INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
STEP 1: Select a topic!
• In short, write a 2-6 page review article covering a sexual topic of special interest to you! Sex and media, family, religion, culture, behavior, health, education, media, and the internet are common foci, but feel free to be creative. If you aren't sure if your topic fits the bill, just confirm with me before you move forward. )
STEP 2: Write up your blog!
• Review the assorted formats below, as this might give you an idea of what to focus on.
• These also provide common formats that are well-received by readers.
• Remember, the key is to make this interesting and accessible to the masses: Engaging, smart, and funny are key.
• Scientific Reviews need a MINIMUM of 3 citations.
STEP 3: Work with the Writing Center (2nd Floor, 209 Baldy Hall)or a TA to review your draft
• Instead of working with your editorial team this round, you will instead have your work reviewed by a member of the Writing Center
(https://www.buffalo.edu/cas/writing/about-us.html) or your assigned TA.
• You are REQUIRED to set up an appointment with the writing center or your TA to review your full draft before you can submit it. During these sessions, the Writing Center staff or TA will walk through your work, commenting on the tone, conceptual flow, narrative quality, and consistency with expectations for this assignment. Typically, these appointments last 45 minutes.
• You must meet with Writing Center Staff or TA no later than midnight on Monday, Nov 28th.
• After they have reviewed your work, the Writing Center staff or TA will provide you with a signed Consulting Verification Form, which you must turn in me (Rintamaki) by midnight on Monday, November 28th. You may do so in class or slide it under my office door (313 Baldy Hall).
• Papers that do not have a signed Consulting Verification Form from the Writing Center or your TA signifying that you met to review and revise your FULL DRAFT will receive zeros on this assignment.
STEP 4: Submit blog via UBLearns.
• As with the Scientific Report, you will submit your Scientific Review via UBLearns by noon on Wednesday, Nov 30th.
The top 20 (as voted by the class) Scientific Reviews will each receive 5% extra credit; the TOP Scientific Report will also win the Grand Prize.
In short, this is a review of existing scientific studies on sex, sexual phenomena, social issues regarding sex or sexuality, attraction, sex education, sex and the media, and the like. In short, I would like you to find a topic of interest to you and write up a report on it! These papers are usually 2-6 pages, double-spaced, but I will allow you to write more if you feel the article you're developing requires it.
APPLICATION PAPER: There are several types of scientific reviews you can develop. The first is what's called an application paper. In a nutshell, application content takes a study or series of studies and makes a claim (e.g., tells people how to understand something, what to think, etc.) and/or tells you what to do with this information (e.g., how does the science you reviewed affect someone's life or how they might use it in their life). Sometimes this is very specific, such as compiling several studies/evidence to make a very specific claim. Other times, these are reviews of science that result in lists of things (e.g., 6 Factors That Secretly Influence Who You Have Sex With). Often times this becomes a prescription for how to do something (e.g., how to kiss well, how to attract someone, how to have great sex, etc.).
• It may be that you take a topic that you like and do research on it, compiling existing science and presenting it to the audience.
• You might also find a study you really like and read through the discussion section to see how the authors suggest this information be used/applied in daily life (e.g., How to avoid campus rape)
How-To:
Use a hook (raise a question, make a statement, give a hypothetical that intrigues the reader and makes them want to learn more, provide a case study, present a myth that your review will later support or bust)
Organize your main points, ensuring they flow together in a logical order
End with a summative/concluding statement
Examples:
• When are your tired pick-up lines most effective?
• Getting the most out of your rebound sex
• 5 ways about how to build commitment into your relationship
• How to have great sex
• Talking about anal sex
• Keeping passion alive in relationships
• How to avoid campus rape
• Breaking bad relationship habits
• Talking with doctors about sex
• Sexting and consent
• Why we need to keep talking about sex
• The real sex ed
• Science says sex addiction is for real. Here's how to diagnose it
• 10 things you need to do to attract someone
• 5 signs of sexual attraction
• The 3 encounter rule
• The Science of Dating: Wear Red
MYTHBUSTERS: Another approach can involve compiling research designed to support or debunk a sexual myth (or myths). There are a couple of ways in which to do this:
1. You can start by thinking of a particular myth/urban legend/fear/peculiar claim you've heard. If you can't think of any, just google "sex myths" and you'll find plenty. After you've designated a myth of your choosing, you conduct research about that myth, findings articles and studies that debunk it. Be mindful that I am NOT constraining you to only debunking myths about communication, though that is my preference. Once you've found articles that debunk the myth, I recommend follow this formula (but I am open to others):
An overview of the myth
• Can include facts and figures on what the myth is, how widely it is held, and its implications (e.g., for social interaction, for sexual partners, for self-esteem, etc.)
• Consider telling a story about a "friend" or scenario that illustrates the myth.
Review the science that supports and/or refutes the myth
End with a summative/concluding statement
2. You can also simply find an article that you think is interested, then address a myth or fear surrounding that article. For instance, we have a study or two that shows that men cannot smell whether random women are ovulating (but many can tell if someone they know well is ovulating, and they can pick out the shirts worm by a woman when ovulating from those worn when she isn't). I know a lot of women who wonder and are even concerned that men might be able to pick up on smell and tell when they're ovulating, so I write up a blurb about a friend of mine and I talking about this, then discuss what the science actually tells us. Despite different origins, the article follows the same core content as the example detailed above.
3. If you're feeling extra motivated, write a blog that addresses MULTIPLE myths. Seriously, people go nuts over lists of myths being debunked ("The Top Three Things You're Doing Wrong in Bed," "The Five Things He Thinks He Knows about the G-Spot, But Doesn't," etc.).
EXAMPLES
• Deciphering your date - With SCIENCE!
• A whole collection of sex myths (debunked!) articles from the Huffington Post (approx. 25)
• Quebeckers' sexual tastes and interests: A new study debunks preconceived notions
• Size does matter: Study
• How Women REALLY Feel About Penis Size
• Bisexuality myths debunked
• 10 stubborn myths that just won't die
• 14 sex myths, busted!
• 20 sex myths, debunked!
• 27 myths you need to stop believing
• Myths to debunk immediately
• 5 myths about women and sex
• PBS takes on sex myths
• Gross sex myths debunked
• Dude sex myths debunked
• Senior sex myths debunked
• Gays and sex - myths debunked!
• Lesbian sex myths debunked
• Sex addiction myths debunked
• Six myths about female sexuality and why they're wrong
CASE STUDY: Sometimes these reviews begin with a case study. In essence, this is a story or example of a specific event, which you then proceed to explain and/or dissect using the review of science you've compiled, or using as a segue into your review of literature. You may have noticed some of these in the previous examples listed, but if you're skimming through these types of reports online and you happen to find some good ones that you think fit the case study intro, then please send them my way!
How-To:
Your hook is a story about someone(s) experiencing a specific event or chain of events.
You then proceed to use science to break down what happened in the story or use the story as a vehicle for explaining a specific phenomenon.
Organize your main points, ensuring they flow together in a logical order
End with a summative/concluding statement
EXAMPLES
• Figuring out who's through and who pursues after a relationship break-up
• The science behind achieving bliss after a break-up
• So you're totes emo - Here's how to get a date
• How to successfully play hard to get
• Dating tips from George Costanza's playbook (and the science thereof)
• How to weed out undesirables in your dating life
• How to get over being afraid to ask someone out