How We Know

The words "Scientists report…" preface many news stories. But we "know" these facts from the results of experiments. How we design experiments can predetermine the answers we get. For example, the 2000 U. S. Census was a head count, but a carefully designed sampling procedure would have given more accurate results. Or consider- how many tennis balls should we drop to determine which brand bounces highest? Will room temperature affect the results? In this course we will design and carry out experiments in both natural and social sciences, our writing will focus on crafting research lab reports. 3 hrs. lect/lab