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Based on the process of evaluating authority, identify three separate concerns with Dr. Jenkins's claim, linking each concern to one of the specific assessment dimensions of authority evaluation.
Case context: A student reads an article written by Dr. Sarah Jenkins, an expert in astrophysics, who claims that a specific memory-enhancing drug is highly effective. In the article, she asserts that her claim is based on personal observation of her colleagues, and she does not disclose that she is a paid consultant for the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the drug.
Question: Based on the process of evaluating authority, identify three separate concerns with Dr. Jenkins's claim, linking each concern to one of the specific assessment dimensions of authority evaluation.
Sample answer:
- Credentials and Expertise: Dr. Jenkins's expertise is in astrophysics, not neuroscience or psychology, meaning she lacks relevant credentials. 2. Specific Methods: She relied on 'personal observation of colleagues' rather than rigorous scientific methodology, making her methods unscientific. 3. Hidden Biases/Reasons to Mislead: She has a financial conflict of interest as a paid consultant for the drug company, which she failed to disclose, introducing a motive to mislead.
Key points:
- Dr. Jenkins lacks the relevant credentials/expertise in the domain of the claim.
- The methods used (personal observation) are not rigorous or systematic.
- There is a hidden bias/reason to mislead due to undisclosed financial conflict of interest.
Rubric: Full credit: Student identifies the mismatch in expertise (astrophysics vs. neuroscience/psychology), the inadequate methods (personal observation instead of systematic scientific methods), and the hidden bias (undisclosed paid consultancy). Partial credit: Student identifies only one or two of these evaluation dimensions.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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