I am an undergraduate student at Santa Clara University. I will be graduating this coming June with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Communication. I will be attending graduate school this coming fall to receive a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.
The author takes an interesting approach. He presents the findings of a number of research studies focusing on how our sense of smell affects attraction while including his own comical thoughts and anecdotes throughout the piece.
The scientific terms and the research studies were describe clearly and efficiently. It appears that women should be informed about this research before making the important decision of having their ovaries removed. The author made a good point about who should be specifically concerned about the potential risk factors, and who should not be as concerned.
This research is very relevant, since numerous women choose to get their ovaries removed for preventative measures, when in fact, they are increasing their risk for other medical issues. I think women should be informed of this research before they make the decision to get their ovaries removed, especially if they have a strong family history of heart disease and stroke. Also, people in the medical field need to be made aware of this research so that they can inform their female ... More »
This article presents interesting findings of a study done on Guatemalan street children's BMI compared to children who grow up in poor families in agricultural villages. The story is very short and is not in-depth.
I was somewhat surprised by the findings the study discussed, but it makes sense that street children would develop resiliency, become self-reliant, and adapt physically to homelessness since it is the only way for them to survive. However, I'm sure that the children who live in poor but intact families in agricultural villages fair better in a number of other psychological and social factors.
The author interviews a number of women who have faced homelessness, and brings to light important policy issues that affected these women.
The author brings to light the true essence of women who become homeless: how they get there, what they face, and how it affects them and their children. Many women become homeless not due to lack of education, but due to loss of supportive people and family members in their lives.
The author makes sure to cover both sides of the story: some people are becoming misinformed about swine flu through Twitter, but Twitter is also getting people to talk openly about the situation.
I can see how people are becoming misinformed about the swine flu outbreak through postings on Twitter, but it is good that credible sources, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, are maintaining their own Twitter accounts and providing useful and trustworthy information for the public. However, it will become increasingly important for Twitter to somehow inform its users about who is credible and who is not when determining which postings to trust, especially on ... More »
The author, Howard Kurtz, is credible and offers statements from other experts concerning both sides of how media is covering the swine flu "epidemic."
The author makes it clear that some media sources are going overboard in highlighting the swine flu outbreak, while others are making sure to tell their audiences the facts and provide context to bring awareness, but not hysteria to the situation. One of the author's sources brings up a good point about how the media feels a need to scare people in order to draw them in and entertain them for 24 hours of cable news.
The author of this article, Srinivas Murthy, is a resident in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, increasing this article's credibility. The disease, recent research done about the disease, and possible future treatment options are clearly stated and explained.
Murthy brings into light a debilitating mosquito-borne parasitic disease, called filarial hydrocele, that is prevalent in tropical regions, especially in India. This disease causes elephantiasis and swelling of the scrotum, affecting both sufferers and their partners' sex lives. A research study asked an Indian community about their feelings towards those with this disease. While the results were not surprising, they are bringing more awareness to the morbidity of the disease and ... More »
The author's true identity is not transparent, decreasing the article's credibility. Furthermore, "Natalie" does not clearly state how the researchers theorize using a genetic disorder as a future form of birth control for men.
Even though the article is not written very well, is not in-depth, and does not show context, the author at least made it clear that the research is in its early stages. It is important that the article's audience is not misled to believe that there will soon be birth control for men on the market. I remain curious about how researchers can use a genetic disorder to create a form of birth control. If this does become possible in the future, I agree with "Natalie" in that it will ... More »
The author's true identity and credibility is a mystery, but he/she sights researchers and other credible sources throughout the article, and also provides tables and graphs from the research studies.
While some of the author's language and discussion is immature (see "teeny peen"), he/she does a decent job at explaining the research process in lay-man's terms. Also, he/she makes some good points about the limitations of the research studies, such as little racial variation, that may have affected the findings. It was interesting to read that most of the men who were seeking surgical or hormonal procedures to increase their size were worried about the size of their penises when ... More »
While the author is from a credible source, their name is not given. He/she focuses on the relevance of these new findings, and does a good job at explaining the research process.
The fact that the author's name is not provided decreases the credibility of this article. However, the article is not biased and is well-written. The author makes sure to focus on the relevance of the research findings done on mice, but also makes sure to mention that the research still needs to be extended upon for female humans. The explanation for how Chinese researchers tested the fact that adult mice carry cells in their ovaries that can form into new eggs and produce ... More »
The author made a good attempt at trying to make a complex psychological study easier to understand, but failed to explain some key words.
A study done by Niklas Zethraeus and colleagues from the Stockholm School of Economics is discussed. This study focused on whether the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen affect women's risk-taking behaviors, fairness, and trust. The procedure involved women taking part in different trust and gambling games after taking doses of either testosterone, oestrogen, or placebos. Some of the gambling jargon is not explained and hard to digest, but the author's explanation of the ... More »
The author gives a good account of the recent court rulings and science behind adolescent use of emergency contraception, but falls short of equally showing both sides of the controversy.
The author's own opinions on this controversial matter are implied throughout the article; it can be inferred that she supports the recent ruling that allows teenagers under the age of 17 to buy Plan B without a prescription. How emergency contraception works, and research studying its affects on teens is discussed. The author makes one short statement about why some people oppose unlimited access to teens (because it may increase promiscuity), but focuses mainly on why scientific ... More »
“When Tylenol went over the counter, nobody questioned its safety in adolescent women,” says Dr. Anita Nelson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at ... More »
While the article is well-written with insightful and legitimate opinions, the author's identity and credibility is a mystery.
This article draws attention to some important and legitimate criticisms of a New York Times story about female sexuality and desire. I agree with "Natalie"; it is important for readers to understand that female desire and arousal are not equal. Furthermore, female desire cannot be summarized. It is a complicated concept that is different for each individual. However, "Natalie" should not be attacking the New York Times article, since it only presents the research, history, and ... More »
I found the topic interesting, but wished that the author had gone more in depth with her research and context.
While the topic in general is very interesting, and possibly useful to the general public, I found myself wanting to read more. The author explains the research study and the science behind having a healthy flush, but is lacking in her effort to expand and research the topic. She briefly states the topic's relevancy to the general public at the end, by stating that exercise and quitting smoking can help create a rosy complexion. This could help encourage some individuals to begin ... More »
I felt that the author's writing format made the article interesting and fun to read. He is a credible source for writing about this topic, and he does a good job at explaining the various research studies and presenting their findings. He defines scientific terms that may not be familiar to all who read the article. As a person who has been reading other research on how our olfactory systems affect whether we are attracted to certain people, I found the article engaging. The ... More »