"Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth."
---Jules Verne, novelist and poet
What if, however, we do not learn from these mistakes? What if we are unable to distinguish these mistakes from valid science?
Introducing Pseudoscience Prevention!
Formerly a passion project for AP World History, this idea evolved from being a mere presentation about pseudosciences to an entire website that educates users and arms users with both information about pseudosciences and strategies to prevent themselves from succumbing to pseudoscientific beliefs.
Pseudoscience Prevention: A Breakdown
Homepage of Pseudoscience Prevention
Pseudoscience Prevention can be navigated using a menu of six items: the Homepage (depicted above), the About section, the Contact Page, and, of course, my three favorites: Facts & Information, Strategies, and Kids.
The About Page
The About Page is fairly self-explanatory. It conveys to viewers the purpose and origins of the website. It also provides basic information about the creator (myself) at the bottom of the page.
Facts and Information
Facts & Information directs viewers to my original, uncondensed research about a variety of different pseudosciences, both historical and modern-day. If you hover over this item, you will see a dropdown menu consisting of five items:
As implied by the menu, there is an Introduction (captured above) discussing the goals of Pseudoscience Prevention and the contents of my research. This Introduction is all gathered in one concise slideshow.
To filter, navigate, and educate yourself about the pseudosciences themselves, simply select one of the items in the menu: you can learn about historical pseudosciences in biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as pseudosciences and quackery that still linger to this present day. Each item in the dropdown menu will also redirect you to a slideshow that contains the information you need to know about these pseudosciences. I have compiled a Works Cited section at the end of each slideshow so that you may conduct some research yourself.
Strategies
This is where viewers can put what they have learned to action!
Pseudoscience Prevention not only teaches students about pseudosciences but also arms them with ways they can combat them. Essentially, this page is a compilation of strategies you can use to fact-check your own ideas and prevent yourself from internalizing pseudoscientific beliefs. If you click on the Strategies item on the menu, you will be redirected to a page with three buttons:
SENSE Strategy
Identify, Clarify, Verify
Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis
Each button corresponds to one preventative strategy. If you click on one of these buttons, you will be redirect to a slideshow that breaks down the strategy and explains the pros and cons of using it.
Strategies Page:
Slideshow for Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis:
Please note that these strategies are NOT intended to be solely relied on to prevent pseudosciences. They are merely suggestions, not requirements.
Kids
If you were to navigate my website, you may notice that one of the items I listed in my Modern-Day Pseudosciences presentation was children's susceptibility to scientific misconceptions.
I dedicate an entire webpage to children; the premise is that while adults, contrary to popular belief, are capable of producing more vivid memories and ideas than children, children and teenagers on the other hand have more fluid imaginations, capable of coming up with a wider range of ideas (whether they are valid or not). While fluid imagination has its pros, especially when it comes to brainstorming, it may also come at the cost of making children more susceptible to stumbling upon misconceptions and pushing the bounds of logic and reality. This is where this page about children comes in: it is supposed to help children leverage the fluidity of imaginations during the brainstorming process with logical inquiry and fact-checking upon learning about science and reflecting on their own ideas.
The Kids section consists of an entire slideshow presentation about ways parents and teachers can use invention conventions, science experiments, and more to achieve this goal.
Contact
The Contact Page is also fairly self-explanatory: it provides users with ways they can contact me for any questions, comments, or concerns.
There are two ways users may contact me: They can use the Wix chat bubble to send me a message, or they can fill out the black form in the Contact page with their message and necessary contact information. (Filling out your First and Last name is optional!)
Wix Chat bubble:
Wix Contact form:
Want to learn more?
Check out this new website in the link below:
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more updates about Pseudoscience Prevention!!
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