Exam 2: Evaluating Scientific Claims

A scientist publishes a paper in a peer-reviewed journal; this paper is later retracted.Which of the following (if found to be true)is NOT a legitimate reason for the retraction?

You are reading an article in Discover magazine about Tiktaalik roseae,the organism thought to be the link between fish and terrestrial tetrapods.The researcher that discovered Tiktaalik was publicly funded.This article represents a ________ literature presentation of ________ research.

Indicate which of the following examples are most likely "real science" and which are most likely "pseudoscience." -The Journal of the American Medical Association publishes an article showing a link between certain strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)and cancers of the urogenital tracts in both females and males.

The federally funded Centers for Disease Control routinely collect and evaluate data regarding communicable diseases.This information helps researchers make recommendations regarding vaccination schedules for children and adults.This is an example of

Cheryl searches the Internet for information regarding the use of a particular herbal supplement because she has heard claims that it will help her safely build muscle while losing fat.During her search she comes across a site that claims to have evidence to support those claims.What questions should Cheryl ask herself as she peruses the site?

When Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer,the doctor recommended a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy.Lori underwent the prescribed treatment recommended by the doctor.However,she also continued to eat lots of fruits and vegetables,walk three miles every day,and complete a daily yoga practice.Within about three months Lori was cancer-free.Afterward,Lori told everyone that her healthy lifestyle had helped to cure her.Is this conclusion reasonable given the circumstances?

The graph below shows that after the childhood vaccination program was initiated in the United Kingdom in 1999,the annual number of meningitis cases in children

A scientific paper that combines results from several cohort studies and a case-control study would be considered a(n)________-analysis.

Medical researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia examined data from several cohort studies and several case-control studies regarding links between vaccines and autism.Overall,these studies included more than 1.25 million children from four different countries and vaccines for five different diseases.The conclusion of this paper indicates that there is no link between vaccines and autism.This work was published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine,and there is no evidence that the researchers at the University of Sydney have any conflict of interest with vaccines or treatment of autistic children. Briefly describe this type of study and research (including if it is basic or applied research)and evaluate the strength of the researchers' claim that there is no link between vaccines and autism.List four lines of evidence to support your assertion.

Which of the following is NOT a reason to scientifically evaluate the plausibility of claims made by a psychic who states that a missing child is alive and located in a particular area of the countryside months after the child went missing?

Which of the following is LEAST likely to include unchecked bias when making scientific statements?

Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature? -The Proceedings of the 15ᵗʰ Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology,a publication of peer-reviewed presentations at a professional meeting

Which of the following would NOT be a reason for a peer-reviewed paper to be retracted by its publisher as untrue or inaccurate?

Which of the following situations might present a logical reason for accepting a scientific claim made by a person who did not have appropriate credentials for making that claim?

Indicate which of the following examples are most likely "real science" and which are most likely "pseudoscience." -Facilitated Communication only works when everyone in the room believes it will work.

When determining whether a claim about a new cleansing juice diet is scientific or pseudoscientific,which of the following is NOT a helpful question to ask yourself?

Scientific studies that compare patients with a disease to those without the disease are referred to as

You are reading an article in National Geographic regarding the evolution of humans.This would be an example of ________ literature.

Your best friend,Joe,is selling a new apparatus he claims will generate "alkaline water" (having pH levels greater than 8)for you to drink in your own home.Joe also claims that drinking "alkaline water" will decrease your risk of getting cancer,lower your blood pressure,lower your blood sugar,improve your digestion,balance your body's energy,and generate a sense of well-being.You can own your own machine for just $2,500 plus shipping and handling! Which of Joe's claims are scientific and which are pseudoscientific? Include rationale,such as which claims could be tested in a lab,and describe why it is important to question Joe's claims.

Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature? -Biology Now 2e,your textbook