps students with different contexts. From my perspective as a new instructor the additional materials--such as powerpoint slides and supplemental test questions--are quite useful in developing course material.","created_at":"2020-07-03T14:38:54.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-07-03T14:38:54.000-05:00"},{"id":4296,"first_name":"Begona","last_name":"Bradham","position":"professor","institution_name":"Piedmont Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers everything needed for college chemistry I and II.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Did not find any errors, although I would have loved to have more time.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"At this level, chemistry is not going to change, so book should be relevant for a long time.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Easy to understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Excellent job in consistency.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Great job in subdividing chapters to get smaller reading sections.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I love the order, beginning with the atom.  Many chemistry books leave the atoms for last, but I think this makes a whole lot more sense.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Great images","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"English is not my native tongue, but I did not find obvious grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not very concerned in chemistry, but it certainly is not offensive in any way.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I am very seriously considering adopting this book for my chemistry classes.  I need to have a look at the power points and online assignments, but I like the book.","created_at":"2020-08-10T11:32:13.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-08-10T11:32:13.000-05:00"},{"id":4351,"first_name":"Megan","last_name":"Lazorski","position":"Assistant Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book covers the basic principles of chemistry in a mostly comprehensive way. The only thing I would note is that some concepts are covered in a bit too much detail for the point at which the concept would be introduced in the course (e.g. titrations in Ch.7) and some concepts feel covered a bit too sparsely (e.g. combustion analysis doesn't include hydrocarbons with heteroatoms). Specifically, Ch.3 is a critical place for depth of explanation because this is an atom's first text, but there are several places where the explanations are lacking.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The book seems appropriately error free, accurate and unbiased. Conventionally published works are known to also have printed errors and inaccuracies here and there and I think this text is comparable to those texts.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"This text does seem up-to-date in a way that seems like it will not quickly become obsolete. I think that is partially a function of the subject matter (general chemistry), since the principles of chemical behavior at the general chemistry level are pretty well-established and it would be difficult to include information from the primary literature without losing the students. However, I also think that the author's did a nice job of keeping true to the idea that science is ever-changing, such that updates could be made easily.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I think the author's did a nice job with the clarity of their writing style. Most concepts are presented clearly and there are only a few places where I have noticed big jumps in logic that may confuse students. The prose is written at an appropriate level for first/second year undergraduates.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"I have not noticed any internal inconsistencies in terminology. I have noticed a few small places where it seems like that materials is fractured and presented in chunks at different places in the text, which sometimes feels like the student's could view it as slightly choppy (if they notice_. However, from an instructor standpoint, the decisions made by the authors in the places where these ideas are split seem logical and well-founded.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I have found this text to be very modular and amenable to reorganization where necessary. The length of the sections also feel appropriate and amendable to creating smaller reading assignments for each chapter.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The text is well-organized and the subject matter flows well from one chapter to the next. I think the authors did a good job of arranging the subject matter such that the fundamental principles students need to build a chemical foundation (i.e. classification of matter, simple atomic structure, the mole concept) are presented first, but the book is still appropriately arranged in an \"Atom's First\" manner.","interface_rating":2,"interface_review":"The images/charts could be improved. For the most part, I think the images/charts/etc are appropriate and to-the-point, but lack some of the visual appeal and clarity of \"conventional\" texts, however, some of the images/charts seem bigger than necessary with respect to their pedagogical utility (e.g. Figure 2.28 - a spool of copper wire), some of the images/charts do not do a great job of illustrating the point unless you already understood what the point was (e.g. Figure 3.6 - a visual of constructive and destructive interference would help add context to the idea of interference in this figure), some images/charts are not well-explained or are missing critical features (Figure 3.20 - there is no label on the y axis of the graphs, nodes are not labelled, the relevance of the change in color is not discussed in depth).  I love the integration of PhET simulation links/suggestions which help students dive deeper into specific concepts than conventional texts, so that is a major plus. I chose several examples from Ch. 3 because this is an atoms first text and I feel like this chapter is critical for the student's understanding.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"I have not noticed any egregious grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"While this is a chemistry text and there are clear issues with finding Nobel laureates in chemistry of various races, ethnicities, and backgrounds for specific breakthroughs in our scientific past, every portrait of a chemist in this text is white or \"white-passing.\" There is a good balance of representation of female vs males, which is good, but it is common in science for white women to take up all of the \"underrepresented\" space. I think this text could benefit from diversification of examples.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"Overall, this text is of sufficiently high-quality for use in undergraduate general chemistry courses. It covers all of the fundamentals of the topic and provides many excellent resources for homework problems and virtual simulations. Figures/charts, and some explanations regarding atomic structure could be improved, but overall this is a great resource for providing accessible, open-educational resources for students. I look forward to seeing how this text progresses!","created_at":"2020-09-04T17:51:01.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-09-04T17:51:01.000-05:00"},{"id":4619,"first_name":"Aherial","last_name":"Cofield","position":"Chemistry Instructor","institution_name":"Aiken Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all areas of a typical general chemistry course. An index, glossary, and appendices are included in the book. They are thorough, easy to navigate, and provide the necessary information needed for students to be successful.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No errors in calculations, units, or diagrams were noted.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The book seems to be relevant. I didn't notice any out of date information, nor did I see topics that were too new for students to fully understand. There seems to be a balance.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language of the book is easy to understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"All terminology is consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The book has plenty of headers, diagrams, charts, and pictures to keep readers engaged and information organized. I do wish there was a more color on the pages; it may be dull to some.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The sequence of topics in the book is traditional for an atoms first approach.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There are no interface issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not see any insensitive or offensive material.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This is a great source for students that do not have a strong chemistry background. There are examples with explanations and calculations, charts, and diagrams that help guide a student along. The additional sections in the back of the book provide ample information such as constants, values, and definitions to make the material clearer. If the book had more color, it would be near perfect. I'm looking to incorporate this book into my general chemistry courses.","created_at":"2021-02-12T09:30:51.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-02-12T09:30:51.000-06:00"},{"id":5054,"first_name":"Feier","last_name":"Hou","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Western Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is very thorough and comprehensive. It includes all the topics typically taught in a general chemistry class.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is very accurate and factually correct.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The contents are up-to-date. I particularly like that the real-life examples given in the textbook, such as cooking, chemistry of a smart phone, etc.. Those examples are likely to be highly relevant to students.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very clear.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Terminology and framework are both very consistent throughout the book.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Overall, the textbook is very easily divisible into smaller reading sections, especially since they have a table of contents list that is clickable and can lead you to various different sections of the book. I did have a few minor problems: first, I had was that a few of the contents should have been under the same topic, but are scattered under different chapters. For example, the formula and molecular mass should be included in the same chapter as moles and molar mass, but they are covered in a much later chapter; second, some very important topics in chemistry, such as moles and net ionic equations, are included in the book but not in the table of contents, so it took me a while to find them, and I imagine that if I were to assign reading on those topics for my students, it would be difficult for them to find those topics, too. I suggest that the authors include at least the key topics in chemistry in the table of contents.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"Overall, the book is well organized, and flows logically. However, there are several parts of the book that I would suggest the authors to rearrange. For example, molecular and formula masses should be in the same topic as chemical formula and taught before moles and molar mass because they are related; the periodic table, and the related knowledge like atomic number and groups of elements should be taught much earlier in the book, even before the chemical formulas; the net ionic equation should be taught after solubility and acid/base so students would understand why some compounds dissociate into ions while others do not; kinetics should be taught before equilibrium so that students understand that at equilibrium, the forward and reverse rates are equal; molarity should be under the topic \"solutions\".","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"It is easy to navigate, especially with the \"table of contents\" and the feature to search for key words. The quality of the images are high, but more images can be included. For example, it would be helpful and easier for students to read if images of every electron-group and molecular geometries are included when talking about VSEPR theory.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There is no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"Thank you for including \"portrait of a chemist\", and for talking about the contribution by Rosalind Franklin to the DNA structure. However, pretty much all of the chemists included are US/European based, and most are white/\"white-passing\". I would like to see more inclusion of people from, for example, Asian, African, or Latin American countries, and people from a more diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, which will be a better reflection of students in a general chemistry class.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, this is a good book for teaching general chemistry with an atoms first approach. I am considering adopting this textbook for my general chemistry class. However, I may make a few minor changes or rearrange some topics if I use this textbook.","created_at":"2021-06-07T18:19:11.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-07T18:19:11.000-05:00"},{"id":33576,"first_name":"Joseph","last_name":"Ngyuen","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Mount Mercy University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all areas expected for a general chemistry course. It is also unique for the authors to combine molarity/concentration within the “mole” chapter, being one of the few books to cover the concept this way. However, it works well in the atom’s first approach because the students should have a firmer foundation of dimensional analysis. The index is organized well and the search engine for the book works well.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is accurate, error-free and unbiased. The authors do a good job of balancing the concepts and analogies for learning.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The authors do a nice job of utilizing up-to-date examples for the concepts. The examples should be relatable for students, especially in this ever-changing world. It would be difficult for the text to be obsolete because it is an introductory level book; however, it appears that it would be easy to update the examples whenever necessary. The authors do a great job of providing links to videos to visualize some of the concepts. If there was an area that could be updated, it would be to utilize videos that have been created more recently.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is clear and written well. It is one of the easier books to read and tries to keep the jargon/technical terminology to a minimum. While I have read other texts with better prose, it is difficult to do to keep the sections to a minimum.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is internally consistent with the terms of terminology and framework. It also stays consistent with other texts, making it easier for an educator to utilize while minimally modifying their teaching materials.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is split into good, smaller reading sections. While the text sections are good and small, the authors have some rather long chapters. This is generally difficult for educators who like to assign chapter homework assignments, which leads to rather long homework assignments. Even though the homework assignments might have a good number of questions, the students may not have enough “practice” time with the homework. Educators utilizing this book should think about breaking up homework assignments into smaller sections as well.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Overall, the topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion, but there could be some improvements. While it would be fine to cover thermodynamics before equilibrium, having kinetics towards the end is odd. Most books tend to cover the topics in this order: kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, electrochemistry (or electrochemistry then thermodynamics), which works well with first year chemistry students. This flow tends to work better than starting with thermodynamics, which is probably a preferred approach for physical or theoretical chemist.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text has no interface issues, even with the pdf version. The hyperlinks work well, especially when the text refers to a table or figure somewhere else. The outline for both the web and pdf versions also works well.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are no noticeable grammatical errors in the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Considering the topic is chemistry, it is difficult to find ways to include text that is culturally insensitive or offensive. The authors do bring in a variety of recent and notable chemists throughout the text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I initially chose this text so my students can utilize their money in other online resources/assessment. The combination of an online homework program and an in class online tool was still cheaper than the vast majority of textbooks, even with “online homework” as part of the package.  It has worked out rather well, especially since it is a quality textbook.","created_at":"2021-12-25T21:26:53.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-12-25T21:26:53.000-06:00"},{"id":33938,"first_name":"Emmanuelle","last_name":"Despagnet-Ayoub","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Occidental College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The content of Chemistry: Atoms First -2e is aligned with any books covering two-sections of general chemistry. The topics are pretty standard. However, I would have appreciated a more detailed definition of Reversible and Irreversible processes in Thermodynamics (to be honest, I haven't found it in any General Chemistry books up to now and it's too bad). I guess it is probably considered too advanced for this level.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I haven't found any errors up to now.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I appreciate the relevance of the examples (Solar Thermal Energy Power Plants, Hand Warmer, Decaffeinated Coffee using Supercritical CO2...), for sure the students will identify to them. The use of simulations through the PhET Interactive Simulations websites (platform I have already implemented in my classes) and movies make the book really interactive. In the future, the examples could easily be modulated with up-to-date everyday life examples.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is clear and easy to read. The figures are neat, engaging and well chosen to illustrate the concepts. Each section is well organized with at the beginning a layout of the learning goals and at the end the key term definitions, key equations and the summary. The chapters are well-structured.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The terminology is accurate and the approach of the concepts follows well-known General Chemistry books. The framework is consistent in each chapter with theory, definition, everyday life examples, a decent amount of corrected and uncorrected problems and portrait of chemists, The book is easy to read, and flows well. I also appreciate the Most Challenging Problem section to challenge advanced students.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each Chapter is divided in reasonable sized sections, so reading assignments could be easily tuned according to the progress of the class. Students have the opportunity to highlight in different colors the content of each Chapter, facilitating the realization of study guide.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are well presented in a logical order. I was comfortable with the concepts flow, it matches the textbook I am currently using.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I haven't encountered any interphase issues, it was straightforward to switch from the text to any links (movies, simulations...). The visualization of a concept with an interactive activity is really pedagogic and matches my teaching style.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I haven't found any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I appreciate the portrait of famous chemists. It allows the student to learn more about the actors of important concepts in chemistry with a picture and a description, names they may probably have only heard of without an image or a story behind it.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This OER textbook matches my teaching style and I am eager to try it next semester!","created_at":"2022-06-28T20:38:30.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-06-28T20:38:30.000-05:00"},{"id":34095,"first_name":"Sen","last_name":"Wang","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"California State University, Dominguez Hills","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"Need more everyday examples and practice questions.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Generally looks alright. \r\nErrors in Table J: \r\nBaC2O4 not hydrates.\r\nBa(OH)2 not hydrates\r\nCaSO4  not hydrates\r\nCaC2O4 not hydrates","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Very similar content to the commercial book we use.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Needs more examples in Ch.3, especially 3.1 - Electromagnetic energy is hard for most of our students. You can add daily life examples, such as distance driven = speed x time, that will be similar to light, although the speed of light is faster. Also in Ch.6 (mass percentage for chemicals directly), Ch. 9 (enthalpy), Ch.12 (entropy), and Ch.21.4 (Amides). All are hard for most students.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Very similar content to the commercial book we use.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Very similar content to the commercial book we use.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Very similar content to the commercial book we use.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Easy to find online.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Nicely written, especially ch.7, ch.14, and ch.16.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Very similar content to the commercial book we use.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2022-11-01T12:59:25.000-05:00","updated_at":"2022-11-01T12:59:25.000-05:00"},{"id":34310,"first_name":"Thiagarajan","last_name":"Soundappan","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Navajo Technical University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook covers all the essential areas of the introduction to chemistry","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Need more details about the real-time examples","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Added contents are highly relevant to the each subject areas","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The textbook is written with enough clarity. There is no jargon/technical terminology.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent with all the essential chemistry terminologies","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This textbook is easily readable, realigned with various sub unites with enough and related images","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics presented are in the logical order.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Need more attention on images/charts. Some images are not clear enough and not attractive. This includes instructor resource PowerPoint files. More time should be spent creating attractive ppt slides which will help the instructors to select this as their textbook.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There is no grammatical errors. The text has a smooth flow.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Cultural relevancy is not essential. Context is important. Therefore, I don't add this as an important one.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I have attempted to download and embed the blackboard package. The file was downloaded and when I attempted to embed with blackboard the work showed completed. But I couldn't find any question bank in my BB. I don't know whether this error from the Publisher or with BB. Please verify and confirm the BB materials. \r\n\r\nOverall this textbook is well written. However, it still lacks in the three sectors. 1) Need high quality images and ppt slides  2) Blackboard QB needs to be fixed  3) There is no integrated lab manual which is mandatory for the gen ed based chemistry courses.","created_at":"2022-12-18T17:23:45.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-12-18T17:23:45.000-06:00"},{"id":34572,"first_name":"Andrea","last_name":"Verdan","position":"Associate Teaching Professor","institution_name":"Seattle University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers all the necessary topics for a college/university series of general chemistry courses. It provides sufficient depth in explaining concepts and is suitable for STEM majors. The book offers helpful features like clear models and diagrams, thoroughly worked examples, and chapter summaries that include key terms/equations and end-of-chapter questions. The “atoms first” sequencing of chapters may not be ideal for some, but instructors have the flexibility—as with any textbook—to adapt the order based on their curricular goals and needs. This textbook serves as a comprehensive reference and learning support guide for understanding the concepts of general chemistry.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I have not identified any errors nor bias in the content as presented. As fellow reviewers have mentioned, errors can quickly be amended since this is an online resource.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"As the chemistry fundamentals covered throughout this textbook are quite stable and not expected to significantly change in the distant future (unless a paradigm shift occurs), the textbook content should remain relevant. Portions of each chapter that reflect the current context and applications of chemistry are boxed or are given their own sections, i.e., the chapter Introductions, Portrait of a Chemist, and Chemistry in Everyday Life segments. These sections can be easily modified to stay updated.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook was written with students in mind, keeping explanations straightforward and easy to follow. The text, figures, and diagrams are understandable and worked examples are clearly formatted and presented.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent in use of terms and concepts, formatting of figures, and strategies presented in worked examples.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Though the textbook chapters are separated into related sections, some sections could be separated further, for example the “Classifying Chemical Reactions” section of Chapter 7.  When referring to previously presented content in earlier chapters (i.e., when redox in Chapter 16 references material covered in Chapter 7), the publisher might consider including hyperlinks for readers to easily access and review the previous content.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The ideas presented in each chapter start with a foundation that is clearly built upon as the chapter progresses. As previously mentioned, the “atoms first” sequencing of chapters may not be ideal for some, but instructors have the flexibility to adapt the topic order based on their curricular goals and needs.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Having navigated the textbook digitally (both on a laptop and tablet), the sans serif text is easy to read, equations are nicely spaced for clarity, and figures and diagrams are clear and undistorted. As previously mentioned, the publisher might consider including hyperlinks for users to access and review previous content while working through “new” and related content in later chapters.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not encountered any usage or grammatical errors in the textbook. The textbook is accessible for both native and non-native English learners.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I appreciate the attempts in each chapter to reflect the current context and landscape of the people who “do” chemistry. The chapter introductions and Portrait of a Chemist sections provide—when available—examples of the variety of social identities (races, ethnicities, and backgrounds) that have contributed to the chemistry discipline.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2023-05-23T17:26:32.000-05:00","updated_at":"2023-05-23T17:26:32.000-05:00"},{"id":34814,"first_name":"Pandora","last_name":"White","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of the South","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers all areas expected of a general chemistry book. It does have a great index.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is accurate and appears to be unbiased.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is up-to-date. The most recent update was 2023.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is easy to read.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book has a framework that allows each chapter to be set up the same way. At the end of the chapter students find, key terns, a summary and practice problems. This is similar to any general chemistry textbook.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book has good organization and modules.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is outlined similarly to any general chemistry book.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I didn't see any issues with the interface. I have been able to embed the book in Canvas courses and it works great.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not observe any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"This book appears unbiased. It doesn't really talk about scientists a lot to pull on different scientists to use as examples.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The book is a great resource for students. There are instructor resources that are available. Although, the PowerPoint slides seem to be mainly composed of images from the book, it is a great place to start when preparing the course materials.","created_at":"2023-12-18T19:36:41.000-06:00","updated_at":"2023-12-18T19:36:41.000-06:00"},{"id":35527,"first_name":"Kristin","last_name":"Slade","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Hobart and William Smith Colleges","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"My department adopted this \"Chemistry Atoms First -2e\" text book last year to minimize cost to students, but we disappointed enough by the surface-level content that we are returning to our old textbook. Specifically, the chapters only introduce the \"base-level\" cases. For example, in the kinetics chapter only zero, first and second order are addressed. A brief discussion of stead-state or what a negative exponent means would be helpful. We also found the titration chapter to be overly brief, requiring us to supplement with additional readings and practice problems.  On a positive note, in general, the back of each chapter questions were excellent!! They were some of the most challenging that I've seen in an introductory textbook","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find problems.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"I really liked the specific examples used at the beginning of each chapter, in the practice questions, and in the \"chemistry in everyday life\" sections. The environmental application examples were great. Since I have so many pre-health students take this class, it would be nice to have a few more health-related examples!","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"While there was nothing specific that was wrong with the way concepts are explained in this book, my department as a whole found it less useable by students than other textbooks. Concepts were not as clearly explained, possibly because they needed to go into more depth.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This seemed fine.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"I thought the sections were almost too short and chunked. There was a lot of dead space. Having more on a single page makes it easier for students to see a figure or do a practice problem and not have to flip back to find an explanation.  It was particularly challenging to assign readings because page numbers differed: my colleague and I both have a hard copy textbook and when we both opened to a specific page number, we each had different context on that page.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"This book presented topics in a different order than in previous Atom-first texts that I have used (the standard in many other books) and different that I would have preferred, so I did need to change around my course schedule, but honestly, at this point I think I can teach these topics in any order because every book is different, so this is a lower priority to me.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I did not have any problems, but several of my colleagues' comments on struggling with the online version and trying to navigate to the proper location in the book: they found the process disorienting.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Fine.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"NA- I'm not sure that I am qualified to judge this. I know that Chemistry texts are notoriously bad at this category, so relative to previous textbooks, this one seemed fine, but it may have had problems that I didn't notice","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"no","created_at":"2025-06-16T09:05:15.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-06-16T09:05:15.000-05:00"},{"id":35587,"first_name":"Nissa","last_name":"Garcia Ivers","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Central Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"After reading the text, I believe it delivers all standard topics normally expected in a two‑semester general chemistry sequence. This makes it fully adequate for freshman-level courses. While this is great for general chemistry class, advanced majors may find the depth slightly limited.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"After reviewing the chapters, I found that the textbook is reasonably accurate for most educational needs. I did not find any inaccuracies on my end thus far. I know that Openstax textbooks undergo a rigorous peer review and I also appreciate that Openstax welcomes user feedback to improve accuracy. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook is highly relevant for modern introductory chemistry instruction, and works well with the quarters/terms for Gen Chem I, II and III. Its atom‑first structure introduces atomic and molecular concepts early, and supports deeper understanding across stoichiometry, bonding, equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics, and eases transition into higher‑level courses.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I believe that this textbook has great clarity, with consistent, well-structured explanations, effective problem walkthroughs, and supportive visual aids and links. There are more complex problems where the step by step explanations could be clearer -- because of this, some learners who are less proficient or are not as comfortable in college-level chemistry may have some challenges with understanding some concepts. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is very consistent, with each section following the same structure and layout. This makes it easy to navigate and read; visual elements, formatting, and chapter flow remain uniform throughout. The tone, style, and visuals match well in the texbook.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is built as a highly flexible collection of self-contained chapters—each covering one topic like bonding, kinetics, or thermodynamics—so you can easily pick, reorder, or skip them to align with your course plan or student needs.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is neatly laid out in a clear atoms-first structure—starting with atomic and molecular principles early, then moving on to bonding, reactions, and advanced topics—all arranged so that each concept builds on what came before, making it easy to follow and logical in sequence. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This textbook offers a clean, modern online interface, with interactive features like clickable PhET simulations, videos, and helpful in‑chapter examples. It’s easy to navigate, consistent throughout each section, and integrates well with platforms like Top Hat or WebAssign for quizzes and assignments. Some users noted that page navigation can occasionally glitch and a few images may load slowly—but overall it’s user-friendly and well-suited for both students and instructors.\r\n","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The writing in Chemistry: Atoms First 2e is grammatically polished and consistent, with virtually no glaring grammar mistakes.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"From what I've seen, the book features real-world scenarios and profiles of scientists with diverse backgrounds, making it inclusive and relatable to many students. It connects chemistry topics to everyday situations and encourages further storytelling about chemists who are often underrepresented, offering opportunities for richer, more inclusive learning.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2025-08-06T17:52:27.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-08-06T17:52:27.000-05:00"},{"id":35620,"first_name":"Logan","last_name":"Aisling","position":"Adjunct Instructor","institution_name":"Central Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Overall, the textbook appropriately covers all the content typically explored in a college general chemistry course.  It also includes subjects (e.g., coordination chemistry of transition metals) that are often not addressed.  The index at the end of the textbook is user friendly, containing a link to the textbook location for each topic.  A complete glossary (called, “Key Terms”) is included at the end of each chapter.  I believe that students would also benefit from a complete glossary at the end of the textbook (e.g., if they needed to look up terms from previous chapters but weren’t sure of the locations).","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no issues with accuracy or bias in the textbook.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"As none of the core theories within the discipline have changed for many decades, the overall content in the text is up-to-date.  Because the text is an open educational resource, any changes that do occur will be easy to implement.  One area that could be improved, however, is the discussion of the NFPA hazard diamond in Section 1.3.  In 2012, the NFPA labeling system was replaced by GHS.  Because the new standard has an opposite numbering system to the old one (e.g., 1 is now the most hazardous), this could be a source of confusion for students in the laboratory.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"As is the case with any science textbook, there are many technical terms that will make reading comprehension challenging for students.  However, all of these terms are well defined, and the writing is clear and free of complicated (non-technical) terms and phrases.  As such, the accessibility is high for a chemistry textbook.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found no issues with internal consistency in the textbook.  The formatting is the same for every chapter, starting with an introduction that contains an outline of the concepts in the sections to follow.  Each numbered section starts with the learning objectives, followed by section headings and content for the different topics.  All examples are differentiated from the content itself by large gray boxes surrounding the text.  The final section of the chapter is always followed by key terms, key equations, a summary, and a set of additional exercises.  The terminology also appears to be consistent across the chapters.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"While the primary headings in each section are appropriate for the content, the text could benefit from subheadings, which are nonexistent.  Instead of subheadings, different paragraphs within the sections often contain bolded words or phrases.  For example, in Section 9.1 there’s a primary heading that reads, “Thermal Energy, Temperature, and Heat.”  This section contains approximately 15 paragraphs without a subheading, while “thermal energy”, “temperature”, and “heat” show up in different places in bold (as do five other terms).","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"While the topics are largely presented in a logical progression, I found a few minor sequencing issues.  In Section 7.2, balancing redox reactions in acidic solution is presented.  As students have just begun learning to balance reactions, I believe this topic is too advanced for this point in the curriculum and would be better placed in the Electrochemistry chapter.  I also feel that Kinetics should be covered before Electrochemistry, not after it, because reaction rates and rate laws are important for understanding the speed at which redox reactions occur.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Overall, the interface is good.  The Table of Contents contains links to all the sections, making it easy for the user to access any part of the textbook.  The vast majority of the images and charts have proper resolution and good color where appropriate.  I did, however, find some minor issues with figures.  Here are three examples:  In Section 4.4 (Lewis Symbols and Structures), there are two fuzzy graphics for the Lewis structure of NO.  In Section 4.6 (Molecular Structure and Polarity), the spacing isn’t consistent between the bonds and atom symbols for the Lewis structure of HCN, and I feel the dipoles in the graphic for CH4 are too big for the length of the bonds.  In Section 7.1 (Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations), there’s a delta symbol that isn’t properly centered over the reaction arrow, and there’s another reaction arrow where the head is slightly above the tail.  I also find the text too busy at times with superfluous information and graphics, which can be distracting to the reader.  This is especially true at the end of each section, where there are advertisements for Open Stax Kinetics, a button to order a print copy, and a large box containing the company’s mission and a request for donations.  Finally, I find the lack of page numbers to be problematic when I want to assign specific sections for students to read.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"While I didn’t find anything directly insensitive or offensive, the authors could do a better job of representing a variety of races and ethnicities.  Of the 14 scientists whose pictures are included and whose contributions to chemistry are detailed, 10 are White, 2 are Black, and 2 are Latinx.  Notably absent from the selection are scientists of Indian, Chinese, and Japanese descent, highlighting a lack of broader Asian representation.  In addition, the selection of scientists is unbalanced in terms of gender: 10 of the 14 are men, while only 4 are women (gender information provided by Wikipedia).  Finally, I’d like to see a slightly more inclusive version of the history of atomic theory.  While it’s true that most of the major discoveries in this area were made by European scientists, many cultures had atomic or elemental ideas long before modern Western science.  For example, Indian philosophers like Kanada proposed that matter is made of individual particles centuries before Democritus did.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2025-09-10T14:05:21.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-09-10T14:05:21.000-05:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/chemistry-atoms-first","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:02:05.000-06:00"},{"id":369,"title":"Organic Chemistry Laboratory Techniques","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2016,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":null,"accessibility_features":["unknown"],"description":"This resource was created by Lisa Nichols (chemistry faculty at Butte Community College in Northern California) as a result of an academic sabbatical leave in the Fall-2015 to Spring 2016 term. The target audience are undergraduate students in organic chemistry. In this resource you will find theory and procedures on the main organic lab techniques (chromatography, crystallization, extraction, distillation) as well as general concepts on how to set up and heat apparatuses (see the Table of Contents tab for a more complete listing of topics). All procedures are accompanied by step-by-step pictures, and graphics are heavily utilized throughout the resource.","contributors":[{"id":3874,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Lisa","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Nichols","location":"Butte Community College","background_text":"Lisa Nichols obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in chemistry from California State University, Chico in 2001 and a Master’s degree in organic chemistry from Stanford University in 2003. At the time of this project she had taught chemistry fulltime for 12 years at Butte Community College (in Oroville, northern California, near C.S.U. Chico), with an emphasis on teaching majors-level organic chemistry."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":277,"url":"http://organiclabtechniques.weebly.com","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:38.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-01-02T22:25:12.000-06:00","name":"Lisa Nichols"}],"formats":[{"id":456,"type":"PDF","url":"http://organiclabtechniques.weebly.com/download.html","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":2020,"type":"Online","url":"https://chem.libretexts.org/Demos%2C_Techniques%2C_and_Experiments/Organic_Chemistry_Lab_Techniques_(Nichols)","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4.5","textbook_reviews_count":25,"reviews":[{"id":831,"first_name":"Elizabeth","last_name":"Cohen","position":"Chemistry Professor","institution_name":"Mount Hood Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook provided a comprehensive and in depth coverage of the both laboratory technique and instrumentation used in an introductory organic chemistry lab. The summaries at the end of each topic would be a wonderful quick reference and overview for a student. My only complaint would be that the coverage of chromatography did not include  drip column chromatography. Column chromatography is not limited to flash column chromatography.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The only area I felt was biased was in the area of chromatography. Not all academic labs are set up to do flash columns. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Organic technique doesn't change. Instrumentation does change, but the instruments presently used in a teaching lab will probably not become outdated any time soon. Even the images used will probably still be relevant 10 to 20 years from now.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"'t The textbook was a pleasure to read. Although the topic was technical, it didn't feel like a heavy read. The writing style should be very accessible to a typical organic student. The use of images made the book not boring to read. The textbook i sm presently using is very dry. There is just too much text where an image would be much more informative. Another lab book I have used was funny to read but lack the completness of this textbook and the humor got in the way of clarity.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"It was obvious that the textbook was written by a single person because it was very consistent in style and the use of terminology.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The textbook is well structured. As a reference guide, it would be easy for a student to locate the theory behind a technique,  a detailed explanation of a technique, or a quick summary of a technique. It is much better than any other lab textbook I have read. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in a well organized fashion. The images used are well placed and add to the clarity of the text.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I did have difficulty with navigating in the book. Every time I opened it I had to scroll down to where I had left off rather than clicking on the topic I left off on in a table of contents. The book lacked a table of contents.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical errors, but then again I was not looking for any.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Not applicable.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I loved this book.I will definitely be adding it to my course books for the second quarter of organic chemistry this winter and it will completely replace my present lab textbook next fall.","created_at":"2016-12-05T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2016-12-05T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":870,"first_name":"Jeffrey","last_name":"Elbert","position":"Asscoaite Professor","institution_name":"University of Northern Iowa","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers the general techniques used in organic chemistry very well.  The detail is consistent with a majors section course.  All major types of equipment and there uses are covered in sufficient detail that a student should be able to understand the use prior to actual practice in lab.  The pictures, which are required for a comprehensive understanding of the proper use of equipment and successful completion of techniques, are excellent.  In fact, the pictures are one thing that sets this text apart from our current text.  Students will be better able to complete tasks because the pictures provide a better view of the technique.  Videos done as well as the pictures would be even better.  The Chromatography chapter is particularly good and complete, and again, the pictures included provide an excellent view to go along with the chapter text.  Coverage of NMR/ IR and Safety would add to the text.  There are Safety Notes throughout the text.  A general chapter on risk assessment is being recognized as an important part of a chemistry course.  The table of contents as an index is easy to use and navigate.  As terms are explained within the text, I don't know that a glossary is necessary.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found no inaccuracies and no biases.  The coverage of topics is at a level that allows the text to be used in multiple courses, from organic lab for health related majors to chemistry majors, advanced lab to new undergraduate researchers.  The author cannot include every possible equipment type used in an undergraduate lab.  We currently use elastomeric microscale equipment rather than the Williamson type.  This is a minor issue.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"As organic chemistry changes, we often incorporate current equipment for new reactions.  That is our training.  I see no reason this text will become outdated.  The outline of the text should make any changes straightforward to incorporate.  Our current texts have changed little in 20 years.  A major advance of this text is the use of color pictures to enhance the text.  One area to look to is Chromatography.  Flash chromatography is typical for organic labs today, but we are moving from air pressure to solvent delivery pumps, which use different connections and columns.  ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I found the text easy to read.  Jargon was minimal and explained with use.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is very consistent.  I would expect this with a text written by one author.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Each chapter can easily be assigned as a self contained unit.  As every organic laboratory course has a different flow of material, no text can follow exactly.  I see no problem with assigning sections to students from this text.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The organization of the text is not in the order we currently cover material in our course.  But that is not really a consideration as no text presents material in exactly the same order we cover in our course.  Jumping around is normal for an organic laboratory course.  This will not be a problem for us as we use this text.  The topics are presented in a logical and clear manner within each chapter.  That is the most important point.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I saw no distortion of images or text.  I found nothing in the text that should distract the reader.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Organic chemistry is focused on compounds, equipment, and techniques and as such there is less attention paid to cultural issues as is typical in other courses.  The only place for inclusion would be in the pictures included in the text.  The pictures focus on the equipment and techniques, and any people pictured in part usually have gloved hands.  More inclusion of different peoples could be done in any updates to pictures, but I do not see it as currently detracting from the text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I will be incorporating this text in my Organic Lab section next semester and will also use it as a text for my research students as they prepare for summer research.","created_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2017-02-08T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1263,"first_name":"Skip","last_name":"Brenzovich","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Roanoke College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This laboratory manual is extremely comprehensive, introducing and explaining all of the major techniques that a student might encounter in an introductory organic chemistry lab.  Every procedure is explained in details and is complemented by a series of photos and pictures to show the students how everything should look.  Even more important are the comparisons of related techniques, explaining to students why one method should be chosen over another.  While there was no real discussion of IR or NMR, those can be highly instrument specific in terms of set up and interface and may need to be treated at a more local level.  Many institutions are moving more in the direction of green chemistry in the organic lab, so the inclusion of greener solvents as examples and in discussions might be helpful in future iterations. All in all, this textbook provides an excellent overview of the techniques and procedures that a student will encounter in an organic lab.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This textbook is highly accurate.  All of the information provided was correct and unbiased.  There may be a few small procedural differences based on institutional resources, but they can be easily handled in class discussions.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The general techniques in organic labs have changed very little over the past several decades.  However, new safety concerns  and an increasing focus on more cost effective and green techniques may change some of the procedures.  Based on the structure of the book, it should be really easy to revise or add specific techniques.  In addition, many of the techniques are common to other fields of chemistry.  This textbook would be a good resource for any course or lab that covers synthesis.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The terminology used is accessible for the intended audience.  The accompanying images made the text easy to read and follow.  The technical terms used are standard for the field and used appropriately.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The structure of the textbook was consistent from section to section and easy to follow.  Each section was arranged in roughly the same order, making information easy to find within a section.  The terminology was explained thoroughly and used appropriately.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each unit is relatively self-contained, meaning that units can be treated independently in any order.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The information is presented in a reasonable order.  Related information is presented together and there is a clear logic and theme within each section.  While the specific order may not follow my classes perfectly, the sections are modular enough that it should not be a problem.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"All of the images are clear.  The layout of the pages make it easy to find the appropriate information on a given page.  Section breaks and chapter breaks are clearly marked for easy navigation.  As an electronic text, the clear headings for each section make finding the right information easy.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"While any long published work likely has a few grammatical errors or typos, I did not notice any in my reading.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook is appropriately focused on the science.  The discussions are approachable for anyone in a chemistry course, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or background.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This book is an excellent resource for not only introductory organic students, but for upper level students as well.  We will be using this text in the coming semesters as a resource for our courses.  In addition, I have assigned this text to all of my research students as well.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1322,"first_name":"Maria","last_name":"Gallardo-Williams","position":"Teaching Associate Professor","institution_name":"North Carolina State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"All the relevant techniques required to complete the first two semesters of organic chemistry lab are covered in detail,","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"A great deal of attention has been devoted to an accurate presentation of each technique and its variants.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The techniques presented have been around for years and will likely persist for years to come. The photography style, with tight close-ups and gloved hands makes the images as timeless as possible.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is well written, and the prose is very clear. The use of plenty of photographs and illustrations makes it unequivocal.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The prose and delivery is consistent, and it feels as if all subjects are being covered in depth.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The subject matter is modular by nature, since each technique can be presented individually and without much overlap with other sections. Individual sections could easily be assigned as readings or pre-lab work for a course. There is no excessive self-reference.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is well structured and flows nicely. I would have placed the crystallization section later in the text, but that is a very personal choice.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface on Dropbox is a bit inflexible, and it is not easy to navigate between sections of the book.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I didn't find any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The subject matter is quite neutral, and the aesthetic choices (photographs and illustration) make it a non-issue. Since most of the photographs are tight close-ups of gloved hands, there is no discernible racial or ethnic background associated with the images.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The is a well written and richly illustrated resource that can be used by novice students in the organic chemistry labs, and it may also be useful to the students in upper-level labs that might need to review a particular technique. The technique summaries at the end of the book are very well done.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1323,"first_name":"Philip","last_name":"Brown","position":"Teaching Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"North Carolina State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book covers all the areas relevant for the typical undergraduate science student.  It is well indexed and the links to move around the text are excellent.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"With just a few exceptions the information provided is error-free.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook is most appropriate as a supplement to the typical undergraduate lab manual.  In the lab a reaction might be run that includes several techniques to isolate and purify a compound.  This text is great for providing the nuts-and -bolts of how to perform these techniques.  This book does not however go into any discussion on identifying what the compound might be and no instrumental techniques such as IR, NMR, UV-Vis, etc. are included.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Excellent photos, diagrams and charts are used throughout the book.  The language is appropriate for a first semester organic student.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This is a well thought out textbook.  It's aim is very specific, organic techniques for the  purification of compounds.  The pdf version of this book is wonderful and easy to navigate.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"By the nature of organic reaction chemistry different tools are necessary for the task and complexity of the mixture.  Sometimes a crystalline material is the product and the tools of recrystallization are required, sometimes a liquid is the result and distillation methods are the tool needed to generate the compound in high yield.   The way the author structured the work makes finding what you need seamless.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book does start with the more basic techniques such as TLC and progresses on to some of the more elaborate methods such as fractional vacuum distillation at the end.  I like this approach from the methods requiring basic glassware and slowly introducing methods requiring elaborate setups in glassware, heating and vacuum.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This work (the pdf version) has everything crystal clear.  The diagrams are not distorted, the charts do not flow over diagrams or photos and the photos are razor sharp.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This is a work of very high quality.  No serious errors were noticed in the writing of this book.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Chemistry, by it's nature transcends all ages, genders, religions, and culture.  The photos are nearly all close-ups of hands which are gloved and arms that are covered with a lab coat.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I love this book as an adjunct to the lab manual.  The author has done a superb job in producing a work that is accurate, clear, well written and structurally easy to navigate.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1405,"first_name":"Dana","last_name":"Lashley","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"The College of William and Mary","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This laboratory technique manual is very detailed and extremely well-written. All the discussed techniques are very commonly used in undergraduate research and teaching labs. The procedures and concepts are explained carefully in detail. The many accompanying pictures and sketches are incredibly useful visual aids. \nThe text of each subchapter was well thought-out and warned of common mistakes for students to avoid, including pictures of correct and incorrect set-ups. \nI found the book very comprehensive as the concepts were described in careful detail.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content of this laboratory technique manual was very accurate as far as I can tell. I did not detect any misinformation or falsehoods. Concepts and techniques were explained thoroughly and unbiasedly. Credible sources were cited where appropriate. I did not come across any typos in this book.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"At the undergraduate level organic laboratory techniques and glassware have not changed dramatically over the past couple of decades and I do not foresee much of a change in the next decade and beyond. This manual thoroughly describes the most important techniques and equipment. These will be useful in many years to come. It takes into consideration the restrictions of equipment that may be available at different institutions and, when possible, gives different options to use when one procedure may not be possible due to lack of the required equipment or materials.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text was extremely well-written, straightforward and easy to read and understand. The language was such that undergraduates, who may not know all the proper terms and lab jargon, would be able to easily follow.\nProcedures were written in a step-by-step manner with careful choice of words that didn't leave much room for ambiguity.\nThese were accompanied by pictures of equipment and set-up etc that will immensely facilitate the students' ability to master these techniques. In fact, now that I am aware of this amazing book I will send an e-copy to all my research students and organic lab TAs because this will help them better understand these techniques they are performing on a daily basis. This will also be a formidable resource for students to learn about new techniques that they are about tot perform for the first time.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent and structured. Chapters and subchapters are clearly defined. Terminology is not taken for granted but introduced when it first mentioned. There are hyperlinks within the text that link to other locations within the book where a certain concept or piece of equipment may be explained more thoroughly. Citations are used throughput the book where appropriate.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is a nice read - probably as much fun as it can be to read a lab manual. \nSometimes, scientific texts can be very tedious to read. This book however is well-written and well-organized. Additionally, it offers plenty of visualizations (pictures, schematics), that it makes reading and understanding quite easy.\nThere are no large blocks of text without sub-headers. All chapters are divided into appropriate sub-chapters and sub-sections that deal with a certain module. Sometimes the book used hyperlinked words to refer to other points in the text where a certain concept may be explained more thoroughly. I didn't find it overly self-referential however. Throughout the book there are citations to well-respected outside sources such as journal articles and other books (just below the text on a page where applicable).","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I found the book was organized in a logical fashion. Simple concepts such as laboratory terminology for pieces of equipment and simple techniques are handled at the beginning. Then the manual moves to more advanced topics that may require understanding of the previously covered topics. Any time a new term is introduced it is defined and explained. Many visual aids such as pictures, figures, schematics and tables accompany the text. These items are appropriately enumerated and the text often refers back to these items so that its easy to visualize and follow what the text is describing.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I loved the books interface. The general text is written in a black font with appropriate spacing between lines. Figures and tables etc. are labeled with green font. Whenever something needs to be highlighted within the main text a black bolded or sometimes a red bolded font is used underlining its significance to the reader (red means more significant). Pictures, schematics, graphs, tables etc. are in color and make for a very pleasant reading experience.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not come across any grammatical errors in this text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This is a scientific text and does not make mention to race, ethnicities or culture. The text was professionally written and I found no part of this text to be offensive or insensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I loved this laboratory techniques manual ! The author did a great job accumulating all this information and organizing it in such a way that it is easily read and understood with plenty of visualizing aids. \nIi highly recommended this book for undergraduates as well as beginning graduate students. In some cases students may be using a certain technique on a daily basis already but sadly, they may not be fully aware of the science behind it. I think this book helps close this knowledge gap. Information on certain laboratory techniques is usually available on the internet. However I had not yet come across such a comprehensive text. 5/5 stars !\n\nIn fact, now that I am aware of this amazing book I will send an e-copy to all my research students and organic lab TAs because this will help them better understand these techniques they are performing on a daily basis. This will also be a formidable resource for students to learn about new techniques that they are about to perform for the first time (e.g. column chromatography.)","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1433,"first_name":"Dana","last_name":"Horoszewski","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Northern Virginia Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book includes detailed descriptions of all relevant techniques used in intro organic chemistry lab as well as some more advanced techniques.  Discussion of different types of distillations and extractions were thorough. Topics that are absent from the book but often covered in other textbooks are general lab safety (though specific safety concerns are addressed within each topic), notebook preparation, and spectroscopy.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any inaccuracies in the book.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Basic techniques in intro organic chemistry labs haven't changed in the last 20+ years. The information in the book will remain relevant for years to come.  Instrument interfaces change, but since book doesn't cover spectroscopy, it is not an issue.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"I found the book to be clear and easy to read.  The abundance of pictures and drawings accompanying the text will make it easy to follow for students.  The author did a great job staging the photographs.  Organic compounds are often colorless, but colored compounds were used in many photographs to help students visualize what is happening.\r\n\r\nNMR spectra are used to illustrate some points about purity in the crystallization and extraction chapters.  I will be assigning these chapters long before covering NMR, so references to it may be more confusing than enlightening for students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found no inconsistencies with terminology or tone in the textbook.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Sections of the book can be assigned in any order according to the needs of the course.  Each technique is self-contained.   \r\n\r\nI like that each chapter is broken down into sections and subsections.  The book covers several techniques that I do not use in my course, so this makes it easy to specify which pieces of the chapter students are responsible for.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Each chapter provides an overview, covers the theory behind the technique, then discusses the practical aspects of carrying out the technique and its variations.  I cover techniques in a different order than the book, but the book is designed to be used in any order. \r\n\r\nThe last chapter, Technique Summaries, is an excellent resource for students and something I haven't encountered before in lab textbooks.  The picture step-by-step technique summaries will be great for students who have performed techniques previously but need a reminder.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The hyperlinks in the TOC are wonderful for navigating the book.  Each chapter has its own detailed TOC - I would have liked those to be compiled at the beginning of the book.  WIthin the chapter, the subsections have numbers (ex. Ch III  B.1), but those section numbers do not appear in the TOC.    I think it would be helpful to have the subsection numbers in the TOC as well. I did not encounter any distortion of images.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not notice any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Cultural or historical context is not given, but that is typical in organic lab textbooks. Pictures are largely of equipment, so there is no bias showing people from one background verses others.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I really like this book.  The number and use of pictures makes it superior to all traditional textbooks I have seen.  I will assign this book the next time I teach organic lab.  If the author expands on the book, I would love to see chapters on safety and spectroscopic techniques.","created_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1502,"first_name":"Abraham","last_name":"Yousef","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Sweet Briar College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book provides a thorough coverage of standard techniques used in the organic laboratory.  The table of contents on page 2 is very useful as it provides links to the different topics that one can click on to instantly go to the section of interest.  A summary of techniques is also provided on page 336.  It appears that there is supposed to be an index on page 365, but the pdf ends at page 364; clicking on the link \"Complete Index\" on page 336 does not work.  However, this does not reflect negatively on the content, which is sufficiently comprehensive.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Only a couple of minor errors found: on page 35, Table 1.2, the boiling point of diethyl ether should be 35 oC (instead of 34 oC), and the autoignition temperature of methanol should be 385 oC (instead of 464 oC).  These values were found on the sigma aldrich website (sigmaaldrich.com) and accompanying SDS forms.  The boiling point of diethyl ether is listed correctly on page 145.  Otherwise content appears accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"No issues here.  The content should be relevant for many years to come.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Well-written, clear and straightforward to understand.  The abundance of color pictures provides excellent visual illustration of the techniques described in the text.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"No problems or concerns here.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Sections are easy to navigate to through the table of contents; assigning reading to a student should be straightforward.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Well-organized.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"As mentioned above, the book appeared to be missing page 365, which is supposed to contain a complete index.  Otherwise, there were no navigation issues encountered.  Images are clear, not distorted, and easy to read.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"On page 22, first paragraph, second sentence, \"...which indicates that no volume has been delivered with the pipette is still full.\" should read \"which indicates that no volume has been delivered when the pipette is still full.\"  Also on page 29, Figure 1.31, in the figure caption, item d) \"Withdrawing inert gas in order to flushing the syringe.\" the word flushing should be replaced with \"flush.\"  Otherwise grammar is fine.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not applicable in this case, as this is a technical writing document.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"A wonderful, illustrative and well-written lab manual.  I appreciate the vast abundance of color photographs and detailed descriptions of lab techniques.  This is a much needed resource that should be required reading for all undergraduate organic chemistry lab students.","created_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2017-08-15T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1943,"first_name":"Constance","last_name":"Franklin","position":"Assistant professor, Organic chemistry laboratory coordinator","institution_name":"Virginia Commonwealth University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book does an excellent job of covering all of the basic techniques used in an organic chemistry lab. Each section is written so that it can stand alone which I think makes it a great resource to add to an existing course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found this book to be an accurate guide on lab techniques. Because there is alot of variation in the field, there is not always one right way to do something, and this book covers multiple options that are commonly used in the field. It also makes a point to add in cases where students should seek clarification from the professor, which makes it very versatile.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook includes both classic lab techniques and more modern variations. I don't think it will be an issue to update it over time. It does not always include options for an older lab space, but I only consider that a minor drawback.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This textbook is very well-written. It presents the material in a clear, easy to understand way. It reaches the necessary vocabulary for each technique. The pictures and summary charts after each technique are very valuable tools as well.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent in content and layout. The way information is presented is the same throughout.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter stands alone, so it could easily be assigned in pieces without losing its message. The chapters are further divided into sections, so it is possible to assign only the specific sections relevant to your class.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The flow is very logical. It starts with material relevant to entering a lab and then moves on to progressively more difficult or involved techniques. Sometimes the fact that the chapters are so modular interrupts the flow a small amount, but I think it is worth it for the versatility it provides.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I had no issues navigating the book.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found the textbook to be well-written and edited.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"This is a standard laboratory textbook. It doesn't involve any potentially insensitive or offensive examples. It is written in a neutral way.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall, I found this book to be a very good resource for basic laboratory Techniques. It provides good explanations for those new to a technique as well as pictures and summary tables for those looking to use it as a quick resource to remind them how to do something in the lab.","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1974,"first_name":"Anna","last_name":"Manukyan","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Hostos Community Collge of CUNY","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The organic lab manual provides detailed and comprehensive material of general organic laboratory techniques and instrumentation. It contains information about most instruments, and provides detailed explanation of their use. Having pictures alongside the text is very helpful, and it could have been supplemented with links to videos if available. Safety is very important in the lab, and when working with students in organic labs, often they have very little information about safe techniques or disposal. Some lab manuals provide that info, which is also helpful for the instructor. I liked that this manual also provided details on safety. Also, each lab or topic ends with a short summary, which is very useful for students when they just need a quick refresher, especially for returning students. The lab manual also compares different techniques, and highlights their use in specific cases, which is great if the students are involved in independent work or research.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The lab manual accurately describes and explains the major laboratory techniques and instrumentation. There may be some differences on how certain procedures should be performed, but it is mostly a question of style and/or preference. Minor differences in techniques are expected even in different institutions and/or labs.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The organic lab techniques are not going to change drastically in the next 20-30 years. It is possible that the instruments will get a news and easy to use interface, but having an understanding of the scientific principles behind the techniques/instruments is essential for students’ learning.   Also, if green solvents are introduced into the experiments, some techniques might change, but not to the extent that the entire textbook needs to be revised. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing style was very pleasant and easy to read. Having pictures certainly made it very enjoyable. The terminology was properly used as well.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text was consistent, as you would expect from a single author work. The sections were arranged similarly throughout the manual making it easier to navigate and locate information.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The manual is well-organized. It is also easier to use when other textbooks, so it would be very useful for returning as well as new students- from introductory to advanced levels.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization follow from basic to advanced techniques. Some instructors might not follow the same order of experiments but that applies to basically any textbook.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"This manual, like most OER textbooks I have looked at, was converted from a word document to pdf, and it would have been helpful to link the experiments in the Table of Contents to the page of the experiment. Otherwise, I had to scroll through many pages to go where I want. Jumping to the page did not always land where needed.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There might have been some grammatical mistakes, but I did not notice while reading it.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not applicable since this is a technical document.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Excellent resource for introductory as well as advanced chemistry students.","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2066,"first_name":"Matthew","last_name":"Grote","position":"Adjunct Professor","institution_name":"Otterbein University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book achieves a level of comprehensiveness that I have not seen in an Organic Chemistry lab techniques book before. Every relevant technique is covered in exhaustive detail with plenty of clear color photographs to accompany the text. As a lab techniques reference it is absolutely singular; even minor and esoteric techniques are covered in such detail that an undergraduate student would be able to (with appropriate practice, of course) master that technique. My sole complaint is that it does not contain practice experiments, but this is a minor complaint. Indeed, if this book contained relevant experiments within the field it would become a standalone organic chemistry lab textbook.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"There are no errors that I could see, and the information presented is accurate to my eyes. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This is where this book truly stands out; Leonard, Lygo, and Proctor’s “Advanced Practical Organic Chemistry” has long been my go-to reference text, but it suffers from the common pitfall of a traditional text: the pictures are black-and-white. This book, because it is in digital format, isn’t limited to cheap-to-print black and white, but instead has full color pictures, and a lot of them. As a living digital document, then, there is no expiration date (provided the author chooses to update or allows for derivatives to be produced.) As a long-time industrial chemist, I have seen my own practice change from stringent adherence to literature methods to more of a freestyle approach that accomplishes what is necessary in the minimum amount of time. This book presents both paradigms; the time-tested approach as well as the slightly cruder but much more time efficient method. As a reference, then, it is unquestionably relevant to the practice of experimental organic chemistry. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"At the risk of sounding repetitive, the pictures make the difference in terms of clarity. I found the writing style to be clear and (dare I say) entertaining, but it is the absolute wealth of pictures that enhance the clarity well above any reference that I’ve seen to date.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I found the book to be consistent in its use of language and structure, which makes it truly useful as a reference text. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Experimental organic chemistry demands a reference that is modular, as the first semester is typically a modular exploration of technique. This book does a fantastic job of separating the subject into its components and then exploring those components in detail. It would be fantastically easy to assign reading before an experiment. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I found the book to be sensibly organized and easy to follow. The table of contents is appropriately detailed. The order that the information is presented in is sensible as well. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There are no interface related issues that I am aware of.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are no grammar related issues that I am aware of.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book is broadly culturally relevant to my eyes; anyone who is or is becoming appropriately skilled in the art should be able to use this book without offence. ","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I found this book to be utterly fantastic and will be adopting it for use in the coming fall semester. ","created_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-05-21T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2167,"first_name":"Kelli","last_name":"Slunt","position":"Professor","institution_name":"University of Mary Washington","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers most major laboratory techniques utilized in an organic chemistry laboratory.  The book provides a detailed table of contents with links enabling easy movement within the text.  There are a few topics that would enhance the book.  Within the individual sections, the author describes appropriate safety related to the presented techniques.  An overall safety section at the beginning of the textbook would be useful to help set the stage and review the important laboratory safety prior to starting any experiments.  In addition, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra are provided for some of the techniques but there is no details about how to obtain an NMR or even an IR spectrum, which are key characterization techniques in organic chemistry.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"To the best of my knowledge the book is highly accurate.  The material presented in the text is well written, unbiased, and does not contain any obvious errors or inaccuracies.  The images and equipment used were institution-specific but the author tries to make note, when appropriate, about how the piece of equipment available may differ and encourages the students to consult with their instructors.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is written in a manner that is relevant for most introductory organic chemistry courses.  The techniques presented are universal methods for handling, purifying, heating, and analyzing organic chemicals.  The textbook should not become obsolete in the next decade or so.  As the text is already in a second edition, the author is willing and able to update as necessary.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written in a manner that would be clear for a student enrolled in an organic chemistry course.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The author writes in a consistent manner in terms of terminology and language throughout the entire text.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The textbook is organized into appropriate sections devoted to the different organic chemistry laboratory techniques presented.  Sections of the text can be easily assigned in advance of a laboratory course.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The overall organization of the text was presented in a logical and clear fashion.  In a few sections, re-organization of the information may provide a greater clarity for the students.  For example, on page 86, the author presents the visualization of TLC on the plate under UV light.  A description of visualization of the plate under UV light does not appear until page 107.  Either the material could be reorganized or at least a link provided to the later part of the section that explains the theory behind the visualization.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text is a well organized pdf file.  The file contains links that can be clicked to help navigate between techniques.  One concern about an online laboratory manual file is use in a laboratory setting.  Organic chemicals could be corrosive to an electronic device which leads to challenges with bringing cell phones, tablets, or computers into the lab.  One useful part of the textbook is the summary pages.  One might print these pages to bring to lab hence eliminating the potential risk of damage to the electronic device.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"To the best of my knowledge, the book is free of grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Organic chemistry is a topic that does not involve discussion of race, ethnicity, or cultural backgrounds.  The author does include images of students working in an organic chemistry laboratory and the students portrayed are visually diverse in terms of gender, possible age, and backgrounds.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2397,"first_name":"Terry","last_name":"Fernando","position":"Lecturer and Teaching Lab Coordinator","institution_name":"Iowa State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Very comprehensive for introductory organic chemistry lab course","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not read everything, but what I looked at was accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The focus on commonly used equipment and glassware in the organic chemistry teaching lab makes this book very relevant.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Very readable.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Very consistent framework.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"Text adjacent to applicable photos might be easier for some to read rather than having photos clustered.  ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization was clear and easy to follow.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The book was straight forward to navigate.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not encounter grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book did not seem culturally insensitive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"The detailed photos make this book unique and very useful for students.  The only suggestion I have is to add separate trouble shooting guides/tables for each technique.","created_at":"2018-11-19T13:08:05.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-11-19T13:08:05.000-06:00"},{"id":2675,"first_name":"Erik","last_name":"Larsen","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Extremely comprehensive, with a large number of photographs that provide a detailed graphical complement to the text. Virtually every major technique and many minor ones are covered, to the degree that this would serve as not only a comprehensive undergraduate textbook but an introductory graduate one.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not notice any inaccuracies in the text. The equipment shown in photographs will likely vary from institution to institution, but this can be easily adjusted during pre-lab discussions.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Basic organic chemistry techniques have not changed significantly in quite some time, but this book's signature achievement is in the inclusion of color photographs as opposed to the black-and-white images often found in older texts. Many of the advances being made in modern techniques come in the form of automation of existing techniques via robotics. In the event that these  instruments become inexpensive enough to incorporate into an undergraduate laboratory, updating the text should be easy since it would typically involve subtraction rather than addition.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I found the book easy to read and follow, with minimal jargon.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I did not find any inconsistencies with regard to tone or content.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Techniques are neatly divided into several major categories and then subdivided further into specific procedures. The table of contents has clickable links, which makes it very easy to get to a specific technique quickly. Subdividing this book into individual sections to assign for a laboratory course would be very simple.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Each chapter provides a general overview of the technique family and some of the underlying theory before delving deeper into the specifics of each technique. The technique summaries provided at the end of the book are very useful refreshers, and I will likely be referring students to it often.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The hyperlinks within the Table of Contents makes navigating the book very easy. I did not find any images to be distorted or unreadable.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I found no grammatical or spelling errors during my read.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This book focuses exclusively on scientific technique. The text is suitable for anyone in a chemistry course, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This is one of the most useful lab technique books I have ever come across, and something that I wish I'd had as both an undergraduate and a beginning graduate student. I will be assigning this book in all of my future lab courses, and if the author decides to include a section on spectroscopy in the future with the same level of detail I may begin incorporating it into the lecture portion too.","created_at":"2019-03-15T11:59:23.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-03-15T11:59:23.000-05:00"},{"id":3253,"first_name":"Olufunke ","last_name":"Olagunju","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Thomas Nelson Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"Comprehensiveness\r\n•\tI think there should be introductory materials/concepts in every organic chemistry lab textbook. Concepts like, safety in the lab, laboratory notebook and pre lab information. I did not find items like these in the book.\r\n•\tSpectrometric methods, like Infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, Mass spectroscopy are missing from this text book.\r\n•\tThere is no index, nor glossary in the book. The last chapter has different organic chemistry lab technique summary, maybe this is intended to be an index.\r\nThis review is not intended to discredit this text book. It is intended to help transform the book into a more robust reference material for organic chemistry students.\r\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content covered are accurate and adequately covered. I did not find any error. ","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The text focused on organic chemistry lab techniques. Techniques covered are up-to-date, there is no fear the book will become obsolete within a short period of time. Updates in organic chemistry lab technique text book, like green chemistry should be easy to add to the textbook.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is expressed clearly, easy to understand with lots of pictures of students performing different lab techniques. This makes the technical terms/concepts more comprehensible.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. There are overviews and summaries given for each concept covered, this is consistently done throughout the text, I think this helps develop student’s interest to learn more. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader. I agree.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion. Related basic methods, like separation, purification, and analysis are presented adequately in appropriate chapters. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There are quick links on the text. These links provide for easy access to concepts. Lots of pictures, some complex ideas can be expressed with just a single picture, thereby making the book easy to understand.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical errors. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I did not find any culturally insensitive material(s) in the text. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-11-04T06:55:12.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-04T06:55:12.000-06:00"},{"id":3374,"first_name":"Mark","last_name":"Stocksdale","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Earlham College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text is very complete and comprehensive for what it is covering.  Virtually all organic chemistry wet-lab methods undergraduate students will encounter are presented.  The extensive use of photos of actual glassware and techniques demonstrated are very helpful and clear.  Many of the methods described/demonstrated will also serve students well in other laboratory courses.  For example, the inert atmosphere handling of reagents and reaction set-ups would find excellent use in inorganic lab courses. This text could/would be a very helpful reference text to be used throughout a student’s undergraduate work and even their graduate work.  The frequent examples of “correct” vs. “incorrect” techniques are very clear and reflect many of the common mistakes and errors students make when first learning a new technique.  Even something as simple as reminding students to keep Pasteur pipettes vertical to minimize dripping is addressed.  And real-world advice is given throughout the text that is welcome and relevant.  Who hasn’t broken a pipette during column chromatography?  If the trouble-shooting suggestions fail, then the text offers the following correct advice: “If the sample has already been applied, there isn’t anything to do but continue on and hope for the best.”  The summaries section at the end is also a great quick-access resource for students returning to a technique and looking for a quick reminder.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The methods/techniques are correctly and adequately presented.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"All of the methods are relevant and should continue to be.  Even the Chemical Tests section (6.4) is presented in such a way to be used along side and complement modern spectroscopy methods.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very clear and readable.  The extensive use of accurate and relevant photographs is excellent.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"All material is presented in a consistent format.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Yes, sections of the text can be quickly accessed and assigned for a variety of learning/teaching situations.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Yes, the text is very clear and logical.  Topics are introduced with a clear overview and then each is expanded appropriately.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"No interface issues were detected/discovered.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors were detected/discovered.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No culturally insensitive or inappropriate materials were detected/discovered.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-12-13T12:51:01.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-12-13T12:51:01.000-06:00"},{"id":3944,"first_name":"Steve","last_name":"Acquah","position":"Associate Research Professor","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a comprehensive chemistry laboratory manual, and I think the extensive use of pictures makes it more engaging as a resource for educators. The “Safety note” sections should be boxed and emphasized. The theory sections are comprehensive, especially the section on fractional distillation. This organic chemistry laboratory techniques manual is a beneficial resource for experimental work and the reinforcement of good practices.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text and images provide an accurate representation of the experimental procedures. Techniques may vary at different institutions, and it may be possible to highlight variations and evaluate these methods.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This manual helps to establish a critical foundation in laboratory knowledge and practice. The content is appropriate and addresses the current techniques with the potential for additional supporting activities.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is clear to understand and provides support with informative pictures and diagrams. Summaries and concepts could be more concise with additional formatting to break up the text and create more digestible sections to aid student focus.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The order and structure of the text are consistent throughout the chapters of the manual.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"There is a modular structure that helps the user navigate the concepts and techniques. To further enhance the modular structure, there could be more infographics and highlighted sections. Using infographics and color-coded boxed articles across the entire manual would help to identify similar themes such as safety and methods quickly. It would make these sections faster to identify and refer to during an experimental procedure.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The sections and related topics follow a clear and logical structure with a natural flow from experimental procedures to the summary.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The hyperlinks provide essential navigation through the text to better understand the principles of the experimental procedures.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors were identified.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No information relating to cultural relevance was presented in this text, although the inclusion of relatable ideas helps convey the experiences of the author to that of the reader. Cultural differences in techniques could be a useful future expansion to the text.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, this is an essential laboratory manual for organic chemistry students.","created_at":"2020-06-11T11:45:10.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-11T11:45:10.000-05:00"},{"id":3988,"first_name":"Christine","last_name":"Hermann","position":"Chair, Full Professor","institution_name":"Radford University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book gives an excellent comprehensive view of the various techniques used in organic chemistry.  It is well illustrated with a lot of pictures and explanations.  The directions are very easy to follow and the steps are very detailed.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Overall, the book gives an excellent overview of all techniques.  However, all of the techniques should be demonstrated in a hood, not a lab bench.  A hood is much safer than a lab bench in the middle of the laboratory.\r\nSection 1.1D talks about greasing joints, which contaminates products.  Teflon tape is better.\r\nFor cleaning glassware, use a waste jar, not a waste beaker.  The text tells students to leave wet glassware on paper towels.  In our case, the glassware then accumulates by the sinks.  It is better to tell students to put the glassware away.\r\nDistillations in Figure 1.3a, Figure 5.2, Figure 5.37, and others show a graduated cylinder as a receiver.  This is not a proper receiver.\r\nTable 1.6 – the Bunsen burner should be standing underneath the flask, not being held.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This book will not become obsolete.  These techniques have been around for a long time, and will continue to be used in organic chemistry.  The drawings and explanations are excellent and are easy to follow.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The directions are written in an easy-to-follow format, where any student can easily follow the steps and be successful in the lab.  The drawings and pictures illustrate the text in a very informative manner.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistent throughout in the presentation of material.  The steps are well-written and easy to follow.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The chapters are divided into sections, which are easy to read.  A professor could easily assign any chapter or any section for a student to read before the lab.  I would not reorganize the text, rather just reference a section for a student to review prior to using that particular technique in lab.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are in a logical manner in the way that they would be taught in a typical organic chemistry laboratory.  The simple techniques are at the beginning of the chapter, then the more complicated techniques are later.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The drawings and pictures are a consistent size throughout the textbook.  Navigation through the chapters are very easy, since it is well organized by technique.  I found it easy to find any technique that I was interested in.  All drawings and pictures have text accompanying them to explain the technique stepwise.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"A textbook on chemistry techniques is mostly a textbook of pictures of equipment.  Perhaps in a future edition, include a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.  Frankly, I was not looking at the people in the pictures, but the drawings and steps.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Excellent textbook for organic lab techniques.  There are a few minor corrections that need to be done, but otherwise it is outstanding, and well-written.","created_at":"2020-06-16T12:15:27.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-16T12:15:27.000-05:00"},{"id":4536,"first_name":"Karen","last_name":"Glover","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Clarke University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This resource is one of the most complete manuals for organic techniques I have ever seen for the undergraduate level.  It is comprehensive not only in the coverage of how to employ all the common OChem techniques, but it also illustrates common pitfalls with an appropriate amount of detail.  Hyperlinks are used strategically throughout the text to define potentially unfamiliar terms.  I reviewed the book using Adobe, and was able to easily scan through the table of contents using bookmarks.  I appreciated the one-page \"brief\" table of contents which displays pictures, chapter numbers and titles, page numbers, and hyperlinks to major topics.  The one-page view quickly gives the reader a sense of what is in each chapter and an easy way to get there.  The text also contains the traditional table of contents in detail with extensive hyperlinks for easy access.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not see any errors in content.  I did not see any evidence of bias.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content contains a delightful mix of long-standing, traditional techniques with newer ones.  For example, finding the melting point with a Thiele tube is illustrated in addition to the use of an electrical melting point device.  Similarly, the various methods for taking a boiling point are described.  There is a section on qualitative tests of organic functional groups which I have not seen in more recently printed lab technique books.  This text book presents those reliable, traditional methods in thoughtfully annotated pictures which gives the text the feel that this is something new.  I find the treatment of a variety of methods make this textbook universally helpful.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language used is concise and clear.  An appropriate level of detail is included.  Hyperlinks are available if additional information is needed about a referenced piece of equipment.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text uses a unique color for title bars, headings and descriptions of figures in each of the seven chapters.  At the beginning of each chapter, a photograph or series of photographs are used to showcase some process covered within the text.  For example, a series of 12 photos at the beginning of Chapter 3 shows the time-lapse formation of benzil crystals from a cooling ethanol solution.  The photos are clear and orderly arranged.  Not only do the photos make a nice cover page, but they teach the reader as well.  Throughout each chapter, the numbering scheme is consistent, as are indentations, and margins.  The use of color-coordinated circled letters helps the reader distinguish the differences between similar parts of a larger scheme.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is modular and is easily divisible into smaller reading sections.  Page numbers, bookmarks, hyperlinked titles are provided to give the reader a number of ways to navigate the text.  The text is self referenced, although I found times when I lost my place after clicking on a hyperlink to check a definition. I didn't see a way to return to my spot in the text.   I am reviewing this text in Adobe, so I do not know if this issue is present in other modes of reading the text.  Perhaps there is a way to \"go back\" to a previous point in the text.  If so, then I would rate this category higher.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The seven chapters are presented in a manner which make sense.  Chapter 1 introduces general techniques and foundational methods and shows examples of typical  glassware and equipment. Safety is discussed in this chapter and throughout.  Chapter 2 through 5 include topics of chromatography, crystallization, extraction, and distillation. Since this is a book of techniques, the order of these chapters is unimportant.  The book concludes with Chapter 6 on miscellaneous techniques, and Chapter 7 with one-page summaries of all the important techniques.  Generally, the author has organized sections of each chapter with an overview of the technique, followed by uses and/or theory, then step-by-step procedures with a summary  of the procedure at the end of the section.  This level of redundancy is extraordinarily useful for those learners who may be performing a procedure in Organic lab for the first time. The summaries are useful for a quick reference for the more experienced learners.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface I am using works well (Adobe Acrobat Pro). I only wish there was a back button, so that after clicking on a hyperlink, I could easily find my place in the previous text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not seen any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The textbook is not culturally insensitive nor offensive.  It is inclusive in that persons shown in the pictures appear to be from a variety of races, ethnicities, age groups and gender.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Kudos to the author for such a thorough treatment of the procedures.  The level of detail, clarity of pictures and consistent color schemes makes this text visually appealing and extraordinarily useful.  I love that the author attempts to connect some of the technique to the students everyday experience with the examples found in the overviews.  When I first began teaching, I would require an expensive textbook which I would always have to supplement because the procedures they used didn't quite match up with the equipment I had available.  I found a text book which I've used for many years, but it is out of print and expensive.  Lisa Nichols' 2nd Edition of \"Organic Chemistry Laboratory Techniques\" is exactly what I've been looking for.  Finally!  Thank you for such an excellent product and for keeping students' needs in the forefront.","created_at":"2021-01-07T14:46:01.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-01-07T14:46:01.000-06:00"},{"id":5028,"first_name":"Armanda","last_name":"Formigao Gameiro","position":"Visiting Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a very comprehensive book, only lacking in an important aspect which is the microscale techniques and appropriate glassware. That part is absent, there is a description of how to use certain techniques in a microscale way but not with the microscale glassware kits that are common in labs nowadays to minimize the use of reactants and have a more green organic chemistry lab. That said, this book is very good presenting the lab techniques used in Organic chemistry.\r\nAnother point I would like to mention is that a clear section on safety is lacking and safety tips appear in the text together with the rest and that is not good. They should be highlighted in boxes at the top of each section.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I think this book is very good in that regard. I did not see any mistakes and the information presented is accurate, both the pictures and text.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The techniques presented in this book are very relevant for Organic Chemistry labs. This is an excellent overview of the techniques.\r\nThe only issue I have is that microscale glassware is not present and that is a future trend and is lacking in this book.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book is very clear and has plenty of illustrations in very detail to go with the text. In particular I like the comparison of the \"right way to do\" versus \"wrong way to do\". This is  done in all sorts of situations like clamping glassware to set up an experiment, pipetting reactants into a round bottom flask etc. This I find one of the greatest strengths of the book. It would have been extremely useful to me when I taught Organic I and Organic II labs. It would have saved me much time to direct the students to the photos in the book.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This book is very consistent in terms of terminology.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This book works very well if one wants to teach only a particular technique, and the order of topics can be interchanged since each chapter has a very clear and thorough introduction. It can be used in sequence or it can be used according to the technique one wishes to teach/learn. Only the initial chapter should be read first to acquaint oneself  with the different glassware and an overview of the techniques. \r\nAs I mentioned before this book is lacking a description of microscale glassware and techniques.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is very well organized.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The books interface works very well. Hyperlinks work, photos are depicted correctly when clicked upon.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This book is well written with clarity in the writing. I saw no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This book is about Organic chemistry techniques. It is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I think this is a very valuable resource. Because I taught Organic Chemistry labs using only microscale techniques this book would not be suitable for my courses as the only resource, but I would certainly recommend it to my students. The author has clearly put a lot of effort in the book and the result is a very good book. I wish I had known about this book when I was teaching Organic Labs, if I teach Organic Labs in the future I will certainly recommend parts of this book to my students.","created_at":"2021-06-02T11:33:26.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-02T11:33:26.000-05:00"},{"id":5192,"first_name":"Lara","last_name":"Al-Hariri","position":"Senior lecturer I","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a very comprehensive organic chemistry lab manual on basic techniques. The author effectively used illustrations to show each technique's step-by-step procedure, including some aspects that are usually not mentioned in others textbooks. That will be very helpful for students as they are preparing for the labs. However, the book doesn't have a dedicated section for general safety, which is a must in such labs. The safety notes listed within a chapter or procedure should be more emphasized.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The textbook is accurate content-wise. I didn't see any content mistake.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The content of the textbook is up-to-date and relevant to basic organic chemistry lab techniques. In addition, it provides good overviews of each method that will increase students' engagement in the lab technique and help them see its relevance.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The textbook is written in a language comparable to other textbook on the topic of basic organic lab techniques. It is easy to read and follow the steps. I think the plenty of illustration and lab setup pictures make this textbook much better than other. It is beneficial that the author provided examples of the “wrong way to do,”; which is rarely addressed in the textbook on this topic.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent in terms of terms and can be easily adopted even if the instructor teaches/performs the chapters/experiments in a  different order than that represented in the text","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"It has an easy-to-navigate structure. Therefore, it can be used with labs in which the learning outcomes are structured differently.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"It is well organized.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The interface is user-friendly and all the images/tables/charts are displayed properly. The hyperlinks are very useful to find the topics.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"I didn't see any grammatical mistakes.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"There is not information relating to cultural relevance in the text which is comparable to other textbook in this field.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2021-06-30T15:28:31.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-06-30T15:28:31.000-05:00"},{"id":33535,"first_name":"Swati","last_name":"Mohan","position":"Lecturer and research scientist","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book is highly comprehensive for the introductory basic level of organic lab. Picture of each lab apparatus and technique makes this book highly conceptual.  The book must have a few questions after each technique which gives students to challenge to learn well. overall highly informative due to the picture procedure.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any issue with the content.\r\nInformation about lab and techniques looks accurate to me","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This is book is highly relevant due to the picture procedure and picture techniques.\r\nPicture procedure gives a wide idea to our students to learn lab techniques. According to me highly recommended for organic labs.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Very clear due to colored picture and readable.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Strongly consistent throughout the entire content.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Book content is divided very well into major divisions (Different labs ) and subdivisions (pic procedure and concept). The table of content has a link that takes you quickly on the particular technique to which you are looking for. Very easy for the undergraduate level to understand the basic fundamentals of organic labs.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is well organized. All lab techniques are clear and understandable for the reader","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I didn't observe any interface issues.  The link given in the table of content is navigated you well through the book.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical error","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book is very informative for all readers throughout the world.\r\nBook content did not include any type of cultural intention.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2021-12-14T09:19:16.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-12-14T09:19:16.000-06:00"},{"id":34215,"first_name":"Changqing","last_name":"Chen","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Salem State University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a comprehensive lab manual that covers basic lab techniques in organic chemistry. Theory and procedures on major organic lab techniques were covered in detail. The step-by-step illustrations of experimental procedures made it easy for readers to follow. The colored pictures and graphs are very well labeled. Technique summaries are very helpful for readers who just needed a refresher. It would be better if more safety information was added to the text, especially in section 6.4 on chemical tests. Another suggestion is adding discussions on spectroscopic methods, such as infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. More coverage of commonly encountered problems and their solutions would be very helpful for new learners.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I didn't notice any content mistakes. Lab techniques were described accurately.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Basic organic chemistry lab techniques are covered in this book. The information in the book will remain relevant for many years to come.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text was very well-written.  Lab techniques are well-presented and easy to follow. Colored pictures were used to clearly demonstrate steps in experimental procedures.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Information was presented consistently. Materials in different chapters were arranged similarly in the book, which made it easy for readers to follow.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter was clearly divided into different sections. Hyperlinks were provided for easy navigation. It is easy for instructors to assign any topic for students to read as a pre-lab assignment.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Information in the book was organized logically and clearly. Text provided good depth and detail. The format and terminology followed conventions of chemistry lab manuals. The flow in writing is good, which makes reading enjoyable.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The book was easy to navigate with provided hyperlinks as well as colored pictures and graphs.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Grammatical errors were not found in the book.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I really appreciate the author’s effort in providing a great open educational resource on lab techniques in organic chemistry!","created_at":"2022-11-30T19:36:36.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-11-30T19:36:36.000-06:00"},{"id":35325,"first_name":"Vanessa","last_name":"Garcia","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook provides a great detail of material of the most common organic chemistry laboratory techniques. The use of photographic material to emphasize the topic at hand is used fantastically and can be highly beneficial for both textbook and visual learners.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"To the best of my knowledge, I did not see any errors within the text. My only critique is that some photographic images (from the readers perspective) included individuals/students without proper PPE in a laboratory setting. Aside from that note, this is a great textbook that can be used a reference material.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I can definitely see myself using this textbook as a reference material in my laboratory courses for a long period of time. Nichols presents the material in a way that is simple, timeless, and can be quickly implemented in a laboratory setting.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"It is evident this textbook is consciously written with the notion that any current/future organic chemistry student (and instructors!) can not only understand, but also know the purpose of the everyday techniques seen in a laboratory setting.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"I did really enjoy how each chapter stayed consistent on detailing each technique on its overview, step-by-step procedure, and its uses. From the beginning, this set the tone for the techniques discussed on their clarity and organization.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Each chapter in the textbook is neatly divided into \"quick read\" sections in which it gets straight to the point, but also provides additional beneficial information for the reader on its purpose and significance.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This textbook is neatly organized into chapters based on the different techniques within a certain topic. Furthermore, within each chapter the sections stay similarly organized and consistent in the material discussed.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I had no trouble navigating throughout the textbook as it has a great table of contents, and links to sections within the text. My only critique is that the use of the brightly colored fonts may not be appealing to those with reading disabilities.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"To the best of my knowledge, I did not find any grammatical errors within the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This resource can be applied in any chemistry laboratory setting, to the best of my knowledge does not contain any insensitive material, and individuals from all backgrounds can benefit from the material in this textbook.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2024-12-03T11:14:01.000-06:00","updated_at":"2024-12-03T11:14:01.000-06:00"},{"id":35530,"first_name":"Shuming","last_name":"Chen","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Oberlin College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book contains all of the relevant laboratory techniques for the typical organic chemistry sequence one would find at any four-year institution of higher education. The indexing is concise and easily accessible.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The description of techniques and cautionary notes are accurate and of high quality.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The content is best suited for small institutions with a limited budget and older lab equipment. Institutions with more up-to-date laboratory settings (such as in-house nitrogen lines) may find some of the sections obsolete. However, I imagine that updating these sections should be straightforward in a later edition.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is clear and concise. There is no wall of text for students to wade through.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Consistent terminology is used throughout.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The sections are quite independent and easy to assign individually as preparatory reading for students.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Excellent organization within chapters, including extremely helpful practical troubleshooting sections in every chapter.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text and images are presented nicely and pass the basic aesthetics test.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not spot any grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text and associated visualizations do not present any issues in this regard. Students from a diverse array of backgrounds are adequately represented in photos.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2025-06-17T12:05:53.000-05:00","updated_at":"2025-06-17T12:05:53.000-05:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/organic-chemistry-laboratory-techniques","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:31:13.000-06:00"},{"id":472,"title":"Organic Chemistry with a Biological Emphasis","edition_statement":null,"volume":"Volume I","copyright_year":2016,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"The traditional approach to teaching Organic Chemistry, taken by most of the textbooks that are currently available, is to focus primarily on the reactions of laboratory synthesis, with much less discussion - in the central chapters, at least - of biological molecules and reactions. This is despite the fact that, in many classrooms, a majority of students are majoring in Biology or Health Sciences rather than in Chemistry, and are presumably taking the course in order to learn about the chemistry that takes place in living things.In an effort to address this disconnect, I have developed a textbook for a two-semester, sophomore-level course in Organic Chemistry in which biological chemistry takes center stage. For the most part, the text covers the core concepts of organic structure, structure determination, and reactivity in the standard order. What is different is the context: biological chemistry is fully integrated into the explanation of central principles, and as much as possible the in-chapter and end-of-chapter problems are taken from the biochemical literature. Many laboratory synthesis reactions are also covered, generally in parallel with their biochemical counterparts - but it is intentionally the biological chemistry that comes first.","contributors":[{"id":4259,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Tim","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Soderberg","location":"University of Minnesota, Morris","background_text":"Tim Soderberg teaches Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at UMM, as well as General Chemistry labs. He received a B.A. in English from Amherst College in 1987, and a California teaching credential from San Francisco State University in 1989. After teaching English as a Second Language in Tokyo, Japan for about five years, he returned to the United States and enrolled at Sonoma State University where he completed all of the undergraduate Chemistry, Calculus, and Physics courses necessary to enter a graduate Chemistry program. He came to UMM in the Fall of 2000 after receiving his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Utah under the direction of Professor C. Dale Poulter. His graduate research focused on the enzymology of two prenyltransferase enzymes: one that modifies tRNA, and one that is involved in the early biosynthesis of ether-linked membrane lipids in archaea. His research at UMM focused on characterization of enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway in Archaea."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":405,"url":"http://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/chem_facpubs/1/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:39.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-01-02T23:28:02.000-06:00","name":"University of Minnesota Morris"}],"formats":[{"id":695,"type":"PDF","url":"https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/chem_facpubs/1/","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4","textbook_reviews_count":9,"reviews":[{"id":79,"first_name":"Bob","last_name":"Perkins","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Quest University Canada","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"I like very much that the author has placed spectroscopy early in the book. I have fund that students are much happier when they learn how the structures of the organic compounds are actually determined. It also makes it easier to set more challenging assignment questions early in the course. Having stereochemistry introduced early is also an asset for the reasons mentioned above in regards to setting more challenging assignment questions.\n\nI realize that the target audience for the textbook is not that of a traditional organic chemistry course. I think that if an instructor supplemented additional information on the two types of elimination reactions (E1 and E2) during the coverage of nucleophilic substitutions (Chapters 8 and 9), it could easily be used for all students taking an introductory organic chemistry course.\n\nSeveral of the topics could be presented in more detail; e., g. the author uses the term stereocenters (US spelling) without mentioning that students will likely come across the terms asymmetric centre, stereogenic centre, chirality centre in other textbooks and research papers. The same is true for enantiomeric excess (% ee) – the term optical purity (that is used in other textbooks) could also be mentioned. It would have been usual to discuss the assignment of R and S when labeled compounds are considered; i.e., the use of deuterium or carbon-13 to examine metabolic pathways. Some textbooks also use “degree of unsaturation” instead of “index of hydrogen deficiency”. \n\nIt would also be good to have actual spectra presented in the problems for Chapter 5, rather than just the numbers. There are not sufficient problems at the end of Chapters 6, 8 and 9.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"There are not too many typos, and the material is presented in a correct fashion.  The author needs to be careful to clearly distinguish between ions and molecules. In the procedure for assigning R or S to the lactate ion at the bottom of page 116, he uses the term “lactate molecule” – also at the top of page 111, 113, 137 and others. The pain reliever ibuprofen is spelled incorrectly in Exercise 3.8 on page 117. \n\nThere is also an error on page 123 in the structure of D-galactose – the author states that the compound has two sterocentres inverted relative to D-glucose. D-galactose differs from D-glucose by inversion of only one stereocentre (at C-4). He correctly shows (on the same page) the structure of D-mannose that has C-2 inverted relative to D-glucose. The author also introduces the prefixes alpha and beta (α and β) for the two cyclic forms of D-glucose, but does not explain what they refer to. ","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Any changes in terminology can easily be made to the textbook. The use of many biological examples will be attractive to life science students, but may need to be skipped  or assigned as optional readings if the textbook is being used for a more “traditional” organic chemistry course.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The writing is clear and crisp. I get the feeling that author imagined that a student was sitting next to him as he explained the material from paragraph to the next.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The author needs to choose of way of representing ionic charges; i.e., 2+ or +2. Problem 2 on page 50 uses both. Other than this minor point, the author has done an excellent job in being consistent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text chapters/material could be easily modified/moved from one place to another.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The figures/tables/reaction mechanisms should be numbered/labeled to make it easier for the instructor to direct students to particular examples in the textbook. It would also aid the discussion points if a reference to a particular diagram on a particular page could be made. It would be useful to also have the page numbers included in the table of contents.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I had no difficulty accessing the textbook online, and the diagram/figures were clear and easy to read in the printed version of the textbook.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have no concerns with the grammar, nor sentence structure used throughout the textbook, the writing is very clear and understandable.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Not really applicable with the material presented in this textbook. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I would suggest combining Volumes 1 and 2 into a single textbook; that way, individual instructors could pick and choose the order of topics that would best suit their organic chemistry course. The chapters do not have to be in the desired order, but having all the material in one volume would be better. It would also be desirable to ensure that any US spellings are changed for the Canadian market.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":80,"first_name":"Xin","last_name":"Liu","position":"instructor","institution_name":"Kwantlen Polytechnic University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This text book is not meant to be similar to other traditional organic chemistry texts, as mentioned in the introduction, and it is different. With primary attention focused on biological chemistry, the coverage and the order of topics in this text don't follow the \"usual\" way. In Volume I, the first two chapters serve as review of basic structure and bonding theories. The review is even more comprehensive than other organic text, with a lot useful information covered, like MO theory, non-covalent interactions (intermolecular forces) and physical properties. Followed by conformation and stereochemistry, which is the topic any organic book must include, the structure determination that include IR, UV, Mass and NMR are discussed in chapter 4 and 5. A rather unique chapter, which is \"instruction to organic reactivity and catalysis\", is then included in this text book. Usually these topics are discussed as part of the reaction chapter in other text, but I like the idea of taking it out as a separate chapter. It provides enough attentions to reaction theories; also give a good chance to include enzyme function (some topics are illustrated by using enzyme catalysis examples in this book), which is very critical topic for bioorganic chemistry. Chapter 7 is about organic compounds as acids and bases, again as review and preparation to following topics, this chapter is complete and helpful. Only Nucleophilic substitution reactions are included up to Volume I, with more reactions coming in Volume II. Since only Volume I (chapters 1-9) is available for now, it is not very confident to talk about the comprehensive for the whole book. However from the Table of Contents for Volume II, I believe all appropriate subjects will be included for the purpose of illustrate bio-organic reactions in living system. Even comparing to other organic texts, not all necessary organic reactions are (will be) discussed in this book, for example the reactions with alkenes, alcohols, but it is understandable because of the special purpose for this book. No glossary in this text. No printed index for this book. The electronic index is available in .pdf version by using \"find\" or \"search\" function. But it usually take rather long time to search a term through the whole book with 409 pages. Not sure whether the solution manual available for the book? It will be great to have some answers included as part of the text for convenience to students' studies.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Generally speaking the contents are accurate. However, not error/typo free completely, some errors/typos are spotted and are listed as follow:\r\nPg 20, 1.3B, \"zig-zig\" shape, should be \"zig-zag\" shape;\r\nPg 58, 2nd line, \"while ?3* has three nodes…\", should be \"while ?4* has three nodes…\";\r\nPg 75, in the paragraph below the two structures, the font of letter ? (delta) is not consistent to the font in the structure;\r\nPg 110: the introduction of the term \"stereocenter\" is not exact accurate, the more complete definition of stereocenter is: the atom at which an interchange of groups produces a stereoisomer.\r\nPg 112, last line, one \"that\" should be removed.\r\nPg 251, the equation of is incorrect, should be ?G? = ?H? - T ?S?\r\nPg 272, last paragraph, \"covalent inhibitor\" should have been mentioned in earlier sentence.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Pretty up-to-date as a text book. References are cited for examples from recent research papers. Necessary update with most recent progress should be easy.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Clear, easy to read. Terms are usually highlighted in bold, with enough explanation in the context.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Yes, good consistency maintained.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is well divided into small reading sections, with logical order. Because of the nature of organic chemistry topic, background knowledge is always necessary for some topics, it is not always realistic to reorganize or realign the subunits.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in clear and logical fashion. There are some issues, however, are concerned for the format of the book. No page number available in the Table of Contents. No numbers are assigned to the structures, pictures and diagram. So it is not that easy to refer to any of those in the text. The tables are all compiles at the end of the text, instead of inserting into the text.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"No any problems spotted in .pdf version.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"No any concerns.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"No any concerns.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Overall, it is an interesting and useful book. With large amounts of examples from living systems (amino acids, peptide, protein, enzyme, sugar, etc), students have chances to learn, understand and apply organic concepts into biological reaction context. It provides good connections between organic chemistry and biochemistry. For same reasons, it is not a choice for traditional organic chemistry course.","created_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2013-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":1878,"first_name":"Kevin","last_name":"Kittredge","position":"Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"Virginia Wesleyan University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers the first semester of a traditional two-semester sequence of sophomore organic chemistry. It presents topics using functional group approach. The text contains the indexes for both Part I and Part II texts. The Part I text that is being reviewed here includes the topics that are commonly taught in the first semester such as bonding, structure, stereochemistry, spectroscopy (IR, UV-vis, NMR) and spectrometry (MS). The text has a chapter covering organic reactions mechanisms thermodynamics and kinetics. There is also a chapter on acid-bases that provides a nice summation of pKa values for various functional groups. The last chapter focuses on substitution reactions with an emphasis on mechanisms. \n\nA nice feature is the inclusion of several important biological reactions and mechanisms, as well as including biological functional groups, for example phosphates, in conjunction with the \"regular\" functional groups traditionally presented to students at this level. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The text is very accurate with the respect to the material and content. The inclusion of several examples, particularly the one at the beginning of each chapter, and the underlying theory and data/information/ behind them is done quite nicely. There are relatively few typos (I only found 5 in 450+ pages) and each paragraph/topic is presented in a direct, comprehensible way. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The material for sophomore organic chemistry is fairly constant for the past 50 years or so. That is, there are the same reactions, same nucleophiles, pKa values do not change, spectroscopic functional group absorbances are the same, etc. There should never be a dramatic or significant variation in the material. What Prof. Soderberg did is use a wide variety of biological, industrial, and historical significant examples to present these topics. I call these the \"hooks\" that bait students to stay interested. I think he is a fine fisherman and should catch several students who normally would not engage.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The presentation of the material is done is a very clear, well-organized manner. There is of course the nomenclature of organic chemistry, but it is not to overwhelming. One thing I particularly liked was the simplicity of structures being drawn in reactions and mechanisms. The author chose to use primarily 3 colors; black for parts of molecules that do not change and blue and red for those that do change in the course of a reaction. Even for potential electron distribution maps on molecules, the absence of gradient coloring is much easier for me to visualize the reactive and non-reactive parts of molecules. This also really helps in seeing different conformations and stereochemistry relationships.\n\nThe text also does not present many cases of reactions where students are told \"just accept this now and we will fill in the picture next semester\". I like that he sticks to the material that students have already learned to illustrate new topics even though there are several other examples. The text gives a digestible amount of information to learn and this should not overwhelm students.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The author is consistent in his nomenclature and uses IUPAC throughout each chapter. Few common names are used other than to illustrate the amount of jargon we have in the field.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"I like how the text is broken into sections within each chapter. Each section and subsection of the text is easily assignable and generally contains only one topic. It is very nicely indexed and complements the modular approach taken by the author.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"It does not get into the minutiae for each topic but gives a nice overview and really emphasizes the basics. I like taking the numerous functional groups as one and putting them into different topics, especially spectroscopy \u0026amp; spectrometry and acidity. This in my mind makes nucleophilicity far easier to visualize and understand and clarifies the different mechanisms.\n\nI really like how the text presents stereochemistry using amino acids and biological molecules. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There were only 3 weblinks that I was unable to get to work. All the others were well-chosen and illustrated the topic nicely. The web links were graphically drawn nicely, ISO 9001 compliant where necessary, and operational.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This is a nicely written text. No major grammatical flaws and a pleasantly surprising small number of typos.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This text presents a wide variety of topics using both biological and non-biological examples. I really appreciate the author's humor for opening each chapter with a particular example. Who can say that about most organic texts?","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"An excellent text. It is an in-depth and pretty detailed. There are couple of annoyances where tables break across pages but that is more visual editing than pedagogical. It is accurate, well-presented and develops the tremendous amount of information in a clear and understandable way.  ","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1954,"first_name":"Kimberly","last_name":"Fields","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"University of South Florida","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Since the book is a PDF, control F (find) replaces the need for an index and at the end of each chapter there is a glossary of terms/key concepts/learning objectives of that chapter.\nIn Volume I, there is a mixture of Organic I \u0026amp; II concepts covered, so it doesn't make a straight swap possible from our current text. As indicated by the title, it is full of context-rich biological examples that would be of interest to our health science, biology, biochemistry, and biomedical science majors. The topics covered are done with good detail and supporting links to Khan academy tutorial videos, JMol interactive models, and links to external sources like the SDBS Spectral database. There are plenty of practice questions incorporated with links to their key.\n","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is great and includes excellent illustrations and examples of the topics.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This is a wonderful new approach to teaching organic chemistry. Rather than teaching it in the same order and way as it has been taught for decades, this new approach integrates topics with more biologically relevant functional groups. The order has been thoughtfully considered to make the connections on related topics as intuitive as possible for students. A new classic built ground up for health majors! ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"It is written in a good straightforward conversational tone with plenty of illustrations/examples.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Chapters are setup consistently from chapter to chapter. Logical framework. Terminology is introduced early and builds throughout.","modularity_rating":2,"modularity_review":"As far as assigning readings to students, the sections are thorough and long. Since the book integrates topics classically found in different chapters seamlessly, it would be difficult to reorganize in a classical sequence order if that was intended. When used in the order given, the text integrates topics nicely.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The organization of the book is very well thought out. Chapters are consistently organized.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The chapter outline/table of contents could be quick linked to that page of the PDF and the chapter sub-headings enlarged/bolded to stand out a bit better for those scrolling to find a topic since the page numbers are not listed in the table of contents. \nTopic enhancers like interactive model links, video tutorials, and other links to external websites with supporting information (books, SDBS, etc) provide an enrichment of the content and additional ways to entice students to engage with the material. Access to external websites through internet availability is needed to fully enjoy the additional linked materials.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text contains no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"With references to art forgeries, literature, and international examples from Scotland, Paris, Texas, and more there is a pretty diverse group of examples of Caucasian background.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Top of page 319 \"one of one of\" repeat in \"working at the edge of Mushroom Spring in Yellowstone National Park, one of one of the many geothermal hot springs for which the park is so famous.\"","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2865,"first_name":"Davis","last_name":"Oldham","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Mary Washington","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook is a very thorough discussion of the organic chemistry of biological processes.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No major scientific errors noted.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The world of enzymatic reactions is rapidly evolving, but barring paradigm shifts in our understanding of their mechanisms the numerous examples in this textbook should stay relevant for a long time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"No issues with clarity.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"No issues with terminology","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Most sections contained one or two self-referential, but that is necessary and arguably helpful in an organic chemistry textbook.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"It would be helpful if the book were laid out in a manner more consistent with a typical organic chemistry textbook. However, many later sections which would be encountered earlier (e.g. E1/E2 eliminations) could readily be assigned much earlier).","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"I wish it were a little easier to quickly navigate between different chapters using a TOC pane.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This book does not have any culturally insensitive material.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall this is a great book for those looking to teach organic chemistry from a biological perspective. The first edition appears to lay a strong foundation for the second semester. The book is light on example problems and graphics (particularly for 3-dimensional concepts). If students can find additional practice problems, this would be a great resource.","created_at":"2019-04-29T19:37:04.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-29T19:37:04.000-05:00"},{"id":2898,"first_name":"Karen","last_name":"Law","position":"Lecturer ","institution_name":"LAGCC","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers all subject but it would be helpful to add solutions for some problems so that students can gain a better understanding of the concepts to make sure they are on the right track.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"Concise explanation of the concepts.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Although somewhat lengthly, I enjoyed reading the scenarios in the beginning of each chapter. The text engages the audience and makes the theory of organic chemistry more relatable on a macroscopic level.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text is accessible to a students who are learning the basics of organic chemistry.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text is subdivided into sections that can be easily followed by the reader.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The topics in the text do not follow a traditional organic chemistry textbook which makes it more interesting for the reader.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"There were no interface issues that I encountered.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":1,"cultural_review":"Not offensive.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Tables in the back are useful synthesis of what was introduced in the text.","created_at":"2019-05-10T22:11:10.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-05-10T22:11:10.000-05:00"},{"id":3293,"first_name":"Riham","last_name":"Mahfouz","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Thomas Nelson Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is an excellent book covering the fundamental concepts covered in a sophomore level organic chemistry course for majors. There are many interesting biological examples used that would be particularly useful for students majoring in biological sciences or interested in pursuing medicine. The textbook does not contain an index or glossary. However, given that the PDF files are available for download, it is fairly easy to search the documents.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased. There are plenty of examples provided. Solutions to the textbook problems are also provided in a supplemental PDF. \r\n\r\n","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Many of the concepts listed as ‘fundamental’ chemical concepts that have not changed for a long time. Updates should be easy to make when necessary. The author’s contact information is readily available and it is noted on the website that this is a “dynamic textbook, meaning that it will be continuously undergoing revision”. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The writing style is typical of organic chemistry textbooks written for the sophomore level. Graphics and examples help illustrate the important concepts to students. Technical terminology appropriate for the subject matter is introduced and explained appropriately. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook introduces some reactions early on as examples, then revisits them in great detail in later chapters. This early exposure is beneficial to students as they learn to generalize foundational concepts to many different types of reactions – both laboratory and biochemical, in nature. ","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"While the text is divisible into smaller reading sections, it would be challenging to use it out of sequence for a first year organic chemistry student. Concepts that are introduced early on are built upon in later chapters. An instructor wishing to go out of order should pay careful attention to the assigned section to ensure students have adequate knowledge to be able to appropriately benefit from the assigned section. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"There are several ways that organic chemistry topics in a first year course can be organized. This text takes the approach of introducing spectroscopy earlier than most texts and acid-base reactions later than most texts. It also introduces several reactions early on when discussing organic reactivity, then presents them in more detail in later chapters. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The PDF files are easy to navigate --  images are clear and many are colorful. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text reads well with no grammatical errors. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This text focuses on the science of organic molecules and does not present any culturally insensitive or offensive material. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-11-18T15:33:05.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-18T15:33:05.000-06:00"},{"id":4337,"first_name":"Chelsea","last_name":"Gustafson","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Oregon Institute of Technology","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Fantastic Textbook! The approach, teaching Ochem with biological examples, is the best that I have found for pre-medical and biological science students.  It has most of a normal Ochem I course material; I find that I need to supplement a little bit with nomenclature, molecular orbital theory and spectroscopy. The order of the material is organized and intuitive. The problem sets are very good.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Very good. There are a few small typos, for the most part the textbook is accurate and well done.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content of this textbook is relevant and applicable for students in the biological and pre-medical sciences. The textbook is not likely to be obsolete for a very long time","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The textbook is well written, simple, well organized. The searchable PDF is great for students, and the text on Libretexts is easy to use.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Fantastic!","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"Volume I can be rearranged a bit (spectrocopy can come anytime). However, the majority of the material builds upon previous concepts in this textbook, so rearranging may be challenging.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Fantastic organization. I really like this type of approach to Ochem","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Usability is fine, an index and glossary would be nice. There are a few touches that would make the text excellent.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Only a few typos. Very nice overall","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"No better or worse than other Ochem textbooks that I have seen. I like the vignettes at the beginning of chapters, it is conceivable that those could be used to highlight discoveries of POC and address social justice issues.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"Overall, this is a fantastic book!","created_at":"2020-08-24T15:50:16.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-08-24T15:50:16.000-05:00"},{"id":33672,"first_name":"Amol","last_name":"Kulkarni","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Howard University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Excellent textbook for Pharmacy students. Discussions on biological molecules (carbohydrates, amino acids, etc.), chirality, carbonyl group reactions, and general concepts of reactivity are particularly relevant to Pharmaceutical Chemistry courses. Broadening the scope to include additional concepts, such as, Cytochrome P450-based reactions will be particularly useful.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Although the book has some typographic errors, the contents are accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Highly relevant to Pharm. D. students. This textbook will serve as an excellent resource in Pharmaceutical Chemistry courses.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The book explains concepts in clear and concise manner.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book explains the concepts in a concise, consistent manner.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Volume 1 could be slighly rearranged to include reactivity of common functional groups (alcohols, amines, carbonyl group compounds, etc.) The discussion on spectroscopy and biomolecules could be moved to volume 2.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The principles of organic chemistry governing the biological phenomena are explained very well. The problems at the end of the chapter are helpful in testing student learning.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Inclusion of a glossary would be very helpful.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Except for minor typographic errors, excellent presentation!","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Cultural relevance is irrelevant for chemistry textbooks.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Excellent overall textbook for Pharmaceutical Chemistry students.","created_at":"2022-01-30T19:46:50.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-01-30T19:46:50.000-06:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/organic-chemistry-with-a-biological-emphasis-volume-i","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:09:18.000-06:00"},{"id":473,"title":"Organic Chemistry with a Biological Emphasis","edition_statement":null,"volume":"Volume II","copyright_year":2016,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"The traditional approach to teaching Organic Chemistry, taken by most of the textbooks that are currently available, is to focus primarily on the reactions of laboratory synthesis, with much less discussion - in the central chapters, at least - of biological molecules and reactions. This is despite the fact that, in many classrooms, a majority of students are majoring in Biology or Health Sciences rather than in Chemistry, and are presumably taking the course in order to learn about the chemistry that takes place in living things. In an effort to address this disconnect, I have developed a textbook for a two-semester, sophomore-level course in Organic Chemistry in which biological chemistry takes center stage. For the most part, the text covers the core concepts of organic structure, structure determination, and reactivity in the standard order. What is different is the context: biological chemistry is fully integrated into the explanation of central principles, and as much as possible the in-chapter and end-of-chapter problems are taken from the biochemical literature. Many laboratory synthesis reactions are also covered, generally in parallel with their biochemical counterparts - but it is intentionally the biological chemistry that comes first.","contributors":[{"id":4260,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Tim","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Soderberg","location":"University of Minnesota, Morris","background_text":"Tim Soderberg teaches Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at UMM, as well as General Chemistry labs. He received a B.A. in English from Amherst College in 1987, and a California teaching credential from San Francisco State University in 1989. After teaching English as a Second Language in Tokyo, Japan for about five years, he returned to the United States and enrolled at Sonoma State University where he completed all of the undergraduate Chemistry, Calculus, and Physics courses necessary to enter a graduate Chemistry program. He came to UMM in the Fall of 2000 after receiving his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Utah under the direction of Professor C. Dale Poulter. His graduate research focused on the enzymology of two prenyltransferase enzymes: one that modifies tRNA, and one that is involved in the early biosynthesis of ether-linked membrane lipids in archaea. His research at UMM focused on characterization of enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway in Archaea."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":407,"url":"http://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/chem_facpubs/2/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:39.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-01-02T23:28:24.000-06:00","name":"University of Minnesota Morris"}],"formats":[{"id":696,"type":"PDF","url":"https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/chem_facpubs/2/","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4.5","textbook_reviews_count":3,"reviews":[{"id":4193,"first_name":"Lara","last_name":"Al-Hariri","position":"Senior lecturer","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Amherst","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook covers some chapters that are covered in organic chemistry II. It doesn't have a chapter on electrophilic aromatic substitution, aromaticity, amine reactions and ether which are usually covered in org II.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The textbook is scientifically accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The textbook is up-to-date with interesting and engaging chapter opening.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Mostly the text is clear. There are certain parts that can be made more clear by providing more examples.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Yes, the text is consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The text can be divisible into smaller reading sections. I am not sure that it can be easily reorganized as the author is referring to reactions in earlier chapters, and that might affect reorganization.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Although the topics are not organized in a typical way of other organic chemistry textbooks, I think the topics in the text are presented in a logical way.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text is in a pdf format and is free of any interface issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are no grammatical errors in the parts I checked.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Yes, the text has inclusive in the examples used.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The author(s) did a great job explaining organic chemistry in emphasis in biological reactions. I think that it will be well received by the students who find organic chemistry full of dry material and find it hard to relate it to everyday life or to their majors.","created_at":"2020-06-30T15:59:33.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-30T15:59:33.000-05:00"},{"id":4344,"first_name":"Chelsea","last_name":"Gustafson","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Oregon Institute of Technology","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook covers different material than a traditional Organic Chemistry II course. The material and method of presentation of this textbook sets students up for success in biochemistry and medical based programs.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This textbook is scientifically accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content of this textbook is currently relevant and will likely stay relevant for a very long time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Overall the text is well written and engaging. There are a few small typos and some places that could be reworded to increase clarity.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is consistent in terminology and framework","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"There are a few chapters that can be skipped, but this textbook would not be easily re-ordered.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"For the most part the order of this textbook is superior to traditional organic chemistry textbooks","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The searchable PDF is great, figures are well done and clear. The examples are fantastic.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Overall the textbook is fantastic. There are one or two typos.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"No better or worse than other chemistry textbooks","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"This is a fantastic book! For pre-medical and biological science students this textbook is far superior to traditional organic texts.","created_at":"2020-08-26T13:50:24.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-08-26T13:50:24.000-05:00"},{"id":4439,"first_name":"Laura","last_name":"Serbulea","position":"Associate Professor of Chemistry","institution_name":"University of Virginia","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a comprehensive textbook with excellent examples for each of the chemical reactions described. The textbook could include a separate chapter or module covering the principles for IUPAC nomenclature of organic compounds.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The content presented is accurate. I am not keen about inclusion of E1 under the \"Electrophilic reactions\" heading (chapter 14), but this may be a matter of preference.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The examples included in the textbook are those of chemical reactions in biological systems, most of which have been thoroughly studied and understood.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Clear text, adequate terminology; any abbreviation used is described appropriately prior to its first use.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The terminology used throughout the textbook is consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"With the exception of spectroscopy (included in volume I) which could represent an independent module and be placed almost anywhere in the textbook, going out of sequence cannot be easily done; however, certain chapters can be skipped if so desired.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Nicely organized textbook!","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"No interface issues noted.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have noted a few typos rather than grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"I do not find the textbook to be culturally insensitive.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"The textbook is an excellent compilation of organic reactions in biological systems. I particularly liked the inclusion of literature references for the examples presented within each chapter, something that you will not find in a typical organic chemistry textbook. The problems included at the end of each chapter are excellent but a larger number would be desirable. A description of general acid/general base catalysis characteristic for biological systems would be beneficial and should be contrasted to the strong acid/base catalyzed reactions.","created_at":"2020-12-04T19:47:11.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-12-04T19:47:11.000-06:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/organic-chemistry-with-a-biological-emphasis-volume-ii","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:09:18.000-06:00"},{"id":485,"title":"Chemistry of Cooking","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2016,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":null,"accessibility_features":["unknown"],"description":"People around the world are fascinated about the preparation of food for eating. There are countless cooking books, TV shows, celebrity chefs and kitchen gadgets that make cooking an enjoyable activity for everyone. The chemistry of cooking course seeks to understand the science behind our most popular meals by studying the behavior of atoms and molecules present in food. This book is intended to give students a basic understanding of the chemistry involved in cooking such as caramelization, Maillard reaction, acid-base reactions, catalysis, and fermentation. Students will be able to use chemistry language to describe the process of cooking, apply chemistry knowledge to solve questions related to food, and ultimately create their own recipes.","contributors":[{"id":4282,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"Sorangel","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Rodriguez-Velazquez","location":"American University","background_text":"Sorangel Rodriguez-Velazquez is a Professorial Lecturer in Department of Chemistry at American University."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":424,"url":"http://chemofcooking.openbooks.wpengine.com/","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:39.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-01-02T23:28:41.000-06:00","name":"Sorangel Rodriguez-Velazquez"}],"formats":[{"id":2222,"type":"Online","url":"https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Biological_Chemistry/Chemistry_of_Cooking_(Rodriguez-Velazquez)","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null},{"id":2914,"type":"PDF","url":"https://chem.libretexts.org//@api/deki/files/122891/Chemistry-of-Cooking.pdf","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4","textbook_reviews_count":16,"reviews":[{"id":1734,"first_name":"Roberta","last_name":"Bernstetter","position":"Cosmetology Instructor","institution_name":"Minnesota State Community and Technical College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book does a great job covering the subject without much depth so that a beginning chef can clearly and easily understand the content. The topics were compared to everyday situations, making it very easy to relate to, even to the self taught chef or cooking enthusiast.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"To my knowledge the text is accurate in both aspects of cooking and chemistry. The index is concise and the glossary at the end of each chapter does a good job at simply summarizing key points and definitions.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Basic chemistry like the topics discussed in the text (atoms, molecules, ions, measurements, energy basics, periodic table,etc.) should be relevant for a long time. It does a good job helping to understand the relevance of chemistry in cooking. I would imagine cooking techniques can vary, but the information in this text is fundamental basics that would remain relevant.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The parts of the book I could relate to, and have basic understanding of, were very clearly written and appropriate for the intended audience. More importantly, topics unfamiliar to me were clearly written in a way that I have a better understanding of the concepts without confusion. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The author did an excellent job of keeping the book terminology consistent from chapter to chapter, building on key concepts and integrating the information as it related to each different topic.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book has a clearly written table of content identifying each topic and subtopics in each chapter. Each section is small, yet thorough, which would make it easy to cover the intended content in an ample amount of time. When clicking on the chapter heading or subtopic in the table of content it directs you directly to that section of the book.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The material flows in a logical sequence. The text begins with the basics of chemistry and flows into cooking techniques and finally into understanding basic ingredients. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Being able to jump to specific chapters and subtopics quickly is very beneficial to students. This would be a must for me if there was an OER available in my line of expertise.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"This book appeared to be free from grammatical error.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This text is not culturally insensitive or offensive.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"As a self taught chef, meaning I really don't know much at all, this book did a really good job at simplifying processes in cooking and helping mem to understand basic ingredients and what they are used for. Some of the information in the chemistry chapters will be integrated into my Basics of Chemistry cosmetology course. Great book!","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1884,"first_name":"Nicolle","last_name":"Fernandes","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers a wide range of topics, starting with the basics of what is matter and its varying states to discussing the various food ingredients and how they lend themselves to cooking. The topics are covered in a very succinct manner. Each section concludes with exercises and a glossary.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate. I did not find any inconsistencies with the material.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The content is up-to-date. The basics will remain the same however updates will need to be added as and when new products and/or processes are introduced/developed within the field/industry.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very straightforward, simple and easy to understand. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent across sections. There is a logical pattern that is maintained throughout the text.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is modular and can be divided into smaller sections as needed.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are presented in a clear, logical manner. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The interface is easy to access and use. I downloaded a PDF version of the text for review and faced no problems.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not encounter and grammatical errors. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The found the text to be inclusive. For instance, when discussing the elements of taste the text listed salty, sweet, sour and bitter but also when on to include Asian elements of Umami, spicy and astringency. There are several other instances throughout the text as well.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This text is written in a manner that is easy to understand and can certainly be used as a text for Food Science/ Food Chemistry at the beginner-level. I like that it has a small section on Herbs and Spices. ","created_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00"},{"id":1916,"first_name":"Edward","last_name":"Turos","position":"Professor","institution_name":"University of South Florida","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text is rather comprehensive in its discussion of basic principles of general chemistry, up through page 100, and also in the general description of food materials and procedures of food processing. after page 100.  What is greatly missing however is the combination of chemistry with cooking, which from the book title I thought would be the major focus. This is greatly lacking, in my opinion.","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"I did not find anything inaccurate per se, just not all that well-defined in many places (particularly in the cooking section, after page 100. Lots and lots of essential details could have been added, to interject chemistry into understanding the cooking of food and food processing. There are a plethora of typos that need to be fixed, such as the superscripts for cubic centimeter (pages 23/24 an din the glossary on pages 26/27, the subscripted numbers are mangled for H2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2 (see page 84), TiO2 (page 85, two places), CH2O (page 86), the numbers in C6H12O6, C2H4O2, and CH2O (top to middle of page 86) should be subscripted. On page 88, the two chemical structures shown for D- and L-carvone do not depict stereochemistry, and are thus not proper enantiomeric structures. - they are, in fact, the same compound as drawn. On page 95, lines 1 and 3 under the table 1, the words after \"polyatomic\" and \"oxygen atoms\" are too mangled to read, at least on my pdf printout.","relevance_rating":1,"relevance_review":"The book content can easily be divided into two discreet, non-interactive components: basic principals of general chemistry (pages 1-100), and cooking methods/materials (after page 100). There is virtually no mixing of the two components, although there are plenty of opportunities to do so. For instance, rather than discussing things like fuel cells and cell phones unrelated to cooking (see page 10, figs 11 and 12), the author could include examples from cooking and food processing. When discussing acid-base reactions, the author could leave out the sinkhole example, and perhaps describe food carbonation and release of carbon dioxide in acidic media.There are just very few examples of chemical explanations or of simple chemical phenomena mentioned in the entire cooking section, and there are certainly many scenarios where this can be done. ","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"\nThe text is straightforward enough to read, albeit the embedded figures and schemes are almost irrelevant since they are far too difficult to even see. The much bigger issue regarding clarity are in the many figures and diagrams through out the text. In the pdf I printed out, almost none of the figures and diagrams are legible at all. Some are simply way too small or too blurry to see. Quick examples are Fig 5 (page 6), Figs 6 and 7 (page 7), Fig 9 (page 8), etc etc. In various places (for example, see page 10 and page 86), font appears well outside of the boxes, this is very distracting and unnecessary.  ","consistency_rating":2,"consistency_review":"The two components of the book (general chemistry principles versus cooking) seem to be consistent within their own own sections, but there is a clear dissection separating the two components as if two different authors wrote it (which was not actually the case). The general chemistry section is highly detailed, organized and systematic, while the cooking section is mostly verbal descriptions of what things are classified as, without much breakdown of chemical principles involved. Suitable examples are also not consistently presented especially n the cooking section (the ones that are do not seem relevant to cooking). The use of pressure cookers, for instance, to describe rapid food preparation and also a basic general chemistry principle, would be  good to include in both sections. Oxidation chemistry is another important thing to put into both sections- rather than fuel cells maybe, talk about how foods cook or brown in air at high temperature through oxidation, or go sour, rancid, spoil, etc if left open to the air.","modularity_rating":2,"modularity_review":"As described above, the book is essentially two completely independent components on their own, one not benefitting the other. To a chemist, the book is not useful since the general chemistry principles can be found in any other general chemistry text, and to people interested in cooking, the section on that topic is a compendium of descriptions that are either expected to be memorized, or purposely intended not to be related to chemistry. ","organization_rating":1,"organization_review":"The author has to find a practical way to completely mix the general chemistry discussions with the cooking sections. I don't know how, but in the present state, there are  no correlations between the two, and this makes the book almost useless to its readers.","interface_rating":1,"interface_review":"See items 2 and 4 above, for the comments on this. The graphics really need a lot of work.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The grammar seems suitable for the intended audience.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"To my reading, there are no issues of any kind in this regard. Perhaps the author could find pertinent examples of foods and chemistry used in cooking from different cultures to highlight that better, if that seems useful. That would actually add a nice dimension to the book.","overall_rating":5,"overall_review":"I have said enough. The book is on an interesting topic, and with focused effort and critical evaluation fro m her peers, the author could have a gem of a book that would be useful to those interested in chemistry and in cooking. This would be worth the effort in my opinion.","created_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-03-27T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2639,"first_name":"Stacy","last_name":"Henle","position":"NTT Instructor, Chemistry","institution_name":"Western Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The topics selected for for food chemistry were interesting, although I was surprised that there was little to no focus on fruits and vegetables.  In the eggs sections I was also hoping for more explanation on the significant differences in strength between organic and store-bought egg shells, and other differences between the two.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The accuracy of the information was high, although accompanying actual chemical structures were limited. For example, it provided good information about agents cornstarch and/or gelatin but did not touch on their chemical structures / make-up. And in the case of casein mentioned in the coagulation section, it might have been useful to mention other uses, for example in adhesives, paints, and other industrial products. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"There will always be an interest in food chemistry, as long as humans need to eat to stay alive.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The textbook is very clearly and well written, and organized well.  It was difficult to read when a hard copy was printed because the images didn't always match the text sizes (i.e. page 185 the images were difficult to read). ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Chapters are presented with consistent topic / conceptual depth within each chapter.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"I appreciated the background on matter and the elements and periodic table being at the beginning.  However, I felt the acid / base section was oddly placed and would have been better at the beginning. The chapters otherwise were well presented.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"See my comment in modularity about acids / bases.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"As mentioned a few of the images are difficult to read.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The textbook language is very well-written.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Language used seems appropriate across cultures.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I would love to see additional aspects of food chemistry that surround organic versus traditional vegetables, meats, eggs, etc.","created_at":"2019-03-07T17:03:49.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-03-07T17:03:49.000-06:00"},{"id":2801,"first_name":"Patricia","last_name":"Flatt","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Western Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":2,"comprehensiveness_review":"I was very excited to look at this textbook as we teach a similar course in Consumer Chemistry and was hoping that we could use some of the materials in here for our course. However, I was a bit disappointed.  I do think that the topic is amazingly interesting and there is a lot of potential for this book to become a great teaching resource. However, it the current state, the first two chapters which discuss basic general chemistry seem disjointed or disconnected from the topic of cooking, while the later chapters discussing elements of cooking, do not go far enough into the topics of chemistry to help discuss why chemistry is involved in cooking.  For example, in the chapter discussing fat, they briefly describe emulsification agents, but they don't use this as an opportunity to describe the chemistry behind the process of emulsification or discuss polarity.  These are missed opportunities within the text to elaborate more on fundamental chemistry processes.  ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The content delivered appears to be accurate and presented in an unbiased way, but is again lacking in chemistry detail that helps shed light on why cooking processes work the way that they do.  Or it is presented without connection to the previous text.   For example, the catalysis section begins with, 'We have seen that the rate of many reactions can be accelerated by catalysts.'  However, I can't really find earlier reference in the text to catalysts or even any substantial chemical reactions.","relevance_rating":2,"relevance_review":"The text reads more like a glossary of terms without having many useful pictures and figures. It also lacks in connections to fundamental concepts in chemistry. As an example, in the sugar section, glucose properties are listed and the term hygroscopic is used in the text for the first time.  However, there is no discussion about what that term means or why certain substances display that characteristic.  ","clarity_rating":2,"clarity_review":"I felt that many of the new terms that are shown in bolded font were not defined well or connected back with their chemistry connections. ","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"I think the overall topic selection is fine and that this has the potential to be a very interesting course, if some of the examples given were elaborated on to discuss the chemistry properties that are inherent to them.","modularity_rating":3,"modularity_review":"This text is in searchable and table of contents driven PDF format.  This works alright, but is a little frustrating for me in general to navigate.  But that may just be my own preference for a hardcopy textbook. For a PDF file, it was pretty easy to find specific topics. ","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"In general, I think the topics flow in a logical fashion and could be really interesting if connected better to their chemistry origins. However, as written, it jumps back and forth between chemistry and cooking, rather than integrating the chemistry concepts into the different areas of food products and cooking.   ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Yes, the figures that is does have are easy to navigate to and they are clearly presented.  However, I don't feel that there are enough useful figures within the text.  Many chapters are listing definitions of substances, more like a glossary. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"It was easy to read and was grammatically correct.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"The text is focused more on western baking ingredients.  It could contain more referencing to international food processing/cooking methodologies and the chemistry contained within those processes. ","overall_rating":6,"overall_review":"I think it would be helpful to determine what chemistry content is required for the course and then find useful cooking examples to use to explain these phenomena.  It would be much more dynamic and interesting that way....","created_at":"2019-04-17T18:49:25.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-17T18:49:25.000-05:00"},{"id":2840,"first_name":"Kristine","last_name":"Bryan","position":"Adjunct GED Instructor","institution_name":"Chemeketa Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"As a GED instructor, I looked to this text to introduce basic chemistry concepts.  It does this well.  I was also looking for examples of basic chemistry in everyday cooking.  I think the text could have been more straightforward in tying the cooking concepts with the basic chemistry.  As it is, there is a section at the beginning that covers basic chemistry, but it does not include any cooking examples.  The text does provide an accurate index.  ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I found the text to be accurate and I did use parts of the text to introduce basic chemistry concepts to  GED students.  ","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"I think the text could better integrate  chemistry and cooking concepts.  As it is, it is disjointed.  ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"GED preparation students were able to read and understand the text with limited instructor support.  ","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"Again, I find this text to be disjointed.  I would hope that future editions would integrate cooking concepts with the basic Chemistry section.  ","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"I was easily able to take sections of this text to introduce basic chemistry to GED students.  It was not an overwhelming task to find the sections that I wanted to use in class.  ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"The book is organized as it states in the table to contents.  This was easy to find and to use.  Again, I would like to see more integration of the cooking and the chemistry content.  ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"My class had no difficulties navigating or understanding the figures and content that we used in class.  ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I did not find any grammatical errors.  ","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The text was not insensitive or offensive.  Cooking examples of a variety of ethnicity and backgrounds could make the text even more relevant to students.  ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"If nothing else, this text helped me as a GED instructor to understand chemistry content to teach to my students.  However, I found the exact same basic chemistry content in other Open Resource textbooks.  My hope was to find practical examples of basic chemistry to tie in with the instruction.  Those examples were not easy to access in this text.    ","created_at":"2019-04-25T18:26:53.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-04-25T18:26:53.000-05:00"},{"id":3147,"first_name":"Iona","last_name":"Black","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"James Madison University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"I think the basic principles are covered in a comprehensive manner but the flow could be better between the topics. More detail could have been included as to how the chemistry of the process works. Maybe more examples  of why chemistry is important could have been include in the beginning where chemistry fundamentals are discussed. In general has a comprehensive glossary. ","accuracy_rating":3,"accuracy_review":"I found it to be accurate regarding the chemistry . More reactions would have strengthened the content.  Some typos regarding subscripts in empirical and molecular formula solutions in figure 2 regarding titanium dioxide and regarding acetic acid empirical and molecular formula figure 6  and empirical and molecular formula solution. For carvone the stereochemistry is lacking in  figure 9.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"I believe the connection between chemistry and cooking could be better integrated.  More connections to fundamental concepts would have enhanced it's relevance to the title of text. Sticking to cooking examples and topics would enhance relevance. ","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Definitions are straight forward . Written in understandable language for intended audience. ","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"Consistent with general chemistry and cooking but terms could have been integrated more. Some terms could have been incorporated more clearly such as oxidation and how cooking devices such as pressure cookers related to general principles of general chemistry.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Easy to locate terms and sections.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"There is a logical flow to topics for the most part and follows the table of contents.  ","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The figures are easy to navigate and understand regarding figures, charts, graphs.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Grammatically correct.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"Highlighting a couple of other international  cultures would have added to the topic(s) since the readers are probably multicultural.  It is however not offensive or insensitive to other cultures. ","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"This is a relevant interesting topic and a good attempt that could become an outstanding effort  with a few changes/ additions/ corrections. As an online book i believe instructor presence is needed so synchronous vs asynchronous use. ","created_at":"2019-08-13T15:01:58.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-08-13T15:01:58.000-05:00"},{"id":3315,"first_name":"Daryl","last_name":"Holliday","position":"Associate professor of Food Science","institution_name":"University of Holy Cross","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"First third is a refresher of basic chemistry. Second third covers more about ingredients than food chemistry and the last covers chemistry associated with taste. I feel the first section could be shortened and examples improved but will be using the work as an additional reference in our Food Chemistry course.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No errors detected but have read book completely; just sections","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"About 1/3rd of book has direct relevance to our course and teaching.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book moves through the material easily but never goes deeply in depth ","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"Various sections appear to be written by different authors and do not tie up together easily without additional information.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"Book is broken up into easy to read/assign sections but not quite a the level i would expect for a college course","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Book organization is easy to follow and well thought out.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"When viewing as PDF the pages appear to be misaligned but this is do to setting it as book rather than digital document. Also, having links verse images means students cannot print out sections and bring to class. ","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No errors detected but have read book completely; just sections","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No in-sensitivities detected but have read book completely; just sections","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I appreciate the resource and will be using significant parts of it but do not think it can replace the commercial textbooks at this time. ","created_at":"2019-11-24T12:16:53.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-11-24T12:16:53.000-06:00"},{"id":3696,"first_name":"Wenjuan","last_name":"Tan","position":"Chemistry Affiliate Faculty","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book is definitely recommended to the students who are majored in Food Chemistry and Food Science. It covered chemistry-related concepts, like inorganic, analytical, organic, and physical chemistry. Also, it provides other fun aspects like the chemistry of phone, as well as giving cooking or food-related exercise questions. \r\nHowever, if it could shorten the basic chemistry concepts (it takes up more than one-third of the book), and cover more cooking-related content, it will attract more scholars or students. Also, it covers a lot of essential cooking ingredients, but I didn't see any chapter covering fruits and vegetables, both of which contain essential compounds to our diet, like pigments, antioxidants, and carbohydrates.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"It is an error-free book.","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"The first two chapter covers too much basic chemistry content, which we can easily find in general or introductory chemistry books. Also, some calculation examples are not relevant to the topic. Readers would expect to see more fun examples using ingredients as examples, wouldn't they?","clarity_rating":3,"clarity_review":"Some of the first-shown terms were not defined very well, and the author didn't go deeply to connect with the chemistry concepts.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"Overall, it is a good topic selection. Some calculation examples are off to the topic, chemistry of cooking. These examples can be found in any of the basic chemistry books.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"I would suggest the author to use more sub-titles, which could help with the navigation.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"This book is written in a logical and clear fashion. However, somehow, it kind of jumps back and forth between chemistry and cooking ingredients, and failed in addressing the connection.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Some images are misaligned which would be confusing to students.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical error was found.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"No cultural and offensive content was found.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"It is a very interesting and fun topic, most of the students and scholars will appreciate the resources.","created_at":"2020-03-30T15:30:17.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-03-30T15:30:17.000-05:00"},{"id":3893,"first_name":"Mikeya","last_name":"Kirksey","position":"adjunct professor","institution_name":"Bunker Hill Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"easy to understand and flow was good","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"n/a","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"would like to see fruits and vegetables addressed in this book","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"adequate context","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"covers a range of topics","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"smaller reading sections are within this book","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"very clear fashion and logical","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"no navigation issue however on my phone i had issues opening on my mac it was perfectly fine","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"not that i noticed","cultural_rating":2,"cultural_review":"I think more backgrounds could have been covered","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"This book flows well.  I think a first year college student focusing on food chemistry would find this book easy to understand, I also think students not with a focus in science could understand this as well. It covers a variety of subjects.","created_at":"2020-06-01T22:24:47.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-01T22:24:47.000-05:00"},{"id":4011,"first_name":"Wayne","last_name":"Yeatman","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"Central Oregon Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text provides a table of contents but does not provide an index or glossary.  The text appears to be geared more towards baking than cooking.  The text covers most areas of food but does not cover proteins.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The textbook appears to be very accurate and free from any bias.  There does not appear to be any references sited at to the sources of the content.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The textbook us up to date and since it is about the chemistry of food (versus nutrition), not much changes so it should not become obsolete in a short period of time.  Given the format of the text, updates should be relatively easy to implement.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very clear.  The prose is straightforward.  There are concise learning objectives before sections.  There are very good definitions of technical terms to lead off sections, providing clarity.","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"The terminology is consistent but the framework or layout is inconsistent and rather confusing.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This text is very modular.  In fact, in my teaching, I would easily apply just a portion of the text where it fits in with the curriculum I teach.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The organization seems scattered and often times random after going through the text.  This is not evident by just viewing the table of contents.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"The interface is somewhat text heavy.  In other words, some breaks and variation on the way items are presented would be helpful.  The images and charts seem a lot smaller than the text.  In the photos with text, often the text is unreadable.  There are what appear to be random indentations from page to page making it a bit confusing.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Grammatically, it appears error-free.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text does not appear to be culturally insensitive and appears to be presented very objectively.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"It provides a great primer of overall chemistry (atoms, matter, etc,) which needed to understand the food chemistry portion of the textbook.  It presents the way food functions on a molecular level which directly lends itself to one becoming a better cook.","created_at":"2020-06-19T11:30:38.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-19T11:30:38.000-05:00"},{"id":4165,"first_name":"Kwok-Fan","last_name":"Chow","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Massachusetts Lowell","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text covers the fundamental topics of chemistry and the understanding of how ingredients are used in cooking. The topics are interesting for anyone who loves science and cooking.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The information presented appears to be accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is up-to-date and relevant to basic food chemistry. Updates will be beneficial when new products come to the market.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very easy to understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The framework is consistent throughout the textbook.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The searchable PDF format makes searching extremely easy.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"In general, the topics are introduced in a logical fashion. Some fundamental concepts could be further explained in the later sections of the text.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"It would be helpful if the figures and charts could be bigger in the PDF document.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text is very well-written.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"It is a great introductory science textbook for non-science majors.","created_at":"2020-06-30T09:54:49.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-06-30T09:54:49.000-05:00"},{"id":4811,"first_name":"Martine","last_name":"Bissonnette","position":"Faculty","institution_name":"Windward Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"The first couple of chapters of the book provides a good introduction of basic chemistry but it would have been more effective to explain concepts using food examples.  The rest of the book is more of an encyclopedia of the different ingredients used in cooking, it does not go into the cooking process of these ingredients.  That list of ingredients and definitions is quite detailed.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"The information appears to be accurate, the first two chapters extracted from the well-known and reviewed OpenStax Chemistry Textbook.  The remaining chapters contain detailed descriptions of the various ingredients in baking and describe some uses but very few examples of cooking techniques and in some other chapters, chemistry concepts randomly appear (catalysts and Arrhenius equation, Bronsted-Lowry acid/base) without a connection being made to cooking.","relevance_rating":2,"relevance_review":"This book can be used as an encyclopedia of the various ingredients used in cooking but should not be called chemistry of cooking.  It focuses on chemical content of ingredients.  Some topics didn't need to be discussed, for example, Kw and pOH are fundamental concepts rarely used when describing food chemistry.  The pH and pOH exercises are not relevant to food chemistry.  There are a couple of mentions of gluten but despite an extensive chapter on flour, no explanation on how the chemistry of gluten works.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"Each chapter is individually easy to read and understand but there is little flow/connection between chemical concepts and the way ingredients behave from a chemical perspective.  For example, it would have been relevant to begin the section on salts by describing the chemical makeup of a salt and it's solubility in water.","consistency_rating":2,"consistency_review":"Very inconsistent from one chapter to the next.  A lot of the information is cut/paste from other sources and the format of each chapter varies greatly.  No connection between the different sections.  Some chapters have practice exercises at the end of the section (if from OpenStax) but others don't.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Since each chapter covers a specific topic, it could be used in small sections as a reference source on ingredient description (but not for learning about cooking).  For example, if one wanted to know about flour, the various types are described.","organization_rating":2,"organization_review":"The sections that deal with chemistry concepts appear randomly through the book and no connection to the ingredients is made.  There was a missed opportunity to incorporate scientific concepts with each different ingredient,   For example, the neutralization chemistry of baking soda is not described.  Foods that can be made with the ingredients are named but there are no detailed cooking recipes.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The table and figures are numbered starting at 1 in each section - it would have been useful to keep track of the figures/tables throughout the manual so a specific table could be referenced instead of having to state: table 1 section 25 or table 1 section 42, etc...  The section called Dessert Design Activity has no content.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"No grammatical errors were noticed.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The book is relevant to most cultures but some sections only discuss US regulations while others focus on Canada.  The book might not have as much relevance to readers of other countries.","overall_rating":7,"overall_review":"The book is an attempt at discussing the chemistry of cooking.  There is an attempt at connecting chemistry concepts to ingredients but should not be titled chemistry of cooking since very few chemical transformations of foods are described.  Since it's a free reference, I might use this book as a compendium of ingredients for my class.","created_at":"2021-04-21T02:48:34.000-05:00","updated_at":"2021-04-21T02:48:34.000-05:00"},{"id":33517,"first_name":"Lisa","last_name":"Campbell","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Eastern New Mexico University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book has extensive coverage of the Chemical reactions, measurement, atoms, etc.  What it is lacking is more relation to cooking.  There are more typical examples you would find in a Chemistry Course.  If I were to use this book it would be for a Food Science Course to instruct students on the science aspects of culinary.  I think of Alton Brown videos about the science behind the cooking/baking process.  The information is accurate, concise and easy to understand.  I just feel that it needs more food/culinary related examples.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is accurate and gives a concise and accurate picture of the chemistry behind the different aspects of cooking.  For example the information on measurement not only gives the measurement values, it gives a background on what each measure is visually.  The one thing I will take from this book is Kilogram mass comes from a measure of a cube of water at .1 meter.  The accuracy of the book is both excellent and the explanations are fairly easy to understand.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book is relevant and holds the interest.  Cooking methods might change, but the science does not.  There are a variety of cooking methods that use science to prepare food today such a Sous Vide with having a steak encased on plastic and placed in a temperature stable environment.  The likelihood of this information being obsolete is probably low.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is written in a technical style so it's important that it be accurate and explain concepts well for understanding.  Sometimes the book overreaches its approach to explaining concepts.  The ideal audience of the book would be either Food Science Technologist or Culinary Students and the book needs to speak to them with greater examples related to culinary and food science concepts.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book is consistence is relating the information.  The book follows a technical style of writing, so there should be no guess work as  to what each concept means or how it is presented.  The audience for this book should come away with a technical knowledge of what the book contains.  I do believe it does reach that, but as I have pointed out before, just more examples of the science of food and culinary need to be addressed.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"What is impressive to me is the fact that for the first 14 concepts presented in the book, it is done in a concise and example driven format.  Most books that present the concepts in the  book such as measurement or energy basics would be too far out for the audience of this book.  I feel this book gets to the point faster and doesn't overstate its position.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"I am very happy with the format the book.  I again would use Chemistry of Cooking in a Food Science Course.  I would expect to spend time on the chemistry and biological concepts that need to be understood in order to prepare students in the Culinary Industry or in Food Science Research.  The fact that the book starts with Chemistry basics and then addresses each part of the ingredients is excellent.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I liked the examples I could click on and I didn't experience any glaring issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text to my experience does no having in glaring grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Due to the technical nature of the book, it comes from a science based background.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I plan on considering this book for a course I will be teaching in the the near future on Food Science.  I enjoyed the way the book was presented.  I can always use my own food examples for some of the Chemistry issues. I would just add that the impression from reading this book, it assumes that the instructor/professor has a basic understanding of chemistry.","created_at":"2021-12-10T13:13:30.000-06:00","updated_at":"2021-12-10T13:13:30.000-06:00"},{"id":34179,"first_name":"Zohra","last_name":"Azim","position":"Lecturer","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":1,"comprehensiveness_review":"From the title, I expected that the focus of the book would be looking into the chemistry behind common cooking scenarios. Instead, there is heavy coverage of general chemistry topics, but not much relation to cooking. In my opinion, this book better serves those looking for information on food science, not cooking.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I did not experience any inaccuracies with the concepts discussed.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The information regarding basic chemistry concepts are up-to-date.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The terminology is clear and the jargon is appropriate for the context.","consistency_rating":3,"consistency_review":"I did not experience inconsistencies in terminology, however there are some aspects that make the framework confusing. There are some examples that are unrelated to cooking or food science (ex: discussion of automobile catalytic converters on page 172) which I feel interrupts the flow.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"The texts provides references to many external sources and only few paragraphs are long blocks.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"The topics are organized well enough to benefit from the book, however there is some room for improvement. For example, including more relatable cooking examples/recipes and discussing the relevant chemistry concepts underneath.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Some images are blurry and some paragraphs are not aligned in the pdf version I read, but overall there are not too many issues.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I experienced no grammatical errors throughout the book.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book is inclusive and appropriate across different cultures.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I would like to see more of an explanation of the chemistry used in common cooking examples, which is something I believe general chemistry students will be able to relate to and benefit from. Right now, I think this book is good for students studying food chemistry.","created_at":"2022-11-22T13:24:49.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-11-22T13:24:49.000-06:00"},{"id":34336,"first_name":"Alexander","last_name":"Zestos","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"American University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This is a very comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of the Chemistry of Cooking. It begins with Essential Ideas such as background information and basic fundamentals on measurements, energy, mathematics, and uncertainty. Then it delves more into a review of basic general chemistry such as a focus on atoms, molecules, and ions. Then it gets into cooking techniques such as thickening and concentrating flavors. Moreover, it thoroughly discusses many main ingredients such as flour, fat, sugar, leavening agents, dairy products, eggs, chocolate, spices, and other ingredients. This is a very comprehensive and thorough overview of the chemistry of cooking from the perspective of food preparation and the chemistry of several fundamental ingredients necessary for the chemistry of cooking.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This book is highly accurate. I did not find any inconsistencies or errors  in this textbook. I am confident that this textbook could be adopted as an alternative open source textbook for an introductory chemistry of cooking course. The background information on chemistry is very thorough and the recipes are accurate and up to date.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is up to date and very relevant to the field of Chemistry of Cooking. Many new recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques are included that would make this a very useful textbook. It is possible that updates may be needed in the future, but this is not a very pressing concern at this moment. For example, it contains many similar themes to a comparable textbook, Chemistry in Your Kitchen (2016) published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, which makes this a very relevant textbook.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I think that this book is very accessible and well written. It does provide adequate context for any jargon or technical terminology used. For example, all of the ingredients such as sugars, spices, fats, etc. were listed both with their proper chemical names and their common names as well. The recipes are all step by step and the procedures are very thorough and easy to follow.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"This book was internally consistent in terms of both terminology and framework. I really enjoyed how the first two chapters were a review of basic concepts and chemistry. This really sets a proper foundation of how the textbook should be organized. Then it is organized by ingredient such to give the reader a proper introduction on the many ingredients that can be utilized for the chemistry of cooking.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"With respect to modularity, the text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course. The chapters are organized by two review chapters and then organized by cooking ingredient, respectively. The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This textbook has a great organization, structure, and flow. The content and topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion. For example, the first two chapters a reviews of basic concepts and the subsequent chapters organized by ingredient specifically for the chemistry of cooking.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text does not have significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader. The textbook takes this into account.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are very few if any grammatical errors. I did not notice any grammatical errors in this textbook.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book is very culturally sensitive. It includes many recipes from different ethnic groups and parts of the world that are well represented throughout the entire textbook.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Overall, the textbook was a great read, and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in the Chemistry of cooking.","created_at":"2022-12-29T23:14:51.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-12-29T23:14:51.000-06:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/chemistry-of-cooking","updated_at":"2025-12-15T02:34:35.000-06:00"},{"id":486,"title":"Analytical Chemistry 2.1","edition_statement":null,"volume":null,"copyright_year":2016,"isbn10":null,"isbn13":null,"license":"Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike","language":"eng","accessibility_statement":"","accessibility_features":[],"description":"As currently taught in the United States, introductory courses in analytical chemistry emphasize quantitative (and sometimes qualitative) methods of analysis along with a heavy dose of equilibrium chemistry. Analytical chemistry, however, is much more than a collection of analytical methods and an understanding of equilibrium chemistry; it is an approach to solving chemical problems. Although equilibrium chemistry and analytical methods are important, their coverage should not come at the expense of other equally important topics. The introductory course in analytical chemistry is the ideal place in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum for exploring topics such as experimental design, sampling, calibration strategies, standardization, optimization, statistics, and the validation of experimental results. Analytical methods come and go, but best practices for designing and validating analytical methods are universal. Because chemistry is an experimental science it is essential that all chemistry students understand the importance of making good measurements. My goal in preparing this textbook is to find a more appropriate balance between theory and practice, between “classical” and “modern” analytical methods, between analyzing samples and collecting samples and preparing them for analysis, and between analytical methods and data analysis. There is more material here than anyone can cover in one semester; it is my hope that the diversity of topics will meet the needs of different instructors, while, perhaps, suggesting some new topics to cover.","contributors":[{"id":4283,"contribution":"Author","primary":true,"corporate":false,"title":null,"first_name":"David","middle_name":null,"last_name":"Harvey","location":"DePauw University","background_text":"David Harvey, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at DePauw University, is the recipient of the 2016 American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education. The national award recognizes a scientist who has enhanced the professional development of analytical chemistry students, developed and published innovative experiments, designed and improved equipment or teaching labs and published influential textbooks or significant articles on teaching analytical chemistry."}],"subjects":[{"id":38,"name":"Chemistry","parent_subject_id":8,"call_number":"QD31.3","visible_textbooks_count":31,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry"},{"id":8,"name":"Natural Sciences","parent_subject_id":null,"call_number":"QH301","visible_textbooks_count":252,"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences"}],"publishers":[{"id":427,"url":"http://dpuadweb.depauw.edu/harvey_web/eTextProject/version_2.1.html","year":null,"created_at":"2018-09-07T12:22:39.000-05:00","updated_at":"2020-01-02T23:28:57.000-06:00","name":"David T. Harvey"}],"formats":[{"id":734,"type":"PDF","url":"http://dpuadweb.depauw.edu/harvey_web/eTextProject/AC2.1Files/AnalChem2.1.pdf","price":{"cents":0,"currency_iso":"USD"},"isbn":null}],"rating":"4.5","textbook_reviews_count":13,"reviews":[{"id":2232,"first_name":"Luke","last_name":"Miller","position":"Instructor","institution_name":"Portland Community College","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Harvey’s Analytical Chemistry 2.1 is very thorough and extensive its scope of material covered. Also, the end of each chapter of the text has a list of key terms. There is not an index and/or glossary for the entire text, but it is a searchable PDF, which makes finding terms and topics easy.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate, error-free, and unbiased.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The text is up to date an even includes methods for use with Excel and R.  Harvey also includes his email address for readers to provide feedback and suggestions.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is very well written and assumes a sufficient background in general and organic chemistry. The margins of the text are filled with extra helpful information or reminders that go along with the body text.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text has many divided sections that are each easily accessed through the hyperlinked table of contents. The exhaustive text is designed for instructors to easily pick and choose which specific topics they would like to cover.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion that is very similar to other analytical chemistry texts","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"All of the images, graphs, and tables display clearly. The text is a 1122 page pdf, which can sometimes be difficult to quickly and easily navigate. However, this problem is diminished by the hyperlinks in the table of contents and throughout the text.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text contains no grammatical errors and is well written.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The author uses examples and references in the text from others with a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"Harvey’s text is very in depth, thorough, and approachable. It would work very well as an undergraduate textbook. Additionally, the text has very well outlined lab procedures and spreadsheet methods that make this text an excellent companion resource for an analytical chemist in an industry position.","created_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-06-19T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2264,"first_name":"Susan","last_name":"Marine","position":"Professor (full)","institution_name":"Miami University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This book conveys many important aspects of analytical chemistry that are often glossed over in other texts (e.g., method development and validation, QA/QC, detailed statistical analysis).  The author chose not to include interpretation of IR and NMR because those topics are covered in detail in other courses (i.e., Organic Chemistry).  Electrochemical methods are covered in greater detail than in other introductory analytical textbooks.  Additional Resources are provided for all chapters, and 18 appendices provide required data and information.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate, error-free, and unbiased.  Several inconsequential typographical errors exist.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Most of the text covers time-honored content; explanations are clear and will not change with time.  References to Excel and R software are vague enough to remain current; exact keystroke instructions would be quickly out of date.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written clearly in understandable prose.  Terms and abbreviations are defined. Examples are worked and explained in great detail, showing all mathematical steps, followed by practice exercises and detailed answers.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Several basic tools and techniques are provided in Chapter 2 and used throughout the textbook.  The consistency aids understanding and facilitates problem solving.  All chapters are written using the same format.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is divided into 15 chapters, each of which contains 8-10 major parts.  Each part is further subdivided for ease of reading and finding material.  The Table of Contents is detailed, very helpful, and links to the listed page.  The pdf format with numbered pages helps access desired locations.  The textbook contains more material than can be covered in one semester and is designed to be tailored by the instructor.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The topics are arranged in the textbook in a logical, clear fashion.  The text modularity allows the instructor to change the order if desired.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Internet Explorer and Foxfire display the pdf text correctly; links work well; images are not distorted.  That is not the case when Chrome was used: text ran off the page, text appeared overlapped, some links did not work, not all text appeared.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The text contains a few typographical errors but no grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The scientific text contains no cultural references and is not offensive in any way.  There are no photographs or mention of people.  Rating this topic is not applicable.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I look forward to using this textbook next semester.","created_at":"2018-08-02T19:00:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2018-08-02T19:00:00.000-05:00"},{"id":2455,"first_name":"Andre","last_name":"Venter","position":"Associate Professor ","institution_name":"Western Michigan University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text includes all the relevant topics that are typically included in Introductory Analytical course work. Topics are discussed in enough detail to fill out the course without needing to add in too many additional sources. As a plus, an extensive and useful list of Additional Resources were provided at the end of the book, arranged by chapter and topic. The text is relatively easy to navigate using either the Brief Table of Contents and the Detailed Table of Contents both of which is readily accessible from every other page using hyperlinks. While, no glossary or Index is provided, one could find easily specific terms using the Find function in Acrobat or other PDF reader. ","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I did not find any factual mistakes in the sections that i studied, however a few typos were present and scattered throughout the text. ","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"For the classic part of the textbook there were few problems and modern recommendations by IUPAC and other governing bodies were implemented throughout. However, some of the technique descriptions could be updated. For example, no mention was made of UPLC, which is fast replacing HPLC as the method of choice for liquid chromatography. Such additions can easily be made though, or information can be supplemented by the instructor. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"I found this book to be much more approachable and it made for a far more engaging read than our current textbook (Skoog). I liked the historical perspective and the practical introduction to each section, illustrated by using real life examples or problems.  ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"No problems with consistency presented themselves to me. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"While this textbook combines wider ranges of topics together in single chapters than I'm used to from comparable texts, it does make use of extensive subsections in each chapter. This actually serves to present the connections between techniques or applications that might otherwise become fragmented if they are locked away in separate chapters e.g. dealing in the same chapter with monoprotic, diprotic and complex formation equilibria. ","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book is laid out in a fairly typical sequence, and follows my current lecture schedule very well. In fact, I would have to jump between chapters less than with our current textbook for this class. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"On a computer screen the pdf works very well with Acrobat, and with a slightly bigger desktop-screen, single page view worked great. On a 13\" laptop this was still possible although text then became a little strenuous to read. Navigation was easy using the Acrobat functionalities that were seamlessly integrated. I was easy to jump forward to a figure or other relevant section and then right back to where i had left off. The hyperlinks to the Table of Contents was also very useful to jump between sections with ease. ","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"There were minor typos throughout, but not overly frequently. This, for the most part, did not detract from the book. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book  called on examples from a variety of possible application fields such as environmental, medicinal, industrial etc etc which will stimulate all students irrespective of their particular motivation to study chemistry. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2018-12-10T15:43:12.000-06:00","updated_at":"2018-12-10T15:43:12.000-06:00"},{"id":2489,"first_name":"Richard","last_name":"Lahti","position":"Associate Professor and Chair","institution_name":"Minnesota State University Moorhead","comprehensiveness_rating":3,"comprehensiveness_review":"Analytical Chemistry 2.1 covers a number of important analytical chemistry topics.  It does not, however, cover mass spectroscopy, IR nor NMR, nor does it claim to.  In fact, it says on page 8:  \r\n\"Modern methods for qualitative analysis rely on instrumental techniques, such as infrared (IR)\r\nspectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (MS). Because these qualitative applications are covered adequately elsewhere in the undergraduate curriculum, they receive no further consideration in this text.\"  Thus, if students take analytical chemistry after an organic chemistry class where these topics are adequately covered, then this text would be complete and adequate.  If not (or perhaps if your analytical class had a large number of transfers from a 2-year college where they did not have some of these, and you wished to have these as part of your references) you will need to select another book or supplement.  In my case, MS was very important so my rating is lower - in truth, probably 3.5.  If this was not necessary for you, then probably a 4 or even a 5 would be appropriate.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No meaningful errors found.  Yes, it is accurate and unbiased.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"Yes.  It is relevant.  It does a good job with the fundamental theory behind most of the analytical techniques and instrumentation, and these are timeless.  It does cover the details of applications to the specific historical development of instruments and how newer instruments and techniques addressed issues with older approaches.  As some areas will develop faster than others, it might be necessary to supplement with articles if a particular cutting edge approach in HP-LC was desired, for instance.  ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"Yes, very easy to read.  Students should be able to read it and learn from it.\r\nYes, vocabulary words are defined, and there is no unexplained jargon.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Yes, there is a high degree of internal consistency.   No problems noted, such as when one chapter seems to take after one approach and different chapter, another, due to differences in the way each sub-field handles a certain concept.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Maybe too much foreshadowing?  For example, chapter 12A gives an overview of separations, and 12A4 gives an intro to electrophoresis.  But electrophoresis is not actually handled until 60+ pages later.  In my opinion, the intro in 12A4 was too long to be an intro given all of GC and LC was in between.  But once you get used to it, it is not a problem.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"Yes the topics are organized in an appropriate manner so that one topic builds off of the next.  For example chromatography (chapter 12)  follows and builds off of liquid-liquid extractions (chapter 7).\r\nSome chapters could be moved around as desired, but his order makes sense.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"I viewed this as a PDF on a desktop and laptop PC.  Everything displayed fine, even if I resized the window.  I didn't (as I assume my students will) try to read this on my cellphone or smartwatch, and can make no guarantees about that.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Everything looked good to me.  No noticeable errors, and certainly none that impacted understanding.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"The text is culturally neutral.  The text covers chemistry and chemical techniques.  Most of the end of chapter questions deal strictly with analysis of data.   Some of these are written in such a way to make it a-cultural (not \"Jose wishes to monitor\" but \"You have been asked to monitor\". Many of these questions directly reference literature.  I suppose someone could argue that the literature is dominated by dead White European Males and so does not make adequate use of inclusive examples, and in that light I will give it a 4, but I prefer his approach and think it is far more appropriate.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I think the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.  If I was asked to rate the book overall, I'd go a solid 4.3-4.5.  The science is good, the writing is good, the graphics are good, the sample questions are good, and probably for most analytical chemistry classes, the content is appropriate because they cover the missing content (IR, MS, etc.) in a prior class.  \r\nI do wish that some materials (PowerPoints, test bank, etc.) were available, but it is a solid textbook.","created_at":"2019-01-01T12:35:27.000-06:00","updated_at":"2019-01-01T12:35:27.000-06:00"},{"id":2674,"first_name":"Patrick","last_name":"McVey","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Marian University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Analytical chemistry 2.1 is exactly what it should be: a textbook for a first semester analytical chemistry course. It doesn't add extraneous details or information that would confuse the first-semester analytical student and punts these topics to an instrumental or advanced analytical course appropriately. For example, instrumental methods such as mass spectrometry are omitted from the text. I found this to be a good thing (even as a mass spectrometrist). The authors basically rewrote commonly used analytical texts, supplemented them with extra examples and descriptions of concepts, and made it more applicable to the introductory analytical chemist. A good example is the text's description of an interferometer, which can be a confusing topic for students. Other texts I have used have horrendous explanations of how an interferometer works, which only confuse students. This text supplies a succinct overview with all necessary information about constructive versus destructive interference and how we take advantage of that in FTIR. With that being said, a few things are overlooked. For example, the titrations chapter is inferior to other texts. The text seems to skip over weak base-strong acid titrations, and doesn't do a great job with examples for weak-with-strong titrations in general. Most other chapters seem sufficient in their comprehensiveness at an appropriate level for the intended audience. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No accuracy issues were found while reading the text. ","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"Analytical methods are always advancing, especially when it comes to chemical instrumentation. Since the bulk of instrumentation is avoided in this text, and its focus is on foundational analytical chemistry concepts, its relevancy should hold true. ","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"All terminology is defined appropriately, with a chapter dedicated to some analytical terms the student may be unfamiliar with. This is important, as the student is generally unfamiliar with these terms, even though many are introduced previously in courses such as general chemistry. The text doesn't assume the reader has previous knowledge of technical terminology and describes such things effectively. ","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The text provides chapters on a general chemistry review of topics, analytical vocabulary, and statistical methods that provide a foundation consistently used throughout the text. No issues here. ","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"This is probably the best part of the text, and what makes it ideal for an undergraduate analytical chemistry course. The text is broken down logically with each topic comprehensive yet succinct. The chapters build within themselves effectively, and are organized into \"bite-sized\" pieces that are, once again, perfect for undergraduate consumption. If I could change one thing I would put the kinetic review in the actual chapter as opposed to an appendix. While yes this SHOULD be a review from general chemistry in my experience students will not access information that isn't directly put into the chapter. While I could certainly try and force them to go to back of the book, it just seems unnecessary to add a short appendix when the information could be put into the chapter and only add a couple of pages. ","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"Overall the organization in the text makes a lot of sense, and I prefer it to other analytical chemistry texts. This is especially true within each chapter where the flow of topics build upon one another exceptionally. I like the foundation built with the first few chapters (typical in analytical chemistry texts) that then shifts to the general chemistry review/expansion and on to actual analytical chemistry methods of analysis. I will say that I don't understand why collecting/preparing samples isn't introduced earlier. It's possible the author wanted it to be right before the text transitions to methods of analysis, but I'd introduce it earlier in my class. You could make a similar argument for developing a standard method, that it should be introduced earlier in the text maybe before chapters 8-13, however the way it is written relies on knowledge from the previous chapters for student clarity and understanding. I really like the idea of the chapter, as well as the content, but wish it was written to be chapter 8 instead of 14. This will make it difficult to get to in the curriculum and may delegate it to a second semester course such as Instrumental. ","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"Figures, images, and text were all crisp and clear. No issues navigating throughout the text. There are some minor editing issues (see chapter 4 in the table of contents) but they don't seem to be related to any display problems. ","grammatical_rating":3,"grammatical_review":"A score of \"3\" is probably a bit harsh, as the text overall is well-written, but there were a number of noticeable grammatical errors in the text. These ranged from misspelled words to subject-verb disagreements or the use of singular versus plural nouns. Most are minor and don't take away from the text, such as \"...you might considering using Calc...\" doesn't necessarily change the meaning of the sentence, but may impact a student's perception of the text's validity. This is especially true if it's a common theme throughout the text. ","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"Not applicable to this type of text, but references a number of different authors from varying backgrounds. ","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"I intend to use this textbook in my fall 2019 analytical chemistry course. I hope to submit a second review after that semester to give a more thorough account of its effectiveness, as a read-through without direct application in a course can only supply so much information in my opinion. One final thing I wish the authors would change is the front cover! My students thought the word art on the front was, in their words, hilarious. Just a thought!","created_at":"2019-03-15T10:49:09.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-03-15T10:49:09.000-05:00"},{"id":3106,"first_name":"Alycia","last_name":"Palmer","position":"Analytical Laboratory Instructor","institution_name":"Metropolitan State University of Denver","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook is comprehensive for undergraduate courses in quantitative analysis and instrumental analysis. The chapter arrangement is logical and the linking feature in the PDF makes navigation to each page easy. There is no glossary to search for key terms, but this is easily done using the search feature in a PDF viewer.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The content is accurate and makes for an excellent reference book for students. Many primary articles containing actual data are used as examples and end-of-chapter problems.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"I really like that the author includes how to do statistics and data analysis in Word and R. Because screen images of the software are not included, this information will not be obsolete and will be easy to update with new editions of Word.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The language of the text is very easy to read, even for non-scientists. When esoteric vocabulary is necessary, it is defined or linked to a location in the text where there is more information. There are ample graphs to explain statistics performed on sets of data. The figures of instruments and their components are not taken by a professional photographer, but they still clearly show each component and are labeled well.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Both the formatting and flow of adding new information is consistent. When new vocabulary is first presented, it is defined. When these terms are mentioned again, the text links the reader back to the original definition in case more information is needed. In the later chapters when new instruments are discussed, each is evaluated based on its precision, sensitivity, and selectivity as well as cost.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text is easily divisible and does not contain large portions of text. Subheadings frequently introduce new themes and continue the flow of the chapter.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The content is laid out coherently. Content for a quantitative analysis course is covered in the first chapters, and content for instrumental analysis is toward the end.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"Navigating a PDF is never as convenient as flipping the pages of a hard-copy book. With that said, this textbook could be easier to navigate if the table of contents included links to subsections.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"There are very few grammatical errors and formatting of chemical equations and chemical formulas were all very consistent and of textbook quality.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook appears to be inclusive to people of all cultural backgrounds.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-07-19T15:10:00.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-07-19T15:10:00.000-05:00"},{"id":3235,"first_name":"Dane","last_name":"Scott","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"East Tennessee State University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook is excellent as it is extensive for an introductory or basic course in analytical chemistry. This text with more detail could also be a comprehensive reference text.  The topics covered are designed to allow instructors to customize sections taught as covering all of this material in one semester as stated is not possible. Having said that, I chose the section on acid base equilibrium to review. I appreciate the author for covering strong acid and weak acid titrations graphically and showing how pH values are calculated. However, calculating pH for titrations involving polyprotic acids is not discussed.  The titration curve is shown and only the important species before and after equivalence points are discussed. Also, pH for salts of diprotic acids is not discussed. While I feel that many areas are well explained in great detail with excellent real figures, I feel this topic is not as comprehensive as it could be. Finding the pH of H2A and NaHA systems needs to be included.  It is also important to note that many key spectroscopy techniques are included. This is ideal as one text may be used for both Quantitative and Instrumental Analysis covering topics on the ACS Analytical exam in one semester. However, I do not see any sections devoted to discussing noise in instrumentation. As a specific example, I reviewed the atomic absorption section.  This does discuss flame atomic absorption. However, there is no discussion on why the hollow cathode lamp is modulated to a higher frequency or a discussion on the importance of a lock in amplifier.  To be comprehensive, I feel this material should be included.   Many instrumental methods are employed with microscope applications using fiber optics. I feel discussion on the use of fiber optics in instrumentation will permit modernizing the traditional instrumental topics covered. ","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"I do not see any issues with accuracy in the sections that I reviewed.","relevance_rating":4,"relevance_review":"The goal of this as a reference text seemed to present several topics and allow the instructor to select topics to cover. This text does that for introductory courses in Quantitative and Instrumental courses.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"This text is very easy to read and understand.  All individuals should appreciate that. The examples, practice exercises and problems are easy to recognize, follow understand meaning this is a clear text to learn from.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"The text is consistent in format.  It would be nice in the table of contents to see major headings consistently aligned.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"As with Organization, I really think that for example, Chapter 6, should be divided into separate chapters.  A lot of information and different titration methods are discussed in the same section making re-organization and realignment difficult.","organization_rating":4,"organization_review":"As I reviewed the chapter on titrations (6), I found the information clear and presents a lot of material in the same breath so to speak.  This chapter is about 110 pages.  Some topics, such as complexometric and redox titrations, need their own chapter.  This will permit breaking up the material into sections that the instructor can either gloss over or not cover.  While this can be done with the text in its current form, it makes the text more difficult to read from a student’s perspective following which sections may or may not be covered.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"There are no interface issues with the version I looked at both on a computer and mobile device.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"The grammar is well done with the exception of some verb tense issues as pointed out by other reviewers.\r\nThis text is well written.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This text stays focused on scientific topics and is appropriate for any culture.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2019-10-30T14:45:06.000-05:00","updated_at":"2019-10-30T14:45:06.000-05:00"},{"id":3466,"first_name":"Anna","last_name":"Cavinato","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Eastern Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The textbook provides an excellent online alternative to other analytical chemistry books.  I have used this book and its previous edition for the last five years and I strongly recommend it.  The book offers a comprehensive coverage of analytical topics with great emphasis on sampling and statistical analysis of data.  It also includes coverage of spectroscopic and chromatographic topics which makes the book useful for instrumental analysis courses as well.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The book is very accurate.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The content is definitely relevant and reflects current practices in the discipline.  I particularly like the use of examples of analysis type of problems derived from the scholarly literature.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is very clear and all terminology is adequately explained.  However, I typically have to narrow down for students the coverage of a given topic as the author's discussion often goes beyond the scope of what I can cover in 10 weeks of instruction.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The book consistency is excellent.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The book is organized in chapters that can be individually downloaded as pdf files.  Thus an instructor has great flexibility in choosing which parts of the book to utilize.  Each chapter is further organized with headings and subheadings, making the reading very straightforward.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The author does an excellent job in organizing any topics in a logical fashion.  My only word of caution is that there is a lot of information that the instructor needs to sort out ahead of time to guide students to most important outcomes.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The interface is flawless.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"The book is very well written and free from grammatical errors.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The text is by no means insensitive or offensive.  It is hard to be inclusive when discussing topics in analytical chemistry.  There are no references to a variety of races, ethnicity or backgrounds.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"This is an excellent textbook that provides a comprehensive coverage of any topic one would want to address in an analytical chemistry course.  After using this textbook for several years, I am very thankful that my students can access such high quality publication at no cost!","created_at":"2020-01-05T12:05:50.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-01-05T12:05:50.000-06:00"},{"id":4393,"first_name":"Jason","last_name":"Parsons","position":"Associate Professor","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The book provides a great alternative to comparable to the print textbooks I have used in the past for teaching Analytic chemistry.  I have just started using Harvey this year and I highly recommend the book for the analytical chemistry.  The text covers all the content in an undergraduate analytical chemistry course and the necessary fundamental contention to make it an excellent book and is at an appropriate level.  The book also does an excellent job introducing the spectroscopic and chromatographic topics.","accuracy_rating":4,"accuracy_review":"I have not noticed any errors and the content does align very well with the available print textbooks.  In addition, the content is accurate and it does provide some great examples.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The topic covered is one of the most fundamental areas of chemistry which covers titrations, equilibrium, calculations among other calculations and statistics. The book will be valid for years to come.  The examples are good and are reflective of analytic chemistry.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The book is written very clear and no excess jargon is used","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"Very consistent.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"Like most textbooks in chemistry it can be taught in sequence or out of sequence without the previous chapter being necessary for the next chapter.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The content arrangement of any analytic textbook.  I did not see any major issues in the organization of the content.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"I have not had issues with the interface to textbook and none of my current students have complained.","grammatical_rating":4,"grammatical_review":"I have not noticed any major grammatical errors in the text, it is very well written. There are some minor typos which are present in any book.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"It is a chemistry textbook and provides great fundament information in analytical chemistry.  It is a technical book  and is culturally neutral","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"It is a great text for introduction analytical chemistry and provides great examples for the students.  The book also a good foundation of knowledge for the students taking analytical chemistry.","created_at":"2020-11-19T14:48:47.000-06:00","updated_at":"2020-11-19T14:48:47.000-06:00"},{"id":33692,"first_name":"Patricia","last_name":"Flatt","position":"Professor","institution_name":"Western Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"This textbook provides a great introduction to analytical chemistry for undergraduate chemistry majors. It focuses on topics such as experimental design, sampling, calibration strategies, standardization, optimization, statistics, and the validation of experimental results. It is very comprehensive in the areas of analytical chemistry covered and includes standard method development and the use of common chemical instrumentation to solve problems. The chapters each include summaries with key words, and problem sets. The only thing lacking are slide decks.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"Techniques and topics are covered in depth with a high level of accuracy. I could not find obvious errors in the content within chapters.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"This textbook looks like it can be robust and long lasting. Many of the techniques in analytical chemistry are standard techniques used throughout the field and are highly applicable. They are also broken down into chapter sections. Should newer techniques need to be added to an existing section or require the creation of an additional chapter, this could be easily added at a later time.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"The text within each chapter is well written and easy to follow. The chapters are also arranged in a logical order that follows easily for classroom discussion. Some of the textbook figures are a bit complicated or could be made in a way that would be more useable for a presentation.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The writing throughout the chapters is very consistent and follows the same format for the presentation of topics. Each chapter has content sub-sections followed by end of the chapter problems and then the chapter summary and key words.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The text for this book is divided into chapters that reflect smaller packets of analytical chemistry.  Within each chapter, it is divided further into smaller subsections that break content into logical reading blocks for students.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"This textbook is very logically designed with early chapters focused on basic analytical tools that provide a strong foundation for the techniques presented in later chapters. Topics include gravimetric, titrimetric, spectroscopic, electrochemical, chromatographic, and kinetic methods.","interface_rating":4,"interface_review":"The text appears to transition between sections easily and without a lot of delay or problems displaying figures. However, some of the figures are quite large and cannot be easily displayed in powerpoint slide format to be used in lecture.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"I have not found any grammatical or technical errors within the text.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"This textbook only focuses on chemical techniques, methods, and tools and does not really focus on the scientists that made discoveries.  Thus, there is really no cultural materials presented at all.","overall_rating":9,"overall_review":"Overall, I think this is a great option for use in my analytical chemistry classroom that is comprehensive and on par with commercial textbooks in this field. It will decrease student costs and increase textbook availability for my students. I'm really happy that it is available!  It's one of the few OER textbooks available on this topic.","created_at":"2022-02-15T22:54:56.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-02-15T22:54:56.000-06:00"},{"id":33721,"first_name":"Graham","last_name":"Rankin","position":"Adjunct professor","institution_name":"Western Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":4,"comprehensiveness_review":"Although it is intended as a text for an analytical chemistry (wet chem!) course, it does briefly present some instrumental techniques.  At over 1000 pages, I would have hoped it would cover those instrumental techniques in greater depth so that this text could be used for both traditional (gravimetric, titrations, etc) and an instrumental chemistry course, especially given the title of the print version \"Modern Analytical Chemistry\"","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"No problems noted.  This version (2.1) published in 2016 so starting to be a little dated.  Version 2.2 may be coming out in the next year or so, based on time between 2.0 and 2.1 (7 years)","relevance_rating":3,"relevance_review":"as mentioned above I expect a new edition in the next year or so.  While a good understanding of equilibrium concentrations is necessary, the continued emphasis on gravimetric and titrimetric methods when most real world applications are instrumental methods seems less relevant these days.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"This appears to be just an electronic copy of a traditional print book.  Some hyperlinks are given to references, but use of multimedia an animation is limited.  Links to videos of actual titrations showing color change at endpoints might be helpful for students who will need to perform that exercise in lab.","consistency_rating":4,"consistency_review":"As another reviewer noted, some instrumental techniques are introduced but not covered in detail until several chapters (and 100s or pages) later.","modularity_rating":4,"modularity_review":"As it appears to just be an electronic copy of a traditional printed text, it is divided into chapters that are more or less covering a single technique.","organization_rating":3,"organization_review":"As mentioned above, some topics are touched on, but not covered in depth until much later in the text.  Might be better to save those methods until later.","interface_rating":3,"interface_review":"Could have used more hyperlinks to web sources (videos, animations, etc.)","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"None noted.","cultural_rating":3,"cultural_review":"Nothing to indicate this is just another text by a white male author.","overall_rating":8,"overall_review":"I think I covered everything already","created_at":"2022-03-08T14:00:33.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-03-08T14:00:33.000-06:00"},{"id":34123,"first_name":"Julie","last_name":"Vanegas","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"University of Texas Rio Grande Valley","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"Throughout the book, every topic has a full explanation, which is imperative in order to provide guidance to both the student and the teacher at the same time. Furthermore, the exercises/examples are organized in such a manner that it is easy for the reader to understand and follow them.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"This is fantastic!\r\nDuring my Analytical Chemistry class, I am using this book to explain a topic in a variety of ways that are not conventional in explaining topics. As a result of the exercises' accuracy and approach, there is nothing left to chance, which gives the student a chance to come up with alternative solutions to the problems.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"There are several topics in this book that can actually be dealt with in the classroom, so the content is practical.","clarity_rating":4,"clarity_review":"It is the way in which he explains every topic and every exercise that made me choose this book as a teacher. This is a product I will continue to recommend to students for their individual work; the emphasis is on active learning.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"It has been shown that organization and clarity are interconnected. There is a conceptual organization in this book. This is so students are able to apply their old background knowledge to the newly introduced topics in the book, which are explained in detail in this book.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"In order to explain something meaningful in a meaningful way, the emphasis and change of color are two factors that are incredibly meaningful since they force us to stop, think, and explain what they are explaining.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The order in which the materials appear as explained above allows the student to connect the old knowledge with the new without having to work backwards from the beginning.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"As far as graphs, images, tables, and others are concerned, they do not contain any type of distortion or graphic visualization problems. Due to the fact that these pages offer options for engaging with books from a platform, they are a smart choice. This is because you provide us with options to work with books and respect their copyright. This is why I think that these pages provide us with options to work with books.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"It is imperative to note that the author uses correct language and grammar. I was very surprised by the amount of synonyms and antonyms that were incorporated to make this book useful on a number of levels. Throughout the book, the author uses the scientific method to explain each topic in a rich, comprehensive, and explanatory manner.","cultural_rating":5,"cultural_review":"The book tells us about all the cases. references so that those who wish to do more research on the subject will be able to do so by using further references. In my opinion, there is nothing in the document that is not inclusive. As far as this point is concerned, I do not have an opinion on it. The author seems to have no preference in relation to gender, race, social group, or any of the other categories.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":"I believe this book would be perfect if more emphasis was placed on active learning. I think that the author makes comparisons all the time, but I believe that it would be beneficial to put them in context.","created_at":"2022-11-08T10:16:01.000-06:00","updated_at":"2022-11-08T10:16:01.000-06:00"},{"id":35369,"first_name":"Wei-Cheng","last_name":"Hung","position":"Assistant Professor","institution_name":"Southern Oregon University","comprehensiveness_rating":5,"comprehensiveness_review":"The text does an excellent job of covering all key areas and concepts, making it a comprehensive resource for both students and instructors. It is well-organized, with material presented clearly and logically, allowing readers to follow along without feeling overwhelmed. The inclusion of an effective index and glossary is particularly helpful, as it enables students to quickly locate and review important terms. However, it might be beneficial to expand on some of the more challenging topics to ensure accessibility for students with diverse backgrounds. Additionally, while the content is thorough, covering all the material within a 10-week quarter term may be challenging; this ultimately depends on the instructor’s selection of topics. Overall, this text is a solid and accessible resource for learning analytical chemistry and serves as a valuable tool for preparing for the ACS exams.","accuracy_rating":5,"accuracy_review":"The textbook is highly accurate in its presentation of foundational and mid-level analytical chemistry concepts. While it could benefit from updates on emerging technologies and deeper integration of real-world applications, it remains an excellent resource for both teaching and self-study. For courses requiring the latest instrumentation or more applied focus, supplementary material may be needed.","relevance_rating":5,"relevance_review":"The book is thoughtfully structured, focusing on core principles of analytical chemistry while reinforcing foundational concepts from general chemistry, making updates relatively easy. Most topics and labs are based on traditional approaches, minimizing the need for frequent revisions. However, periodic updates could enhance the content by incorporating advancements in modern analytical tools, environmental applications, and data analysis methods. Overall, the book's design ensures long-term relevance while allowing for seamless adaptation to future developments.","clarity_rating":5,"clarity_review":"The text is written in clear, accessible prose that makes it approachable even for readers without an extensive background in chemistry. Additional explanations and side graphs provide valuable support, helping readers grasp more challenging concepts. The text uses minimal jargon or technical terms, provided readers follow the chapters in order, which ensures context is consistently clear and easy to understand.","consistency_rating":5,"consistency_review":"The textbook is highly consistent in its use of terminology and framework. The terminology remains uniform throughout and avoids confusion for readers as they progress through the chapters.","modularity_rating":5,"modularity_review":"The textbook shows strong modularity and make it an excellent resource for flexible course design. The text is well-divided into manageable sections, with clear subheadings that help break down complex topics into smaller, digestible units. This organization allows instructors to assign specific sections at different points in the course without overwhelming students or disrupting the flow of content. Additionally, the text is not overly self-referential, meaning sections can be reorganized or taught independently of each other without causing confusion. This modularity makes the book adaptable to various teaching styles and course structures, enhancing its usability in diverse learning environments.","organization_rating":5,"organization_review":"The book overall presents topics in a logical and clear progression that effectively supports student learning. The material builds upon foundational concepts, allowing readers to understand basic principles before advancing to more complex topics. Each chapter transitions smoothly into the next, creating a cohesive flow. While the organization follows a structure similar to most other textbooks, I personally found this arrangement helpful, and the students seemed to appreciate and enjoy the order as well.","interface_rating":5,"interface_review":"The text is generally free of significant interface issues and is easy to navigate and engaging for readers. Images and charts are clear and free from distortion, and the overall layout supports the content without causing distractions. However, the choice of color combinations, particularly the use of blue and green, could be more inclusive. These colors may present challenges for colorblind readers, and incorporating more colorblind-friendly options would enhance accessibility and improve the overall user experience.","grammatical_rating":5,"grammatical_review":"Overall, there are no significant grammatical errors in the text. However, some exercise questions could be rewritten more clearly to help students better understand what is being asked. Often, students struggle to interpret the questions or know how to begin, even if the text is free of grammatical mistakes. Providing a bit more guidance in the questions would be beneficial, though this might also fall under the instructor's role to tailor the material to meet the students’ needs.","cultural_rating":4,"cultural_review":"I think the text is fairly neutral in terms of cultural sensitivity. However, I personally appreciate how Skoog et al.'s textbook introduces chemists from diverse races, ethnicities, and backgrounds worldwide. While it might be challenging to incorporate cultural sensitivity into a science textbook, adding examples like environmental monitoring or case studies could help. These additions would not only provide valuable context but also tie into themes of environmental justice that enhances the book’s relevance.","overall_rating":10,"overall_review":null,"created_at":"2024-12-20T13:35:15.000-06:00","updated_at":"2024-12-20T13:35:15.000-06:00"}],"url":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/analytical-chemistry-2-1","updated_at":"2025-11-24T02:03:56.000-06:00"}],"links":{"self":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry.json?page=1","total_pages":4,"total_count":36,"next":"https://staging.open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/subjects/chemistry.json?page=2"}}