Course Organization

Organic Chemistry 1 (Chem 12A) consists of 3 hours of lecture and 6 hours of lab per week.

Textbook: "Organic Chemistry", D. Klein, 1st or 2nd edition.

OR "Organic Chemistry - A Tenth Edition", Open Stax, FREE - https://openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry/

Assignments

Weekly Quizzes: Each Quiz evaluates one Course Objective and will be given every Wednesday or Thursday. You will be allowed to use your book and notes. Each Quiz is designed to take 20-30 minutes to complete, will consist of 4 or 5 questions, and will be graded Pass (Master)/Not Pass (Master). A Pass (Master) Grade (80% or higher) means you have mastered that Course Objective. You will take each Quiz using the Gradescope app.

If you do not pass a quiz, i.e., do not master a Course Objective, you can retake Quizzes 1-3 on Week 4, Quizzes 4-6 on Week 8, Quizzes 7-9 on Week 12, and Quizzes 10-11 on Week 15.

Four Multi-Objective Questions: Each Multi-Objective Question evaluates several Course Objectives and will be given on the regular quiz day on Week 4, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 15. You can use your book and notes. Each Multi-Objective Question is designed to take 30 minutes to complete, consists of one question with up to five parts, and will be graded Pass (Master)/Not Pass (Master). A Pass (Master) Grade is 80% or higher. You will take each Multi-Objective Question using the Gradescope app.

Biology or Industrial Reaction Application: You will work in a group of 2 to 4 to apply 2 or more Course Objectives (except Objective 16) to biology reactions or industrial reactions (one reaction per person). Your Biology or Industrial Reaction must be reaction types we have covered in Chem 12A this semester. For each reaction, identify the reaction type, structural features, and reactive sites, e.g., alpha carbon, describe the mechanism using curved arrows, and other concepts that are important in the reaction.

Your group will prepare a Google Slides presentation of your reactions during Week 16. Each group will review and evaluate presentations by two other groups. You will submit your review of each group’s presentation on a Google form.

Extra Credit added to Bio/Ind Reaction grade: BACON (Biology And Chemistry Online Notes). These tutorials are biology reactions that are explained with organic chemistry. We will review some of these bio reactions in lecture. THESE BIO REACTIONS ARE POSSIBLE REACTIONS YOU AND YOUR GROUP CAN DO FOR YOUR BIOLOGY OR INDUSTRIAL REACTION FINAL EXAM PROJECT.

7 BACON tutorials @ maximum 10% of Bio/Ind Reaction Extra Credit. The cost is $6 to do these BACON tutorials (funds go to the developer at UCLA). Go to LearnBacon, click “Sign Up” to create an account. Each tutorial has specific start and end dates during the semester. Take the Quiz at the end of each Tutorial. Your Quiz Score determines your Extra Credit.

Homework: You have to put in the study time (2 hours of deliberate, active work for every lecture hour) to learn and perform well in this course.

Homework includes:

1. Alchemie Mechanisms ($9.99 on iOS or Android store) app assignments to apply and practice using curved arrows to understand reaction mechanisms. There will be 11 graded Alchemie Mechanisms homework assignments this semester. 

2. Retrieval and Deliberate Practice of course material. While reviewing course material, practice retrieving the information and develop your problem solving skills by doing the Quiz Practice Problems (with solutions) spaced over time on the Chem 1A website. This will help your long term retention of these concepts.

Laboratory: Your Lab Grade consists of a 15 Lab Assignments (weekly) and a Lab Safety Factor.

Grading

Your Chem 12A Course Grade (lecture and lab) will be based on your mastery of the 16 Course Objectives.

A = demonstrate knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of concepts and principles

B = demonstrate knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis of concepts and principles

C = demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of concepts and principles.

To earn an A Grade: Pass 10 of 11 Lecture Quizzes, Pass 3 of 4 Multi-Objective Questions, B (≥ 80%) or higher on Bio/Industrial Reactions Application, ≥ 87.5% on Alchemie Mechanisms Homework, ≥ 87.5% on Lab Assignments.

To earn a B Grade: Pass 9 of 11 Lecture Quizzes, Pass 2 of 4 Multi-Objective Questions, B- (≥ 75%) or higher on Bio/Industrial Reactions Application, ≥ 75% on Alchemie Mechanisms Homework, ≥ 75% on Lab Assignments.

To earn a C Grade: Pass 7 of 11 Lecture Quizzes, complete the Bio/Industrial Reactions Application, ≥ 60% on Lab Assignments.

D or F Grade: Pass less than 7 of 11 Lecture Quizzes.

A ≥ 87.5%, B range (75-87.5%), B- = 75-79.9%, B = 80-84.9%, B+ = 85-87.4%, C = 60-74.9%

Example: A student passes 9 Quizzes, passes 1 Multi-Objective Question, 65% on Bio/Ind Rxn, 75% on Homework, and 80% on Lab assignments earns an overall C grade.

Sample Chem 12A Schedule