Readers are on their guard for news bias

In my first published white paper with the Center for Media Engagement, I set out, along with Dominique A. Montiel Valle and Gina Masullo Chen, to document what the news should be explaining about itself to earn readers' trust. The most striking finding for us was how often readers looked for or claimed evidence of …

People don’t want help finding the truth? Not so fast.

"You can't correct fake news!" "People don't care!" Research findings about misinformation this week have made for somewhat depressing reading, especially if we’re too glib in our summaries. But I would urge anyone who cares about news and truth not to fall into a pit of despair, just yet. Misinformation science is still very young. Many …

What I’m reading: Feb. 16, 2017

If I thought there was too much daily information for me to absorb and process before Nov. 8 - well hoo, boy. I'm trying out some techniques to a) read a sliver of what's important to me, b) keep track of the research and story ideas that generates and c) try and occasionally go back …

Texas judges absolve cancer doctor Burzynski of most charges

Two Texas judges released their findings Oct. 12 in the case of Stanislaw Burzynski, the controversial Houston cancer doctor who’s been accused of deceptive advertising, making medical errors, and treating patients with untested combinations of drugs that amounted to “experimentation.” On most of these charges, the judges failed to find enough evidence of wrongdoing to discipline …

Cancer doctor Burzynski to testify today

Stanislaw Burzynski, the Houston doctor who has treated thousands of cancer patients with unproven medications, is set to take the stand to defend his medical license today. As I wrote for Newsweek recently, Burzynski is a celebrated figure in the alternative medicine world, and credited by some with saving their lives. The Texas Medical Board, however, says Burzynski …

Fact-checking for everybody

Fact-checking is something we all need to practice each day as news consumers. Here's some tools to help you do that.

Climate education: forget the consensus messaging?

Note: I have joined the “virtual class” component of Dan Kahan‘s Science of Science Communication course at Yale University. As part of this I am endeavoring to write a response paper in reaction to each week’s set of readings. I will post these responses here on my blog – my paper for week 11 is below. …

Evolution education: is our aim knowledge, understanding, or belief?

Note: I have joined the “virtual class” component of Dan Kahan‘s Science of Science Communication course at Yale University. As part of this I am endeavoring to write a response paper in reaction to each week’s set of readings. I will post these responses here on my blog – my paper for week ten is below. …

Synthetic Biology: Predicting Public Opinion

Note: I have joined the “virtual class” component of Dan Kahan‘s Science of Science Communication course at Yale University. As part of this I am endeavoring to write a response paper in reaction to each week’s set of readings. I will post these responses here on my blog – my paper for week nine is below. …

‘There is No Market for Fact-Checking’: Trooclick Exits the Verification Scene

One of the first companies to try and automate fact-checking now says “there is no market for fact-checking” — at least, not as you and I know it. Paris-based Trooclick launched its plug-in last June, promising to check the facts in IPO stories against Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and against other articles. The original business plan …