Decision-making essay
9/15/04 – end of semester
NS 150
INTRODUCTION
As a way of assembling the components of this course (scientific method, decision-making, science and society and teaching science) into a coherent whole, you will write an essay comparing scientific and personal decision making. Decision making is a subject with many facets, some of which we encounter in this course and others that come from your personal experiences. In your paper, you will draw from your in-class experiences with scientific method, scientific reasoning skills and the relationships between science and society. You will also draw from your own experiences and include your own ethics and values.
ASSIGNMENTS
You will write three drafts and a final essay. The final paper is not just a draft with all of the grammatical errors removed. Rather, each of the drafts will have substantial additions and changes in focus made to result in the most coherent “story” possible by the time the final essay is written. This sort of writing is a way to document learning and practice critical thinking. Note that the final essay has the same number of points attached to it as the drafts.
The first draft (due 10/11). In your first draft, you will write a half page (single spaced) on a decision that you have made in your life. While it should be a decision that was important to you, make sure that you don’t mind writing about it (i.e. don’t write about something you don’t want to think about). In this draft, describe what you thought about in making your decision. There are no right or wrong aspects of your decision to write about. Rather, try to be as complete as possible in your description of it.
Also, I would like you to find five articles about scientific discoveries or events to tape into your journal. These should come from a reputable newspaper (for example, the Lewiston Tribune is fine but the National Enquirer is not). As part of your first draft, choose one of these articles and write a half page summary of it. Don’t wait until October 10 to look for articles, start now. Label each article in your portfolio with the date that you found it and where you found it.
Second draft (due 11/3). In this draft, you will first analyze how your decision fits into the decision-making frameworks discussed in class. Second, you will identify and describe which aspects of those frameworks a scientist might use when carrying out a scientific experiment.
Third draft (due 11/31). In your third and final draft, you will describe how your process and the scientist’s were different and how they were similar. You will draw some general conclusions about the different cultural and ethical considerations that go into scientific and non-scientific decisions.
Final essay (due before 3 pm Dec. 15). Your fourth draft will be a completed document that concisely compares your personal decision with those of scientists.
EXPECTATIONS AND GRADING
The grading is as follows: each draft is 50 points and so is the final, for a total of 200 points for this assignment. It is expected that the length of each of your drafts will be 1-3 pages total and the final essay will be 2-3 pages total. Here is how the points will be assigned:
|
|
Draft 1 points |
Draft 2 points |
Draft 3 points |
Final points |
|
Articles (in portfolio) |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Description of decision |
10 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
|
Summary of article |
10 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
|
Description of decision-making frameworks for your own decision |
0 |
10 |
5 |
3 |
|
Description of decision-making frameworks for your the scientists’ decision |
0 |
10 |
5 |
3 |
|
Comparison of decisions |
0 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
|
General conclusions |
0 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
|
Conciseness |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Grammar and spelling |
15 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
|
Logical presentation (i.e. “storytelling”) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
Date: 8/5/04
Contact: rajameton@lcsc.edu