PREFACE
(1999 First Edition)

Logical thought is an ability sorely missing from a vast majority of our population. This manuscript is intended to address this problem for students in introductory life science courses. It is also appropriate for anyone who wishes to understand the way science works and how the same thought processes can apply to everyday living.

Logical thinking (or "critical thinking" in today’s lingo) can improve your life. No longer do you have to be confused and frustrated by many elements of normal life, which tend to lead to emotional distress. Open-mindedness, honesty and willingness to look at all available data are important characteristics of science. These simple concepts can be applied to your own life situation as well.

I would like to thank Dr. Frank Sonleitner of the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma for many hours of thoughtful discussion and for his critical review of the materials presented in this manuscript. Dr. Sonleitner is the single most active professional educator and scientist in Oklahoma with regard to the subject of maintaining the integrity of science in science education. He has been recognized with the highest award of the National Center for Science Education for his lifetime contributions in this important subject area.

Bruce G. Stewart
20 January 1999

PREFACE
(2008 Edition)

As I noted in the original preface above in 1999, logical thought seemed to be an all too uncommon commodity in the United States of America. Unfortunately, that gloomy statement seems to remain applicable almost ten years later. Recently published data and analyses by the the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (Click Here for 2006 PISA Report Links) demonstrates clearly that 15 year old students in the United States are significantly below average in Science and Mathematics compared to 30 other participating countries in the Organisation for Co-operation and Economic Development (OECD). OECD countries account for some 90% of the world economy! As a matter of depressing detail, the USA ranked 25th among these countries in mathematics and 21st in science in the latest 2006 study. Our students rank below such countries as Korea, Poland, Croatia, and many others that, in our arrogance, we "Americans" tend to look down upon. We have fallen even lower in rank since 2003! Both science and mathematics 2006 rankings for the US were lower than the 2003 rankings. There is great concern that our students are ill prepared for a globally competitive environment, much less prepared to think logically in the realm of science, mathematics, and problem solving in general. Hence, the materials in this unit on critical thinking in science and everyday life remain as important as ever.

I wrote in 2005 that I have continually revised and corrected various parts in this "Notes on the Web" series on Critical Thinking in Science and Everyday Life.  This has continued. There have been some additions, expansions, and reformatting.  For example, the essay exercise in the pseudoscience notes (Unit One - Part 3) has been expanded and more specific directions are presented in a separate linked page dedicated to this valuable learning exercise.  Instructions for the peer-reviewed journal exercise from the notes on the methods of science (Unit One - Part 2) have also been expanded and explained in a separate link.

One major improvement made to Unit One: Parts 1 through 4 "Notes on the Web" (and for all the notes that follow) in 2005 was the addition of detailed objectives for each part. Since then other details have been revised. For example, an error in detail in Part 3 regarding egret/heron siblicide has been corrected.  These Notes on the Web remain dynamic works in progress, and my students may expect to find additional revisions during any given semester.

Bruce G. Stewart
21 January 2008

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