book reviews

stereochemistry. However, nmr spectroscopy including C-13 nmr is introduced as early as Chapter 10. Other spectroscopic techniques are covered later in separate chapters. The remainder of the first half of the hook is mnrernrd aith aryrlicnl~phnt~cnrmpounds rxrluiirt. c . i arnincz. Aromatir chemistry is not even introducrd until Chapter 21. Cyclic compounds, including a discussion of ring conformations are covered in Chapter 23. Among the last few chapters are detailed treatments of aromatic chemistry, amines and heterocyclic molecules. There is a special topics chapter whieh considers such areas as photochemistry, the Woodward-Hoffmann rules and biosynthesis of natural products. The book ends with a view of the chemical literature.

There is much commendable about Stre- itwieser and Heathcack's hook. Not onlv is it well written, but it is an interesting hook to read. Although the organization of topics is somewhat different from most other com- parable textbooks, I find it a workable ap- proach. Many of the reactions presented have percent yields associated with them. More- over, experimental details are often given for important transformations enabling students to gain some armchair appreciation for how organic reactions are carried out. Useful ta- bles of spectral data, bond energies and pK.'s as well as a summary of functional group preparations are included in the appendices. Many will appreciate the fact that pK, is used throughout in comparing strengths of both acids and bases. Computer graphical reoresentations of wave functions and the

to picturing these concepts. My copy contained virtually no typo-

graphical errors. I must, however, quarrel with a couple of statements in the text. On pp. 76-77 catalytic cracking and reforming are seemingly combined when they are ae- tually two distinctly different processes. In their discussion of carbohydrates the authors state on p. 696 that erythrose may be reduced to a meso polyol withR,R or S , S configura- tion, whereas threose is converted upon re- duction to chiral forms having R, S or S , R configuration. These stereochemical assign- ments should he reversed. Molecules which are meso have theR, S or S,R configuration, while optically active compounds such as the reduced forms of threose have theR,R or S , S configuration. Also, with regard to stereo- ehemistrv. i t should be noted that the words

rently favored usage. There are many excellent problems a t the

end of each chapter although I would have liked to have seen some of the exercises in- terspersed within the text. I believe exercises whieh occur a t various points before the end of aehapter are useful in helping thestudent to think about the material heor she has just read. A solutions manual is available and contains rather complete answers to the ex- ercises. Because chapter designations are not given on most pages, it is quite difficult to locate specific solutions. Perhaps this is by design.

Although I find this textbook to be a very well-written and conscientious effort, I am somewhnr anry of rrcummcnding i t fi>r every school ofttriny urgdnir r h c m i ~ t r y . Thii is a relatively sophisticatrd book h i w wndmp. it, I must co&ude that a student will proh; ably need to have had a strong course in general chemistry which includes a good coverage of elementary thermodynamics and kinetics before effectively understanding the Streitwieser and Heathcock text. However, small classes of able students and those in- terested in chemistry a3 a career will find this book a challenging and valuable educational tool.

Gary 0. Spessard St. Olaf College

Noflhfield. Minnesots 55057

Analysls and Presentation of Experlmental Results

R. H. Leaoer and T. R. Thomas, Teesside Polytechnic. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1975, xiii + 127 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 23.5 cm. $7.75.

This brief text in statistical methods is intended for students in engineering and science curricula, to be used in conjunction with a laboratory course early in their uni- versity or college programs. It has some ap- pealing features, including a set of flow charts for error analvsis and the inclusion of chao- ters on dimensional analysis and time-series analysis. A chapter on report writing includes some helpful side-by-side examples of good and had writing, hut would have to he sup- plemented with an explanation of the styles and formats commonly used in chemical publications. A chapter on "Graphicsl Pre- sentation" deals only with regression and correlation and says nothing about the proper ways to draw graphs, a topic implied by the title and toooften slighted in the training of chemists. The simultaneous use of regression and eorrelation in this chapter is unfortu- nate.

On the whole, the book cannot be recom- mended. It does not adequately explain im- portant concepts (some, such as confidence limits, simply appear without definition). Extensive use of calculus, including partial differentials, will pose a serious harrier to comprehension. The line of reasoning is often hard to follow, partly due to the placement of topics out of sequence. The procedures for data analysis are on the whole not clearly set off in the text, which will limit its usefulness as a reference.

No single book would serve as an ideal al- ternative to this one, using the criteria of clarity of exposition, brevity appropriate to a supplementary textbook, and adequate breadth of coverage of modern topics and techniques. Several can be recommended for consideration, however, including: E. B. Wilson, Jr., "An Introduction to Scientific Research" (McGraw-Hill), W. J. Youden, "Statistical Methods for Chemists" (Wiley), P. D. Lark, B. R. Craven, and R. C. L. Bos- worth, "The Handling of Chemical Data" (Pergamon), H. L. Youmans, "Statistics for Chemistry" (Merrill), and, on a higher level, 0. L. Davies and P. L. Goldsmith, "Statistid

Methods in Research and Productionn (Longmans).

Roland F . Hirsch Seton b l i University

South Orange, New Jersey 07079

Math Skills for the Sciences

John G. Pearson, University of Alaska; Dennis M Stone, University of Michigan, and Richard F. Swindell, Mt. Growatt College, Australia. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1976. ia + 147 pp. Figs. and ta- bles. 17 X 25.5 cm. paperback, $4.95.

This text is a recent addition to the John Wiley Self-Teaching Guides. The hook is a revision of a text entitled "Math Skills for First Year Science" published under the auspices of the University of Idaho and the Idaho Research Foundation, Incorporated.

The book is one of several appearing on the market in the past few years for students who are having difficulty in introductory science courses, not because they lack intelligence, hut because they lack the mathematical techniques required to understand and apply the theoretical concepts and principles being taught.

As the authors admit in the introductorv rpmarki, the tamk i i not a irholarlv work. Hnther. ~t IS an infcmnal, practirnl. nnd ureahle s~pplcrnentary rrxt nrirtrn ro help these students brush up, or even learn, the necessary math tools to successfully complete introductory science courses. Seven chapters with the titles "General Math Operations," "Math Ooerations on Fractions." "Aleehra." - . " ~ x ~ o n e k s , " "Scientific ata at ion," "Loga- rithms," and "Problem Solving and Dimen- sional Anlaysis" are placed before the student in a traditionalself-study style. To help him locate his math deficiencies, a pretest is of- fered a t the first of each chapter. Behavioral objectives are specified in the pretest format. Once the student has located his problems in a given ehaoter. he is directed to what the

located. The information in the frames includes

terminology, notation, rules, examples, and problems to work. Answers follow immedi- ately after the problems. The information is stated simolv. it is comolete. and it mentions

later chapters, are characteristic of those found in the basic science courses. A wide spectrum of disciplines and problem types is offered.

While the text is relatively free of errors, it has a few weaknesses. I t does not discuss graphs, slide rules, significant figures, error analysis, error propagation, or hand calcula- tors. The index is too brief. More impor- tantly, some students who need the material in this text may experience difficulty. Unless the student is motivated to overcame his math deficiencies, he may become discour- aged at the swift progression from simple examples and problems to those that are complex.

The book has the advantage of being tested under controlled conditions. The authors claim in the introductory pages that "When the material in this text was studied by stu- dents with low math aptitudes, they averaged a whole letter grade higher in chemistry than

A298 / Journal of Chemical Education