Since 1966 the Chemical Society Research Unit in Information Dissemination and Retrieval at the University of Nottingham has been evaluating the use of "Chemical Titles" (CT) and "Chemical-Biological Activities" (CBAC) as current awareness services. Early results of this evaluation led to the Students' Chemical Information Project (SCIP) designed to spread knowledge of these services. Part I of this two part report on the SCIP reviews the project and its major results. The main objectives were educational: it was hoped that experience gained in the use of CT and CBAC would lead to more knowledge of the existence and use of conventional chemical and related information services. Secondary objectives were to gain operational experience in the routine provision of computer-based services on a large scale, to investigate the feasibility of using specially trained research chemists to act as intermediaries between the users and the service supplies, to learn something about the information habits of students and (ultimately) to have users with some experience of computer-based services working in Government, academic and industrial laboratories. (for Part II see LI 002 563). (NH)