Scientific Claim Assessment Overview

To-Do Date: Oct 30 at 11:59pm

Library Guide

Scientific Claims Assessment1

(Adapted from Project-based Applied Learning by Margaret Brickman, University of Georgia)

One of the most critical skills for surviving in the modern world is the ability to assess and evaluate a scientific claim. You are bombarded with advertising, political arguments and public relations messages. There are products that claim that you will lose weight, be beautiful and stay young forever. Some of them are bunk, but some of the products might actually help (sunblock really does reduce the amount of wrinkles and postpone the age at which you get them).  How to differentiate? How to discern the difference?

You are going to learn the basics of assessing a scientific claim by examining a specific claim. In groups, you will then investigate a specific claim and create a flyer for the general public. 

Goals:

Part I: Learn how to assess scientific claims. Download Learn how to assess scientific claims.

Part II: Apply that information to specific claim.

Part III. Practice your scientific communication by disseminating information about this claim. 

 

Part I. Learn how to assess claim - 

In lab, we will learn

    • The components of a good scientific claim
    • How to evaluate the quality of evidence
    • The different types and sources of information

Afterwards you will take online quizzes to make sure you have understood the material. As usual, you will have 3 attempts at each quiz. 

 

Part II:  Selecting and Investigating  Your Scientific Claim- Bring Laptop  (if you have one)

In lab on November 6th  I  will teach you 

    • How to generate scientific questions 
    • How to use our library resources to research your questions. 

Afterwards,  you will select the scientific claim that you want to investigate. You will need to decide on your topic, and  begin your scientific claim assessment.

 

Part III: Scientific Claim Assessment Flyer

From November 3rd to the end of the  semester, you will be working on your scientific claim assessment and producing your flyer.  This will entail

    • Writing an annotated bibliography
    • Doing a practice peer review of past semester's students' flyers
    • Producing a first draft of your flyer
    • Meeting with me to go over your rough draft 
    • Turning in  your final draft
    • Presenting the final draft to the class