CRITIQUE: Smile if You're in the Mood!-The Sex Behind Smiling

2. Can You Do It?
- Methods Clear?
Your methods are well stated, but I wonder if you are trying to take in too much information. There seem to be some drawbacks to your other study ideas {zoo, dance clubs, walkways} and you are well aware of them. Maybe you should rely primarily on your survey, and if you find time, incorperate those in a small way. They all seem to be ideas that would take alot of time to observe and interpret and it might be more than you have time for. Plus, if you get too many factors involved, your data may not be as conclusive. You may find different evidence for different studies and not have any results that clearly fit together. On the other hand it could be very detailed and conclusive. Consider the time you have and what you think would be most favorable to your study.
- Will Data Answer Hypothesis?
I think you got feedback in class over where the survey needed a little adjustment in order to get back more fitting results for your hypothesis. Just a reminder to the two that really stuck in my mind: a. incorperate a question to determine sexual orientation, optional of course, or write you questions so they seem less heterosexual. b. make sure you narrow down where the smiling is occuring. Since people smile differently in different situations, make sure it is clarified. Are you questions refering to the walkway, the club, classroom? It will really make a difference how people think of a smile. My first impression was how much I smiled on the walk to main campus, but then I was confused by the romantic questions since those people are ususally just getting hello smiles or polite smiles. Just something to consider.
-Is It Appropriate?
But of course! We all smile. We all enjoy recieving them. You study makes sense since we all do it and it can mean so many different things.

3. Theorectically Grounded?
Yes. You made good ties to Darwn's theory on facial expressions and then incorperated some other studies for evidence. All aid your evolutionary stand point. Two questions I had about background though: Did you find any statements about how the expression of fear transformed to a smile? That might be good for background info. Also, the last sentence in 2a, starting with, "In 1972 Ekman...". I found myself wondering why this was significant. What did this have to do with mate selction or men and women smiling more or less?

4. Course Connection?
Good topic because you tied it to Darwin's theory and information that Wright talks about with mate selection. I would be interested to see something about how he believes women are more coy than men and the connection with the coy smile that women only use... oh well, maybe not this study! Plus, you can use examples from Goodall because she looks at different times when diffrent emotions are shown in chimps. You have a good evolutionary base, and can find evidence to tie your study results to it well.

5. Interdisplinary?
Uh... yeah.. hmmm... I would sya yes. How much can it really be. YOu are looking at an evolutionary stand point and how it all plays out today. I guess since you were trying to incorperate different types of studies too you could say it is. Is anyone's really able to be? Sorry, my answer to this is just no good. I have no idea how to really answer.

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