Distinctions between Scientific Misconduct and Bias in Social Science: Avoidable versus Unavoidable Deviations from Best Practices in Research

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Mark A. Fine
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Hite

Abstract One of the most fundamental understandings within biology is evolution, yet often ascribed as one of the most misunderstood scientific concepts by the American public. Despite not being explicitly mentioned in most American science standards, human evolution is nevertheless taught as an engaging context for understanding complex evolutionary processes among pre-college science students. Therefore, pre-college science teachers seek out human evolution content experts (e.g., Smithsonian Institution, NOVA, ENSI) to procure curricula (lesson plans) to teach these concepts in their classrooms. For students to accurately understand human evolution, research recommends lesson plans employ a diversity of direct and indirect evolutionary evidence, infused with social science perspectives related to the nature of science (NOS) and/or socioscientific issues (SSI) to foster necessary conceptual change. Given such empirical affordances of using multiple sources of evidence and integrated social science perspectives to foster conceptual change in teaching human evolution, it is unknown to what extent these attributes are present in lesson plans created by these entities and targeted to pre-college science teachers. To ascertain to what extent pre-college lesson plans on human evolution employ these research-based best practices, this paper analyzed 86 lesson plans created by 18 entities with content expertise in human evolution concepts that had developed online pre-college lesson plans. Among the sampled lesson plans, less than one third (29%) presented a combination of direct and indirect evidence. Further, a mere 17% incorporated elements of NOS, where SSI (like historical (n = 3) and racial (n = 1)) perspectives were fewer. In sum, findings suggest available resources are deficient in fostering the conceptual change necessary for pre-college students to fully understand human evolution concepts. This study evidences a continued need to ensure best practices are incorporated into human evolution lesson plans created for pre-college teachers.


Author(s):  
Kelly C. Smith

This chapter assesses the ethical justification for attempting to message extraterrestrial intelligence (METI). Most of the discussion within the space community concerning METI has been about the level of risk it poses. Addressing the empirical dimensions of METI risk is a useful exercise, to be sure, but it is often unappreciated that these details just do not resolve key questions. In particular, if one looks at METI through an ethical lens, the central question is not what the level of risk is but whether those who are exposed to that risk agree to it. Rather than simply allowing anyone with access to the necessary resources do whatever they wish, people need to involve public policy, social science, humanities, and other fields of expertise to develop explicit best practices and then work to enshrine these in soft law.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 88-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Vanhala

This article surveys the use of process tracing as a method in research on global and comparative environmental politics. It reveals that scholars have been reluctant to explicitly embrace the method, even though a great deal of environmental politics research relies on process tracing and studies causal mechanisms. I argue that the growing number of critiques that the subfield is overly descriptive and insufficiently focused on explanation is one consequence of the reluctance to explicitly embrace process tracing. Drawing on recent debates on causal mechanisms within the philosophy of social science and a growing literature on how to trace processes, this article outlines best practices in the application of the method in the study of environmental politics. I consider some ways in which the use of process tracing in the study of environmental politics may be different from its use in other areas of comparative politics and international relations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Nkemdili Au. Nnonyelu ◽  
Paul C. Ikpe

This exploratory study provides insights into the utility of telecommuting in times of adversity such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is still active globally, and also locally, as Nigerian institutions were shut down since March 2020, avoiding physical, in person contacts within the campuses. Telecommuting, or Working From Home (WFH) is becoming the new normal in pedagogy, as academic staff in some universities continue to exercise their roles in terms of Teaching, Research and Community Service. Utilising the benefits of Contingency Theory, the paper analysed the nature of telecommuting in the context of the unexpected events, the changing dynamics of the workplace and the new future of work. The paper is largely qualitative, relying largely on secondary sources of data and some primary information for analysis. The difficulties and challenges faced by several Public and Private Universities in Nigeria, like inadequate classroom spaces, hostels, infrastructure can be overcome by the introduction of a hybrid form of learning that incorporates Telecommuting and Virtual Online Learning as part of the pedagogy in the academic activities of Universities.


Author(s):  
Beverly B. Ray ◽  
Caroline E. Faure

The chapter proposes to outline best practices in the use of a set of mini-robots (i.e., smart gadgets) to promote active and meaningful learning in the Social Sciences. Key K-12 social science skills supported by their use include coding, sequencing, including time lining, map making, planning, organizing, peer collaboration, and the comprehension and interpretation of maps and written texts. The theoretical foundation supporting the use in the Social Sciences of is examined in this chapter. Next, barriers to use are explored before moving into an examination of one strategy for integration into the Social Sciences. Finally, the chapter concludes with an exploration of issues and recommendations for mitigating those issues will be discussed along with linkage of use to specific Social Science concept (i.e., discovery, exploration, and technology).


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