NSC 260: Overview of Articles

Tools for evaluating sources are essential to differentiate reputable studies from misrepresentations, personal anecdotes, and opinions.

Lay Source: A work at risk of being influenced by subjectivity.
Peer-Reviewed Source: Accepted non-biased information that undergoes detailed scrutiny before publication.
- Reviewed by a group of peers in the relevant field.
- Reviewers may request more detail, explanation, or ask for certain aspects to be redone.
Distinguishing between lay and peer-reviewed sources is crucial for determining the credibility of information.
It's possible to encounter articles that seem legitimate but are not.

Primary Research: First-hand report of a study, experiment, procedure, or event.
- Elements include population, intervention, instruments, results, methods, implications, and conclusion.
- Examples: Clinical Trials, Cohort studies, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT), Controlled Clinical Trials (CCT).
Secondary Research: Analyzes and interprets studies, events, or procedures.
- Elements include review, analysis, parameters of included studies, table list of studies, procedures, and interventions.
- Examples: Systematic Reviews, Meta-analyses, Meta-syntheses, Reviews, Opinions.

Anecdote: A short, obscure historical or biographical account or a personal account/story.
- A study with an $n$ of 1.
- Example: "For five years, I have lived on milk…"
- Example: "My friend’s sister has been on this new diet…"
Opinion: A view or judgment formed about something, which may or may not be based on fact or knowledge.
- Example: "Apricots are healthier than plums."
- Example: "Cinnamon can help improve insulin sensitivity."
Conjecture: Beliefs held to be true without yet having convincing evidence to confirm or disprove them.
- A is related to B, and B is related to C, so there must be a meaningful relationship between A and C.
Misrepresentation: Skewing facts to be interpreted sensationally.
- Example: "Eating blueberries prevents cancer."
- Example: "DHMO should be avoided because it is a part of acid rain and can lead to hyponatremia."
Facts: Propositions backed by sufficient evidence to be considered empirically proved for practical purposes.
- Example: "In appropriate patients, bariatric surgery results in the reduction of diabetes and related symptoms."
- Example: "Prolonged lack of vitamin C will lead to scurvy."
- Example: "Strawberries are not a good source of vitamin D."

Generally, most articles on PubMed and similar databases are reliable.
However, there is no foolproof method to verify this within the database itself.
Some predatory journals may appear peer-reviewed but lack credibility, making cross-referencing and evaluation essential.

The 5 articles must be primary research.
Articles do not have to support a certain claim; the job is to analyze and present the research.
Null results are still results.
Avoid using the word "prove" in a scientific context.
- A scientific study provides evidence with varying degrees of certainty/uncertainty.
- "Proof" implies no errors or uncertainty, which is generally not the case in scientific research.

Access PubMed through the library site.
- Navigate to databases and select PubMed (UA/HSL version).
Article Hunting Example: Finding a recent article (within the past 5 years) about soda intake and inflammation in the Journal of Nutrition.

Start with a Google search using relevant keywords (e.g., "beets athletic performance").
Example: Finding a lay article about beets and athletic performance.
Determine if the article is lay or peer-reviewed.
Locate the original peer-reviewed article.
Determine if the original article is primary or secondary research.
Example search terms: "beet juice proctor blood flow."