Analysis
Analysis is a powerful knowledge-building characteristic that includes comparing or contrasting previously articulated views. It also could include new calculations from existing data that shed new light on the issue under consideration. Comparing and contrasting comes under this category (see third example).Examples
The Power of Estimation"I found a website (http...) that gives the volume of the Greenland ice as ... I calculated that if this whole mass melted it would raise global sea level by ..."
"Iowa has 56,000 square miles. I assumed that 60% of this was agricultural land and that farmers were able to increase soil carbon by 2% per year by minimum tillage practices. This amount of carbon sequestered by farmers would recapture % of the carbon released by all the fossil fuels burned in the state in a single year in the state of Iowa (1995 data)."
"I looked over the units on global climate models and regional climate models, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are as follows: ..."
One skill to be acquired in the Global Change course is the ability to gain insight on particular global change issues by use of estimation. When we are faced with problem-solving on issues having magnitudes beyond our normal range of experiences (e.g., global emissions of carbon to the atmosphere of 6 gigatons per year; volume of ice on Antarctica of 29.3 x 106 km3) we often fail to recognize whether a particular result is significant or of such magnitude that it might be totally irrelevant. Failure to make such estimates can allow us to be led astray by groups stretching the truth to promote a particular agenda. Estimation is a powerful analytical tool (analysis as a knowledge-building characteristic or critical-thinking skill) for use in Global Change and in everyday life.
A marvelous advantage of the internet is that we have ready access to so much factual information that making estimates of global quantities is easy in many cases. Search engines and online datasets allow for very interesting and timely analysis and organization of factual information into knowledge.
Estimation is a good skill for everyday problems in life: I use estimation every time I get in a long line to determine how long it will take me to get through (e.g., number ahead of me divided by processing time per individual, such as going through airport security).
Use the dialog requirements of Global Change to sharpen your skills of estimation and get credit for it by exercising your analysis critical thinking skill.
Examples
Could you prove that both the following statements are false (which they are) by use of estimation:
"If everyone in Iowa planted a tree in their backyard we would not be contributing to global increases in atmospheric CO2."
"If all manure from all hogs currently raised in Iowa were properly applied to Iowa farm ground, we could reduce our input of nitrogen fertilizer by half."