Chemistry, 11th edition by solomons, Fryhle, and snyder. after downloading and
reviewing the chapter and table of contents, they participated in a web-based ...
Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder, Organic Chemistry, 11e Chapter Review Customer Feedback Summary
Study Methodology During the Fall 2012 semester, 47 Organic Chemistry instructors participated in an evaluation of Chapter 6, Ionic Reactions: Nucleophilic Substitution and Eliminations Reactions of Alkyl Halides from the forthcoming Organic Chemistry, 11th edition by Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder. After downloading and reviewing the chapter and table of contents, they participated in a web-based survey.
Participating Institutions Austin Community College (TX) Boise State University (ID) Borough of Manhattan Community College (NY) Butler University (IN) California State University, Fullerton (CA) California State University, San Bernardino (CA) Clarkson University (NY) Clemson (SC) CSU Long Beach (CA) East Carolina University (NC) East Tennessee State University (TN) Georgia Southern University (GA) Idaho State University (ID) Illinois State University (IL) John Jay College (NY) Louisiana Tech University (LA) Luther College (IA) Miami University (OH) Morehead State University (KY) Middle Tennessee State University (TN) North Dakota State University (ND) Northern Arizona University (AZ)
Rowan University (NJ) Sonoma State University (CA) Southern Connecticut State University (CT) Texas State University (TX) Tufts University (MA) University of Arkansas Fort Smith (AR) University of North Carolina at Pembroke (NC) University of Southern California (CA) University of Central Arkansas (AR) University of Cincinnati (OH) University of Michigan (MI) University of New Orleans (LA) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC) University of Oklahoma (OK) University of South Dakota (SD) University of Southern California (CA) University of Southern Mississippi (MS) University of St. Thomas (VI) University of Tennessee (TN) University of the Pacific (CA) University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (WI) West Chester University (PA)
Participant Background Most of the instructors are part of the committee that selects which textbook to use (68%). One-third are current users of Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder, Organic Chemistry (34%), while the other two-thirds are using a variety of different textbooks. They have typically been with their current textbook for 3-5 years (36%).
Overall Reaction Overall reaction to Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder was highly positive. Instructors were very enthusiastic about the chapter they reviewed, with most instructors (81%) describing their reaction to the sample chapter as positive. When asked to compare the sample chapter to the corresponding chapter in their current text, significantly more instructors favored Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder, Organic Chemistry over their current textbook, preferring it at a rate of 3:1. Organic Chemistry by Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder is widely viewed as having many strengths among core textbook features, including writing style, accuracy and currency, and overall concept and approach. Additionally, instructors describe Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder’s text as being at about the right level of difficulty for students with a table of contents that is compatible with the instructor’s course.
••• Instructors Rate Solomons as Having Many Strengths Right level of difficulty for students
87%
Currency and accuracy are strong/very strong
85%
Overall concept and approach are strong/very strong
75%
Writing style is strong/very strong
75%
Table of contents capatible/very compatible with course
72%
Interior design of textbook favorable/very favorable
70%
0%
25%
50%
75%
% Instructors
100%
Beyond the Core Features Substitution and Elimination In addition to its other strengths, most instructors strongly prefer the approach and coverage of substitution and elimination Chapter 6 of Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder over the approach and coverage provided by their current textbook (46% vs. 16%). Additionally, most instructors describe Organic Chemistry as clearly or very clearly articulating whether a substitution or elimination reaction is favored (85%).
Solved Problems and Practice Problems Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder provides solved problems and practice problems so that students can benefit from modeling problem solving strategies and practicing what they have learned. “Instructors consider the in-chapter solved problems and practice problems in Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder to be quite helpful. Nearly all rated them as helpful or very helpful in terms of providing valuable practice (96%) and in being helpful to the students (96%).” Although most describe their textbook as having something similar (87%), more instructors preferred Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder’s approach as compared to the problems in their current text (19% vs. 2%, with 79% who rated both books as about the same).
End of Chapter Exercises The end of chapter exercises in Organic Chemistry provides the practice students need to master organic chemistry skills and concepts. Instructors rated the end of chapter exercises in Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder as strong or very strong in terms of the quality of exercises (87%), the quantity of exercises (79%) and the variety of exercises (75%). Instructors prefer the problems found in Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder over those in their current textbook by an almost 3:1 margin (30% vs. 11%)
Reaction Mechanisms Understanding mechanisms and the ability to recognize patterns among them is a key component in determining student success in organic chemistry. The reaction mechanisms in Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder are described as very clear (75%), with many instructors preferring their presentation over their current text (34%).
Applications Through applications, Organic Chemistry engages students with the content by providing them with interesting examples demonstrating the relevance of organic chemistry. The applications in Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder are seen as effective or very effective (51%), with many instructors preferring the applications over those found in their current text (36%)
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE Instructors Prefer Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder Over Their Current Text When asked to compare Organic Chemistry, 11e to their current textbook in terms of the overall chapter and its key features, instructors preferred Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder at a much greater rate than their current text in all areas. This chart shows the overall responses from both those instructors who currently use Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder and those who currently use another text in their course. Both groups preferred Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder at a greater rate than their current text to a similar extent—the only statistically significant difference between the groups being that current Solomons users have an even more marked preference for the approach and coverage of substitution and elimination in the chapter they reviewed from then 11th edition.
••• Solomons Rates Favorably to Current Text Overall chapter Substitution and elimination
46%
16%
Applications
36%
6%
End-of-chapter exercises
30%
11%
Reaction mechanisms Practice problems
34%
11%
6% 2%
0%
28% 19%
25%
50%
75%
% top two box (out of five)
100%
Instructors are likely to consider Solomons/Fryhle/Snyder for adoption The sample chapter of Organic Chemistry, 11th edition by Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder was warmly received by instructors. The chapter has widespread appeal: not only do the instructors prefer the sample chapter over their current textbook at a rate of 3:1, the majority of instructors are also interested in considering it during the next adoption process (79%); nearly as many consider themselves likely to then adopt Solomons, Fryhle, and Snyder’s Organic Chemistry text as well (72%).
••• Vary Favorable Raction to Solomons
81%
Positive/Very positive reaction Interested/Very interested in considering it
79%
Likely/Very likely to adopt it
72%
0%
25%
50%
75%
% top two box (out of five)
For more information please visit www.wiley.com/college/sc/solomons or email Kristy Ruff at
[email protected]
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