1.1 Handout Strategies for Identifying More-Likely and Less-Likely Reliable Self-Help Sources Instructions: Go to a library, a bookstore with a copier, or the Internet and locate a self-help book related to some aspect of psychology. Photocopy a few relevant pages from the book (e.g. front and back covers, author information, table of contents). Answer the following questions. Make a judgment about the likely validity of the books contents. Use your answers to the questions as evidence to support your judgment. 1. Book title and subtitle:
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2. In the table, list each author by name and indicate what their credentials are. Credentials might include a degree (e.g., M.S., Ph.D., M.D.). If you list a degree, also list the discipline or field of the degree (e.g., Psychology, Dentistry, Biology, Fine Arts). If no degree is mentioned, list any experience that might lend credence to the author. Author name Author credentials (Include degree and discipline where possible) Does the credential match the topic of the book?
3a. Go online http://scholar.google.com to and do a search on the author/s and the book topic. What did you find? (e.g., Has the author published on this topic in peer-reviewed sources? How many are there? Have all authors published?)
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3b. Do a search on scholar.google.com on just the topic of the book. Scan several screens. Has the topic been studied by many different people? If so, list some of the most common names.
4a. Is there a reference section?
Yes
No
4b. If there is a reference section, what kinds of sources are listed? In what quantity? (e.g., Are there mostly books or mostly scientific journal articles listed?) Do the names you identified in 3b appear in the reference section?
5a. Are there comments or recommendations about the book by others? Yes No
5b. If there are comments, who made them and what are their credentials?
5c. Are the credentials of the others scientifically credible? What makes you say so?
6. To what extent do think this book likely reflects legitimate scientific knowledge? Use what you have learned in Chapter 1 and your answers to these questions to support your judgment.
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