BRAINCAKEEvaluating Studies
When you read a study, for example one claiming a link between rising temperature and a change in a species, you need to judge how far its conclusions can be trusted. Ask these questions.
Who did it and where was it published? Work in a peer-reviewed journal has been checked by experts. Check who funded it, as funding from an interested group could introduce bias.
Was the method valid? A valid study measures what it claims to measure. Were other variables controlled, or at least monitored? In field studies many variables cannot be controlled, so a control site or a comparison over time is needed.
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More in Human Influence on Ecosystems
- Climate Change
- Depletion of Biological Resources
- Loss of Biodiversity
- The Burden of Proof
- Greenhouse Effect
- Evidence for the Global Temperature Increase
- Analysis of Ice Cores
- Data Reliability
All 29 lessons in Human Influence on Ecosystems · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics