Evaluating Scientific Resources

Discussion 03.2: Evaluating Scientific Resources
Discussion Topic
In science, we usually require that research be scrutinized by other experts in the field before it can be published in a scientific journal. This process is called peer review. It helps maintain high standards and quality in the field of research. But peer review only applies in peer-reviewed academic journals. In contrast, anyone can publish a book or post a paper on the internet without any expertise or peer-reviewed scrutiny of the work. In such cases, how do we know if what we’re reading is valid and reliable?
Some questions you can ask are:
Is there an author listed?
Are the author’s credentials listed?
Is the information written by an expert in the field?
Is the site a blog, company, educational institution, or government site? The blog could be a warning sign that it is not a professional organization.
Who owns the page? Do they stand to benefit from the information they share?
Are there credible references?
Take a look at the three sites listed below. Do a quick overview of the sites, thinking about the questions above. Post an explanation of which you find to be credible and which you find to be junk science. Briefly explain your thoughts and reason for your decision. If you use additional resources in your comments, be sure to cite them to avoid plagiarism.
Sites:
• Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
• Environmental Activist
• The Potential for Biofuels from Algae
Discussion Rubric

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