University and Secondary School Students’ Misconceptions about the Concept Of “Aromaticity” in Organic Chemistry

Aromaticity concept is given incorrect or incomplete to the student in secondary education and knowledge
based on this basic concept has been caused to another misconception in future. How are the achievement levels
relating to the comprehension of various characteristics of aromatic compounds for the first and third grade students
attending Department of Chemistry in Faculty of Sciences and Arts, and Faculty of Education in Dicle University
and eleventh (last) grade secondary students? Sample of this study consists of 140 students from Department of
Chemistry in Faculty of Sciences and Arts, and Faculty of Education in Dicle University and 65 students randomly
selected from secondary school students in Diyarbakır city center. Data were collected from the achievement test
developed for aromaticity concept and features. According to the findings of this study, the average achievement
scores difference between the students’ relating to cyclic properties, planer structure, conjugated double bond, the
reactions of aromatic compounds and aromatic compounds obeying Huckel’s Rule has been found significant. It has
been seen that the Aromaticity concept was given in a less amount in secondary school chemistry instruction
program or even insufficient and misconceived form in some chemistry books by reviewing the last grade of
secondary school chemistry text books. The findings of this study showed that the students have had misconceptions
about this subject. So, the secondary school instruction program could be reviewed and given place about
aromaticity concept on a large scale.