KNW 2333
The Scientific Method - Critical and Creative Thinking
(Debunking Pseudoscience)
© Professor John L. Cotton, Professor Justin Fisher, Professor Randall J. Scalise, Professor Scott Norris, and Professor Stephen Sekula
Description:
This course will provide you with an understanding of the scientific method sufficient to detect pseudoscience in its many guises: paranormal phenomena, free-energy devices, alternative medicine, intelligent design creationism, denial of human-induced climate change, propaganda, science-based-medicine denialism, misuse of data and statistics, and many others. You will learn to think critically and to question outlandish claims, hype, and outright BS.
Your writing will improve. You will be able to distinguish credible sources of information from nonsense; you will become an intelligent consumer of information. Expect to do a lot of reading, writing, and, most of all, thinking.
Learn more by reading about the course Goals/Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Course Details
- Lecture Times and Place: MWF 11:00-11:50am in room 153 Fondren Science
- Lecturers: Professor John Cotton and Professor Justin Fisher
- Office Hours:
- Cotton: Monday/Wednesday after lecture in room 01A Fondren Science (lower floor).
- Fisher: 12:30 - 2:00 on class days
-
Contact:
- Call or leave a message at
- Fill in data here...
- Fill in data here...
- Leave a note in ..., or
- send email to ...
- Call or leave a message at
-
Course Work:
- Weekly reading, reading quizzes, discussion, homework, in-class writing assignments
- Two 3-page book reviews from the Auxiliary Reading list (feel free to suggest other titles subject to instructor approval)
- One 15-page (minimum) research paper due at midsemester; this paper can be corrected for a higher grade.
- Honors KNW 2333 students will present orally the last week of class
- Written final examination
- Homework and paper upload page
- Check to see if we received your papers, book reviews, or homework -- it is YOUR responsibility to check!
The book reviews and research papers must be turned in electronically. We will not accept paper copies. Use the uploader or email your assignment to ... or turn in a thumb drive, CD, floppy disk, etc. Accepted digital formats: ASCII (plain) text, PDF, RTF, or MS Word format (.doc or .docx): double-spaced, 12-point type, Times New Roman (nonbold) font, 1-inch margins. We can not read WordPerfect or Macintosh files.
Required Course Texts:
- Asking the Right Questions (11th edition) by M. Neil Browne and Stuart M. Keeley
- Is That A Fact? (Revised Edition) A Field Guide to Statistical and Scientific Information by Mark Battersby
- The Demon-Haunted World : Science As a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan
|
Syllabus -- Includes lecture notes and assignments Homework Assignments Suggested Auxiliary Reading Grading, Extra Credit, Incompletes Attendance Policy, Classroom Environment Grade Summary - All the individual student grades arranged by four-digit code number A Note on PLAGIARISM -- Very important! Notes on Writing Research Papers Suggested Research Paper Topics Excellent Past Student Research Papers (password protected) Criteria for a Successful Experiment The Baloney Detection Collection |
Complete list of subjects available
Problems of Fuzzy Thinking Guide to Library Usage Relevant Web Sites Other Resources -- Video, periodicals, etc. Previous Incarnations of this Course -- with lecture notes Seminars and Presentations Students with disabilities, medically excused absences, absences in general Anonymous Feedback Things you should already know, but... University Holidays Official University Calendars Disclaimer |
