Scientific Studies
You can’t believe everything you hear. Scientific studies are constantly being reported, bringing incredible claims with them. Sometimes too incredible. These results of Scientific studies might not always be as reliable as they seem, for a multitude of reasons.
Not all scientific studies are equal. According to a rant by John Oliver, many studies are biased. Scientists constantly feel pressure to release new information that would provide solutions to common phenomena. Each scientist responsible for his own study has tenure and funding on the line, and unless something new and grand is discovered, they may have to bend the truth in order for them to stay afloat.
Aside from this, we have multiple reasons to be skeptical. Oliver says that the finding of studies become like a game of telephone between scientists. The substance gets distorted by word of mouth and before you know it, a study meant for the benefit of chocolate can suddenly “cure cancer.” Headlines can also be misleading due to the Media and their constant hunger for more attention.
Often times, I see headlines about the miraculous ability of chocolate. It seems like the amount of chocolate we eat can be related to the amount of our health in a motley of aspects. I researched it and the majority of articles are simply criticizing the outlandish claims of previous articles. My doctor has never prescribed me chocolate for any symptom I’ve ever felt, so I refuse to believe this study until something major comes through.
The best way to get credible information is to make sure its been reviewed in some ways. Especially when doing a research paper, finding peer reviewed articles are always a safe bet. Various databases have this option and its always a good method to follow as one chooses the information they want to show off.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-most-popular-science-studies-of-the-year/
