Most freshmen who have been introduced to the scientific report are unaware of its rhetorical complexities and problem-solving purpose. Instead, they experience the task of writing lab reports as a perfunctory recording of prescribed activities. In 1994 an instructor, faced with the taks of developing a writing across the curriculum (WAC) sequence for freshmen concurrently enrolled in Biology 101-102, devised a training tool that she called a "quasi-scientific report (QSR)" because it draws on the scientific method and report format without relying heavily on student or teacher expertise. The first application of QSR revolved around a psychological assessment tool called "cognitive style mapping." Students took a psychological test and were scored. Then, they wrote a report, including an introduction, method, results, and discussion sections, developing their own hypothesis about the psychological test. In a similar exercise, they compared a scientific report with a version of it published in a popular magazine. The pedagogical value of these exercises is significant in light of several pedagogical theories: (1) the exercises asked the students to employ the kind of critical thinking integral to scientific inquiry; (2) they help students to learn to play what Peter Elbow calls "the doubting and believing game"; and (3) the oddity and simplicity of a border genre like QSR are part of its strength. With "flimsy" science, students can easily spot flaws. And once flaws are spotted, all of science is thrown into question, and students are thus engaged in higher cognitive skills. (Contains 28 references.) (TB)