Eric Carlson

Home
Physics 114
Modern
Research
Links
Eric D. Carlson
Associate Professor of Physics

Skepticism, Pseudoscience,
and the Scientific Method

Date Reading Assignment Homework Slides
Jan. 23 Randi, Chapter 1
Shermer, Chapter 1
Exercise 1 Introduction
Jan. 25 Shermer, Prologue
They See Dead People . . .
(none) Observations
Jan. 30 (none) Homework 1
rough draft
Hypotheses
Feb. 1 “The Placebo Effect”
“The Mysterious Placebo”
“The Spin Doctors”
Homework 1
final draft
in-class presentations
(none)
Feb. 6 Fake News
from ZSR Library
Homework 2
rough draft
Designing
Experiments
Feb. 8 “Reflections in a
Curved Mirror,”
Randi, Chapter 4
Homework 2
final draft
in-class discussion
(none)
Feb. 13 (none) Summary
Homework 3
Recording
Data
Feb. 15 Choose book for
Book Report
Homework 3
in-class
presentations
(none)
Feb. 20 Handout on Statistics (none) Analyzing
The Data
Feb. 22 Huff, chapters 2, 3, and 4 Homework 4
rough draft
TBA
Feb. 27 TBA Homework 4
final draft
TBA
Mar. 1Study for Test(none)
Mar. 13 (none) (none) Analyzing
The Data 2
Mar. 15 (none) Homework 5
data collection
Astrology
Mar. 20 Huff, chapters 1, 8, and 9 Homework 5
rough draft
Checking for
Errors
Mar. 22 (none) notes for
Book Report
Homework 5
final draft
ESP
Mar. 27 Shermer, chapters 4, 9, and 10
Randi, chapter 7
Homework 6
data collection
(none)
Mar. 29 (none) Homework 6
rough draft
Reporting
Results
Apr. 3 (none) Homework 6
final draft
Moon Hoax
Video
Apr. 5 “That's Entertainment:
TV's UFO Coverup”
(none) Alternative
Hypotheses
Apr. 10 Moon Hoax Plus 10 Homework 7
planned
Science vs.
Pseudoscience

Creationism
Apr. 12 TBA Homework 7
Presentations
(none)
Apr. 17 TBA none? Near Death
Experiences
Apr. 19 Shermer, Chapters 3, 13, 14
“That's Entertainment . . .” handout
Book Report
rough draft
S.H.C.
Dowsing
Apr. 24 Randi Chapter 13 Homework 8
rough draft
(none)
Apr. 26 (none) Homework 8
final draft
in-class presentations
(none)
May 1 Shermer Chapter ?
Handouts on cults
Book Report
final draft
cults
May 5Look at 2006 finalFinal Exam, 2:00
Homework Links

They See Dead . . .

“The Doctor’s Plot,”
by James Gleick,

“Abduction by Aliens
or Sleep Paralysis?”
by Susan Blackmore

"Sleep Paralysis"
by Al Cheyne

Other Links

CSICOP

James Randi
Educational Foundation

Skeptical Inquirer magazine

Skeptic Magazine

Skeptic's Dictionary

Urban Legends Home Page

New Information on Autopsy

General Materials

Course Syllabus

Group Assignments
available by request
ecarlson@wfu.edu

Book Report

Handout on Statistics

Midterm '05

Midterm '04

Final '05

Final '04

Homework Assignments

Exercise 1

Homework 1

Homework 2

Homework 3

Homework 4 - Dice Program

Homework 5

Homework 6

Homework 7

Homework 8

Student Reports

Demon Haunted World

Hypnosis

NOVA program on Alien Kidnapping

John Mack, Psychiatriest

Sleep Paralysis


Last updated 5/4/2018


for questions or comments, contact ecarlson@wfu.edu
Back to Top