Evaluating Scientific Claims - Essay Example

Evaluating Scientific Claims to Various Questions s Question The chicken experiment has one major setback; the sample size is too small. A sample of 20 chickens cannot be used as a representative of the total population. This is because as the sample size becomes larger it tends towards the normal population.Question 2The experiment is not a good idea. This is due to two main reasons. First of all, the study is lacking a control experiment. The control experiment will help us know if the drug is truly effective or not.

Secondly, the duration that the students want to conduct the experiment is too long. Many factors along the year like change in weather patterns may affect the patients’ responses.Question 3The tobacco representatives were forced to respond the way they did because it is their work to support their company’s products. I would have told them that if I were in their shoes I would have responded the way they did. However, I would also bring to their attention the numerous researches that have been done on the cancer-tobacco issue that prove their assertions to be false.

(Bailin, 2002)Question 4This is because the patients already knew what was being tested on them and the only way for the study to stop would be for them to give positive reviews. Furthermore, the results could have been doctored to boost the market for tapes.Question 5 No, the people did not have ESP. Selecting 8 cards out of 25 gives an accuracy level of 0.32. This is below the half way mark. For the logic to be valid, the participants should have an accuracy level of above 75%.Question 6Hypothesis: Critical Zone Topography is shaped by Biology.

ReferencesBailin, S. (2002). Critical Thinking and Science Education. Retrieved from http://eblog.cersp.com/UploadFiles/2006-11/1117929615.pdf.