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Items of interest:
Jan 19 W Lecture # 1 Introduction; Start reading Sagan
21 F Lecture # 2 The Scientific Method; Continue reading Sagan; Survey due in class
24 M Lecture # 3 Induction and Deduction; Magic; Quiz on preface, chapters 1 and 2 of Sagan
26 W Lecture # 4 DNA, Art Fraud, Shroud of Turin; Quiz on chapters 3 and 4 of Sagan
28 F Lecture # 5 Observation and Perception; Observation Exercise; Homework #1 due by 11:00am
31 M Lecture # 6 UFOs and Roswell; Quiz on chapters 5 and 6 of Sagan
Feb 2 W Lecture # 7 Class canceled due to weather.
4 F Lecture # 8 Class canceled due to weather.
7 M Lecture # 9 UFOs and Roswell continued; Memory exercise; Quiz on chapters 9 and 10 of Sagan; Homework #2 due by 11:00am
9 W Lecture #10 Bermuda Triangle; Memory exercise results; Headlines; Quiz on chapters 11 and 12 of Sagan
11 F Lecture #11 Guest Lecture: Pat Van Zandt, Central University Libraries;
Midterm paper's title, abstract, outline, and sources due by 11:00am
14 M Lecture #12 What is Evidence?; Quiz on preface, chapters 1 and 2 of Browne & Keeley
16 W Lecture #13 Eyewitness Testimony; Quiz on chapters 3 and 4 of Browne & Keeley
18 F Lecture #14 Eyewitness Testimony continued; Homework #3 due by 11:00am
21 M Lecture #15 Death Penalty - guest lecture by Professor Rick Halperin (SMU History and Amnesty International USA);
Quiz on chapters 5 and 6 of Browne & Keeley
23 W Lecture #16 Astrology; Quiz on chapter 7 of Browne & Keeley
25 F Lecture #17 Psychics; 3-page Book review #1 due by 11:00am
28 M Lecture #18 Psychics continued; Quiz on chapter 8 of Browne & Keeley
Mar 2 W Lecture #19 Experiment Design; Quiz on chapter 9 of Browne & Keeley
4 F Lecture #20 Experiment Design; Homework #4 due by 11:00am
7 M Lecture #21 Probability; Quiz on chapter 10 of Browne & Keeley
9 W Lecture #22 Probability continued; Quiz on chapter 11 of Browne & Keeley
11 F Lecture #23 How to Lie with Statistics; Midterm paper due by 11:00am
14 M Spring Break
16 W Spring Break
18 F Spring Break
21 M Lecture #24 Radiation Myths; Quiz on They See Dead People, Or Do They?
23 W Lecture #25 Cold Reading; Talking to the Dead; Quiz on chapter 12 of Browne & Keeley
25 F Lecture #26 Cold Reading; Talking to the Dead continued; Homework #5 due by 11:00am
28 M Lecture #27 Cold Reading; Talking to the Dead continued; Quiz on chapter 13 of Browne & Keeley
30 W Lecture #28 Hoaxes; Quiz on chapter 14 of Browne & Keeley
Apr 1 F Lecture #29 Hoaxes continued; Final paper's title, abstract, outline, and sources due by 11:00am
4 M Lecture #30 Threshold Phenomena; Quiz on chapters 13 and 14 of Sagan
6 W Lecture #31 Threshold Phenomena continued; Quiz on chapters 15 and 16 of Sagan
8 F Lecture #32 Evolution - guest lecture by Professor Louis Jacobs (SMU Earth Sciences); 3-page book review #2 due by 11:00am
11 M Lecture #33 Intelligent Design Creationism Preparation; Quiz on foreword through chapter 2 of Schick and Vaughn
13 W Lecture #34 Intelligent Design is not Science - Guest lecture by Professor John Wise (SMU Biology);
Quiz on chapter 3 of Schick and Vaughn
15 F Lecture #35 Alternative Medicine; Midterm rewrites due by 11:00am
18 M Lecture #36 Alternative Medicine continued; Quiz on chapter 4 of Schick and Vaughn
20 W Lecture #37 Propaganda; Quiz on chapter 5 of Schick and Vaughn
22 F University Holiday
25 M Lecture #38 Modern Scams; Quiz on chapter 6 of Schick and Vaughn
27 W Lecture #39 Scams, Guest Speaker: Agent Paul Ahner, US Secret Service; Quiz on chapter 7 of Schick and Vaughn
29 F Lecture #40 Dr. Snow and Cholera; Barry Marshall and Ulcers; Final paper due by 11:00am;
May 2 M Lecture #41 Searching for the Star; Quiz on chapter 8 of Schick and Vaughn
3 T Lecture #42 2012; Homework #6 due by 11:00am; Follows a Friday class schedule
7 S Final Examination: 08:00-11:00am in 153 Fondren Science