Research 101

Apparently when I start a project, I should pay a bit more attention to when I’m actually going to be able to dedicate time for it. I didn’t really mean to wait six months before writing anything of substance, but here we are. *whistles innocently *

It took me a while to figure out the subject I should write on first. It occurred to me that one of the most fundamental things about science is research. As we all know, everything on the internet is true, right? I’m forever reading articles and blogs that make loud and proud proclamations that such-and-such a product is going to give you cancer within two years, or that doing/not doing a certain thing is going to cause your children to have three arms, and of course there’s always my favorite, “the government is lying to you about this substance and secretly trying to kill off the population by not telling you how dangerous it is!” Not being a huge conspiracy theorist, I tend to think that perhaps some of those claims go a little bit too far. But how can a person decide for themselves? In my profession, sometimes it’s as easy as asking the expert in the office next door, but if you don’t have a convenient schientist friend to ask, here are a few guidelines that may come in handy.

Scientific research comes in two major phases: literature review and experimentation. The former is looking at what has already been done and extracting good information that can give you a comprehensive picture of a subject. The next step for researchers is experimentation, which (ideally) provides information that fills gaps in what is already known. It’s actually important to understand both phases, because while what you participate in at home is likely to be literature review (how many of us have labs in the basement? Or… a basement?) it’s also helpful to be able to determine if the literature you’re reviewing is true and accurate.

So let’s start with the literature review thing. Just a quick peek at the internet will tell any fool that there’s a plethora of information on just about everything you never wanted to know. Where to even begin? A few key factors to consider are: trust in the source, funding, and presentation of information.

Thanks to the interwebs, everyone has an opinion and a free and fast way to share it. But just like in real life, some sources are definitely better than others. If your kid brother in high school tells you that the brand of dishsoap you use every day is going to kill you in a week (while picking his nose), would you be more or less likely to believe him than if your family doctor said the same thing? The doctor definitely is better qualified to be giving that kind of information, so hopefully you’d be more likely to believe him or her. Similarly, an internet doctor you’ve never heard of with no verifiable credentials should probably not carry the same kind of weight in your decisions as established medical expert centers such as the Mayo Clinic, the National Institute of Health, The American Cancer Society, or MD Anderson. Such institutions have years of experience, qualified doctors, and are typically on the cutting edge of research. Do they make mistakes? Sure. But there are a lot of checks and balances in modern research so that mistakes are generally quickly discovered and refuted. If you’re not comfortable with a government-run or profit based institutions, there are plenty of non-profit groups that are also helpful sources. Look for large groups with a wide base of participants, qualified experts, and a variety of funding sources.

And that brings us to the next big thing: funding. Pay attention to who is paying for the research you’re looking at. Let’s say that the University of Nowhere conducts a study to see whether a certain newly marketed pesticide causes cancer in lab rats. You read the study and it seems that the little rodents came through the study healthy and happy, so you decide to can safely use it on your lawn. Cool. But then you notice that the study was funded by the manufacturer of that new pesticide. Would that make you think twice about the results? It should! There’s an obvious potential conflict of interest there. In fairness, maybe the study is just fine, and the results are true and accurate. How can you tell that? I’ll get into more details of that next time. But it’s definitely a good idea to see if the people paying for the study have a significant profit stake in the outcome. Again, it’s not necessarily damning, but it should definitely make you look a little closer at the results. The most safe funding sources are usually from groups that don’t have a dog in the fight, like the National Science Foundation, for example.

Another consideration is how the information is presented. Alarmism is a big deal in information transfer. Invoking fear and panic by use of loaded words, scary pictures, threats against loved ones, or threats against personal wellbeing is a common tactic for getting inside a person’s head. Interest groups often make use of alarmism to make their information seem more urgent or important than it might actually be. Once a person sees a threat to their well-being or the well-being of someone they love, it is difficult to persuade them otherwise. Are the consequences true? Perhaps so. Think about certain product recalls: If salmonella is discovered in a line of peanut butter, it is urgent and important that people do not eat that product, because deaths can result in susceptible populations. But for the most part, good information is usually presented in a clear, calm, and unbiased manner. Most valid studies aren’t going to try to bully you or scare you into following the recommendations that are made, even if they’re strong. Keep an eye out for “buzz-words,” overreaching statements (“millions of people unknowingly suffer from this daily!”), overly broad statements of consequence (“if you don’t do this you’ll die!”) and of course profit driven recommendations (“you must buy our product to fight off this evil!”)

Just remember that a lot of people out there have agendas. Even when agendas aren’t profit driven, there are some very well-meaning interest groups out there with bad information. Take a good look at the source of the information, how studies were paid for, and how the information was presented. It may not guarantee that you’re getting the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but it will sure help you sort through the giant world wide weeds in your search.

Class dismissed.


-Schientist