Assignment: Earthquakes and Hydro fracking for Natural Gas

Part 1

1. Where did the author of the Standard Times article, A. Kuchment,get the scientific information he/she is reporting, the "source"? (Give the full name of the journal or publication, website, etc.)

2. Does this source have a special purpose or goal? (Go to the website of the journal/publisher and see who publishes this (i.e., what organization or government agency), and check their stated objectives or goals. Is this a "peer reviewed" scientific journal?)

Part 2

1. Is there a difference in the information/data you find in the news article compared to the information provided in the module resources, the USGS (United States Geological Survey) reports, and the research reported by Frohlich et al.or any other unbiased published the research you have located?

2. Is there a difference between what you learned from this article and what you thought before? Do you think the American public would agree with the findings reported in the news article? Why or why not?

Part 3

1. Do all the scientific sources you have examined on this topic provide data or information that supports the premise of the newspaper reporter, Kuchment?

2. Did the news paper reporter include any scientists who disagree? Did you find any scientists who disagree with the newspaper article's premise?

3. Examine the key words used in the newspaper article in conjunction with the scientific reports. Are misleading or sensationalistic expressions used that indicate the earthquakes are definitely a result of the fracking and/or waste water disposal? Give specific quotations and examples to support your response.

Part 4:

1. Does the evidence suggest correlation or causation? In other words, does the data suggest that two factors are correlated with one another, or that changes in one actually cause changes in the other?

2. Is the evidence based on a large sample of observationsor just a few isolated incidents?

3. Does the evidence in the scientific literature,provided in the module readings and other sources you have located,support the claims made by the author of the newspaper article?

Part 5: Now, answer the followingconcluding questions:

1. Do you trust this newspaper, the Standard Times, as a place to look in the future where you can find scientific research that is accurately and fully examined toinform the public about sensitive science topics, such as fracking?

2. What two questions do you wish you could ask Kuchment and/or the Frolich or the USGS geologists?

Use the following space to provide complete APA style references for any and all informational sources you used, including the news article. Refer to the EC Library Tip Sheet on writing references in APA style [PDF, file size 46 KB].