This week's notes focus on the fundamentals of scientific literacy, emphasizing the importance of understanding the scientific process. Key topics include defining scientific claims, evaluating their validity through various criteria, distinguishing between real science and pseudoscience, and a cas...
Scientific Literacy
Understanding the basics of science and the scientific process.
● Enables us to make informed decisions about the world.
● Facilitates communicating our knowledge to others.
One goal of this course is to broaden and enhance YOUR scientific literacy.
Scientific Claims
Scientific claim – a statement about how the world works that can be tested using the scientific
method.
They are everywhere!
Evaluating Scientific Claims
Sources?
Increasing confidence of scientific claims
Social Media Secondary literature Primary literature
Snapchat New York Times JAMA
Twitter Popular Science esa
Facebook Discover AAAS
Reddit National Geographic nature
Increasingly challenging to read
Is it an advertisement?
Does the post have an agenda (political, religious, $, etc.)?
Evaluating Scientific Claims
Credentials: Does the person making a scientific claim have a PhD or MD? Is the degree in the field in
which the claim is being made?
Bias or Agenda: Does the person making the scientific claim hold a belief that will be supported by the
claim? Does he/she stand to make money if others accept the claim?
Peer Review & Publication: Has the claim been reviewed by practicing scientists and published in a
reputable scientific journal?
Real Science or Pseudoscience? Does the scientific study purporting to support the claim meet the
standards of the scientific method?
Pseudoscience: Doesn't follow the method.
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