Understanding Peer Review [Life Lines]

Image from: Collectors Weekly

 Ever wonder how to tell if “scientific” information that you find on the internet is believable or just plain bogus? I came across a website called Sense About Science that explains how research is published and how to determine if it is credible. They also give advice and answer questions about claimed scientific evidence.

Here is a synopsis of the scientific peer review process: After a study is conducted and data has been gathered and analyzed, scientists summarize their findings in a paper that they submit for publication to a journal. The editor of the journal then sends the paper to experts in the topic for their feedback on the quality and credibility of the research who then report back to the editor about whether the paper is publishable. Therefore, you can be reasonably confident that information published in peer-reviewed journals are believable based on the author’s methods and data.

Here are a few of my favorite “For the Record” articles Sense About Science has posted on their site:

-”Heart Danger in Diet Drinks”

-”A Sausage a Day Could Lead to Cancer”

-”Exposure to mobile phones before and after birth linked to behavioural problems in children”

Image Source:

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/how-snake-oil-got-a-bad-rap/