A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry

In A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry Herbert Beall and John Trimbur describe how to write in chemistry. Beall is an expert in writing books about chemistry and Trimbur wrote books about reading and writing. With these two authors combined for one book, there was no doubt that this book would be a top seller. The book thoroughly discusses how to write research papers, literature reviews, critiques, persuasion essays, and lab reports. The book describes what chemists read and write about. To understand chemistry you must find what is significant, make a model, and reason by analogy. The book describes how to read a chemistry textbook, study for tests or quizzes, and take lecture notes. All of these hints are good for a college student in chemistry. The book gives step by step details as the chapter goes along. It gives good details for visual aids, and how to rehearse before delivering your speech if you have to do an oral presentation. The lab report chapter is very useful because it's not just enough to understand the concepts, but you must write out a lab report. After the authors describe the steps to follow, they give an example and then practice problems. The book includes websites to look at for a chemistry article and good engines to use when searching for a certain chemistry concept. The book covers so much information that any student at any level of study can understand the book. The book is designed mainly to get the students to communicate in the chemistry language either by writing, reading, or giving oral presentations. With all of the great things found in this book, it is no surprise that it was successful at helping students and professors alike in writing about chemistry.