ACS In Focus

Get up to speed quickly

These 4-6 hour reads help researchers of all levels gain rapid understanding in a broad array of evolving topics.

About ACS In Focus

ACS In Focus primers help readers of all levels accelerate their fundamental understanding of new topics and core techniques from across the sciences. These four- to six-hour reads use non-specialist language that topic newcomers can easily digest and are delivered in an e-reader platform. Renowned authors provide foundational concepts in their area of expertise, providing researchers with a convenient and trustworthy way to expand their skills in unfamiliar areas.

Purchasing Benefits

Rapid Knowledge Acquisition: Quickly grasp the essentials of new scientific techniques through focused, books written by experts in the field.
Enhanced Expertise: Deepen your understanding of established scientific concepts and solve problems with the latest research developments.
Improved Efficiency: Save valuable time and effort by leveraging the focused format and curated content of ACS In Focus interactive books.
Broader Knowledge Base: Learn about diverse scientific areas beyond your immediate field of expertise to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

For Purchasing Institutions:

For Academic Institutions

When used as recommended course reading, ACS In Focus introduces budding scientists to emerging interdisciplinary and chemical topics and helps students grasp the real-world impact of science. Teaching/research staff even use ACS In Focus to build new skills and develop fast-moving research teams.

For Corporations

ACS In Focus provides the most efficient self-service continuing education solution for research teams to stay up to date about cutting-edge techniques and new topics. These four- to six-hour reads also offer scientists an effective jumping off point into literature explorations.

For Government and Nonprofit

ACS In Focus provides the most efficient self-service continuing education solution for research teams to stay up to date about cutting-edge techniques and new topics. Rapidly offer researchers and policy-makers the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.

Unique features deliver convenient and efficient learning

Brief: Authors keep to the minimum word count necessary to ensure each primer can be read in four to eight hours.
Multimedia: Complex concepts explained via molecular models, video, and more.

Insider Q&A: Interviews (and transcripts) with field insiders.

Check Your Understanding: Eight to ten end-of-primer questions, with answers provided via video and transcript.

A Day in the Life: Case studies that show how a tool is used or offer practical advice.
Read These Next: Author recommended content, such as review articles, to read after the chapter or the primer.

Pop-up Glossary & Acronyms: Definitions of key terms and acronym meanings conveniently available via pop-up.

That’s a Wrap: Bulleted end-of-chapter summaries.

How to Buy

ACS In Focus digital primers (concise e-books with enhanced multimedia) are available for one-time, perpetual-access purchase. There are no limits on number or volume of concurrent users and content is delivered online in our digital e-reader that integrates video and other media. Authentication to our online delivery platform is via the same means used to authenticate online journal subscriptions.

Purchase by Collection

ACS In Focus is acquired at the organization-level by purchasing one or more collections of titles. Two different types of collections are available, thematic collections that group titles by scientific areas of interest, or sequential collections grouped at 10-20 titles. Individual title purchases are not currently available.

ACS In Focus Thematic Collections

AI & Machine Learning (8 titles), View brochure with title list >
Biotechnology & Pharma (19 titles), View brochure with title list >
Energy & Environment (23 titles), View brochure with title list >
Physical & Quantum Chemistry (21 titles), View brochure with title list >
Materials Science (19 titles), View brochure with title list >
Organic & Synthetic Chemistry (14 titles), View brochure with title list >

ACS In Focus Sequential Collections

Inaugural Collection (The first 10 titles in the series, spanning the gamut of topics influenced by chemistry)
Collection One (20 titles published July 2021–August 2022)
Collection Two (20 titles published December 2022–June 2023)
Collection Three (20 titles published July 2023–June 2024)
Collection Four (20 title publishing July 2024–present)

*Sequential collections are typically acquired as multiple collections or as part of a standing- or annual-order agreement. Contact us for individual collection pricing.

Get pricing and discount details

The next step is to get a pricing quotation. Connect directly with a representative in your region who will gladly review all acquisition options and applicable discounts.

Request a Consultation

Customer Testimonials

“A series like this would have been very beneficial to me when I first started grad school, so I can understand its importance for others who want a concise and broad overview of a particular field or topic.”

Joshua Shutter Harvard University

“Machine Learning in Chemistry is highly demonstrative of the wide applications of ML in the chemical sphere. It provides the tools and background to guide you to your own decision relevant to your particular work. It was written with practicality in mind, it presents the history, benefits, concerns, warnings, and critiques of ML in order to allow the reader to come to their own conclusions.”

Mary Kate Caucci Fordham University

“The nice, concise bullet points at the end of the chapter were a useful reminder of the key points. I really liked the mini annotated bibliographies. I believe Advanced Materials used to do something similar in the bibliography where they put one or two asterisks next to a citation for recommended or highly recommended reading. It is really helpful to people new to a field. I also really enjoyed the ‘A Day in the Life’ features, especially when they injected some humor about life as a graduate student. ”

Chris Doty Emory University

“The authors of Metal Nanocrystals do an impressive job of highlighting to a person new to the field of metal nanocrystals what the key scientific principles and goals are in the field. This is a large and rapidly-expanding field, and most reviews in this area get into the fine details of a specialty sub-field. I am often looking for review articles on this topic to give to new students in my lab as well as to use as readings in my nanomaterials course, and I absolutely recommend this excellent resource. I plan to use Metal Nanocrystals with my students (for both research and in the classroom) as soon as it is published.”

Michelle L. Personick Wesleyan University

Frequently Asked Questions

A primer (pronounced prim·er) is an introduction to a subject of study.

All you need is your PC, laptop, or hand-held device. ACS In Focus is read in your web browser and accessed by navigating through the ACS Publications website or directly to the ACS In Focus series page. We recommend you bookmark a title for easy access on any device, whether on or offline. Add the bookmark to your home screen to quickly get you back into the primer on hand-held devices. Note: Access is granted through your library’s subscription, so you need to be on a device that recognizes your library’s license.

KBART and MARC records are available in the Subscriber Resource Center.

Most individual titles are available for single purchase by individuals only through Google Play. Keep in mind, most multi-media functionality is not available when consumed outside of the ACS Publications e-reader. Individual copies are not available for library distribution.