You’ve probably gathered by now that I get quite irritated by the way that some news reports portray science. But it’s not always easy to know what to look for, in terms of the tell-tale signs that let you know that all may not be as it first appears.
Fortunately the inestimable Ben Goldacre has just republished a guide on How to read stories about health and healthcare (this is a link to a pdf of the guide, written by Dr Alicia White) that applies equally well to other areas of science. I wish I’d read it before that Schol tutorial, as it would have made an excellent handout….