Natural Science 4: October 2006

Constructing your blog

You should have already constructed your blog. If you haven't, here (again) are the instructions.

For this class we will be constructing blogs. The point of the blog is to be able to quickly and easily do web research and be able to list the websites where you find the information.

Most blogs will be on basic fact-checking. Students will considered and evaluated claims and find just how easy it is to find good information on the web.

Blog assignments will be announced in class, but the actual assignments will be posted here, on my blog.

Once you have constructed your blog, send me an email address with the web address (URL) of the blog you construct.

My email address is

dme10@csufresno.edu

Be sure to construct and post blogs at

www.blogger.com

Instructions:

To construct your blog, go to

www.blogger.com

Click on the Orange Arrow on the right side of the screen that says “CREATE YOUR BLOG NOW”

Choose a user name, password, and blog name. Click on accept terms, and then click continue.

Name your blog, choose a template and get started.

Go to my blog to find out what topics we'll be researching.

Be sure to email me your blog address. Please put “NS 4 blog”, or something of that sort in your subject line, so that I know it's a relevant email.

Exam 1 will be returned today/Blog 2 assignment

Exam 1 will be returned today.

There is a new blog assignment:

I heard a story about various African Grey parrots that were taught to intelligibly use very simple English words. The sophistication of that use is low, but the parrots are said to not only be able to say the names of things but to create very simple (two word) sentences.

One project has a parrot named Alex. The other, a parrot named N'kisi.

In your opinion, rate the initial credibility (10/10) of the claim. Find the two projects (they are run by entirely different groups). Link to them and read what their claims are. Rate the credibility of their respectively methods and claims.

If there are any things about the projects that strike you as odd, be sure to mention them.

If there are any odd things about the nature of the reporting about these projects, be sure to mention them as well.

Most importantly, be sure to dig deep.

due Monday, 23 October 2006

Adjustments

There will be some adjustments because I was sick this last Wednesday.

The preparation for the exam will be this coming
Monday, 9 October 2006

The actual exam will be moved back to this coming
Wednesday, 11 October 2006

There will be a super-fun-easy quiz on Monday, it will cover the reading assignment:
How to Think About Weird Things, Chapter 8, How to Assess a "Miracle Cure"
And the videos we watched recently:
Penn and Teller: Feng Shui and Bottled Watter
Scientific American Video: Beyond Science.

Announcements

Please read Chapter 8, How to Think About Weird Things, for Wednesday, 4 October 2006.

The first midterm will be pushed back to Monday, 9 October 2006.

A practice Midterm will be given this Wednesday.

First Blog Topics, Fall 2006

Basic Fact-Checking

due 9 October 2006

Use your blog to report your results.

Evaluate all the following claims/stories. Begin by rating the credibility of a story on the 10/10 scale. Find a source or sources to verify the story or debunk the story. Find all the relevant details and list them. List those websites. Rate the credibility of the claim (in words and on the 10/10 scale) after your research and tell me why.

(1) There was a guy who discovered that the lids on pudding cups had individual UPC codes that could be traded for frequent flier miles for very little money. He then went on to purchase a large number of pudding cups, donate them to a homeless shelter and accumulate enough miles for a trip to Europe for his entire family for cheap.

(2) On the day of the Super-Bowl, in the town of the losing team, spousal abuse rates increase dramatically as a result of the frustration the fans feel at the loss.