Readings for the week of 1 November 2006

Please read Chapter 2, Demon Haunted World

and the following Wikipedia article

Wikipedia: Junk Science

to be prepared for Monday's super-fun-easy quiz as well as class discussions.

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.

Last Semester's Blogs

These are blogs from Spring 2005.

• Ashley


• Brian


• Chris


• Courtney


• Daniel


• Danielle


• Ephraim


• Ian


• Jai


• Jake


• Jamal


• Jason


• Jen F.


• Jennie C.


• Jennifer R.


• John H.


• John K.


• Joseph


• Justin


• Kimmie


• Kristen


• Kyle


• Laura


• Mas


• Melody


• Michael


• Natalie


• Nate


• Nickolai


• Patsy


• Pedro


• Roberto


• Roxanne


• Ruben


• Russ


• Sam


• Singleton


• Ta-She-Ra


• 
  

Bonus Final Information

The bonus final/makeup time will be

3:30-5:30 pm
Monday
15 May 2006
in the usual room

I've sent out email recommendations to those who should take the bonus final, but anyone may. If you score worse on the bonus final than you did on the exam you were attempting to improve on, I won't use it for substitution.

If I don't see you at the final, it was a pleasure having all of you in class.

Final Paper hints

Try looking at the Skeptical Inquirer magazine for inspiration. Their website is at

Skeptical Inquirer

or you can come by my office and borrow one or many of the Skeptical Inquirer magazines I have.

Once you have chosen your topic. Read up on it. If there is a Wikipedia article on it, read it. Find out what you can. Then just right me a paper telling me about the topic. Don't think of it as formal, think more like a friend of yours asked you to explain the important ideas to them about a subject (because your friend knows that now you are a fairly good expert on the topic) and what you would tell them so that they would understand it.

Think of your paper as being more conversational than fancy. You're just telling me about an interesting idea you've done some reading on.

Final Paper announcement

As you know, I'm pretty easy going about format. If you want to write in the 5 paragraph essay format (I don't know why anyone would, because it's an ugly way to write) you may. I would almost prefer stream of consciousness to 5 paragraph essay format.

The paper needs to be 4-6 pages, at least 3 sources, the sources should be reputable unless the point of the paper is to contrast reputable information with information that is not reputable.

There must be a bibliography. I don't care if the format of the bibliography is correct (according to the various standards) as long as it has the required information and is roughly self consistent.

I would rather the paper be a little late rather than incomplete or filled with filler. Hastily constructed papers often have more filler than content and are not only are not nice to read but is an easy way for students to lose points. If you've painted yourself into a corner and things look bad for time, let me know as soon as possible.

The paper should contain no fallacies, unless it is the point to debunk an argument because it contains fallacies. Using an fallacious argument to support your point is the quickest way to lose points on your paper.

You will probably have a persuasive element to your paper. Remember that you are addressing an audience that is in the range of roughly -5 to +5 on the 10/10 scale, that is people who think the conclusion is probably not true (-5) through people who think it's hard to tell (0) to people who think the conclusion is probably true (+5). Addressing the paper to people who think the conclusion is definitely true (+10) is "preaching to the choir". Addressing the paper to people who think the conclusion is definitely not true (-10) is just "butting heads".