"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
Albert Einstein
Canvas Site Home Page
Course Meeting Times
Lecture
T/TH 11:00am - 12:20pm
BAG 131
Lectures are recorded via Panopto, and available as live streams (links in Course Schedule)
The best learning happens when as many students as possible participate in our large group lecture sections! Attendance is not monitored in lecture and you only need to attend in person for the 3 midterms and the final exam. If you need to miss an exam for any reason, please submit a response to this absence form.
Discussion Sections
Mondays (times and locations per the UW Time Schedule)
Discussion sections are not recorded and in-person participation is expected. You are allowed to miss two discussion sections without penalty. If you need to miss discussion section for any reason, please submit a response to this absence form.
Teaching Team
To contact us, see Course Communication or the Office Hours Information.
Instructor
Dr. Samantha Robinson (she/her) | sjconnel@uw.edu
Office: BAG 202D (above the front doors of Bagley Hall)
(Office Hours held in Chemistry Study Center)
Teaching Assistants
Ricardo Rivera-Maldonado (Sections AA, AC)
Eli Jaffe (Sections AB, AD, AE, AF)
Course Materials
- Organic Chemistry, 7th edition (Loudon & Parise, Macmillan) (ebook embedded in Achieve Homework)
- Study Guide & Solutions Manual for Organic Chemistry, 7th edition (recommended, Loudon & Parise, Macmillan)
- Achieve Online Homework (Macmillan)
- Molecular Model Kit (recommended)
- Non-graphing calculator
(More information is available on the Textbook Information Page)
Internet & Instructional Technology
- Access to a computer or tablet
Need a device? Try Student Technology Loan Program funded by Student Technology Fees
- Daily online access
- Canvas (canvas.uw.edu)
- Achieve Online Homework
- Gradescope (gradescope.com)
- You will be enrolled in the Gradescope course via Canvas; course code is not required.
Learning Objectives
Students who successfully complete CHEM 237 will be able to:
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Describe the core physical and chemical principles that explain bonding in organic molecules
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Convert between names, two-dimensional representations, and three-dimensional structures of organic compounds
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Identify acids and bases using both the Lewis and Bronsted frameworks
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Use the Lewis acid-base framework to describe organic reactions using curved-arrow mechanisms and use those mechanisms to predict the specific results of those reactions
- Describe how the three-dimensional shape of organic molecules can lead to chirality and different conformations
- Predict the major product of organic reactions based on reactant structure and reaction conditions for alkene & alkyne reactions
See a more specific breakdown of objectives & skills per chapter on the Course Learning Objectives page in Canvas.
Course Components & Grading
The course consists of:
- 2 recorded in-person class sessions per week - Recordings will be available in Panopto in Canvas
- 1 in-person discussion section per week with a teaching assistant (sessions are not recorded)
- Daily work in the Achieve online homework platform
- In-person exams (3 midterms and 1 final exam) administered in BAG 131
- Various participation assignments: exam reflections, reading assignments, etc.
You can find more specific information on the percent of your grade earned from each task on the Grading Policy page.
Some additional notes on grading:
- The final median GPA in Chemistry 237 generally falls between 2.6-2.9. (Historically the class total average percent is ~75% at the end of the quarter)
- It is the Chemistry Department’s policy not to make grade changes of 0.1 after final class grades are submitted to the UW Registrar.
- Your scores for the various assignments and exams will be recorded using the online Gradebook in Canvas.
Additional Resources in Canvas
Course Schedule Summary (Topics, Reading Assignments, and Due Dates)
Keys to Success & Help Resources
Course Communication & Contact Information
Course Policies (Absences & Late Work, Exams, Grading Policies)