Good Science vs. Bad Science

H. Smith

Terminology• Hypothesis: statement which predicts what will

happen– Ex: If I drop this beaker, then it will break.

• Theory/Fact: generally accepted fact due to much, repeated evidence***still open to scientific inquiry b/c it’s not an absolute truth.– Ex: Gravity exists

• Opinions: non-measurable and impossible to prove, cannot be addressed by science – Ex: Pizza Hut has the best pizza in the world.

Characteristics of Good Science:

• Good Science:– Follows the scientific method (at least loosely)• Observation• Research• Experimentation• Results• Analysis• Conclusion• PUBLISH!!!

Characteristics of Good Science:

• Good Science:– Does not investigate opinions, must have disprovable

hypothesis– Ethical reports & procedures– Methods must be replicated many times with same result

(you can’t make up data!)– Has many scientists working on similar projects, to validate

data– Peer reviewed BEFORE publication– Publication in a peer reviewed journal=legitimate– Changes with new facts

Can Science Investigate?

• Are tomatoes or carrots more delicious?

Can Science Investigate?

• At what age do chickens start laying eggs?

Can Science Investigate?

• Does Vitamin C shorten the time a cold affects a person?

Can Science Investigate?

• Is it morally wrong to kill someone?

Can Science Investigate?

• Is cell phone use correlated with cancer?

Examples of Bad Science

• Ex 1: MMR Vaccine Health Scare– 1998 Dr. Andrew Wakefield– Published in the Lancet– Claimed MMR vaccine caused autism– Highly publicized by former model Jenny McCarthy– Discrediting began in 1999– Formally discredited in 2010; lost medical license– Wakefield “fixed” information, only 12 children.

Why everyone has to vaccinate

• Herd immunity• True/False? If you are immunized you cannot

get that disease?

Examples of Bad Science:

• Multi-vitamin use: based on 1 math mistake• Essentially no health benefits from taking a

multi-vitamin• Expensive urine• Actually useful vitamin supplements: Folic acid,Vitamin D & Vitamin B12• Not proven to improve health, may be harmful• Use the money to buy healthy food!