This article presents an assignment in which students are to research and report on a chemical reaction whose increased or decreased rate is of practical importance. Specifically, students are asked to represent the reaction they have chosen with an acceptable chemical equation, identify a factor that influences its rate and explain how and why it does so, and describe the relevance of the reaction occurring at a slower or faster rate under this condition. The assignment is designed to develop and assess a number of valuable skills and understandings, including the ability to write effectively. (Contains 2 notes.)