| Description |
xxiv, 198 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Preface -- Introduction -- 1. Potions, plot, personalities : understand how science progresses and why scientists sometimes disagree -- "The scientific method"--not as easy as pi -- With new tools, researchers can answer new questions--but only after the bugs are worked out -- Models play a critical role in the progress of science -- What's all this talk about controversy? -- Scientific revolutions really happen -- Disputes are not a sign of science gone wrong -- The media often misrepresents disputes between scientists -- From watering hole to prime time--birth and development of an idea -- Scientists rarely work in isolation -- Critique is very important in the publication process -- The scientific review process is not flawless -- 2. Who's who? : identify those who hold stake in an issue and what their positions are -- People, positions, purposes -- Seek out the voices of stakeholders in all categories and unearth the silent voices -- Ask yourself what motivates each stakeholder -- Remember the "broken telephone" effect and consult the original source -- 3. Decisions, decisions : elucidate all the pros and cons of a decision -- From black and white to vibrant technicolor -- Nuance is the norm -- Determine the appropriate scope of the choice and compare to relevant alternatives -- Say "yes" to one and leave the other behind -- Know the themes of risks and benefits that arise in science-related issues -- 4. Compare and contrast : place alternatives in an appropriate context to evaluate tradeoffs -- Context connections -- Compare technologies to other technologies -- Put findings in a geographical context -- Consider the historical context -- Express figures on a comprehensible scale -- Qualify the figures according to the circumstances under which they hold true -- Ask how the numbers being cited compare to "normal" -- Be careful not to be misled by averages -- For comparisons expressed as a percentage, ask "percent of what?" -- Reframe losses as gains or gains as losses -- Determine if there is a context that may explain an observation -- Putting it all together -- Choose the appropriate scope of comparison -- Find the right basis for comparison -- Consider different themes of tradeoffs -- Think about how the implications of a decision may change over time -- Evaluate risks and benefits by placing them in the appropriate contexts -- |
|
5. What happens if...? : distinguish between cause and coincidence -- Cause and effect--finding the culprit -- Brainstorm other possible causes -- Recognize that nonexperimental findings such as epidemiological observations have caveats -- Be skeptical of anecdotal evidence -- Understand how combining multiple forms of data can strengthen conclusions -- Recognize that a plausible mechanism is key to linking a cause and an effect -- 6. Specific or general : recognize how broadly the conclusions from a study may be applied -- Individuals : consider whether a result collected in one test population applies to another -- Locale : consider how applicable studies of one community or geographical region are to other locales -- Conditions : consider the possible effects of a change in conditions on experimental findings or their applicability -- Time : consider whether findings would be influenced by time, either the period of history or the duration of the study -- 7. Fun figures : see through the number jumble -- Elucidate hidden confounding factors -- Determine whether the numbers are statistically significant -- Determine whether the numbers are statistically meaningful -- Make sure the statistics apply to the situation -- Watch out for selection bias -- Ask whether a statistical change reflects reality or the way the data were collected -- Putting it all together -- 8. Society's say : discern the relationships between science and policy -- Morals and money--influences on the progress of science -- Coercion and lies -- Ethics and oversight -- Ethics from the inside -- Unintended consequences -- Pride of nations -- Fear of the grim reaper -- Power of the people -- Follow the money -- From scientific results to policy decisions--more morals and money -- One for all -- The precautionary principle -- Costs benefits analysis -- |
|
9. All the tricks in the book : get past the ploys designed to simply bypass logic -- Quirks of logic -- Failure to think outside the box -- Predisposition to link cause and effect -- Overgeneralization -- Strange ways our minds make sense of statistics -- Getting dragged down by anchors -- Confirmation bias -- Hearts and guts -- Beware of pseudo experts -- Look out for buzzwords and slogans -- Remember the story of "The Emperor's new clothes" -- Claims of ancient wisdom unknown to science should be treated as suspect -- Beware of vague, simple claims -- Claims that there are no disadvantages (or no advantages) should raise hackles -- Use caution when considering attacks by one stakeholder on another -- 10. Fitting the pieces together : know how to seek information to gain a balanced perspective -- Peeling back the layers -- Claims and caveats--case studies -- Case 1 : chemicals, crops, and cancer -- Case 2 : the price of smelling fresh -- Case 3 : stormy future -- Case 4 : discovery of the obesity gene -- Case 5 : clear and current danger -- Case 6 : diet debacle -- Information sleuthing -- Bunk busters -- Like a blood hound -- Checking all the angles -- Conclusion. Conclusion : twenty essential applications to the tools -- Understand how science progresses and why scientists sometimes disagree -- Identify those who hold stake in an issue and what their positions are -- Elucidate all the pros and cons of a decision -- Place alternatives in an appropriate context to evaluate tradeoffs -- Distinguish between cause and coincidence -- Recognize how broadly conclusions from a study may be applied -- See through the number jumble -- Discern the relationships between science and policy -- Get past the ploys designed to simply bypass logic -- Know how to seek information to gain a balanced perspective -- Acknowledgments -- About the author -- Index. |
| Subject |
Communication in science.
|
|
Information resources -- Reviews.
|
|
Science news -- Evaluation.
|
|
Research -- Evaluation.
|
|
Critical thinking.
|
|
Global warming.
|
| ISBN |
9780137155224 alkaline paper |
|
0137155220 alkaline paper |
|
