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What the Study Really Said: A Guide for the Science-Curious
What you need to know before using a study to support your arguments during a scientific or policy debate.
I’m not surprised anymore when someone quotes a scientific study but manages to get its conclusions completely wrong, or they quote a study whose methodology is questionable or one that eventually gets retracted. Worse yet, they might quote a study published ahead of peer review, which will never be published in an official journal because it has been found lacking.
Politicians do this. Titans of industry do this. And random people on the internet do this.
Some Assumptions
How do you weigh a study and know if you should use it in a debate? First, I’m assuming you’re a person with ethical standards that guide you not to deceive. People without such standards will take any study that fits their needs and present it as evidence, even if the study states the complete opposite conclusion than the one the person is supporting.
Next, I will assume you have a basic understanding of the science you’re debating. Far too often, people without the proper training catch a case of the Dunning-Krueger Effect and think they’re experts when they’re not. These are the same…
