SOPHOMORE DESCRIPTION (UNST 286)
This course introduces the Science in Social Context cluster. Natural Science Inquiry is designed to engage students in scientific inquiries of problems of the sort they might encounter as an attentive citizen. Using case studies and research, the course explores what it means to engage topics "scientifically.” Students conduct scientific investigations using the skills developed in the course, from defining how to go about framing questions, interpreting articles, obtaining data, doing the necessary library research, and arriving at substantiated (thus persuasive) conclusions. Investigations involve the use of collaborative inquiry and take account of the fact that the modern sciences, as well as the questions they address, require teamwork both within and between specific disciplines. Learning in NSI is accomplished through inquiry-based projects on a variety of topics. The successful completion of these projects requires: 1) working independently and collaboratively, 2) using the PSU library and associated databases to access scientific articles, 3) collecting and/or obtaining data, 4) using spreadsheets to organize, analyze, and present data, and 5) interpret, make, and defend knowledge claims through oral and written presentations.