NSCI 390S Scientific Inquiry; Ethics & Culture I
The goal of the course is to foster an understanding among students of the role of scientists as society’s servants in developing new knowledge, and the parallel expectations for the responsible conduct of research and its dissemination in publications. We will also explore the philosophical definitions of ‘research’ and the joy of discovery, as articulated through the eyes of discoverers over the last few centuries.
Even for seminar participants who anticipate careers in health care delivery, understanding the discovery process and the peer-review process for research funding and for publications is important, as health care professionals, like investigators, must be continuing learners to keep up with the understanding and application of new knowledge.
Clear thinking is an essential part of the scientific process of testing hypotheses or generating data that serves to allow the development of hypotheses. Since clear thinking leads to clear writing, and clear writing affirms clear thinking, we will use journaling/writing assignments in this course as a means to encourage the improvement of your writing skills, with the focus of editing being on the clarity of communication in the form of a concise paragraph.