Chemistry essays: conducting your analysis

You might be disappointed to hear that you do indeed, have to do writing assignments in a chemistry class. Most scientists aren’t necessarily good writers or enjoying writing essays, but you can make this project easier on yourself by approaching it from a scientific mindset. In order to get a good grade on this assignment, you can put your chemistry knowledge to work. The writing practice will be good for a scientist, because although this isn’t an experiment, you’re probably already used to writing reports. Writing an essay isn’t too much different, and won’t take as much time as you think.

The way that you approach this will determine how hard you have to work at it, and how much time it will take. Using an outline and planning out your time is always the way to go. Once you know exactly what you need to do, it makes everything go smoother and faster.

How to Write a Chemistry Essay in No Time

Here’s what you need to do first: find a topic that’s both scientifically appropriate and fun! Making it about something, you are interested in or passionate about will make this essay seem easier, because you’ll be learning something new and enjoying the process at the same time. The analysis part of your essay is what you do best as a chemist, but the more creative, writing side of this project won’t be hard either if you have a plan.

Some example topics you can pick from for your analysis:

  • Chloramine level in swimming pools: does it vary by temperature?
  • Talk about the analysis and synthesis of hexane-3,4-diol
  • Hong Kong’s water pollution
  • The iron/sulphate complexes that give a transient red colour
  • Seashells and their content of calcium carbonate
  • What is the titration of vitamin C in commercially produced fruit juice?
  • A study about the making of ibuprofen
  • Analysis of the remaining gases after a candle has been burning in a glass jar
  • Talk about drops of liquid that are non-coalescing
  • Investigate the activity of yeast
  • Road salts: is NaCl the most environmentally friendly?

After you have a fun topic selected, you can begin your research and writing. Remember that during the writing process, you should just get down the words as you think of them. Don’t reread something you already wrote and edit it until you’re finished the entire first draft. If you keep going back, it will be a lot harder to finish.

 
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