2024SU Why Science Matters (NSCI-117-01N)
Assignment 2 Part II: Evaluating Information
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Opened: Monday, January 22, 2024, 6:00 AM
Due: Sunday, May 26, 2024, 11:55 PM
Part II – Critically review and evaluate cosmetic or health product advertising claims – homework
Objectives: students will: identify science-based claims, develop search terms to find the information needed to evaluate statements for scientific accuracy and product value, and identify authoritative, reliable sources for that information.
Directions:
Find an advertisement for a cosmetic or personal care product (e.g. lipstick, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, etc.) you use to and answer the following questions about it.
1. Product background information.
a. What is the product’s name?
b. What is the product’s manufacturer?
c. What is the product’s quantity and cost (if available)?
2. Identify the claims.
a. List at least 2 major science-based claims from the product label or advertisement.
b. Based on your opinion and experience with the product, list if the claims are believable, unbelievable, or say if you are unsure.
c. What prior knowledge helped you determine the reliability of these claims? How do your biases affect your initial approach to this quest?
3. Who is making the claims? Evaluate their credibility.
a. Give one “reliable” type of information source regarding your product and why you consider it reliable. You may refer to Lesson 4 “Developing your Scientific tool kit” for criteria in evaluating sources.
b. Give one “less reliable” type of information source regarding your product and why you consider it less reliable. You may refer to Lesson 4 “Developing your Scientific tool kit” for criteria in evaluating sources.
c. Is there anything you do not understand—any gaps in your knowledge regarding how to determine if sources of information are reliable?
4. Determine if there is any science to support the claims
a. Identify scientific/medical topics (“search terms”) you would research to support, or refute, the claims above.
Search Term 1: _____________
Search Term 2: _____________
Search Term 3: ____________
Search Term 4: _____________
b. Select 2 of your search terms to research. Use an internet search engine to identify scientifically reliable and less reliable sources of information related to your search terms.
c. Use PubMed to find a scientific article related to one of your search terms. (
d. Provide a reference (APA format) of the article’s citation information.
5. Identify missing facts
a. What information are you not able to find?
b. Who could you contact to obtain needed information?
6. Determine the value of the product
a. Are the benefits vs. risks worth the price?
7. Explain in some detail how do you know your resources are reliable? (Imagine you have to explain to a fellow classmate how to go about finding reliable sources of information, what would you say?)
8. What could you have done differently to gauge the reliability of your sources?
9. Can you apply this approach or way of thinking to other problems or situations? List and discuss at least one example.
Submit your answers as a 2-page narrative*, typed with a 12 pt font size and double spaced.
* a spoken or written account of connected events; a story
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