Chemical Information for Physical Chemists

Catalog description

This course examines the structure and organization of the chemical literature in the fields of physical and theoretical chemistry chemistry and introduces techniques used to search this literature, focusing on the logic and thought processes necessary for effective information retrieval. The course takes an "under the hood" look at the organization and functionality of a variety of different databases and search systems, and, while learning information retrieval skills, students gradually become familiar with the structure of the chemical literature, the purposes of each genre, and the steps of the scientific publication process. Because of the diversity of research foci in physical and theoretical chemistry, the course is survey in nature, devoting time to a wide variety of tools and search strategies and demonstrating Penn’s collections in chemistry, mathematics, physics, materials science, and engineering. In addition to teaching search skills, we briefly examine methods of choosing a publication venue and the use and limitations of citation information when evaluating authors, institutions, and journals. The semester closes with a brief introduction to personal data management and a discussion of the ethics surrounding scientific communication. The course is taught at a level appropriate for graduate students and advanced undergraduates and requires permission of the instructor to register. Undergraduate students should have taken two semesters of organic chemistry prior to enrolling. Students should have an interest in physical or theoretical chemistry research.