Spring 2004 sample final exam questions

In the interests of full disclosure, please note that the final exam in Risk Assessment this semester will be similar to the final exams I have given in Ecology and Environmental Science in past years. Electronic copies of old exams and sample problems from the previous times I taught Ecology and Environmental Science are available, as are some multiple-choice problems that go with the Science for Business, Law and Journalism book.

That said, I recommend that you work through the sample final exam questions on the present page. If you do this, you should not need any additional study problems.

Introduction

• Some advantages to understanding methods of problem solving (posted 21 Jan. 2004)
• Advantages of methods over facts (posted 21 Jan 2004)

• Uncertainty vs. risk (posted 5 Feb. 2004)
• Parts per million (posted 5 Feb. 2004)
• Reading a table in a scientific paper (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Languages (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Risk of death (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Canned tuna (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Benchmark dose and Reference dose (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Relative risk of 2.0 (posted 3 March 2004)

Risk assessment in the US government: The Red Book and Industrial Union

• Red Book risk assessment paradigm (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Risk assessment, management and communication (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Advantages and disadvantages of generic approaches (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Industrial Union vs. American Petroleum Institute (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Causes of cancer (posted 3 March 2004)
• Toxic ignorance (posted 3 March 2004)
• Statutes, case law and agency practice (posted 4 March 2004)

Scientific method, as illustrated by the methylmercury case study

Scientific method

• Goal, study design, conclusion (posted 18 Feb. 2004, revised 3 March 2004)
• Scientific method, as illustrated by Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 4 March 2004)

Models

• Models employed by Grandjean et al. (1998) paper (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• False models in Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 11 Feb. 2004)
• Hypotheses and model systems (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Models used to extrapolate from high to low doses (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Accuracy, convenience and repeatability (posted 4 March 2004)
• Impediments to scientific progress (posted 4 March 2004)
• More models from Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 4 March 2004)

Data

• Error in Schober et al. (2003) (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Sampling error vs. bias (posted 18 Feb. 2004)
• Good research design (posted 4 March 2004)
• Reducing error (posted 22 March 2004)
• Data analysis errors (posted 22 March 2004)
• Reducing error with good research design (posted 22 March 2004)
• Calipers demonstration (posted 22 March 2004)
• Figures 7-4 and 7-5 of the Methylmercury risk assessment (posted 22 March 2004)

Evaluation

• Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (posted 3 March 2004)
• Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (more) (posted 22 March 2004)
• Three types of scientific evidence (posted 3 March 2004)
• Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 3 March 2004)
• Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Myers et al. (1998) (posted 3 March 2004)
• Correlation does not imply causation (posted 3 March 2004)
• Randomization, experiments, and observations (posted 3 March 2004)

Conflict and the corruption of science

• The somewhat deceptive arguments of Shore (2003) and Levin (2003) (posted 21 March 2004)
• How might Myers et al. (2003) have biased their results? (posted 7 April 2004)

Risk perception

• Key models in risk perception (posted 21 March 2004)
• Risk communication models (posted 2 April 2004)
• Financial risk: perceptions and reality (posted 7 April 2004)
• Perceptions of risk, uncertainty and probabilities (posted 7 April 2004)

• Risk communication excercise (posted 2 April 2004)
• How to reduce perceived risk (posted 7 April 2004)

Institutions

• Compare and contrast risk-reduction regiemes (posted 12 April 2004)

Administrative law

• Challenges to procedure and to substance (posted 12 April 2004)