Chemistry

Reviewed by Tulay Aygan Atesin, Associate Professor, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 5/16/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5

The OpenStax Chemistry- 2e covers core concepts and required course learning outcomes of a two-semester general chemistry course. I have been using it for my general chemistry 1 lecture (Chapter 1 – Chapter 9) in the last three semesters. It is very comprehensive.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate. I haven't encountered any errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This textbook covers how chemistry concepts apply to our daily lives and the world around us. My students find all examples very helpful. Their favorite example is making a grilled cheese sandwich in section 4.4.

Clarity rating: 5

Learning objectives at the beginning of each section, figures and examples are very helpful. I assign the “Check your learning” questions and exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce the key concepts covered in each lecture.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is consistent throughout. Every chapter contains an outline consistent of an introduction, several sections, key terms, key equations, summary and exercises.

Modularity rating: 5

Most sections can be covered in a 75-minute class time. In some lectures, we covered more than one section.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This textbook includes interactive exercises and real-world applications that are very helpful. The clickable “table of contents” and “exercises” are easy to navigate. We cover Chapter 9 (Gases) after Chapter 4 (Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions) and before Chapter 5 (Thermochemistry). For Lewis structure examples introduced in section 7.3, we go through steps 1-5 for each molecule/ion instead of going over each step for all five examples.

Interface rating: 5

Throughput the semester, we accessed the textbook online from our learning management system (Blackboard). I also downloaded a pdf version to my computer for easy access when I am working offline. PhET simulation links have been very helpful for my students to learn challenging topics such as molecular shapes covered in section 7.6.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I haven't encountered any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This textbook is available in both English and Spanish. Being a faculty in the second largest Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the continental United States in terms of enrollment of Hispanic students (92% of UTRGV students are Hispanic), I choose this book because of its bilingual content.

I have been using this textbook for my general chemistry 1 lecture since Spring 2023 semester. It is well organized and overall, my students find it very helpful. Since it can be incorporated into Blackboard, it is readily accessibility. Two-thirds of UTRGV students are first-generation college students. This open-source textbook has been instrumental for students who cannot afford to purchase a textbook. “Check your learning” questions, exercises at the end of each chapter and linked answers to odd questions have been very helpful to reinforce the examples covered in lectures.