Biology is the study of life and so we are all directly involved in its issues. You cannot read a newspaper or watch television, without encountering the language, ideas, and impact of biological science, often requiring your decision-making skills. For example, you probably make daily decisions about your (and your family’s) health and lifestyle. How do you weigh and measure conflicting information? For example, is it safe to use antibiotics? When should antibiotics be used? What are stem cells and should we support research into their use? What are possible implications of the latest research on the human genome?
Where can you access information? Many of us seek answers on the internet, but how do we know which websites offer reliable and valid information? This discussion gives us the opportunity to explore these questions and develop our research skills.
Begin by choosing a website of interest to you, one that you think your classmates would appreciate. For example, the website of the National Migraine Association_(new window) offers educational information on diagnosis and possible treatment options. If you chose this website, you might discuss the information it provides and whether or not you agree with its characterization of migraines as a neurological disease.