Day 244. Science, not hype

Science can be hyped to the extreme when it appears in mainstream media.

How can you work out what’s legitimate and what’s not?

It can be tough. Fortunately, Gabrielle Rabinowitz and Emily Dennis over at Rockefellar University’s The Incubator have published 5 Steps to Separate Science from Hype, No PhD Required.

The tips are simply put, and easy to follow if you have the motivation and time to chase down a dodgy story. In a nutshell, the advice is as follows:

1. Separate the sales pitch from the science;
2. Find the data;
3. Evaluate the data;
4. Put the story into context; and
5. Ask an expert.

Check out the full article for more details.

Perhaps there are a few journalists out there who might benefit from reading this as well?

[image thanks to tuppus’ on flickr]