Good Science vs. Bad Science
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)
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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 multivitamin
• 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!