Almost every day, my social media pages are filled with requests for my immediate response to breaking science news. Then I receive complaints for not providing a response quickly enough.

As concerned as I am about web articles misrepresenting the science or generating conspiracy theories, I am even more concerned about coaching people on how to evaluate web articles on science to determine which ones they can trust.

How to Evaluate Internet Articles on Scientific Discoveries

First, I recommend being skeptical about any web article that doesn’t link to the original scientific paper on which the article is based. Ideally, that paper should already have been published in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal. (A scientific preprint posted on the arXiv website indicates whether the paper has been accepted for publication and, if so, names the peer-reviewed journal accepting the publication.)

Second, I recommend evaluating the publishing standards, priorities, and purposes of the journal in which the paper is or will be published. For example, Physics Letters B accepts papers proposing new theoretical models for which neither experimental nor observational evidence has yet been found. One purpose of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists to challenge currently accepted scientific models for which there is substantial experimental and/or observational evidence. Such challenges encourage physicists to develop more comprehensive and detailed evidence and to consider possible enhancements or adjustments to current models. Lay readers may misunderstand the speculative nature of such papers and jump to incorrect conclusions.

Third, I encourage a click-through to the published research source. Every scientific journal makes abstracts of their published papers freely available to the public. Often the entire paper is made available for free. If there is a paywall to access the entire paper, readers can access the preprint for free on the arXiv website. Reading the abstract of the published paper is a quick way for lay readers to see whether the web article is consistent with the source paper in its content, conclusions, and tone. If readers have any remaining doubts, they can always read more, without incurring a financial cost, by accessing the latest preprint version on which the paper was based.

Finally, I suggest that readers visit journal archives at such sites as pubmed.gov (for life science papers) or adsabs.harvard.edu (for physical science papers). There, they can find other scientific papers on the same topic as the web article that caught their attention. These archive sites have excellent search engines that allow anyone to quickly see what scientists are researching and writing about a specific subject. They help both scientists and lay readers evaluate the credibility of specific scientific claims.

Publication Policies for Reasons to Believe
One of RTB’s core values is to be a source of scientific content people can trust. Our staff scientists not only have earned PhDs from reputable universities but also have done significant postdoctoral research at reputable institutions. Readers of our scientific articles and books can be assured that our science authors have gained both recognition and substantial experience engaging with their secular peers.

RTB scientists, including me, devote much time to reading scientific journals. Thus, when some scientific breakthrough is announced, we have a context for interpreting and evaluating the announcement.

We make it a point to refrain from public response to an announced scientific discovery until an original paper supporting the discovery has at least made it through the most important stages of the peer-review process. For example, we have lately been bombarded with requests to address claims about the discovery of a “parallel universe.” This discovery may simply represent additional evidence for a cosmic inflation event. Before we respond, however, we want to read and consider the peer-reviewed paper, which is not yet available.

When we do write an article about this announcement or any other scientific discovery, we will cite not only the peer-reviewed paper on which it is based but also other relevant peer-reviewed papers. We want readers to gain a sense of how well the scientific discovery holds up in the context of current understanding. Readers can count on us to provide endnotes listing the DOI URL for every paper we cite. This makes it easy to immediately access the research papers to verify our claims.

Given these essential safeguards, we hope you can understand why it takes time to write, review, edit, and post our articles. We are prepared to sacrifice likes, clicks, and follows in order to build a reputation for integrity and trustworthiness. We also take opportunities to write about scientific discoveries most web writers may be completely unaware of. Because our scientists are immersed in the scientific literature, we often spot discoveries of immense scientific, philosophical, and theological significance that no one else notices and bring them to light for our readers. Our goal is to be the go-to source for such hidden gems, as well as for major breakthroughs.

Check out more from Reasons to Believe @Reasons.org

About The Author

Dr. Hugh Ross

Reasons to Believe emerged from my passion to research, develop, and proclaim the most powerful new reasons to believe in Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior and to use those new reasons to reach people for Christ. I also am eager to equip Christians to engage, rather than withdraw from or attack, educated non-Christians. One of the approaches I’ve developed, with the help of my RTB colleagues, is a biblical creation model that is testable, falsifiable, and predictive. I enjoy constructively integrating all 66 books of the Bible with all the science disciplines as a way to discover and apply deeper truths. 1 Peter 3:15–16 sets my ministry goal, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience." Hugh Ross launched his career at age seven when he went to the library to find out why stars are hot. Physics and astronomy captured his curiosity and never let go. At age seventeen he became the youngest person ever to serve as director of observations for Vancouver's Royal Astronomical Society. With the help of a provincial scholarship and a National Research Council (NRC) of Canada fellowship, he completed his undergraduate degree in physics (University of British Columbia) and graduate degrees in astronomy (University of Toronto). The NRC also sent him to the United States for postdoctoral studies. At Caltech he researched quasi-stellar objects, or "quasars," some of the most distant and ancient objects in the universe. Not all of Hugh's discoveries involved astrophysics. Prompted by curiosity, he studied the world’s religions and "holy books" and found only one book that proved scientifically and historically accurate: the Bible. Hugh started at religious "ground zero" and through scientific and historical reality-testing became convinced that the Bible is truly the Word of God! When he went on to describe for others his journey to faith in Jesus Christ, he was surprised to discover how many people believed or disbelieved without checking the evidence. Hugh's unshakable confidence that God's revelations in Scripture and nature do not, will not, and cannot contradict became his unique message. Wholeheartedly encouraged by family and friends, communicating that message as broadly and clearly as possible became his mission. Thus, in 1986, he founded science-faith think tank Reasons to Believe (RTB). He and his colleagues at RTB keep tabs on the frontiers of research to share with scientists and nonscientists alike the thrilling news of what's being discovered and how it connects with biblical theology. In this realm, he has written many books, including: The Fingerprint of God, The Creator and the Cosmos, Beyond the Cosmos, A Matter of Days, Creation as Science, Why the Universe Is the Way It Is, and More Than a Theory. Between writing books and articles, recording podcasts, and taking interviews, Hugh travels the world challenging students and faculty, churches and professional groups, to consider what they believe and why. He presents a persuasive case for Christianity without applying pressure. Because he treats people's questions and comments with respect, he is in great demand as a speaker and as a talk-radio and television guest. Having grown up amid the splendor of Canada's mountains, wildlife, and waterways, Hugh loves the outdoors. Hiking, trail running, and photography are among his favorite recreational pursuits - in addition to stargazing. Hugh lives in Southern California with his wife, Kathy, and two sons.



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