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Associate Professor Michelle Driessen, general chemistry director for the Department of Chemistry, is co-author of a newly-published textbook on introductory chemistry, Introductory Chemistry: An Atoms First Approach. The textbook, written with co-author Julia Burdge, uses an atoms first approach specific to introductory and general chemistry.
Driessen has a lot of experience with the CHEM 1015 course and has always rearranged the current textbook’s chapters to fit an atoms-first approach. “This approach builds student conceptual understanding from an atom, to molecules, to reactions, rather than using the common historical approach,” she said.
The textbook also has been written with the introductory chemistry student in mind. The ordering of topics facilitates the conceptual development of chemistry for the novice. Its language and style are student‐friendly and conversational. The importance and wonder of chemistry in everyday life are emphasized. The textbook employs a consistent problem-solving approach, has interesting applications woven throughout the chapters, and has a range of end-of-chapter problems.
The textbook is one of two that McGraw-Hill now offers for the introductory chemistry course such as the Department of Chemistry’s CHEM 1015. Students in CHEM 1015 will be using this textbook starting this summer.
It took three years to write, edit and publish, Introductory Chemistry: An Atoms First Approach.