Sounds like smart advice, right? If someone is disciplined enough to want to learn more about a subject, how can that be wrong?
This is a double-edged sword. As usual a few bad actors (or well-meaning but misinformed people) ruin a good thing. With the rise of the internet came a lot of good information, and also a lot of boolshit.
Not only that but tech can make that bad situation even worse, with algorithms. The bits of computer code that make search engines work can't tell the difference between truth and BS. So it returns all kinds of results, factual and fantastic. The fantasy ones are often much more entertaining, so they enjoy more popularity. More popular results will rank higher in search listings. It's one of those vicious cycles. Later on, innocent you goes to search for some random thing, and up pops half truth and half boolshit. GUESS WHICH results might rank higher - entertaining fantasy or cold, boring facts? The cycle continues.
Obviously it's not that bad with mainstream topics because the good information outweighs the misinformation. And a lot of people have figured out (to look at the URL before clicking) how to tell good sources from sketchy sources. At that point it's not difficult to just pick another result off the search list, a better result from a more reputable source.
But the further you get from mainstream the more likely you are to run into more fantasy than fact.
For example, the age-old question of... Should you "flush" your car's radiator as a matter of routine maintenance? (Bear with me, it's a non-controversial example that anyone can understand.) On one hand this is standard advice accepted by most mechanics. But it's also true that it's not a good idea to dislodge all the little bits of junk inside an old radiator, because not all the gnarly bits can be removed. Then you have particulates circulating through the cooling system - not good.
How do you know what are good sources?
CONTINUING THE EXAMPLE ABOVE
Let's imagine you recently bought your first car, an old junker but it's yours so you're proud. Of course you want to treat it right so you give it regular maintenance. Maybe you take it in for an oil change and the guy tells you about a special on radiator flushing. Do you want that?
Let's also assume that you're the curious type so you say NO for now so you can go home and research it first.
Later at your laptop (because phones are good for convenience not real productivity) you Google "radiator flush" because you don't even know what it is. A whole page of results will come up, videos and articles, about how YES, it's a real thing you "should" do regularly.
GREAT, problem solved right? Next oil change you'll just say yes to the radiator flush.
Do you see the problem in this example?
If you don't see the problem, you didn't pay CLOSE attention. Okay that's life, there are distractions when you want to concentrate. But just know that this is how IMPORTANT stuff gets missed. It's not always possible but try to do your research when you can give it your full attention for that time. Go back and re-read the example, to find the conflict between IT and the advice given.
IF YOU DO SEE THE PROBLEM IN THE EXAMPLE
Right out of the gate, the first part of the example said that radiator flushing is sometimes good and sometimes bad. In the second part of the example, your hypothetical "new" car is an old junker. (That means it probably hasn't received great care over the years.) AND WHEN fictional you Googled it.... none of the results (on the first page of search results) told you about this warning! And if we're honest, most people only look at the first couple results anyway.
You're setting yourself up for an expensive problem.... completely oblivious to the danger.
A BETTER WAY
So what would that person do, having no idea that a problem even exists? Well, they COULD HAVE been more precise in their search. Instead of just "radiator flush" how about add "good or bad" so your search reads "radiator flush good or bad." Now the search results have a bunch of videos and articles on why there are other things to consider besides "yeah it's all routine."
That little extra terminology makes all the difference, in our example.
Our favorite search tips:
- Searching for a random thing? Add the words "good or bad"
- Searching for a product? Add the word "reviews"
- Want to see criticism of that thing? Add the word "criticism"
- Looking for more reviews? Search the item on Amazon even if not buying from there. Scroll down for tons of reviews.
- Looking for more news articles? On the finished search results page click the "news" tab (next to "web, images, maps").
- Use Boolean search terms to get precise results.
- Use StartPage or DuckDuckGo when you want to browse anonymously.
- Google has several advanced search features: date range, file type, length.
- Google Scholar is a great way to start reading academic results.
- Open results in a new tab.
Other expert sources of tips:
(most common tips like ours above, appear in multiple articles)
Comprehensive, user-friendly library of search tips:
37 Advanced Google Search Tips for Smarter Searching
https://www.coforge.com/blog/advanced-g ... tips#price
Tips from Popular Science:
Five Google search tips for the most accurate results
https://www.popsci.com/google-search-tips-and-tricks/
Tips from PC Magazine:
23 Google Search Tips You'll Want to Learn
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/23-google- ... t-to-learn
From the source, Google's own advice:
https://support.google.com/websearch/an ... 4479?hl=en
THE BEST WAY
Evaluate Your Sources
San Diego State University sums it up this way:
Once you found information that matches the topic and requirements of your research, you should analyze or evaluate these information sources. Evaluating information encourages you to think critically about the reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, point of view or bias of information sources.
Just because a book, article, or website matches your search criteria does not mean that it is necessarily a reliable source of information.
Source:
https://library.sdsu.edu/research-servi ... ur-sources
READ THIS ONE INSTEAD, it's better:
https://www.futurelearn.com/info/course ... teps/60121
AND THIS ONE is an in-depth breakdown of how to look for red flags in sources:
https://researchguides.library.brocku.c ... ng-sources
AT THE END OF THE DAY
At the end of the day, at the end of your research, you want to feel like you have a good idea of what's going on. But you also know that each new day brings the opportunity for new information and better understanding. If the topic is of interest to you, revisit the issue another time in the future, to see what has changed and what's improved, or just to HONE your understanding.
START AT THE BEGINNING
When you want a good understanding of a topic, start at its beginning.
Look at the wiki page if you can. Those usually give a comprehensive OVERVIEW of the topic so you can then do a deep-dive on each component if you're so interested. (You might find undiscovered pieces you never realized were missing.)
Have a trustworthy news aggregator that shows a variety of reputable sources. Everyone knows cable news networks can be biased. Some say newspapers are respectively biased. You can look for AP newswire articles exclusively.
Try looking at OPPOSING sources on the same topic: Maybe Wall Street Journal and NY Times. Those might be considered opposites. But in news items they're both going to write an article about a current event. Read both and you'll notice subtle ways your own favorite leans a particular way.
If you don't "trust" science, just remember Science is the bedrock of civilization; you're basically fighting against yourself. Maybe you're confusing NEWS OUTLETS with science. News outlets read the indexes of new journal editions, to find good stories. When they see an interesting one, they write a READER INTEREST story with a sensational headline. Of course you click, and only get the juicy highlights.
Fix that by going to the source. Original articles are usually less exciting but you'll see the unbiased information.
Don't forget, scientists actually love to tear down each other's work. Sounds crazy but the idea is to keep tearing down the BS until all that's left is the un-twisted truth. Maybe the government could get some scientists to hide something, but the other scientists would soon figure it out. That's why you keep checking for SCIENTIFIC articles (just pick a favorite science news outlet). THAT'S WHY you can trust science at the end of the day. The scientific method works because for one, it's actually verifiable, and also there are too many independent scientists who would NOT let bad science slip by without sounding the alarm for all scientists to look.
DEEP DIVE
Combine all these tips for a thorough look at a topic:
- Understand you won't get it all in one day
- Look at an unbiased history/OVERVIEW
- Look at each component separately, including reviews and criticism
- Search smart, use tips to refine results
- Evaluate your sources for credibility
- Keep current with a good aggregator and variety of sources
- To be credible yourself on the topic, do random deep dives for GOOD info
- It's okay to not be an expert. Just know how to pick the ones you trust.
- Trust science; it works in verifiable ways
Come back and re-visit this page later on.
You'll be surprised how much you notice the second time around.
Know a good source for the ideas above? Add your reply below!
The end.
NOTE: The material in the "APP's Answers" posts sometimes seem elementary and simplistic yet at the same time long and drawn-out. Yes. It's the beginning foundation for the topic. If you already know about these things, by all means add your suggestions to the appropriate forums. Or just scroll on. There can be a steep learning curve for those not already familiar with these things. Our answers are a starting point.
If you're already fairly knowledgeable, still scan each section and SKIP down to the RESOURCES listed. Readers don't have to take our opinion. Each part has good external sources/links, so you can get more in-depth and intricate answers from real experts.
QUICK LINKS - Good Science
MAIN / Good Science
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 1. Short Answer
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 2. Critical Thinking
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 3. CT - Next Level
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 4. Vetting Sources
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 5. "Do Your Own Research"
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 6. The Scientific Method
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 7. Replication - Or it Didn't Happen
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 8. Peer Review Can Be Brutal
MAIN / OUR ANSWER 9. Methodology is Key
MAIN / What's Your Opinion?
Home
FEEDBACK & DISCUSSION
Share your knowledge. Don't be shy if you have a quality contribution. (But please be polite, and proofread.)
For comment about the post you're reading, just reply to it. OR - To add a new post of your own, use the "NEW TOPIC" button located at the bottom of every forum's list of discussions. The button has BRIGHT PURPLE text. (Generally hit the back button from any post you're reading, to get back to the main forum for that subject.)
If you have a nice chunk of GOOD INFORMATION, please choose to add a new post rather than a comment-reply. That way you'll generate comments of your own.
TIPS FOR POLLS: Polls appear on some topics, if the post's author has created one. They're open to ALL registered users. All APP-written polls are set to be ongoing and allow you to change your vote later. Feel free to comment your suggestions for improving any poll, ours or others', just be kind and helpful.
CREATING A POLL: When writing any post (not comment replies) the option for "Poll Creation" is in a tab below the "submit" button. You can always edit the poll later via editing the post itself and navigating back to that tab, but that sort of defeats the purpose if you change it after people have answered, right? To start, try to think through the answers and provide an option for all likely points-of-view. Lastly, the poll will display below the post after it's published. In "preview" mode it shows on top.
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