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Items of interest:
We'll fill these spaces with current items during the term.
Aug 18 F Lecture # 1: Introduction; Start reading Sagan
21 M Lecture # 2: The Scientific Method; Continue reading Sagan
23 W Lecture # 3: Induction and Deduction; Quiz on preface, chapters 1 and 2 of Sagan
25 F Lecture # 4: Observation and Perception; Homework #1 due by 11:00am
28 M Lecture # 5: What is Evidence?; Quiz on chapters 3 & 4 of Sagan
30 W Lecture # 6: Threshold Phenomena; Quiz on chapters 5 & 6 of Sagan
Sep 01 F Lecture # 7: More Threshold Phenomena; Homework #2 due by 11:00am
04 M University holiday
06 W Lecture # 8: Astrology; Quiz on chapters 7 & 8 of Sagan
08 F Lecture # 9: More Astrology; Homework #3 due by 11:00am
11 M Lecture #10: Probability; Quiz on chapters 9 & 10 of Sagan
13 W Lecture #11: More Probability; Quiz on chapters 11 & 12 of Sagan
15 F Lecture #12: Polls; Midterm paper's title, abstract, and outline due by 11:00am
18 M Lecture #13: How to Lie with Statistics; Quiz on chapters 13 & 14 of Sagan
20 W Lecture #14: Conceptions about Risk; Quiz on chapters 15 & 16 of Sagan
22 F Lecture #15: Recognizing Pseudoscience; 3-page Book review #1 due by 11:00am
25 M Lecture #16: Flat Earth; Quiz on chapters 17 & 18 of Sagan
27 W Lecture #17: Talking to the Dead; Quiz on chapters 19 and 22 of Sagan
29 F Lecture #18: More Cold Reading; Homework #4 due by 11:00am; Start on S&V
Oct 02 M Lecture #19: Psychics; Quiz on They See Dead People, Or Do They? from the coursepack
04 W Lecture #20: More Psychics; Quiz on prologue and chapter 1 of Schick & Vaughn
06 F Lecture #21: ESP; Midterm paper due by 11:00am
09 M Fall break
11 W Lecture #22: Hoaxes; Quiz on chapter 2 of Schick & vaughn
13 F Lecture #23: Hoaxes; Homework #5 due by 11 AM
16 M Lecture #24: Experiment Design; Quiz on chapter 3 of Schick & Vaughn
18 W Lecture #25: Experiment Design; Quiz on chapter 4 of Schick & Vaughn
20 F Lecture #26: Dr. Snow and Cholera; Homework #6 due by 11 AM
23 M Lecture #27: UFOs; Quiz on chapter 5 of Schick & Vaughn
25 W Lecture #28: UFOs; Quiz on chapter 6 of Schick & Vaughn
27 F Lecture #29: Bermuda Triangle
30 M Lecture #30: Bermuda Triangle video, etc.; Quiz on chapter 7 of Schick & Vaughn
Nov 01 W Lecture #31: Alternative Medicine; Quiz on chapter 8 of Schick & Vaughn
03 F Lecture #32: Alternative Medicine; Quiz on chapter 9 of Schick & Vaughn
06 M Lecture #33: Faith Healing; Quiz on Prologue and Chapter 1 of Shermer
08 W Lecture #34: Science and Religion; Quiz on Chapter 2 of Shermer
10 F Lecture #35: Finish S & R; Outline of end-term paper due
13 M Lecture #36: Modern Scams; Quiz on Chapter 3 of Shermer
15 W Lecture #37: More Scams and Cons; Quiz on Chapter 4 and 5 of Shermer
17 F Lecture #38: Biblical Archaeology - Guest Lecture by Dr. David Joffe (SMU Physics); 3-page book review #2 due by 11 AM
20 M Lecture #39: Scams, Frauds, and ID Theft - Guest Lecture by Agent Paul Ahner, US Secret Service; Quiz on Chapter 6 of Shermer
22 W Holiday
24 F Holiday
27 M Lecture #40: Searching for the Star; Quiz on Chapter 7 of Shermer
29 W Lecture #41: Guest Speaker: Dr. Lou Jacobs; 15-page paper due by 11:00am
30 Th Lecture #42 Student Presentations: Downey and Schild
Dec 05 T Final Examination: 11:30am-2:30pm in 200 Hyer