A Sceptics Toolkit Adapted from “Panicology” by Simon Briscoe & Hugh Aldersey-Williams Paperback edition published February 2009

When you are presented with some information which presents a particular viewpoint... …here are some questions that you could / should be asking yourself as you read it …

VESTED INTERESTS… Who has written the information ? Why have they done this ? Are we being told the whole story ?

Who has written the information ?

Why have they done this ?

Are we being told the whole story ?

WEASEL WORDS… Are certain ‘emotive’ words used to produce a reaction even when they are not necessarily relevant ?

Are certain ‘emotive’ words used to produce a reaction even when they are not necessarily relevant ?

SURVEYS… Who conducted the survey ? Are they a credible organisation ? Who paid for it to be carried out ? How were the questions worded ? How big was the sample ? Is the sample size and margin of error shown ?

Who conducted the survey ? Are they a credible organisation ?

Who paid for it to be carried out ?

How were the questions worded ?

How big was the sample ?

Is the sample size and margin of error shown ?

FIGURES… Can figures be compared ? If the data to allow you to compare aren’t there, why aren’t they ? Be cautious about the use of statistics

Can figures be compared ?

If the data to allow you to compare aren’t there, why aren’t they ?

Be cautious about the use of statistics

PERCENTAGES OR ACTUAL NUMBERS… The choice as to which one will depend on which seems the most impressive

The choice as to which one will depend on which seems the most impressive

Try it out...