Consensus in Science - Chapters 15 & 16

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Questions and Answers

What is a consensus in the context of scientific research?

A general agreement or majority opinion among a group of people. It is often based on a convergence of evidence from multiple studies, and it reflects the collective judgment of experts in a field.

What are the two main ways to consider "consensus?"

The accumulation of peer-reviewed scientific papers and the opinions of professional researchers and the opinions of the general public

The opinions of professional researchers and the opinions of scientists

The accumulation of peer-reviewed scientific papers and the opinions of professional researchers (correct)

The accumulation of peer-reviewed scientific papers and the opinions of professional researchers and the opinions of scientists

What are the key characteristics of scientific consensus?

Relies on a accumulation evidence, Large enough to overcome statistical uncertainty, Methodologically diverse enough to overcome sampling and measurement biases, Exclusive enough to overcome the biases of scientific scientists, Not result of a vote must emerge organically can take many decades

Relies on a accumulation evidence, Small enough to overcome statistical uncertainty, Methodologically diverse enough to overcome sampling and measurement biases, Inclusive enough to overcome the biases of scientific scientists, Not result of a vote must emerge organically can take many decades

Relies on a accumulation evidence, Large enough to overcome statistical uncertainty, Methodologically diverse enough to overcome sampling and measurement biases, Inclusive enough to overcome the biases of scientific scientists, Not result of a vote must emerge organically can take many decades (correct)

Relies on a accumulation evidence, Large enough to overcome statistical uncertainty, Methodologically diverse enough to overcome sampling and measurement biases, Inclusive enough to overcome the biases of scientific scientists, Result of a vote must emerge organically can take many decades

The conclusion that smoking causes lung cancer is generally considered a scientific consensus.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is convergence in research?

The coming together of different pieces of evidence on the same topic, usually from multiple studies in the same discipline using various methods. It helps strengthen conclusions and reduce bias by considering diverse perspectives and approaches. Signup and view all the answers

What is a traditional literature review?

An expert provides historical research, reviews evidence, and draws informed conclusions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of a systematic literature review?

Can be time-consuming and expensive to conduct Signup and view all the answers

What are the strengths of a meta-analysis?

Overcomes problems of small or non-representative samples, Minimizes confirmation bias and Requires a large body of reports Signup and view all the answers

What is advocacy in the context of research?

Advocacy in research involves working toward making systematic changes within a formal organization structure. This often involves using research findings to influence policies and decisions related to a specific issue or concern, aiming to improve practices and outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

What is community-based science?

Community-based science is a collaborative approach where researchers work alongside community members to address local issues. It involves engaging the community in research design, data collection, and interpretation, aiming to produce knowledge that is relevant, useful, and impactful for the community. Signup and view all the answers

What is evidence-based practice?

Evidence-based practice involves using the best available research to guide professional decisions and practices. It emphasizes finding answers to empirical questions as the foundation of professional practice, ensuring that actions are guided by the latest and most reliable evidence. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to understand the limitations of research evidence when acting on incomplete evidence?

It is crucial to understand the limitations of research evidence, particularly when dealing with incomplete evidence, as it helps to make informed decisions and avoid potential biases or misinterpretations. This includes considering factors like sampling bias, measurement bias, and the generalizability of findings. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 15 & 16

This chapter combines information from class slides and the textbook.

Chapter 15 Why do we need consensus?

Consensus is a general agreement among people.
Every individual study is complicated by the individual scientist's biases.
The nature of science is critical to achieving consensus.
Educators agree that early childhood education impacts a child's cognitive and social development, reflecting decades of research.

Two ways to consider "consensus"

Scientific Consensus: Based on accumulation of peer-reviewed scientific papers (e.g., Studies showing 97% of scientists agree humans cause climate change, supported by peer-reviewed papers).
Proxy for Consensus: Experts summarize research into a statement (e.g., The IPCC says humans cause climate change, summarizing many studies).

Scientific Consensus

Relies on accumulated evidence.
Sufficiently large to overcome statistical uncertainty.
Methodologically diverse to overcome sampling and measurement biases.
Inclusive of many scientists to overcome biases.
Not a vote but an organic process over many decades (e.g., The conclusion that smoking causes lung cancer is a scientific consensus, based on decades of peer-reviewed research).

Convergence

Different pieces of evidence come together on a topic.
Requires multiple studies from different disciplines using a variety of methods.
Methods may have different biases, but together converge on a common answer(e.g., research on the effects of early childhood education, converging from cognitive development, social development, academic achievement, and economic studies).

Literature Review

Summarizes existing research on a topic.
Identifies gaps in existing research and highlights strengths/weaknesses of past studies.
Written by experts who have greater capability compared to casual readers to make connections between a single study and a broad body of knowledge within the topic.

Negative Study

Empirically finds no statistically significant relationship between variables (no relationship).
(e.g., a study finding no significant difference in incidence or severity of colds between those taking vitamin C and those not.

Publication Bias

A problem in scientific record-keeping where statistically significant studies are more likely to be published than those with no significant findings (studies with more exciting findings more readily published).

Robust

Reproducible and generalizable research findings.
Reliable results across different conditions and populations(e.g., a robust study on the effects of exercise on heart health with large samples sizes, various ages, and different routines and consistently showing positive results in diverse populations).

Traditional Literature Review

The expert writer chooses what to include in their overview of a topic.
No predefined selection criteria; the expert author has control over the selection of studies and how studies are organized.

Systematic Literature Review

Descriptive of the system used to choose empirical research reports for inclusion but it is somewhat subjective, using methods from other original research.
Methodically treats individual scientific studies as the unit of analysis.

Meta-Analysis

A systematic literature review that also uses statistical analysis across previously published reports(includes data previously collected into one comprehensive statistic analysis).

Chapter 16 Advocacy

Work toward making systematic change in a formal organizational structure.

Community Based Science

Empirical research that takes place in or around the community where professional care is provided (e.g., a local group monitoring air quality, working with researchers).

Evidence Based Practice

Using research to inform professional work by addressing specific questions and issues on the job.

Incomplete Evidence

Consensus might not yet be established.
Professionals need to act even with incomplete evidence.
Important to understand limitations of research (e.g., sampling bias, measurement bias, insufficient or specific populations represented.

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Description

This quiz explores the concept of consensus in science, focusing on the importance of general agreement among scientists and its role in early childhood education. It examines scientific consensus versus proxy consensus and how these concepts impact understanding and education. Engage with key ideas through this series of questions based on your textbook and class slides.