Fact-checking Science News: Why Science Literacy Matters

A survey by Oklahoma State University revealed that 80% of Americans favor mandatory DNA labeling on food. However, given that nearly all food contains DNA, such labeling is redundant. These findings suggest a potential gap in public understanding of basic scientific concepts.

Science Literacy

Science literacy is knowledge of science, as well as the scientific framework by which people make decisions based on facts, research, and knowledge, not on opinion or hearsay, according to Kathleen Lodl, Associate Dean at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Science literacy is a cross-disciplinary field, which includes academic disciplines such as agriculture; plant and animal production systems; natural resources; nutrition; physical, mental, and emotional health; and early childhood education, among other topics.

A lack of scientific literacy can make individuals vulnerable to misinformation, including both accidental (misinformation) and deliberate (disinformation) spread of false information. Biotechnology tools and products, particularly concerning genetically modified organisms (GMOs), have long been plagued by misinformation and disinformation. Improving public science literacy empowers communities to make informed decisions about biotechnology and other emerging technologies.

One of the strategies to improve the science literacy of the public is to equip them with basic fact-checking techniques.

Fact-checking 101

Good judgment is the key to verifying facts. However, many individuals still need to train their eyes to spot fake news and not just absorb all the information at hand. A little bit of research will definitely help make sound judgments regarding the validity of information.

FactCheck.org, a nonprofit organization in the US, aims to promote best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding. Thus, they provide easy-to-follow tips for basic fact-checking:

• Consider the source. Check the website and look for its mission and contact information. Such information must be highly accessible, legitimate, and free from spelling and grammatical errors.
• Check the author. The first question that one must answer is: Are they real? Check the previous contents written by the author.
• Verify the date published. Old stories may not apply to present situations.
• Analyze your biases. Check your belief systems and ensure that you are looking at the information with a scout mindset.

Watch the video for more practical tips from FactCheck.org.

Fact-checking Tools

Several fact-checking tools are available online for free. Here are some tried and tested examples: 

Google Fact Check Explorer is easy to use. Users just need to enter a keyword or image on the search tool, similar to using the Google web search. The results page will show the latest fact checks tagged with the entry. The tool also provides a rating of the published claims, indicating whether it is fact, false, or incorrect. 

Retraction Watch is a blog that provides reports on retractions of scientific papers. They provide such information to researchers who want to keep abreast of untrustworthy academic publications.

Snopes.com has an extensive database of information about controversial topics, including those that involve science.

FactCheck.org has a dedicated section for science called SciCheck. It focuses exclusively on false and misleading scientific claims that are made by partisans to influence public policy.

Better-informed Society 

Emerging technologies often fall prey to misinformation due to widespread public unfamiliarity. Governments are encouraged to prioritize programs that enhance public science literacy, with the help of other influential and concerned organizations.  

ISAAA has been contributing to this call for three decades, by delivering information, education, and communication modalities co-developed with partners in the government, the academe, and the private sector. One of the current initiatives of ISAAA is the Know the Science (KTS) project, in partnership with the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology Program of the Department of Agriculture. KTS aims to increase awareness and understanding of science to help build the science literacy of Filipinos. KTS is set to join the upcoming National Biotechnology Week to be held on November 25-29, 2024, at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Deliberate actions to fortify the basic scientific knowledge of the people will contribute significantly to fostering a better-informed society capable of making informed decisions based on accurate information.

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