PSCI Template
Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, Universityof Wisconsin - Green Bay
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Part 1: How Qualified Are You To Judge The Theory?
What's Your Level Of Information?
Rate the highest description that applies to you
- I could explain it to advanced college students in the subject +3
- I can read and understand professional literature on this subject +3
- I could teach an introductory class in college on the subject +2
- I can read and understand college textbooks on this subject +2
- I could teach a high school class on the subject +1
- I can read and understand articles in magazines like Scientific American on this subject +1
- I could give a talk on the subject to children or non-specialists 0
- I know where to go to find accurate information on this subject 0
- I have no training in the subject, or have forgotten most of what I learned -3
- For every question in this or the next section you can't answer or don't understand, an additional -1
How Emotionally Involved Are You?
Answer each question
- I really want this theory to be true (or false) -1
- This theory threatens (or supports) my beliefs -2
- I feel strongly that scientists are not giving this theory a fair shake -1
- I don't know what the opinion of most scientists is -3
Part 2: How Well Supported Is The Theory?
The Consensus of Science
Rate the highest description that applies to the theory
- Important commercially successful technology is based on the theory +6
- Most scientists accept the theory +3
- Some scientists accept the theory +1
- The theory is very controversial -1
- Most scientists reject the theory -3
Where The Theory Is Published
Rate the highest description that applies to the theory
- Standard Scientific Journals +3
- Popular Scientific Magazines +1
- Newspapers 0
- Tabloids, Word of Mouth, Internet -3
Professionalism
Answer each question
- Backers of the theory claim they are being persecuted -2
- Backers of the theory compare themselves to Galileo or other famous scientists -2
- Backers of the theory use the terms "dogma," "vested interest" or "orthodoxy" a lot -2
Interpreting The Results
Add up all your scores for the two sections. The numbers below give the likelihood that your judgment on the theory is informed and the likelihood that the theory itself is sound
| +6 | 1,000,000 to one in favor |
| +5 | 100,000 to one in favor |
| +4 | 10,000 to one in favor |
| +3 | 1,000 to one in favor |
| +2 | 100 to one in favor |
| +1 | 10 to one in favor |
| 0 | Even Odds |
| -1 | 10 to one against |
| -2 | 100 to one against |
| -3 | 1,000 to one against |
| -4 | 10,000 to one against |
| -5 | 100,000 to one against |
| -6 | 1,000,000 to one against |
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Created 21 January, 2003, Last Update 24 May, 2020
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