Spring 2007 sample final exam questions

Introduction

• Uncertainty vs. risk (posted 22 Jan. 2007 and modified on 26 March 2007)
• Parts per million (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Reading a table in a scientific paper (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Languages (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Risk of death (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Canned tuna (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Benchmark dose and Reference dose (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Parts Per Million (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• A quote from Felsot (1998) (posted 21 March 2007)

Risk assessment policy and legal overview: The Red Book and Industrial Union

• Red Book risk assessment paradigm (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Risk assessment, management and communication (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Advantages and disadvantages of generic approaches (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Causes of cancer (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Statutes, case law and agency practice (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

A mercury primer

• How are U.S. residents exposed to mercury? (posted 21 March 2007)
• How are U.S. residents exposed to mercury? (Microsoft Word version) (posted 8 May 2007)
• The Executive Summary of the NAS Methylmercury Risk Assessment (posted 21 March 2007)
• The Executive Summary of the NAS Methylmercury Risk Assessment (Microsoft Word version) (posted 8 May 2007)
• Mercury fundamentals (posted 21 March 2007)
• Mercury fundamentals (Microsoft Word version) (posted 8 May 2007)

Scientific method, as illustrated by the methylmercury case study

• Advantages of methods over facts (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Scientific method

• Goal, study design, conclusion (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Scientific method, as illustrated by Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Models

• Models employed by Grandjean et al. (1998) paper (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• False models in Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Hypotheses and model systems (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Models used to extrapolate from high to low doses (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Accuracy, convenience and repeatability (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Impediments to scientific progress (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• More models from Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Data

• Error in Schober et al. (2003) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Sampling error vs. bias (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Good research design (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Reducing error (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Data analysis errors (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Reducing error with good research design (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Calipers demonstration (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Figures 7-4 and 7-5 of the Methylmercury risk assessment (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Evaluation

• Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (more) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Three types of scientific evidence (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Myers et al. (1998) (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Correlation does not imply causation (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Randomization, experiments, and observations (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Conflict and the corruption of science

• How might Myers et al. (2003) have biased their results? (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Risk perception

• Risk perception (posted 22 Jan. 2007, and modified on 27 March 2007)
• Risk communication models (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Financial risk: perceptions and reality (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Perceptions of risk, uncertainty and probabilities (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Decision-making heuristics (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

• Risk communication excercise (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• How to reduce perceived risk (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Institutions

Some institutions for reducing risk

• Compare and contrast risk-reduction regiemes (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Cap and trade regulation of mercury (posted 17 April 2007)
• Institutions (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Bounded rationality vs. Maximization of expected utility (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Administrative law

• Challenges to procedure and to substance (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Cost benefit analysis

• Cost benefit analysis (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Risk assessment case law

• Industrial Union vs. American Petroleum Institute (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Models in science and administrative law (posted 22 Jan. 2007)

Technology-based approaches

• Technology-based approaches to risk regulation (posted 22 Jan. 2007, and updated 8 May 2007)

Regulation of Mercury

• Mercury regulation under the Clean Air Act (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Some mercury and risk assessment cases (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• Mercury chronology and regulation (posted 22 Jan. 2007)
• History of Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (posted 3 May 2007)

Makeup classes

Barry Needleman

• The Bio Energy case (posted 26 March 2007)

Kevin Leske, Vt Attorney General's Office

• Mercury regulation under the Clean Air Act (posted 21 March 2007)
• Issues in New Jersey v. EPA (posted 26 March 2007)

Jim Ferguson

• Controlling mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants (posted 21 March 2007)
• Controlling mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants (Microsoft Word version) (posted 8 May 2007)

Celia Chen

Questions from Dr. Chen's class (posted 17 April 2007)

Student presentations in Prof. Brooks' class

Setting a MACT standard for Hg under Section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (posted 3 May 2007)

Craig Pease

Does thimerosal in vaccines cause autism? (posted 3 May 2007)