This was posted in Positive Living with MS today.
Trying to discern what is good science, especially when science keeps changing the questions and answers, can be very frustrating. Trying to clear things up by reading from the internet usually only confuses things more.
The Tasmania course gave an excellent list for helping us determine what sources are reliable.
When you are trying to determine how reliable an online source is, start by asking these five questions:
When was it published? Make sure that the source was printed in the last couple of years, so that you know it is current and up-to-date.
Who wrote it? Is the author qualified to write on the topic? If no person or organization takes credit for the article, you should be suspicious of its merit.
Who published it? Where is the article published? Is it a reliable news source, such as a service provider or university? Is there a conflict of interest—does the publisher stand to gain from the news reported in the article?
What is the tone of the article? Is it sensational or measured? Articles about health that are sensational should be viewed with suspicion. Any article that makes grand statements is usually stretching the truth.
Does it cite any sources? If it does, take a look at the original scientific paper, if it is accessible. If not, see if the article mentions the name of the researchers involved. If you have their names, you can look them up using a search engine like Google and read more about their research on their personal websites.
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