Making Sense of Science : Separating Substance From Spin

A Los Angeles Times Book Prize FinalistMost of us learn about science from media coverage, and anyone seeking factual information on climate change, vaccine safety, genetically modified foods, or the dangers of peanut allergies has to sift through an avalanche of bogus assertions, misinformation, and carefully packaged spin. Cornelia Dean draws on thirty years of experience as a science reporter at the New York Times to expose the tricks that handicap readers with little background in science. She reveals how activists, business spokespersons, religious leaders, and talk show hosts influence the way science is reported and describes the conflicts of interest that color research. At a time when facts are under daily assault, Making Sense of Science seeks to equip nonscientists with a set of critical tools to evaluate the claims and controversies that shape our lives.“Making Sense of Science explains how to decide who is an expert, how to understand data, what you need to do to read science and figure out whether someone is lying to you... If science leaves you with a headache trying to figure out what's true, what it all means and who to trust, Dean's book is a great place to start.”—Casper Star-Tribune“Fascinating... Its mission is to help nonscientists evaluate scientific claims, with much attention paid to studies related to health.”—Seattle Times“This engaging book offers non-scientists the tools to connect with and evaluate science, and for scientists it is a timely call to action for effective communication.”—Times Higher Education "I'm not a scientist" is a familiar refrain among people asked to evaluate scientific claims they feel are beyond their ken. Most citizens learn about science from media coverage, and even the most conscientious reporters sometimes struggle to offer a clear, unbiased explanation to readers. Politicians, activists, business spokespersons, and religious leaders with their own agendas to pursue also influence the way science is reported and discussed. Meanwhile, anyone seeking factual information on climate change, vaccine safety, risk of terrorist attack, or other topics in the news must sift through an avalanche of bogus assertions and self-interested spin. Making Sense of Science seeks to equip nonscientists with a set of critical tools to evaluate the scientific claims and controversies that shape our lives. Cornelia Dean draws on thirty years of experience as a science journalist with the New York Times to expose the flawed reasoning and knowledge gaps that handicap readers with little background in science. Shortcomings in K-12 education are partly to blame, but so too is the public's indifference to the way science is done and communicated. Dean shows how venues such as courtrooms and talk shows become fonts of scientific misinformation. She also calls attention to the conflicts of interest that color scientific research, as well as the price society pays when science journalism declines and government funding for research dries up. Timely and provocative, Making Sense of Science warns us all that we can no longer afford to make a virtue of our collective scientific ignorance. Cornelia Dean Draws On Her 30 Years As A Science Journalist With The New York Times To Expose The Flawed Reasoning And Knowledge Gaps That Handicap Readers When They Try To Make Sense Of Science. She Calls Attention To Conflicts Of Interest In Research And The Price Society Pays When Science Journalism Declines And Funding Dries Up.-- We The People -- What We Know, And What We Don't Know -- The Belief Engine -- Thinking About Risk -- The Research Enterprise -- What Is Science? -- How Science Knows What It Knows -- Models -- A Jury Of Peers -- Things Go Wrong -- Misconduct -- Science In Court -- Researchers And Journalists -- The Universal Solvent -- A Matter Of Money -- Selling Health -- What's For Supper? -- Political Science -- Constituency Of Ignorance -- The Political Environment -- Taking Things On Faith. Cornelia Dean. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Epigraph -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1. We the People -- What We Know, and What We Don't Know -- The Belief Engine -- Thinking about Risk -- 2. The Research Enterprise -- What Is Science? -- How Science Knows What It Knows -- Models -- A Jury of Peers -- 3. Things Go Wrong -- Misconduct -- Science in Court -- Researchers and Journalists -- 4. The Universal Solvent -- A Matter of Money -- Selling Health -- What's for Supper? -- 5. Political Science -- Constituency of Ignorance -- The Political Environment -- Taking Things on Faith -- Conclusion -- Appendix: Trustworthy, Untrustworthy, or Irrelevant? -- Notes -- Further Reading -- Acknowledgments -- Index Cornelia Dean draws on her 30 years as a science journalist with the New York Times to expose the flawed reasoning and knowledge gaps that handicap readers when they try to make sense of science. She calls attention to conflicts of interest in research and the price society pays when science journalism declines and funding dries up.-- Provided by publisher