Questioning Validity of Sources

I'd like for you to listen to an episode of the radio program "To the Point" from 11/09/2010.  This is a 50-minute audio program, and I encourage you to listen to the entire program, if you can.   If your time is limited, the assignment will focus on the segment between time marker 16:25 and 30:30.

The embed code for this program no longer seems to be working, so you'll have to visit the website directly to listen.  Access the program here: http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp101109climate_change_polit

Then click "Listen" which will launch a new media player browser page on your computer.

Once you've listened to this clip, describe your experience of listening to this conversation.  This pits Andrew Dessler, of Texas A&M and a scientist concerned with global warming, against James Taylor, of the Heartland Institute and a skeptic of global warming's human causes.  Which side do you feel has the better research to support it?  Why?  Does your opinion about the credibility of each speaker change at all during this conversation?  Why or why not?

Conclude your submission with observations of how this ties into your own research paper process.  How can you know, as you research, that you're finding the best information available, and that you can convince your readers that you've done so?

Submissions should be approximately 250-500 words.

If you're interested, the link to the audio program page is here Links to an external site., and it contains further links to several programs and organizations mentioned in the discussion.  Unfortunately, a written transcript is not readily available.