In Altman and in Revkin’s articles, finding accurate data is discussed in terms of science and medicine. Altman discusses a system of peer reviews in medical journals and talks about how non scientific data can slip through the cracks and what needs to be done to reduce this and keep data precise and accurate. Revkin looks from a different standpoint of not looking for data that supports your viewpoint, but looking through sources from all standpoints. He also discusses how sometimes with scientific articles terminology is changed so the general audience can understand, but this may affect the article’s point.
I learned from Altman’s article about how information needs to be caught before it is published because otherwise it could cause a chain reaction. Once information is published on the internet, there is no telling who reads it and retells it before the original bad source can be edited or deleted. Revkin’s article was to teach how to find clarity and reliability in sources, but I have already learned about this in my LIB103 class.
These readings are relevant to a class on information and research because they reiterate that one should not believe everything they read, even if it is claimed to be scientific or medical. They show how when you are researching you need to find sources from all different viewpoints and make a stand, not to make a stand and then find sources that back you up.
I can apply these to my life as a student because I need to learn how to read and research critically. I find myself gullible sometimes and I need to remember that I do not know the authors of the works that I read and I need to search for credibility.
This also relates to what I’m studying in marketing, because we are learning how to fish through company ploys and false advertising. Both relate to how you need to look further, and do extensive research in order to reach a good conclusion, that can be backed up with data.
