Group Presentations

Required Elements

Natural Science 4 — Dr. Hall

An important aspect of this course is the weekly presentations made by groups of students on various controversial topics. All students will be asked to indicate a topic (from a handout list) in which they are most interested. The instructor will then group students according to their indicated interest. These groups will meet outside of class and prepare a 30 to 40 minute presentation that will be held in class on a specified date. Each presentation must detail both the “pro” and “con “sides of each case using the best available sources and evidence, citing references, and giving some evaluation of the strength of the evidence. This is a cooperative project with each member contributing about 10 minutes of the presentation. However, each participant will be graded separately according to the information and style of presentation. The presentation is worth 20% of your course grade. Note that you are not required to turn in a critique of your own presentation topic.

Preparation

The group must research their topic in depth. A minimum requirement is that each member must be able to show a detailed understanding of the topic as presented in the textbook by Hines. This is the starting point. Next it is expected that the student will research the topic using the library, internet and other resources (including the personal book collection of the professor).

The group should then meet and share the material they have found. Next decide how the presentation will proceed and assign responsibilities to each member of the group, but only after each has done adequate research and contributed a fair share to the pool of information.

Next prepare a two page outline of the presentation and a list of sources (Books, magazine or journal articles, web pages etc…). This outline must be turned into to the instructor the week before your presentation.

You are encouraged to be imaginative in your presentation. Please make use of visual aids including pictures, video clips, models, charts, graphs and the use of powerpoint is encouraged. Demonstrations, audience participation, guest speakers and other techniques are welcome with the prior approval of the instructor. If powerpoint is to be used a draft of the presentation must be emailed to the instructor the Monday before the presentation.

Please go through a rehearsal of your presentation with all group members present. The goal is a structured, smooth, and information rich presentation with a focus on justifying major points with in-depth references.

Note that students in the audience appreciate handouts of presentation outlines or printed notes from the powerpoint presentation.

Required Content

(and suggested format)

Introduction

Include a history of the topic and the principal proponents with their backgrounds and credentials. Some questions that may be relevant: Who originated the idea? When? Is the idea well accepted? By how much of the population? (cite polls?) Is it more popular in other countries? How many books are there on the topic? Is it in the news? How much money is involved in the enterprise?

Proponents Case

Make the best case of the proponent’s side citing the arguments and evidence from your research. As necessary, define, explain, and clarify, in order to meet the needs of you audience. Use visual aids to efficiently present detailed information and complicated aspects of the topic. Cite the best published results if any. Use the strongest arguments of the proponents even if they are flawed— you are not responsible for improving on them, just making the best case possible.

Critics Case

Present the best criticisms found by your research, and include your own using the tools learned in class (pitfalls of human perception, characteristics of pseudoscience, and fallacies in logic). Focus on evaluating the evidence and logic used by the proponents. Also focus on alternative hypotheses and support them with evidence.

Conclusion

Restate and summarize the main points of both sides of the topic. If either side has responses to the criticisms of the other, present those as well.

Timeline and Items to be turned in:

1. Outline of presentation and presenters— due: after class, one week before presentation.
2. Draft of powerpoint presentation — due: the Friday before the presentation.

(If using powerpoint)

3. List of used resources, in the format of a bibliography — due: presentation day.

Suggested resources:

— The text book by Hines has an extensive list of references and citations for further material.

— On the web: The best starting point is the Skeptic’s Dictionary. Please see my critical thinking resources link on the NS4 webpage for this and other valuable internet sites.

— Your instructor.