Doing a Literature Review and Voodoo Science

1. Doing a Literature Review and Voodoo Science Summary by George Koo [DRAFT] SSCI E-100B – Graduate Proseminar Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

2. Purpose • Summarize findings/claims from existing research • Reach a Conclusion on: • What is Right or Wrong • What is Inconclusive • What is Missing • Synthesis of studies • Not just a summary list of individual works • Focus on the body of work as a whole Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

3. Benefits • Provides a general overview of the body of research • Reveals what has already been done • Not “reinventing the wheel” • Helps to develop new ideas • Determines if there are any problems or flaws in existing research • Places your research in a larger context of the subject matter Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

4. Context • Current state of the art on a subject matter • Existing knowledge help to: • Determine if your proposed research question been answered • Situate your research in the subject landscape • Make your “Contribution to Knowledge” • Component of your research • How your conclusions relate to prior wisdom Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

5. “Contribution to Knowledge” • Summarize current state of knowledge • Characterize Knowledge by: • What we believe supported by facts/evidence/information • How strongly we believe • What are those beliefs? • Can we create new beliefs? • Can you change old beliefs? Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

6. Search: “Cast Your Net Widely” • Online Searches (Sources such as UMI) • University Libraries • Conference papers, working papers, monographs • Credible Sources • Look for valid bases for assertions • Look at credentials • Plagiarism: Don’t Do It! WATCH OUT!!! • Unsubstantiated Findings/Assertions/Conclusions Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

7. How to Create an Effective Review • See how researchers did their research • Imitate what works well – techniques used • Avoid what was ineffective/unnecessary • Summarize the study’s main claim • Be selective for relevance – focus on applicable studies • Impose intellectual order – • Group & classify by schools of thought • Be critical – find what strengthens or weakens a claim • Associate authors by points of view or “camps” Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

8. Questions to be answered • What has been studied already? • What were the goals or key findings? • Were they reliable and valid? • What Key Variables were used – (Associations) (Independent/Dependent)? • What were the commonalities? • Do you agree or disagree with the findings? • Were there any Gaps to fill in? Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

9. Evaluating the literature • What Key Assumptions were made? • Were they plausible? • What was the reasoning behind the logic? • Was it explained well? • Were the Key Conclusions supported well? • What were the important arguments and counter-arguments? • What was the methodology? • Do the steps support their conclusions? • Any disagreements on methods used? Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

10. Sources • TOO FEW • Inner Circle/Outer Circle • Inner – Sources directly related • Outer – Sources are relevant, but overlap; not directly related • TOO MANY • Focus on leading authorities (credibility) • Focus on studies with high visibility/prestige • Focus on most relevant Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

11. Conclusion – Questions • What questions already addressed? • What are the main conclusions? • What are the points of agreement/disagreement? • What theories were considered/not considered? • What was the overall quality? • What has been learned to date? • What are the most important problems addressed? • What are the most important Gaps in knowledge? • What findings were useful contributions to knowledge? Source: Knopf, Jeffrey W. "Doing a Literature Review," PSOnline www.apsanet.org, January 2006: 127-131

12. Voodoo Scienceby Robert L. Park Reading Summary by George Koo [DRAFT] SSCI E-100B – Graduate Proseminar February 25, 2013 Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

13. Science – “The real deal” • “Science is the systematic enterprise of gathering knowledge about the world and organizing and condensing that knowledge into testable laws and theories.” (Park 2000) • Scientific Method consists of: • Testing by using experiments that are reliable and valid. • Testing using methods that are replicable by peers. • Findings that are supported by evidence and valid data. • “The success and credibility of Science depends on: • Exposing New Ideas to independent testing and replication by other scientists, and • Abandoning or modifying Accepted Facts or Theories in light of more complete and reliable experimental evidence.” (Park 2000) Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

14. What is VOODOO science? • Pathological Science • Junk Science • Pseudoscience Music Clip courtesy of: Thomas Dolby, “She Blinded Me with Science,” Blinded by Science, 1982, itunes.com, accessed on 2/24/2013. Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

15. Voodoo Science - Types • Pathological Science • Self-delusion by scientists • Scientists who fool themselves (i.e. self-deception) • Evidence that is biased, untestable, & unrepeatable • Misrepresentation of scientific principles & laws • Junk Science • Unproven theories with little or no evidence or support • Supported by illogical arguments • Deliberately intended to befuddle, convolute, & confuse • No scientific basis for claims and assertions • Pseudoscience • Not science at all • Based strictly on faith and beliefs • Little to no supporting evidence • Views shaped by religious, political, or emotional conviction Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

16. Paths of Voodoo Science • Self-delusion to fraud • Using experimental methods that are biased • Using arguments and methods not based on proven scientific principles and laws • Using non-applicable theories – self-deception • Purposely hiding critical elements of tests • Foolishness to fraud • Media manipulation – using the media, press, internet or politicians to advertise or support claims and assertions • Profit driven motives • Exploiting fears and beliefs of the naïve or gullible • “Theories” or claims that violate the laws of nature, physics, etc. Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

17. Tendencies of voodoo Science • Defy principles of valid science • Laws of nature (i.e.. gravity, magnetism) • Laws of physics (i.e. thermodynamics, quantum mechanics) • Laws of energy (i.e. conservation, electricity) • Evidence – barely detectable • Effects cannot be magnified • Lack of scientific methods • Testable experiments • Replicable experiments • Violate laws of probability • Sample selections that are biased • Samples that are not representative of true population • Lack of hypothesis testing • Media manipulation • Advertisements for unsubstantiated claims • Deception & Fraud Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

18. Scientific method • The most important element of real science is the “final step of putting the belief to the test.” (Park 2000) • “No matter how plausible a theory [may be], the experiment gets the final word.” (Park 2000) • The theory is peer reviewed by knowledgeable and credible scientists in the subject matter. • The tests of the theory are replicable by other scientists to valid the claims and assertions. • “Extraordinary claims are expected to be backed by extraordinary science.” – Carl Sagan, astrophysicist Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

19. Junk Science - Examples • Joe Newman - Energy Machine • Powering a car with a tiny flashlight battery • Limitless energy • Dennis Lee - Fisher Engine • Perpetual motion machine to generate electricity • Limitless energy • James Patterson – Magic Beads • Polymer beads that produce electricity in water • Junk Science • Lack of scientific basis • No support for claims • Junk Science • Lack of scientific basis • No support for evidence • Junk Science • Lack of scientific basis • No support for evidence Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

20. Pathological Science - examples • William Koch - Vitamin O • Oxygen therapy in water • Fleischmann & Pons – Cold Fusion • Nuclear fusion in a bottle • Sam Hahnemann – Homeopathy • Diluted water therapy • Bill Roper – Magnetic Therapy • Healing ailments w/magnets • Pathological/Junk • Self-deception (fraud?) • Diluted oxygen/theory • Pathological/Junk • Self-delusion/deception • Lack of science support • Pathological/Junk • Deception • Diluted water cure-all • Pathological/Junk • Stretching limits of science • Bias evidence Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

21. Pseudoscience - Examples • Robert Jahn – Psychokinesis • Mind control over objects • Touch Therapy • Healing by bearing touching subjects • John Hagelin – Transcendental Meditation • Mass meditation to stop violence • Deepak Chopra – Quantum Healing • Mentally control “waves particles to heal ailments • Dean Radin – Extrasensory Perception • Mental ability to foretell future • Pathological/Pseudoscience • Asked to send research work by telekinesis! • Pathological/Pseudoscience • Disproven by Emily Rosa, a 9 year old student • Pathological/Pseudoscience • Self-deception • Faith healing/hypnosis • Pathological/Pseudoscience • Self-deception • Use of Laws of Physics to apply to medical conditions • Pathological Pseudoscience • Violates the laws of physics • Violates the laws of probability Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

22. Moral of the story • Do not always believe unproven claims and assertions. • Scientific methods are used to validate theories. • Even distinguished scientists and professionals can delude themselves and others. • Peer reviews enable tests to be replicated that can validate theories. • Don’t call on the media and/or politicians to support claims – they rarely work. • Evidence must be subject to scientific rigor & scrutiny. • Beware of fraudulent claims – • Especially hucksters with the uncanny ability of mind and mouth control to remove money from your wallet! Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.

23. Don’t Be “Blinded” . . . by VOODOO science!!! Thank you! Music Clip courtesy of: Thomas Dolby, “She Blinded Me with Science,” Blinded by Science, 1982, itunes.com, accessed on 2/24/2013. Source: Park, Robert L. Voodoo Science. New York: Oxford Press, 2000.