Chemistry 476 Style Guide

Research Report

This semester you will prepare a 15-page (minimum, excluding references and including not more than two pages of figures, schemes and tables) report on a topic in inorganic chemistry.  The paper must include a minimum of 7 references from the primary literature (articles, notes and communications) out of a minimum total of 10 references.

 

The paper is to be written in the style of Chemical Reviews as given in the last year's Instructions to Authors, with the following modifications:

Section Changes
I No change.
II Ignore all, except for the last paragraph.
III.A. The second paragraph in introductory material under the main heading does not apply to us.
III.A.1 Three copies of the manuscript are to be submitted to me by the due date given in the syllabus.  All graphics (figures, schemes) and tables are to be embedded in the manuscript at the appropriate place, not at the end (this is different than the p-chem formal report and progress reports that you've done in the past).  Also, you are not to submit multiple copies of color artwork and Supporting Information and you will not complete the copyright transfer form.
III.A.2 After the peer-review, submit two copies of the manuscript and the original copy that the instructor reviewed, along with your responses to the reviewers' comments by the given due date.  After the final instructor's review, you will need to submit a single copy of the final manuscript.  Do not submit anything else called for in III.A.2 at any time.
III.B. No change.
III.C. Tables are to be embedded in the text, just like figures and schemes. 
III.D. All graphics are to be placed in the text near where they are first mentioned and should be of sufficient size and clarity that the reader and read and understand them.  They are not to be placed at the end of the document. Do not submit extra copies of graphics or copies of the graphics on disk.
III.E. Use the equation editor included with Word to prepare equations and place them in the text as close to where they are first mentioned as possible.
III.F. No change.
III.G. No change.
III.H. No change.
III.I. This section is not applicable.
III.J. Not applicable.
IV. Not applicable.
V. Manuscripts (and all other required materials) are due in my office by 5:00 PM on the due date given in the syllabus.
VI. Not applicable.

Your paper will be peer-reviewed by at least two of your classmates and the instructor. The reviewers' suggestions are to be incorporated in your revised manuscript, if possible, and their suggestions are to be addressed in a cover letter that is to accompany the revised manuscript.

The instructor will then review the revised manuscript and it will be returned to you for a final revision.  A single copy of the revised final manuscript is due by Reading Day at 5:00 PM.

 

Peer Review

In your review you are to assess the style, scientific merit and writing/grammar of the manuscript. The following minimum set of considerations must be addressed in each area.

Style
•Does the abstract clearly describe the work?
•Are the objectives clearly stated?
•Is the background sufficient to help you understand the work?
•Does the style conform to ACS norms?
 
Scientific Merit
•What is the importance of the work?
•Does the work stand out?
•Are there considerations that the author(s) left out?
 
Writing/Grammar
•Is the article free of grammatical errors?
•Does the writing style enhance or hinder understanding?

Make corrections and suggest alternative spellings, wordings, etc. on the manuscript, as needed.  Use standard proofreader's marks in your editing.

You are to prepare a cover letter to the author of the manuscript that you review in which you make constructive suggestions on how they can improve the manuscript.  In addition to the usual style considerations (see Writing Laboratory Reports for these), the title and author information, are to be centered at the top of the first page of the review and your name as the reviewer is to be placed at the bottom right-hand corner of the review's last page.  The first paragraph of the review is to be a brief synopsis of the topic discussed, then the remainder of your review is to address the three areas given above.

 

Literature Reviews

The literature reviews are to follow the same format and topics as the peer-reviews, except that 1) two paragraphs are to be used to describe the work done, 2) the scientific merit portion of the review is to be the review's focal point,  and 3) the length is limited to two or three pages.

 

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