TITLE

How to Know Whether to Believe a Health Study

DESCRIPTION

This is a great article to use at the beginning of the semester for those of you who discuss the scientific method in your classes. Further, the author takes the reader through methodology, facts vs opinions, and various issues in health studies. Issues of types of studies and generalization from animal studies to humans is also discussed.  You might find it entertaining as well.

SOURCE

New York Times, August 17, 2015, by Austin Frakt

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/upshot/how-to-know-whether-to-believe-a-health-study.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_up_20150818&nl=upshot&nlid=38200791&ref=headline&abt=0002&abg=0

(shortened URL)   http://tinyurl.com/o23x6ug

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•How should we evaluate reports of “health studies” we here in the news?
•What are the elements of critical thinking that we should use in the evaluation?
•What questions should we ask when hearing about these studies?
•How does an article, such as this one, apply to Psychology studies?
•Note:  this article is excellent for use in the first week or two of the semester when “Psychology As A Science” is the class topic.