This volume explores how the scientific method enters and determines the dominant methodologies of various modern academic disciplines. It highlights the ways in which practitioners from different disciplinary backgrounds –– the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences –– engage with the scientific method in their own disciplines. The book maps the discourse (within each of the disciplines) that critiques the scientific method, from different social locations, in order to argue for more complex and nuanced approaches in methodology. It also investigates the connections between the method and the structures of power and domination which exist within these disciplines. In the process, it offers a new way of thinking about the philosophy of the scientific method. Part of the Science and Technology Studies series, this volume is the first of its kind in the South Asian context to debate scientific methods and address questions by scholars based in the global south. It will be useful to students and practitioners of science, humanities, social sciences, philosophy of science, and philosophy of social science. Research scholars from these disciplines, especially those engaging in interdisciplinary research, will also benefit from this volume.

This is an examination of the history and the state of the art of the quest for visualizing scientific knowledge and the dynamics of its development. Through an interdisciplinary perspective this book presents profound visions, pivotal advances, and insightful contributions made by generations of researchers and professionals, which portrays a holistic view of the underlying principles and mechanisms of the development of science. This updated and extended second edition: highlights the latest advances in mapping scientific frontiers examines the foundations of strategies, principles, and design patterns provides an integrated and holistic account of major developments across disciplinary boundaries “Anyone who tries to follow the exponential growth of the literature on citation analysis and scientometrics knows how difficult it is to keep pace. Chaomei Chen has identified the significant methods and applications in visual graphics and made them clear to the uninitiated. Derek Price would have loved this book which not only pays homage to him but also to the key players in information science and a wide variety of others in the sociology and history of science.” – Eugene Garfield “This is a wide ranging book on information visualization, with a specific focus on science mapping. Science mapping is still in its infancy and many intellectual challenges remain to be investigated and many of which are outlined in the final chapter. In this new edition Chaomei Chen has provided an essential text, useful both as a primer for new entrants and as a comprehensive overview of recent developments for the seasoned practitioner.” – Henry Small Chaomei Chen is a Professor in the College of Information Science and Technology at Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA, and a ChangJiang Scholar at Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Information Visualization and the author of Turning Points: The Nature of Creativity (Springer, 2012) and Information Visualization: Beyond the Horizon (Springer, 2004, 2006).

"Students of all ages and stages of development can profit from the clarity that Thinking Maps provide." —Bena Kallick, Co-Director Institute for Habits of Mind, Westport, CT "This is one of the rare books that links research and practice to show the true impact of a specific instructional approach on student learning. The research, experiences from the field, vignettes, and work samples are excellent." —Giselle O. Martin-Kniep, President Learner-Centered Initiatives, Ltd., Floral Park, NY Use Thinking Maps as a GPS for student success Neuroscientists tell us that the brain organizes information in networks and maps. What better way to teach students to express their ideas than with the same method used by the brain? Student Successes With Thinking Maps presents eight powerful visual models that boost all learners′ metacognitive and critical thinking skills. Enriched with new research, a wealth of examples, and cross-content applications, the book also shows how Thinking Maps serve as valuable assessment tools. This novel and effective model helps students Organize thoughts Examine relationships Enhance reasoning skills Create connections between subjects Engage with content The visual nature of Thinking Maps helps level the playing field and is ideal for inclusive settings. Additionally, educators have found that using Thinking Maps for professional development can improve teacher performance, build leadership skills, and raise students′ scores on high-stakes tests. If your goal is to transform your school′s culture, Thinking Maps will put you on the road to success.

What is science? Is social science a science? Why are more and more so-called scientific discoveries being exposed as outright frauds? Henry Bauer tackles these and many more intriguing questions that are emerging from within the academic and scientific communities and attracting attention from the popular media and the general public. Whether one is a specialist or generalist, scientist or humanist, thinker or activist, it is important to understand the place of science and technology in modern life. Popular views about the nature of science and scientific activity contain serious misconceptions that were discarded decades ago by most historians and philosophers of science. The perpetuation of these misconceptions usually surface in the form of frustrating and unproductive discussions about everything from setting policy and defining technical matters to whether one individual's point of view is ''right'' because it is supported by ''scientific facts.'' According to Bauer, the most serious and widespread misconceptions are that ''science'' can be discussed as though all sciences share a great deal in common and as though ''the scientific method'' characterizes all sciences. ''Science,'' argues Bauer, ''can be understood only if one recognizes it as a quest by fallible human beings who have evolved ways of interacting that help them gain relatively objective knowledge.'' In other words, science is a social activity, not simply the result of impersonal methods. Concern has recently arisen over the quality of American education and our declining scientific and research orientation. Debates are emerging about what direction public universities should be taking as we head into the twenty-fist century. Why and to what extent should society support basic scientific research? What should everyone in a democratic society know about science? This book will help readers come to an informed understanding about the place of science and technology in today's world.''Provocative. . . . Bauer argues that science does not proceed by the scientific method. If it did, experiments would inspire hypotheses which would then be tested until they generated reliable theories. As Watson and Crick's work [on DNA] shows, an elegant idea is often a headier lure than mere facts.''--Newsweek ''Sound, sensible . . . and very easy to read. . . . I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't yet heard that the scientific method is a myth.''--Science ''This is a book that every science teacher should read and consider. It will certainly affect their views of what science really is and influence their teaching.''--The Science Teacher

The authors seek to answer whether the ethnic maps of the Balkan Peninsula created between 1840 and 1914 can be considered scientific products, or whether these maps were merely tools that served the political goals of the Balkan nation states and the regional agenda of the Great Powers. Despite evident methodological progress, maps were often contradictory indicating that propaganda purposes played an important role during their preparation. The book investigates (1) the discrepancy between statistical data and their visualization on maps; (2) the reliability of Ottoman statistics and their Western and Balkan interpretations; (3) the adequacy of applied visualization techniques; and (4) the difference between the quality and content of maps created for the public and those created for political decision-makers. The authors apply interdisciplinary methods to deconstruct approximately one hundred maps analysing their background data, visualization techniques, and intentions behind the maps. Then, they redraw fifty maps with unified categories and scaling to promote comparison applying a different visualiza­tion technique.

Written for the forensic science student and professional practitioner, The Scientific Method in Forensic Science provides an experience-based learning opportunity for understanding the scientific method and evidence-based analysis as they relate to forensic science in a Canadian context. Underscoring the importance of these concepts, this handbook features real-world case and court examples that depict how scientific rigor has been incorporated into practice and the consequences when it has not. The authors explore the paradigm shift in the discipline, examining important events and reports like the Kaufman Commission and the Goudge Report; review scientific concepts and reasoning; and outline steps to critically review a journal article and conduct a literature review. They also highlight the importance of critical thinking, ethics and impartiality, the role of statistics in casework, and effective communication. Blending theory with experience-based examples and featuring thought-provoking questions, exercises, and suggestions for further reading, The Scientific Method in Forensic Science is an essential resource for students in forensic science, criminology, police studies, and anthropology.

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Second Edition, Fourteen Volume Set embraces diversity by design and captures the ways in which humans share places and view differences based on gender, race, nationality, location and other factors—in other words, the things that make people and places different. Questions of, for example, politics, economics, race relations and migration are introduced and discussed through a geographical lens. This updated edition will assist readers in their research by providing factual information, historical perspectives, theoretical approaches, reviews of literature, and provocative topical discussions that will stimulate creative thinking. Presents the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage on the topic of human geography Contains extensive scope and depth of coverage Emphasizes how geographers interact with, understand and contribute to problem-solving in the contemporary world Places an emphasis on how geography is relevant in a social and interdisciplinary context

We must clearly distinguish between reality (the territory), and what we perceive to be reality (the map of the territory)! In our journey through life, we need something to guide us, to give us reassurance that we are on the right track. Modern science has done its best to take that reassurance away from us, telling us that there is no destination, no purpose, in life, and that in effect our lives are an accident of 'Nature'. Religion, too, has become equally unhelpful: it has become dogmatic, sectarian, and self-serving. We have lost the core, the real message, of religion, but we still need true spirituality. Indeed, we need a map to the Truth.

It can be argued that the differences in content and approach between physical and human geography, and also within its sub-disciplines, are often overemphasised. The result is that geography is often seen as a diverse and dynamic subject, but also as a disorganised and fragmenting one, without a focus. Unifying Geography focuses on the plural and competing versions of unity that characterise the discipline, which give it cohesion and differentiate it from related fields of knowledge. Each of the chapters is co-authored by both a leading physical and a human geographer. Themes identified include those of the traditional core as well as new and developing topics that are based on subject matter, concepts, methodology, theory, techniques and applications. Through its identification of unifying themes, the book will provide students with a meaningful framework through which to understand the nature of the geographical discipline. Unifying Geography will give the discipline renewed strength and direction, thus improving its status both within and outside geography.

This book has two main aims: to demonstrate to international development agencies, governments, policy makers, project managers, practitioners, and community residents that landslide hazard can often be reduced in vulnerable urban communities in the developing world, and to provide practical guidance for those in charge of delivering Management of Slope Stability in Communities (MoSSaiC) on the ground. The purpose of the book is to take readers into the most vulnerable communities in order to understand and address rainfall-triggered landslide hazards in these areas. Community residents are not just seen as those at risk, but as the people with the best practical knowledge of the slopes in their neighborhood. As used here, 'community based' means engaging and working with communities to find and deliver solutions to landslide risk together. This approach leads governments to develop new practices and policies for tackling landslide risk. This book standardizes those elements of MoSSaiC that have led to its successful implementation in the Eastern Caribbean, and that are essential to the overall objectives (such as community engagement, mapping localized slope features, and broad drainage design principles). The book's nine chapters provide guidance to project managers and practitioners on the entire end-to-end process of community-based landslide risk reduction. While certain chapters are more directly relevant to one audience than another, it is helpful for all audiences to read the 'getting started' section of each chapter and be alerted to the nine project milestones.