Crystal Ainardi
Bleck
English 101
Aug 6th 2008

Chapter Six and Eight

Authors Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson in Chapters six and eight of Un-Spun Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation, tell the readers the ways to find the best evidence, and how to be sure the evidence is true.

• First lesson in Chapter six is do not confuse anecdotes with actual data. Anecdotes are interesting stories and random observations, data are much more creditable and supported with study.
• The most basic lesson is our own personal experience isn’t very good evidence. Our personal experience seldom gives us a full picture.
• The great fertilizer scare, created panic when three players from the 49ers 1964 team came down with Lou Gehrigs disease. It was blamed on a common lawn fertilizer Milogranite. It was blown out and the real chances were somewhere between very low and zero.
• Not all studies are created equal, such as the Mitch Snyders “meaningless” numbers estimate. Claiming in1982 that more then 3 million Americans could be homeless by 1983. The estimate was based off just a few calls and averages. 7 years later, news anchors still use his “estimate”.
• Questions to ask when confronted with dramatic facts: Who stands behind this? Does the source have an ax to grind? What method did the source use to obtain the information? How old is the data? What assumptions did those collecting the information make? How much guesswork?
• Saying things does not make it true! Sure repeating your claim may make others believe it, but repetition doesn’t make it true. Such as the argument democrats like Howard dean made saying abortions went up the first three years of bush administration. This was actually false that was backed up with dubious information.
• Cold-Eeze say they are “clinically proven” to prevent colds, but when two studies where done the reviews were very mixed with inconclusive results. Yet, they stand by it and go as far as saying they Prevent colds; their spin is built a lot like the brand Listerine.
• Anecdotes can mislead us, biased, and made-up studies can cover up the evidence. So what can we do? Before relying on Authority ask these questions: Is this source competent? Do he /she know they are talking about? Do they have real evidence? Do others in the same field agree? And always ask, Are these facts really connected?

Chapter eight:

• How can we be sure when even the most authoritive sources can sometimes let us down in information? We need to ask lots of questions, cross check, track back.
• Rule one that those at factcheck.org follow is you can’t always be completely certain, perfect knowledge is seldom available.
• Rule number two is you can be certain enough, to make a reasonable decision on the facts presented to us.
• Rule number three is look for general agreement among experts, some statistics are settled and accepted by all sides- but keep in mind consensus isn’t proof!
• Rule number four is check the primary sources, if you have ever played the childhood game telephone you know how messages get garbled in retelling. Always recheck the primary source to compare with what the story really says.
• Rule number five is know what counts, when you see numbers for data’s and such be sure what is being counted and what is not.
• Rule number six is know who is talking, sometimes the medicines and groups being pushed at us are self interest groups and not really interested in our well being but only their wallet.
• Rule number seven is seeing shouldn’t always be believing, remember personal experiences can mislead us. Scholars tell us that people tend to over stimulate how well they remember their own experiences.
• Rule number eight is cross-check everything that matters.
• We can look at the way trails are ran, it can give us a idea of how we should weight the facts in our everyday lives:
1. The sworn testimonies, we can give greater weight to sworn testimonies than to unsworn statements.
2. Self-interest, then ones who only stand to profit themselves we give less to there weight statement to those who are neutral.
3. Confessions deserve special weight as usually the person states facts that are contrary to his or her own interest.
4. Always check the reputation of the authority before giving in any weight.
5. Check for the transparency whenever a claim is made.
6. Look for precision, the evidence sometimes isn’t nearly as precise as portrayed.
7. Convergence evidences, when two different methods arrive at similar estimates those estimates are more creditable.
• The final rule is being skeptical, but not cynical. Demand the evidence, but don’t assume everything you are told is false.