Source Material
Photo by Stanislav Kondratiev on Unsplash
No one writes or speaks in a vacuum. Authors reporting on current events, making an argument, or describing new research usually need sources for their information. If an author isn't reporting personal experiences or making a purely logical argument, it's important for readers to have access to their sources.
But how can you be sure that an author's sources are valid and reliable places from which to get information? How can you be sure a source actually supports an authors claims? To answer questions like these, we need to dig deeper. This module will explore basic ideas about source material, key questions to ask, and shortcuts that can your analysis a little easier.
Contents of This Module
This module is organized into the below sections. Click the links to navigate to each. Below this menu, you will find the Source Material Library, which contains additional resources.
Source Material Library
1. How to Read Scientific Papers | Noba Blog | N. Jacobson and R. Biswas-Diener
This post introduces readers to the basics of reading peer-reviewed scientific papers. It's a good intro for those starting to read psychological research.
2. Spotting Bad Science | By Compound Interest
This infographic shares several key things to keep in mind when you're assessing science. From correlation vs. causation to problems with sample size, if you've never considered what makes for bad science you might try starting here (though digging deeper than an infographic is obviously is necessary for a true understanding of these points).
The mission of COS is to increase openness, reproducibility, and integrity of research.
4. Distinguishing Science From Pseudoscience
An extensive look at what differentiates science from things that look like science but are generally very poor sources of info about how the world works. Lots of good examples of pseudosciences, their characteristics, and how they fool the public.
5. Science Isn’t Here for Your Mommy Shaming | Nautilus | Cailin O'Connor
Great article on how science can be misused to support social and health beliefs, with a specific application to criticizing parenting choices. It illustrates the importance of digging deeper into the research that authors use as evidence for their ideas.