Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Note: for CH 243 students who are starting programs on the semester system in August, you will have the option to accelerate the term and complete it early. There are five main items you need to purchase for the class if you did not take CH 241 and 242 at PCC. For those returning students, only a laboratory notebook may need to be purchased if you are short on room and the 2nd edition of the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam Preparation Guide.

1. The most important item that you need to have with you for every class is the Straumanis Guided Inquiry Workbook, 2nd Edition (ISBN:0-618-97412-1). You can find the workbook at the bookstore new for ~$30. Please do not purchase a used book with completed problems.  It is too difficult to erase, and you would only save yourself a few dollars.  Students using already completed workbooks will not receive participation credit.
2. You will need the Bruice Organic Chemistry text 9th edition to complete the reading assignments and do additional practice problems. If you are uncertain if you want a physical copy or digital ebook version of the text, you can sign up for a FREE 14-day trial for the Mastering Chemistry online homework system which can include the eBook once I post the registration instructions for the online homework system.  The registration instructions for Mastering Chemistry will be posted in D2L when the term starts.

I would recommend a physical text  to all students taking the complete 241-2-3 series and/or those who will need to review Organic Chemistry at a later date (i.e. for the MCAT or science majors).  Once the 24 month period expires for the ebook, you will no longer have access. 

Modified Mastering Organic Chemistry (MMOC) Online Homework System Access Code—NOTE: Do NOT purchase this access code from Amazon or other websites!

Here are three different options for purchasing the Access Code and text access:

Option 1.You may purchase an etext + 24 month MMOC access code for $97

Option 2. You may purchase an etext + print copy + 24 month MMOC access code for $101 (this option is highly recommended).

Option 3. You may purchase the ebook and ONLY 18 week access to the Mastering Chemistry online homework system.  NOTE: ONLY STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING 1 TERM OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY WITH ME SHOULD CONSIDER THIS LAST OPTION as 18 weeks is not enough access time for CH 242 and CH 243.

*NOTE: You will NOT be able to purchase the MMOC Access Code from the Pearson website until I finish setting up the course.  Once I get this set up, I'll post the purchasing information with the CourseID to all the students enrolled in the class.

Paying for Mastering Chemistry is NOT like the 221-2-3 series at PCC Sylvania.  For most of the options, you will only need to purchase it once and it will be good for 24 months, thus the higher initial price.

3. Molecular Modeling Kit

• The PCC Bookstore has the Mega Molecules Advanced General and Organic Chemistry Model Set SKU 098208694 for $21.99. This kit is very easy to use and has everything you need for organic chemistry! 

     4.   We will using a Lab Notebook as well.  Please purchase the specific Hayden-McNeil laboratory notebook.

5. ACS Organic Chemistry Exam Preparation 2nd edition (Orange)

Now that you know what you will need for the class, let me explain a little bit about the class format.  If you enrolled in any CH 221-2-3 series course at PCC Sylvania, you already know that we like to utilize group work in our classes.   The Straumanis workbook is a very well-written engaging workbook for learning the material.  I strongly encourage you to read the first few pages of the workbook to learn about the class format prior to the end of the Week 1 drop deadline.

You will find that most students adjust to the teaching approach in the course and find the lectures to be very informative, fun, and engaging.  It can take students with no experience in active learning (i.e. familiar with passive lecturing only) a little longer than others to truly understand the value of the teaching methodology, but once the students adjust they learn how fun it can be to attend a chemistry class!  We often hear comments from students that they were doubtful of the efficacy of the teaching style, but after a term of adjustment, they prefer it to traditional lecturing.  Additionally, our 243 students score, on average, 10 points higher than the national average on the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam. 

The course will be accessible in D2L starting the weekend before the start of term.  I will e-mail the class once it is accessible. If you'd like to see last year's syllabus for CH 243, please e-mail me!

I look forward to working with all of you!

Ted Picciotto

ted.picciotto@pcc.edu