May 15, 2008 (Vol. 28, No. 10)
URL:
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook
Rating:
Strong Points: Thorough approach
Weak Points: Most parts need beefing up
Summary:
In terms of virtual content, Virtual Chembook is a sprawling effort from Elmhurst University that goes beyond the bounds of chemistry. The opening page, which is visually uninspiring, has topic areas arranged into three main categories in table form: General Chemistry, Organic/Biochemistry, and Miscellaneous. Underneath those are dozens of subtopics, including Solutions/Solubility, Molecular Geometry, Carbohydrates, Enzymes, Global Warming, and Drug Chemistry. Clicking on subtopics brings up primary information, which is adequate but not as in-depth as that in the previous site and of limited use for teaching, other than for parenthetical, basic information. While Virtual Chembook is good, the individual subsections are somewhat lacking, making yet another case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
