What Is in a Prerequisite? An Observational Study on the Effect of General Chemistry on Organic Chemistry Performance

This study explores the importance of general chemistry as a prerequisite for organic chemistry lecture courses. The students taking organic chemistry were categorized into three groups: (1) those who had finished the prerequisite before starting organic chemistry, (2) those who had not finished the prerequisite before starting organic chemistry, and (3) those who were repeating the course. Most students in group 2, however, took general chemistry during the same semester. The general chemistry prerequisite was found to have a positive but minimal impact on student performance, yielding a slightly improved average and pass rate. However, the difference between groups 1 and 2 was not statistically significant. These results raise the question of whether or not general chemistry should be viewed as a required prerequisite. A few more responses to the implications of these results are offered including using placement exams and AP/IB scores to evaluate whether students require the prerequisite and using intended learning outcomes strategically when designing curricula. Lastly, these results can remind us, as instructors, of being aware of the assumptions we make about our students’ knowledge and academic preparedness.