Ethics of conclusions
Debate how much evidence is enough to name a cause of death, and defend your threshold.
Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing what evidence threshold justifies a cause-of-death conclusion, referencing convergent evidence and at least one risk on either side.
- 1Do thisDebate how much evidence is enough to name a cause of death, and defend your threshold.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisCER: Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing what evidence threshold justifies a cause-of-death conclusion, referencing convergent evidence and at least one risk on either side.
- 4Submit it here
- 1CMSD website. Go to clevelandmetroschools.org and click the Clever button.
- 2Clever. Clever opens. Sign in if it asks.
- 3Microsoft (district) login. Use your district Microsoft account (the one for school).
- 4Schoology. Open Schoology, then your class, then Assignments, and find the file named below.
The file to submit is named: Principles of Biomedical Technology (Principles of Biomedical Science) › Unit 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. › CEROpen Schoology
Read to prepare for today
Vetted sources picked for today's question. Skim these before you take a position or start the work, so your argument and evidence are grounded.
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning — make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure — the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities — you open it through Schoology.
Minute-by-minute · 80-minute block
💡 Big idea: Conclusions in forensic and biomedical science require a threshold of convergent evidence, not just one finding from one test.
- 0:00Course recap: we have collected scene, lab, and tissue evidence. What do we do with all of it?
- 0:10Introduce convergent evidence concept; contrast with single-test conclusions
- 0:20Read the ethics prompt; list one risk of early conclusion and one of withholding conclusion
- 0:32Small-group debate: high certainty vs. reasonable certainty; reference convergent evidence
- 0:54Individual CER writing: evidence threshold, evidence (risks listed), reasoning
- 1:10Share two CERs; preview Tuesday evidence-synthesis work
- • This is the synthesis unit. Everything you learned about scene documentation, biomolecule testing, and histology now has to come together into a single, defensible conclusion.
- • But first, a philosophical question: how much evidence is enough? In criminal law the standard is beyond a reasonable doubt. In civil law it is preponderance of evidence. In medicine it is clinical judgment. Which standard should forensic science use?
- • Think about the risks on both sides. Conclude too early and you might blame the wrong cause. Never conclude and the family gets no answer, the public gets no warning, and justice is not served.
- • Today you argue for an evidence threshold. Wednesday you will actually build the evidence board. Thursday you write the conclusion. This is how the course ends.
- 1Read the prompt: When is the evidence strong enough to conclude?
- 2List one risk of concluding too early and one of never concluding.
- 3Choose a side: high certainty required vs. reasonable certainty suffices.
- 4Argue your claim in your group, referencing convergent evidence.
- 5Post a written CER stating your evidence threshold and reasoning.
- • I can articulate a standard for sufficient evidence.
- • I can defend a position with reasoning.
- • Convergent evidence means multiple independent lines of evidence that all point to the same conclusion, each collected by a different method.
- • Concluding too early risks a wrongful finding; never concluding may leave a death unexplained and a family without answers.
- • A reasonable certainty standard requires that the most likely explanation accounts for all available evidence with no major contradictions.
Your PLTW work today
Unit 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. · Ethics of conclusions
Day 1 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Log in to myPLTW and open Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation. Read the unit overview and planning materials before Tuesday.
Mark the Lesson 1.3 overview task complete in myPLTW.
You finished Lesson 1.2 last week. Today starts Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation, the capstone of Unit 1. The overview reading should be done by the end of today.
myPLTW screenshot showing the Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation overview task marked complete.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction. Submit producibles on Schoology.
Today's PLTW tracker
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible on Schoology.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Unit 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. · Ethics of conclusions
Log in to myPLTW and open Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation. Read the unit overview and planning materials before Tuesday.
You finished Lesson 1.2 last week. Today starts Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation, the capstone of Unit 1. The overview reading should be done by the end of today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Debate how much evidence is enough to name a cause of death, and defend your threshold.
- Read the prompt: When is the evidence strong enough to conclude?
- List one risk of concluding too early and one of never concluding.
- Choose a side: high certainty required vs. reasonable certainty suffices.
- Argue your claim in your group, referencing convergent evidence.
- Post a written CER stating your evidence threshold and reasoning.
CER: Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing what evidence threshold justifies a cause-of-death conclusion, referencing convergent evidence and at least one risk on either side.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read the prompt: When is the evidence strong enough to conclude? | _______ |
| List one risk of concluding too early and one of never concluding. | _______ |
| Choose a side: high certainty required vs. reasonable certainty suffices. | _______ |
| Argue your claim in your group, referencing convergent evidence. | _______ |
| Post a written CER stating your evidence threshold and reasoning. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- I can articulate a standard for sufficient evidence.
- I can defend a position with reasoning.
Resources & readings
Hand-picked materials for this lesson. Class file items open the document directly; the rest are vetted readings and interactives from other biomedical programs.
WebXam practice
Cumulative WebXam review
A quick mixed-review pulling questions from earlier units plus today, so the WebXam material stays fresh.
Where this leads — careers
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
What to do if you were absent
Watch the recorded conclusions-ethics prompt and post a written CER defining how much evidence justifies a cause-of-death conclusion.
John Carroll Philosophy for ChildrenThen submit your CER on Schoology.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
Khan Academy Biology Library- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed.
Drop your Tue, Sep 22, 2026 · Ethics of conclusions here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project