The Bradford-Hill Criteria give you a scientific checklist that can help you evaluate whether wild health claims are actually true. What is causality anyway? Causality means that one thing directly makes another thing happen. For example, flipping a light switch (A) causes the light to turn on (B), so A causes B. But ice cream Read more…
Health scams are products or treatments claiming to prevent, treat, or cure certain health conditions but aren’t proven safe or effective for those uses. Health scams not only hurt your wallet but also can lead to serious, even deadly, injury from faux products or treatments. They can delay you from getting appropriate medical diagnosis or Read more…
Look for the ABCs of ethical journalism: Accountability; Balance; and Credibility Background: At its best, news reporting serves as an honest umpire, dispassionately calling the balls and strikes of current events.* But let’s get real: It can be hard to spot an honest ump right now. Anyone with a keyboard can become a self-styled reporter, Read more…
Tl;dr: The Hawthorne effect is when people behave differently because they know they are being watched. The Hawthorne effect can impact our behaviors, including health habits, as well as scientific study results. We can use the Hawthorne effect to our benefit when we are seeking to make changes in our lives. Picture this: Your friend Read more…
Here’s what Nerdy Girl and OB/GYN Dr. Katherine Cartwright wants you to know about pain and fever during pregnancy, including using acetaminophen (Tylenol or Paracetamol). Stay tuned for more from this series coming soon! 🤓 Those Nerdy Girls want to help you stay on the frontline of science and health information. ✨ Follow us on Read more…
Sadly, a ton of misinformation about vasectomies is out there on the interwebs and beyond. Buckle up, and let’s bust some vasectomy myths with truth bombs! NOTE: This post was updated by Those Nerdy Girls from the original written on July 7, 2022. First off, what is a vasectomy? A vasectomy is a surgical procedure Read more…
Scientists share certain habits of mind, regardless of whether we study pathogens, people, or plants. As legendary astronomer Carl Sagan wrote: “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” Here are three key values we scientists hold dear. 🤓 PROACTIVELY SEEK OUT COMPETING VIEWS…. …even those from the Read more…
A: Be civil. Focus on finding common ground. Choose your battles: You have greatest influence with those you know offline. Don’t waste your time on trolls. Good news: The science of science communication (yes, that’s a thing!) convincingly confirms that we all can help battle misinformation online. So what does the evidence say about the Read more…
[This post was updated by Those Nerdy Girls from the original written on 11/23/22.] My uncle is knee-deep in science conspiracy theories. Any tips on respectfully engaging him? A: Experts recommend the SART strategy: Show empathy; Affirm critical thinking; avoid Ridicule; and invoke conspiracy theory “exiters” as Trusted messengers. And it never hurts to remember Read more…
Thimerosal is safe. It’s only used in some multi-dose flu shots and not in routine childhood vaccines. This week the newly appointed vaccine advisors to the CDC are expected to meet to vote on “recommendations regarding thimerosal containing flu vaccines.” [archived link] Thimerosal, also known as ethyl mercury [archived link], is a harmless preservative found Read more…
Belief perseverance, also called the backfire effect, occurs when we hold on to our beliefs even after they are proven wrong. Critical thinking, meaningful reflection, and open-mindedness to a broad array of trustworthy resources can help prevent us from falling into that trap! It feels like everyone has that friend or weird uncle who clings Read more…
Tl;dr: Ad hominem attacks are used to insult a person’s motive or character rather than address the content of a specific idea or argument. This type of mudslinging is an intellectual fallacy that draws attention away from the issue at hand and creates distrust of the individual. Let’s look at how ad hominem attacks can Read more…
Tl;dr: Commitment bias is when we stick to what we did or said in the past, even when we were clearly wrong, and the outcome didn’t turn out well. We are more likely to exhibit this if those behaviors were public and others were aware. Commitment bias can limit our personal growth and ability to Read more…
Tl;DR: Prebunking is an effective strategy to combat misinformation. Prebunking makes people aware in advance that they might be misled & teaches folks ways to recognize misinformation at the get-go. Prebunking, sometimes called attitudinal inoculation, alerts people in advance that misinformation and disinformation might be coming their way. Prebunking is an effective “heads up” for Read more…
An infodemic occurs when there is so much information that it becomes difficult to sort good information from bad. It is a tidal wave of info that can be incredibly overwhelming. That type of information overload can make it hard to make decisions, find trustworthy resources, or use information to make good choices. Infodemics are Read more…
Tl;dr: The framing effect is a cognitive bias in which our choices are more influenced by how information is presented than the information itself. We can overcome the framing effect by purposefully rephrasing information to reflect both positive and negative aspects of the choice, separating the information from the razzle dazzle, and gathering as much Read more…
Spotting misinformation (inaccurate information) and disinformation (misleading information and lies) is a vital news literacy skill, and there are several tips to help. TL;DR: Check the URL, look out for errors, question the stats, avoid clickbait, and scrutinize AI. Today, news is served up 24/7 from a range of sources—from journalists to bloggers, to influencers—on Read more…
It’s National News Literacy Week! This annual event highlights the importance of news literacy and provides tools for being more savvy consumers (and sharers!) of news and other information. See more info about the week’s events co-hosted by The News Literacy Project and E.W. Scripps Company (many of which are virtual and free) here [archived link]. Read more…
Building and maintaining trusting relationships with our readers and our partners has always been our guiding principle. We do that by doing what we have always done. And we will continue to do that now. We will: Provide evidenced-based information Address events and decisions that affect public health rather than focusing on the decision makers. Read more…
How can I tell if a news source is legit or not? A: Follow five steps for vetting news sources from The News Literacy Project! (News Literacy Week is February 3-7, 2025. Stay tuned for more from Those Nerdy Girls.) TL:DR; Five steps include – web search the source, look for reporting standards, check for Read more…
