The Scientific Method

Syllabus - Spring 2008

Don't forget to submit your research papers to Discourse - An Online Journal by the students of Southern Methodist University

Items of interest:

• Lawsuit against new particle collider - just in case it creates a black hole and destroys the Universe!
• Bible suit settlement
• Analysis: Vaccine-Autism Link Unproven
• Airborne settles lawsuit for $23.3 million
• The world's first anion Notebook Computer - "Anion is the vitamin of the air. It enhances the body's condition, promotes nervous stability and recovery from fatigue, and encourages circulation of halted blood." Sure it does.
• Cue Up the Acne-Fighting, 128-Meg MP3 Player
• How to make better decisions
• MMR vaccine not seen causing autism
  
  "In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield of Royal Free Hospital in London and colleagues sparked a fierce worldwide debate among scientists and a health scare by suggesting the MMR jab caused autism. Outbreaks of all three diseases followed."
• Infant study casts doubt on vaccine-autism link
• Dallas man cleared, freed after 27 years in prison - fifteenth from Dallas County exonerated by DNA.
  
  "The lead prosecutor at the trial called Mr. Chatman a liar and insisted that since the victim was a nurse, she was a trained observer and incapable of making a mistake."
• Drugs Offer No Benefit in Curbing Aggression, Study Finds - worse than placebo!
• Official Leaves Post as Texas Prepares to Debate Science Education Standards

Jan 16 W Lecture # 1 Introduction; Start reading Sagan
    18 F Lecture # 2 The Scientific Method; Continue reading Sagan
    21 M             University Holiday
    22 T Lecture # 3 (Follow Monday schedule) Induction and Deduction; Magic; Quiz on preface, chapters 1 and 2 of Sagan
    23 W Lecture # 4 DNA, Art Fraud, Shroud of Turin; Quiz on chapters 3 and 4 of Sagan
    25 F Lecture # 5 Observation and Perception; Observation Exercise; Homework #1 due by 11:00am
    28 M Lecture # 6 UFOs and Roswell; Quiz on chapters 5 and 6 of Sagan
    30 W Lecture # 7 UFOs and Roswell; Quiz on chapters 7 and 8 of Sagan
Feb  1 F Lecture # 8 Bermuda Triangle; Memory Exercise; Homework #2 due by 11:00am
     4 M Lecture # 9 What is Evidence?; Memory Exercise Results; Quiz on chapters 9 and 10 of Sagan
     6 W Lecture #10 Eyewitness Testimony; Quiz on chapters 11 and 12 of Sagan
     8 F Lecture #11 Death Penalty - guest lecture by Professor Rick Halperin (SMU History and Amnesty International USA); 
                     Midterm paper's title, abstract, and outline due by 11:00am
    11 M Lecture #12 Probability; Quiz on chapters 13 and 14 of Sagan
    13 W Lecture #13 Probability; Quiz on chapters 15 and 16 of Sagan
    15 F Lecture #14 How to Lie With Statistics; Homework #3 due by 11:00am
    18 M Lecture #15 Astrology; Quiz on chapters 17 and 18 of Sagan
    20 W Lecture #16 Astrology; Quiz on foreword through chapter 2 of Schick and Vaughn
    22 F Lecture #17 Flat Earth; 3-page Book review #1 due by 11:00am
    25 M Lecture #18 ESP; Quiz on chapter 3 of Schick and Vaughn
    27 W Lecture #19 Psychics; Quiz on chapter 4 of Schick and Vaughn
    29 F Lecture #20 Psychics; Homework #4 due by 11:00am
Mar  3 M Lecture #21 Talking to the Dead; Quiz on They See Dead People, Or Do They?; 
     5 W Lecture #22 Talking to the Dead; Quiz on James Randi's One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge
     7 F Lecture #23 Talking to the Dead; Midterm paper due by 11:00am
    10 M              Spring Break
    12 W              Spring Break
    14 F              Spring Break
    17 M Lecture #24 Threshold Phenomena; Quiz on chapter 5 of Schick and Vaughn
    19 W Lecture #25 Threshold Phenomena; Quiz on chapter 6 of Schick and Vaughn
    21 F             University Holiday
    24 M Lecture #26 Experiment Design; Quiz on chapter 7 of Schick and Vaughn
    26 W Lecture #27 Scams - guest lecture by Special Agent Paul Ahner (U.S. Secret Service); 
                     Quiz on chapter 8 of Schick and Vaughn
    28 F Lecture #28 More Scams; Homework #5 due by 11:00am
    31 M Lecture #29 Peak Oil; Quiz on foreword through chapter 1 of Shermer
Apr  2 W Lecture #30 Hoaxes; Quiz on chapters 2 and 3 of Shermer
     4 F Lecture #31 Hoaxes continued; Homework #6 due by 11:00am
     7 M Lecture #32 Alternative Medicine; Quiz on chapters 4 and 5 of Shermer
     9 W Lecture #33 Alternative Medicine; Quiz on chapters 6 and 7 of Shermer
    11 F Lecture #34 Dr. Snow and Cholera; Barry Marshall and Ulcers;
                     Final paper's title, abstract, and outline due by 11:00am
    14 M Lecture #35 The Bible in Public School - guest lecture by Professor Mark Chancey (SMU Religious Studies)
                     Quiz on chapters 8 and 9 of Shermer
    16 W Lecture #36 Science and Religion; Faith Healing; Quiz on chapters 10 and 11 of Shermer
    18 F Lecture #37 Evolution - guest lecture by Professor Louis Jacobs (SMU Earth Sciences); 3-page book review #2 due by 11:00am
    21 M Lecture #38 Searching for the Star; Quiz on chapters 12 and 13 of Shermer
    23 W Lecture #39 Intelligent Design Creationism - guest lecture by Professor John Wise (SMU Biological Sciences);
                     Quiz on chapters 14 and 15 of Shermer
    25 F Lecture #40 Creationism; Homework #7 due by 11:00am;
                     Midterm rewrites due by 11:00am (no exceptions);
    28 M Lecture #41 Student Presentations; Quiz on chapters 16, 17 and 18 of Shermer
    30 W Lecture #42 (Follow Friday schedule); Final paper due by 11:00am; Evaluations; Survey

May  7 W Final Examination: 11:30am-2:30pm in 153 Fondren Science

Lecture Topics:

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