What is something that most people wouldn’t know regarding the story of its creation?

Final paper
1500 — 2500 words

For the final paper, you’ll compose a paper responding to the following prompts:

Pick an object of significance to you and write about it: What is it? Why is it significant? And how would you have to meet your need (or desire) if it had never been invented? (your choice should, naturally, depend on chemistry in some way)

What is something that most people wouldn’t know regarding the story of its creation?

At the molecular level, what makes its magic possible?

Some may opt for an object of personal significance, and some may choose one for its importance to society. The prompt is left vague on purpose.

I hope this class changes the way you view the material, human-made world, especially at the molecular level. This final paper is a chance to put a capstone on all you’ve learned by writing about a topic of your choice and investigating where it came from and how it works.

It’s a chance to reflect on how far you’ve come and make a record of what you’ve come to understand. And I love seeing the individuality reflected in your chosen objects.

You’ll have questions and I’ll have answers. We’ll discuss the paper, and what makes a good object many times. It’s a great topic to ask about on Campuswire or in office
hours.

Your response to prompts (2) and (3) require research and must include citations. Prompt (2) gets into the history

of chemical inventions and (3) gets into the chemistry (hey — those are what this
class is all about! ).

Prompt (2) is worded to make clear his need not be the definitive history. Pick an event that’s important and perhaps dinner-party worthy— something you’d want to tell a friend.

Your response to prompt (3) requires images, either hand- drawn or modified from sources you find online. This is no time to copy and paste an infographic from
www.compoundchem.com (which, don’t get me wrong, is fantastic). It’s time to showcase that you understand by making and explaining through pictures.

You are required to include with your final paper comments from two other students on a first draft. Including the draft itself is optional. Investing in your writing ability during college pays dividends in every career. A process of multiple drafts with feedback is the best way to improve. Of course, I’m available via office hours for feedback as well.

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