I found this story pertinent and interesting:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/07/26/math.science.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/07/26/math.science.ap/index.html
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Want to be good at science? Take lots of math
- Thread starter benbradley
- Start date
Duh indeed. I wonder if we could get a grant for a study to determine if scientific research causes cancer in laboratory rats?
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Actually, the conclusion of the study is NOT the same as the title of the article. In fact, near the end it says: "But Wheeler, who was not part of the research group, cautioned that a correlation isn't necessarily the same as cause and effect."
It doesn't say the taking more math (cause) will make you better in science (effect). It says that the same people who take more math also tend to do better in science.
It doesn't say the taking more math (cause) will make you better in science (effect). It says that the same people who take more math also tend to do better in science.
Yeah, and that should be pretty obvious. It's like saying people who take skating lessons tend to do better in hockey.
ETA: I concede my lab rat joke is more cause & effect, and therefore not a good example. But I still think we could get a grant for the study.
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The grant would be nice, albeit belated...
One of the problems of research is that often, observing an event or a process with hopes of a certain outcome can, in fact, cause the expected outcome to occur.
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It's amazing that this is a news story, or that it required some kind of reasearch, or that any grant is available for this. After all, there is math in every science book. Math is a pre-requisite. So, um, understanding the pre-requisite helps do better on a topic?
The relevant Family Guy moment is:
The Quahog newscast of the day ... "A major study was just released on the subject of whether bees can think, and -- let me check -- no, they can't."
The relevant Family Guy moment is:
The Quahog newscast of the day ... "A major study was just released on the subject of whether bees can think, and -- let me check -- no, they can't."