Affiliation

Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Corresponding Author

Anne Marie Zimeri, Phd, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, 150 Green Street Athens, GA 30606; E-mail: zimeri@uga.edu

Citation

Zimeri, A.M. A Classroom Exercise to Teach Undergraduates to Critically Think Using Primary Scientific Literature. (2016) J Environ Health Sci 2(1): 1- 4.

Copy rights

© 2016 Zimeri, A.M. This is an Open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Abstract

  Critically thinking about scientific data to form opinions on controversial issues in environmental health is crucial in undergraduate education in environmental health. An assignment paired with a classroom activity was designed to impart knowledge on how to search the primary literature and extract data that can help formulate a point of view on several environmental health topics including endangered species designation, genetic engineering, organic farming, population control, worldwide banning of DDT, mining/drilling, sushi, nationalized health care. Data are presented that show the assignment was effective in motivating critical thinking and making students take sides on these issues based on data that may impact their lives and political choices in the future.