Exercises: Sources of scientific information

Explain what it means for a source of information to be reliable, and give two examples of reliable sources and two of unreliable sources for doing a science project.

Look at the diagram: it distinguishes primary sources from secondary sources, but the four examples marked with "?" are waiting to be classified. Explain the difference between a primary source and a secondary source, and classify the four examples from the diagram: a research paper in which a team describes its own experiment, a textbook, a popular science video, and an encyclopedia entry.

Scientific teams publish their results in journals and present them at conferences. Give two reasons why communicating results is an essential part of the scientific method.

A video circulating on social media claims that drinking lemon water "cures any infection". Write at least three questions you should ask yourself to check if the information is reliable, and name two sources where you could verify it.

Before being published, scientific papers undergo peer review. Explain what this process consists of and what assurances it provides to the rest of the scientific community.

Choose a male or female scientist (for example, Margarita Salas or Severo Ochoa) and briefly summarise their contribution, an obstacle they had to overcome, and why it is important for people from all backgrounds to participate in science.

An advertisement sells a bracelet that "rebalances the body's energy" and is "endorsed by thousands of satisfied users". Identify at least three signs of pseudoscience in this message and explain what evidence you would demand before believing its effects.

A soft drinks company funds a study concluding that sugar does not contribute to obesity. Reason why this funding requires the study to be examined more carefully, and name three things you would check regarding its design and who paid for it.

You have found that lentils germinated while listening to classical music and others germinated in silence grow practically the same. Write the conclusions section of your report (4-6 lines): what you were testing, what results you obtained, whether the hypothesis is supported, and what limitations your experiment has.