Awards

• Booklist Top 10 Science and Technology Books for Youth
• Dogwood Readers Award
• SCBWI Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World

Overview

Fake news, pseudoscience, and quackery have become scourges, spreading through society from social media all the way to Congress. The line between entertainment and reality, between fact and fiction, has become blurred. Some of the most crucial issues of our time—climate change, vaccines, and genetically modified organisms—have become prime targets for nefarious disinformation campaigns. Far too many people have become distrustful of real science. Even those who still trust science no longer know what to believe or how to identify the truth. Not only does this result in the devaluation and distrust of real science, but it is also dangerous: people acting based on false information can hurt themselves or those around them. We must equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to fight back against all this disinformation. InScience and the Skeptic: Discerning Fact from Fiction, you will learn how science is done, from the basic scientific method to the vetting process that scientific papers must go through to become published; how and why some people intentionally or unintentionally spread misinformation; and the dangers in believing and spreading false information. You'll also find twenty easy-to-follow rules for distinguishing fake science from the real deal. Armed with this book, empower yourself with knowledge, learning what information to trust and what to dismiss as deceit. ""We're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic. . . . This is a time for facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not rumors. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma.""—Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO ""Our deepest beliefs should help navigate reality, not determine it.""—Michael Gersen, The Washington Post ""Journalism is very much about trying to simplify and distribute information about what's new and where advances have been made. That's incompatible with the scientific process, which can take a long time to build a body of evidence.""—Kelly McBride, Poynter Institute

Full Product Details

9781728419459

Table of Contents

Reviews

A primer on the practice and evaluation of science for teen readers. Using summaries of scientific discoveries to form a narrative, straightforward text describes the tenets of science and the ways in which they are challenged in current public discourse. Included is information on the process of peer review, the rise of internet disinformation, common cognitive biases, the politicization of established facts, and the techniques of scam artists. A final chapter sums up 20 rules to help readers distinguish legitimate research from spurious claims. Perhaps most useful for anyone in today's information economy is the following advice: Beware if a piece of news or a social media post stirs up intense feelings, especially outrage. It was most likely designed to short-circuit your critical-thinking skills by playing on your emotions. Valuable too is the identification of clickbait and the guidance on reading peer-reviewed scientific articles. The no-nonsense narration is effective and illuminating, particularly the analogy comparing the mystery of nature to a jigsaw puzzle without a box: scientists need to find the pieces and put them in the correct place. The context offered here should allow budding scholars to do just that. Timely, practical, and all too important.--Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)

""[D]oes a thorough and extremely effective job of explaining the difference between scientific fact and fiction. . . . A very helpful guide for a very timely problem.""—starred, Booklist ""This is an extremely important book that all students, and a lot of adults, should read."" —School Library Connection ""Students will benefit from Zimmer's knowledge on how to understand science and understand all the components in place once the public is part of the science conversation, which is extremely beneficial in our social media-driven world."" —Children's Literature ""Timely, practical, and all too important.""—Kirkus Reviews ""This slim but rich book on approaching science news with healthy skepticism would be an excellent and welcome addition to junior high or high school nonfiction collections.""—starred, School Library Journal

This young adult version of author Zimmer's adult title The State of Science (2020) does a thorough and extremely effective job of explaining the difference between scientific fact and fiction. Accessible language and relatable examples drawn from both history and recent headlines help readers understand the crucial need for accuracy and cross-checking. Zimmer ranges far beyond science, considering the nature and dissemination of information, the influence of social media platforms, accidental and purposeful misinformation campaigns, how facts become politicized, the surprising persuasiveness of quacks, charlatans, and humbugs, and how data and investigative results can be manipulated, by whom, and why. Zimmer offers 20 rules to guide scientific reality checks, from the need for peer review and publication authority to watching for grammar and spelling errors to eschewing political claims and celebrity endorsements to recognizing fake news generated by talk show hosts. Teens will recognize the names, commercials, and events cited as examples and relate to the confusion and uncertainties caused by rogue reports. Back matter includes chapter notes, a glossary, bibliography, and suggestions for further reading, and applications range from science and social studies classrooms to debate and persuasive speech assignments to library and information skills instruction. A very helpful guide for a very timely problem.--starred, Booklist -- Journal (2/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) A primer on the practice and evaluation of science for teen readers. Using summaries of scientific discoveries to form a narrative, straightforward text describes the tenets of science and the ways in which they are challenged in current public discourse. Included is information on the process of peer review, the rise of internet disinformation, common cognitive biases, the politicization of established facts, and the techniques of scam artists. A final chapter sums up 20 rules to help readers distinguish legitimate research from spurious claims. Perhaps most useful for anyone in today's information economy is the following advice: Beware if a piece of news or a social media post stirs up intense feelings, especially outrage. It was most likely designed to short-circuit your critical-thinking skills by playing on your emotions. Valuable too is the identification of clickbait and the guidance on reading peer-reviewed scientific articles. The no-nonsense narration is effective and illuminating, particularly the analogy comparing the mystery of nature to a jigsaw puzzle without a box: scientists need to find the pieces and put them in the correct place. The context offered here should allow budding scholars to do just that. Timely, practical, and all too important.--Kirkus Reviews -- Journal (1/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)

Author Information

Marc Zimmer is the author of several nonfiction young adult books and a professor at Connecticut College, where he teaches chemistry and studies the proteins involved in producing light in jellyfish and fireflies. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and did his post-doc at Yale University. He has published articles on science and medicine for the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and the Huffington Post, among many other publications. He lives in Waterford, Connecticut with his wife, their two children, and a genetically modified fluorescent mouse named Prometheus.

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