An analysis of two textbooks on the topic of intermolecular forces

The content of a complex chemistry topic needs to be analysed and described in order to determine the relationship between the relevant concepts and the logical order in which the concepts should be presented (Taber, 2003). Content analysis helps teachers not to underestimate the complexity of a topic to a learner, which may lead to "ssuming too much prior learning, or not allowing enough time to process the complexity of the new information" (Taber, 2003, p. 153). A concept map and a list of proposition knowledge statements were drawn up by the authors to describe and relate the concepts in the topic of ionisation energy (see Tan & Chan, 2003) following the procedures suggested by Treagust (1995) to define the content framework of a topic.

Two commonly used approved high school chemistry textbooks in Singapore were analysed on the topic of intermolecular forces. The textbooks were:

In the textbook by Hill and Holman (1989), the topic of intermolecular forces was described in 19 pages and presented as a separate chapter from the chapter on chemical bonds which consisted of 14 pages. In Ramsden (1994), the topic of intermolecular forces was integrated within the topic of chemical bonds, and eight pages out of the total of 33 pages for the topic on chemical bonds were allocated to it. Text, illustrations (drawings and tables), and activities proposed were examined to determine if the concepts and propositions identified by Tan and Chan (2003) on the topic of intermolecular forces were mentioned and discussed in the two textbooks.

HH:	Hill, G. & Holman, J. (1989). Chemistry in Context 3rd Edition. Hong Kong: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd.
R:	Ramsden, E. N. (1994). A-Level Chemistry 3rd Edition. London: Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd.