Some basic questions will help you sift through scientific studies in a snap — or at least put on you a path to determining the study’s value.
- Who did the study?
- Who funded the study?
- Who controlled the study?
- How big was the sample size?
- Who recruited the participants? How?
- What variables were the findings adjusted for? Why?
- Did the study confirm or deny the author’s hypothesis? How and why?
- What conclusions can people draw from this study?
- What behavior changes have authors made in their lives after conducting this study?
Taken from Whose Truth? Tools for Smart Science Journalism in the Digital Age, a self-directed course by Elissa Yancey at Poynter NewsU.
