Student Expectations in Organic Chemistry 1

This study investigated the preconceptions of students entering Organic Chemistry and how those conceptions changed over the course of the semester. Students filled out three paper surveys: on the first day of class, after the first exam, and after completion of the course. The results and responses of these anonymous surveys were compiled, coded, and analyzed. The students’ expected grades (as a group) were compared to the actual course grades they received. Results indicate that many students fear organic chemistry and believe that it is a difficult course that will give them a great deal of preparation for their futures. At the beginning of the semester, students think that they need to study much more than they did for General Chemistry, but by the end, they do not end up studying as much as they planned. At the beginning of the course, most students believe that they will get A’s, but that expectation is tempered after the first exam. Students’ advice for students who plan to take Organic Chemistry 1 in the future is either to study more or just to not take the course.