Rationale for all this Weirdness I have organized this class to resemble the process of doing science. Scientists read books and papers not to memorize potential test-answers, but to understand concepts, to relate data to competing schools of thought, and to reach their own conclusions. We test our own ideas and the ideas of others by examining them critically, looking for logical inconsistencies or disagreements with fact, and by designing and carrying out experiments and observations in laboratory and field. Scientists must communicate their ideas clearly and forcefully orally and in writing. You can have the most brilliant ideas in the world, and mountains of data to support them, but unless you persuade others of their truth, your efforts will count as nothing.
Scientists criticize each other's work, and accept criticism from their peers.
When a scientist submits a paper to a journal, the journal's editor sends it out to other scientists who work in the same field. They review the paper and send their criticisms to the editor, who passes them along to the author. The author revises the paper and resubmits. Review and revision can go through several cycles before the paper appears in print. We will carry out the same activities in this class.