Scientific thinking toolbox

efficient communication

learning tool

user-friendly

high accessibility

presentation enhancement

Organize ideas

Visualize thoughts

very visual

ordered historical events

multimedia tolerent

appealing to audience

overall view by scalling

Task durations

Understand history easier

repeatable

empiricle

measurable

quantitative

testable

unbiased

empirical evidence

rationalism

skepticism: questioning not rejection

independent variable: does not depend on other variables

dependent variable: depends on other variables

control group: experiment not applied on

control variable: constant in experiment

number: must be large enough

science should be ethical

observation

questions

proposal = hypothesis

experiments

conclusions

pseudo:
-based on theories and methods erroneously regarded as scientific
- not consistent with the methods or principles of science
- can’t be tested
- lack evidence

Junk:
- Good science to support a bad setting
- Inaccurate analysis and data that is used to skew opinion or push agenda

Bad:
- Scientific setup is wrong

pathological:
- Well intentioned science with almost imperceptible mistakes
- Tricked into false results by subjective effects, wishful thinking or threshold interactions

experimental

corrolation

natural observation

surveys

case studies

ad hominem

argument from authority

argument from adverse consequences

appeal to ignorance

special pleading

suppresed evidence

weasel words

begging the question

observational selection

statistics of small numbers

misunderstanding of the nature of statistics

inconsistency

non sequitur

post hoc, ergo propter hoc

meaningless question

excluded middle, or false dichotomy

short term vs. long term

slippery slope

confusion or correlation and causation

straw man

- Reasoning from detailed facts to general principles

- Start with general statement then examines possibilities to reach specific, logical conclusion

- Assumptions, concepts, values, practices form model of understanding
- No contradiction