Organic chemistry is different from every other introductory science course because, rather than being a ragtag survey of “general” topics used only in teaching classes, organic chemistry is the first actual, active science encountered by students. Of particular note: (1) the information and concepts are cumulative, building off each other over the year; (2) the concepts are so fundamental to the actual science that extrapolation to new and unfamiliar content is automatic, as these fundamentals are the ones that organic chemists use to understand thousands upon thousands of new literature reports published in the chemistry journals every year; and (3) the instructor is likely a person who got their PhD in organic chemistry (whereas, for instance, no one gets a PhD in General Chemistry, which does not exist as a field, only as a course).

For many decades, the organic chemists at the University of Michigan have taught an extremely coherent introductory course. There is conversation and agreement about the content, depth, and breadth, and the testing across multiple sections is always in common and in the same style. The exams are first created by the team who is teaching, and then it is reviewed and critiqued by others who have commonly taught the course but who are not teaching it that term. This process refines the quality and consistency of the examinations. As a result, from section to section and from term to term, the expectations for what the courses are, what resources are available, how they are tested, and how they are graded, does not vary (except to the extent that all courses evolve, but these changes are discussed and adopted).

The collection of essays included here derive from years of experience. They also derive from years of gathering and analyzing data on student behaviors and performance, aimed at trying to understand, advise, and improve the student experience.