Evaluating Information
Some tips for deciding whether an information source is trustworthy and usable:
Currency: It's generally best to aim for newer information sources, but keep in mind that a lot of basic chemical properties were established a long time ago!
Relevance: Is it the exact property you're looking for? Are the units right, or do you need to convert?
Authority: It's a good sign if the info is coming from an expert in the field, a major research institution or government agency, or a chemical industry provider.
Major reason why Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source - it's difficult to determine authorship.
Accuracy: Is a source cited? Can you find any other sources corroborating this one?
Purpose: Who is the info for? Is this data for working chemists, or part of a high school lab manual?
Citations/Style Guide
Sources for Properties Data
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CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 98th EditionCall Number: Simpson Reference QD 65 .H3 [Reference Section]Publication Date: 2018Excellent reference source for all kinds of physical data for elements and common compounds, e.g. specific heat, solubility, density, melting point, etc. The online version has a useful search-within feature.
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ChemSpiderA database of chemical structures and properties owned by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Search by chemical formula or common name - you will probably get the most use out of the "Properties" and "Spectra" tabs.
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Basic Tables for Chemical Analysis by Call Number: Simpson Reference QD 78 .B78 2011Publication Date: 2011Available online and in print. Covers some analytic methods that you might not use in this course, but Chapter 12 on qualitative analysis may be helpful for some groups. Click here to access the 2003 2nd edition as an eBook
Web Search Tips
Google doesn't index every page on the Internet. If you're looking for a specific piece of numeric data, you might not find the answer by Googling it individually. A better strategy is going straight to a reliable data source and searching by the compound name (for ChemSpider) or the type of data you're looking for (CRC Handbook).
You can use Google to guide your thinking about methods. Try various combinations of these phrases:
- qualitative analysis or quantitative analysis
- identification or determination
- unknown mixture (or solution, metal, solid, etc)
- specific substance name or category [zinc, inorganic salts, anion, cation]
