How to Read Science Research: A Guide for Non-Scientists
Ever wonder how accurate those sensationalist news reports of science research are? Ever want to see for yourself what’s new in the field of marine biology? Ever wonder exactly what “No amount of alcohol is proven safe for pregnant women” really means?
I think that all adults (and probably kids from at least high school) should be able to find a relevant peer-reviewed science journal article, understand the overall conclusions, and get a general gist of what research was done to support those conclusions.
While I don’t expect to be a substitute for medical school, I hope to help you with some tips for how to better understand why your doctor might make the recommendations they do. I hope to help you better understand the ways that advertisements can take data out of context to make a product more appealing. I hope to help you better appreciate the standards set by the scientific community and why science sometimes seems like it changes frequently.
Below is a rough outline of my roughly ten-ish part series on reading science research. Topics are subject to (and likely will) change.
What is Peer-Reviewed and Why Do We Care?
Where To Find Peer-Reviewed Research
What’s the Difference Between a Theory, Fact, Law, and Hypothesis?
How Experiments are Designed
Randomized Controlled Trials and Other Study Designs
Deciphering Big Science Words
What Can We Learn From Author Lists?
Reading an Abstract
Looking at the Pictures
Reading Further
Let me know what else you’d like to learn and stay tuned for the start of this series!