Towns Research Group
Purdue University Department of Chemistry
A Review of Research on the Teaching and Learning of Chemical Kinetics. Bain, K. Towns, M.H. (2016). Chemistry Education Research and Practice, DOI: 10.1039/C5RP00176E ( PDF)
Faculty beliefs about the purposes for teaching undergraduate physical chemistry courses. Mack, M.R., Towns, M. (2016). Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 17, 80-99, DOI: 10.1039/C5RP00148J (pdf)
General Chemistry Students’ Goals for Chemistry Laboratory Coursework. DeKorver, B.K., Towns, M.H. (2016). Journal of Chemical Education, 92(12), 2031-2037, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00463. (pdf)
The Digital Pipetting Badge: A Method to Improve Student Hands-On Laboratory Skills. Harwood,C.J., Fish, J., O'Shea, K., Robertshaw, M.B., Towns, M. (2015). Journal of Chemical Education, 92(12), 2038-2044, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00464 (December 2015 Cover). (pdf)
Comparison and evaluation of learning outcomes from an international perspective – development of a best practice process. Elmgren, M., Ho, F., Akesson, E., Schmid, S., and Towns, M. (2015). Journal of Chemical Education, 92(3), 427-432. (pdf)
Translating across macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic levels: The role of instructor facilitation in an inquiry-oriented physical chemistry class. Becker, N., Stanford, C., Cole, R., Towns, M. (2015). Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 16(4), 769-785. DOI: 10.1039/C5RP00064E (pdf)
General Chemistry Students’ Understanding of Climate Change and the Chemistry Related to Climate Change.Versprille, A., Towns, M. (2015). Journal of Chemical Education, 92(4), 603-609. DOI: 10.1021/ed500589g. (pdf)
Guide to developing High-quality Reliable, and Valid Multiple-Choice Assessments. Towns, M. (2014). Journal of Chemical Education, 91(9), 1426-1431. DOI: 10.1021/ed500076x. ACS Editors’ Choice (pdf)
Infusing Sustainability Science Literacy through Chemistry Education: Climate Science as a Rich Context for Learning Chemistry. Mahaffy, P., Martin, B., Kirchhoff, M., McKenzie, L., Holme, T., Versprille, A., and Towns, M. (2014). ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 2(11), 2488-2494. (pdf)
Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry. Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, D., Towns, M.H. (2014). Chemistry Education Research and Practice,15(4), 501-515. DOI: 10.1039/C3RP00089C. (pdf)
A Review of Research on the Teaching and Learning of Thermodynamics at the University Level. Bain, K., Moon, A., Mack, M., & Towns, M. H. (2014). Chemistry Education Research and Practice, DOI: 10.1039/C4RP00011K.(pdf)
Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report. Auchincloss, L. C., Laursen, S. L., Branchaw, J. L., Eagan, K., Graham, M., Hanauer, D. I., Lawrie, G., McLinn, C. M., Pelaez, N., Rowland, S., Towns, M., Trautmann, N. M., Varma-Nelson, P., Weston, T. J., and Dolan, E. L. (2014). CBE-Life Sciences, 13(1), 29-40; doi:10.1187/cbe.14-01-0004. (pdf)
New Guidelines for Chemistry Education Research Manuscripts and Future Directions of the Field. Towns, M. (2013). Journal of Chemical Education, 90 (9), pp 1107–1108. DOI: 10.1021/ed400476f. (pdf)
Development, Implementation, and Analysis of a National Survey of Faculty Goals for Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory. Bruck, A, & Towns, M. (2013). Journal of Chemical Education, 90, 685−693. dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed300371n. (pdf)
Students’ Understanding of Primary and Secondary Protein Structure: Drawing Secondary Protein Structure Reveals Student Understanding Better Than Simple Recognition of Structures. Harle, M & Towns, M. H. (2013). Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Vol. 41, No. 6, pp. 396-376. DOI 10.1002/bmb.20719 (pdf)
What Faculty Interviews Reveal about Meaningful Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory. Lowery Bretz, S., Fay, M., Bruck, L., Towns, M. (2013). Journal of Chemical Education, 90, pp 281-288. DOI: 10.1021/ed300384r. (pdf)
Reasoning using particulate nature of matter: An example of a sociochemical norm in a university-level physical chemistry class. Becker, N., Rasmussen, C., Sweeney, G., Wawro, M., Towns, M., & Cole, R. (2013). Chem. Education Res. and Pract, 14, pp 81-94. DOI: 10.1039/C2RP20085F. (pdf)
Students’ Understanding of External Representations of the Potassium Ion Channel Protein Part II: Structure–Function Relationships and Fragmented Knowledge.Harle, M. & Towns, M. (2012). Biochemisty and Molecular Biology Education, Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 357–363. DOI 10.1002/bmb.20620. (pdf)
Students’ Understanding of External Representations of the Potassium Ion Channel Protein Part 1: Affordances and Limitations of Ribbon Diagrams, Vines, and Hydrophobic/Polar Representations. Harle, M. & Towns, M. (2012). Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 349–356. DOI 10.1002/bmb.20641. (pdf)
Rubric for Assessing Students’ Experimental Problem-Solving Ability. Shadle, S. E., Brown, E. C., Towns, M. H., & D. L. Warner (2012). Journal of Chemical Education, 89 (3), pp 319–325. DOI: 10.1021/ed2000704. (pdf)
The 2010 Rankings of Chemical Education and Science Education Journals by Faculty Engaged in Chemical Education Research. Towns, M. and Kraft, A. (2012). Journal of Chemical Education, 89 (1), pp 16–20. DOI: 10.1021/ed100929g. (pdf)
Designing undergraduate-level organic chemistry instructional problems: Seven ideas from a problem-solving study of practicing synthetic organic chemists. Raker, J. R., & Towns, M. (2012). Chemistry Education Research and Practice. Advance Article. DOI: 10.1039/C1RP90073K. (pdf)
Problem types in synthetic organic chemistry research: Implications for the development of curricular problems for second-year level organic chemistry instruction. Raker, J. R. & Towns, M. (2012). Chemistry Education Research and Practice. Advance Article. DOI: 10.1039/C2RP90001G. (pdf)
The biochemistry tetrahedron and the development of the taxonomy of biochemistry external representaitons (TOBER), Chemistry Education. Towns, M., Raker, J.R., Becker, N., Harle, M. & Suttcliff, J. (2012). Research and Practice, Advance Article. DOI: 10.1039/c2rp00014h. (pdf)
Students' understanding of mathematical expressions in physical chemistry contexts: An analysis unsing Sherin's symbolic forms. Becker, N., Towns, M. (2012). Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., Advance Article. DOI: 10.1039/C2RP00003B. (pdf)
Adapting a methodology from mathematics education research to chemistry education research: Documenting collective activity. ICole, R., Becker, N., Towns, M. H., Sweeny, G., Wawro, M., & Rasmussen, C. (2012). International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10, 193-211. (pdf)
Faculty perspectives of the undergraduate chemistry laboratory: Goals and obstacles to success. Bruck, L. B., Towns, M., & Bretz, S. L. (2010). Journal of Chemical Education, 87(12), 1416-1424. (pdf)
A review of spatial ability literature, its connection to chemistry, and implications for instruction. Harle, M., & Towns, M. (2010). Journal of Chemical Education, 88 (3), 351–360 (pdf)
Enhancing the role of assessment in curriculum reform in chemistry. Holme, T., Bretz, S. L., Cooper, M., Lewis, J., Paek, P., Pienta, N. J., et al. (2010) Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 11(2), 92-97. (pdf)
Benchmarking problems used in second year level organic chemistry instruction. Raker, J. R., & Towns, M. H. (2010). Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 11(1), 25-32. (pdf)
Developing learning objectives and assessment plans at a variety of institutions: Examples and case studies. Towns, M. H. (2010). Journal of Chemical Education, 87(1), 91-96. (pdf)
The Division of Chemical Education Revisited, 25 Years Later. Bodner, G. M. & Towns, M. H. (2010). Journal of College Science Teaching, 39(6), 38-43. (pdf)
Analysis of classroom response system questions via four lenses in a general chemistry course. Bruck, A. D., & Towns, M. H. (2009). Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 10(4), 291-295. (pdf)
Preparing students to benefit from inquiry-based activities in the chemistry laboratory: Guidelines and suggestions. Bruck, L. B., & Towns, M. H. (2009). Journal of Chemical Education, 56(7), 820. (pdf)
Characterizing the level ofiInquiry in the undergraduate laboratory. Bruck, L. B. Bretz, S. L. & Towns, M. H. (2008). Journal of College Science Teaching, 38(1) 52-58. (pdf)