Spring 2008 sample final exam questions

Tiny numbers

Uncertainty vs. risk (posted 15 January 2008)
Parts per million (posted 15 January 2008)
Reading a table in a scientific paper (posted 15 January 2008)
Languages (posted 15 January 2008)
Risk of death (posted 15 January 2008)
Canned tuna (posted 15 January 2008)
Benchmark dose and Reference dose (posted 15 January 2008)
Parts Per Million (posted 15 January 2008)
A quote from Felsot (1998) (posted 15 January 2008)

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

Red Book risk assessment paradigm (posted 15 January 2008)
Risk assessment, management and communication (posted 15 January 2008)
Advantages and disadvantages of generic approaches (posted 15 January 2008)
Causes of cancer (posted 15 January 2008)
Statutes, case law and agency practice (posted 15 January 2008)

A mercury primer

How are U.S. residents exposed to mercury? (posted 15 January 2008)
How are U.S. residents exposed to mercury? (Microsoft Word version) (posted 15 January 2008)
The Executive Summary of the NAS Methylmercury Risk Assessment (posted 15 January 2008)
The Executive Summary of the NAS Methylmercury Risk Assessment (posted 15 January 2008)
Mercury fundamentals (posted 15 January 2008)
Mercury fundamentals (posted 15 January 2008)

Why we study methods, not facts

Scientific method

Models

Models employed by Grandjean et al. (1998) paper (posted 15 January 2008)
False models in Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 15 January 2008)
Hypotheses and model systems (posted 15 January 2008)
Models used to extrapolate from high to low doses (posted 15 January 2008)
Accuracy, convenience and repeatability (posted 15 January 2008)
Impediments to scientific progress (posted 15 January 2008)
More models from Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 15 January 2008)

Data

Error in Schober et al. (2003) (posted 15 January 2008)
Sampling error vs. bias (posted 15 January 2008)
Good research design (posted 15 January 2008)
Reducing error (posted 15 January 2008)
Data analysis errors (posted 15 January 2008)
Reducing error with good research design (posted 15 January 2008)
Calipers demonstration (posted 15 January 2008)
Figures 7-4 and 7-5 of the Methylmercury risk assessment (posted 15 January 2008)

Evaluation

Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (posted 15 January 2008)
Comparison of Grandjean et al. (1998) and Myers et al. (2003) (more) (posted 15 January 2008)
Three types of scientific evidence (posted 15 January 2008)
Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Grandjean et al. (1998) (posted 15 January 2008)
Correlation and causation, as illustrated by Myers et al. (1998) (posted 15 January 2008)
Correlation does not imply causation (posted 15 January 2008)
Randomization, experiments, and observations (posted 15 January 2008)

Conflict and the corruption of science

Models

Risk perception (posted 15 January 2008)
Risk communication models (posted 15 January 2008)
Financial risk: perceptions and reality (posted 15 January 2008)
Perceptions of risk, uncertainty and probabilities (posted 15 January 2008)
Decision-making heuristics (posted 15 January 2008)

Risk communication

Some institutions for reducing risk

Compare and contrast risk-reduction regiemes (posted 15 January 2008)
Questions from Menell (1991) (posted 30 April 2008)
Common-pool resources & cap and trade (posted 30 April 2008)
Cap and trade regulation of mercury (posted 15 January 2008)
Institutions (posted 15 January 2008)
Bounded rationality vs. Maximization of expected utility (posted 15 January 2008)

Administrative law

Cost benefit analysis

Risk assessment case law

Technology-based approaches

Regulation of Mercury

New Jersey v. EPA, etc. (posted 30 April 2008)
Mercury regulation under the Clean Air Act (posted 15 January 2008)
Some mercury and risk assessment cases (posted 15 January 2008)
Mercury chronology and regulation (posted 15 January 2008)
History of Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (posted 15 January 2008)