Suggested Texts: G. Kateman and L. Buydens Quality Control in Analytical Chemistry 2nd Edition, Wiley Interscience 1993 ; C. Giddings Unified Separation Science Wiley Interscience. Both books are in our science library.
Prerequisite: Chemistry 5640 (Instrumental Analysis) or graduate standing.
Course Content: Chemistry 6600 is an introductory course in the concepts of the structure of problem solving through chemical analysis. Subjects include statistical methods of analysis, sampling statistics, quality control and quality assurance, inference testing, and experimental design. The second part of the course will cover separations.
Course Objectives: This is a graduate-level course that will address the process of the chemical problem solving or detecting through systematic chemical analysis and hypothesis testing. The successful student will develop systematic problem solving skills useful in all areas of chemistry. Theories, models, concepts, and data analysis, as they apply to chemical problem solving will be discussed. The focus on analytical problem solving will further an understanding of principles that, together with the particular analysis methods, will help students plan experiments and test results to answer questions.
Lectures: Lectures will cover topics listed in the tentative outline.
Examinations: Three to five assignments will be given. These assignments are to be returned within a week for grading. Your grade will be based on performance on these assignments.
Homework: Reading exercises from textbooks and other outside sources will be assigned. Students will be expected to find, read, and interpret articles found in the scientific literature. Students will also learn how to use "the net" to research topics.
Grading: Grades are based on your performance on take home assignments. Point scores will be added and a percent score calculated. The guaranteed grade cut-off of 90+% A, 80%-89% B, 70%-79% C, 55%-69% D will be used. +/- scores will be used as prescribed in the Catalog. The percentile scores may be adjusted, only upward, to curve the percent scores if the assignments appear to be too difficult and if the class, as a whole, did not perform well on specific questions.
Withdrawal Policy: This course will follow the University policy on withdrawals stated in the current Undergraduate Catalog. Drop dates are listed in the Spring Schedule of Classes.
Missed Examination Policy: Students may be excused from an examination in cases of emergency. Documentation to support the emergency must be supplied to the instructor. In cases of excused absence, grades will be assigned based on % of adjusted total score. No repetition of examinations is permitted.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is required for satisfactory performance.
Student Disability Statement: Any student with a disability that requires accommodations must contact the Instructor. The disability must be documented by the Disability Resource Center. Course materials may be requested in alternative formats.
Tentative Outline
Structure of chemical analysis
Basic statistics
Data analysis
Statistical treatment of data
Experimental design and inference through statistics
Thermodynamics of separations
Kinetic theory of chromatography
Gas chromatography (GC)
Liquid chromatography (LC)
Capillary Electrophoreses
Other Topics? (if time allows)
This page was last edited Sunday, April 22, 2007