HOW TO

1. HOW TO www.askforevidence.com #askforevidence #A4Eemerson

2. 1. Identify a Claim • Where do you look? • Take note of a product claim that is not supported by evidence. • Look for a claim in the media where the information may be misrepresented. • Consider a public policy or statement by a political figure that may be unfounded or misinformed.

3. 2. Ask for Evidence • How do you ask? • Send an email • You can use this form to generate an email http://www.senseaboutscience.org/ask.php • Make a phone call • See this link for tips on calling companies http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/a4e_how_to_do_it.html#Product_claims • Write a letter • Visit this link for tips on writing to newspapers http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/a4e_how_to_do_it.html#Newspapers • Contact a public figure claim-maker • Tips at http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/a4e_how_to_do_it.html#MPs

4. 2. Ask for Evidence • What do you ask? • Ask about the Science behind the claim • What kind of testing has been done (controlled, blinded tests; a clinical trial; lab studies on an ingredient)? • What is the mechanism behind the science? • Ask about the status of evidence for the claim • Has the research been peer reviewed and published? • Has it been replicated?

5. 2. Ask for Evidence • Tips for a powerful inquiry • Ask about claims that are current. • Isolate a single claim. • Be concise and specific about what you’re asking. • Indicate why you’re asking (personal relationship to claim or product). • Indicate that you’re making your inquiry known to the Ask for Evidence campaign and its supporters (and actually make it known!) • Tweet using • Use claim-maker’s handle to help elicit a reply #askforevidenceand#A4Eemerson

6. 3. Identify Evidence • How do you get evidence? • You may get a response from your inquiry (the claim-maker’s details on the evidence or their suggestions of relevant sources to investigate) • Identify evidence on your own/with your class • Prioritize primary sources, peer-reviewed sources • Discuss how to find the best evidence in your discipline of study.

7. 4. Evaluate Evidence • How do you know what to conclude? • Think back to your questions about the science behind and status of the claim. • Utilize faculty and librarian experts and classroom discussions to help you evaluate. • Check out Sense About Science resources for help with making sense of statistics and a variety of claim-specific topics http://www.senseaboutscience.org/resources.php?action=search&&page=1 • Reach out to the local Voice of Young Science network where helpful. (Write to info@askforevidence.com)

8. 5. Communicate your findings • Produce an Ask for Evidence Case-Study • What was the claim and where did you see it? • Why did you decide to ask for evidence? • What did you do/How did you get evidence? • Did you get a reply? • What is your conclusion and why?

9. 5. Communicate your findings • Tips for good Ask for Evidence Case-Study • Be concise (limit to 200 words) and conversational (think blog, avoid jargon) • Be clear about the evidence you used (cite and link to your sources) and indicate what factors mattered. • Avoid assumptions– don’t become a claim that someone else will have to ask for evidence about!

10. 5. Communicate your findings • Publicize your findings • Provide case studies (and a photo of yourself) for posting on www.askforevidence.com • Tweet about it using both • Develop complementary ways to communicate your evidence (video PSAs, podcasts, written or visual media) #askforevidence and #A4Eemerson (together!)

11. 5. Communicate your findings Funding available to support the further development or dissemination of student work! • Look for requests for proposals at the end of the semester. • Proposal considered for work initiated in class or developed independently • Successful proposals will • communicate evidence, combat pseudoscience, or rectify common misconceptions • promote the need for evidence, the process of asking for and evaluating evidence, or the A4E campaign itself. OR