Introduction:
Being able to distinguish between
reliable and unreliable sources in the news can sometimes be
difficult. This blog will explain a few different ways in which to
verify the validity of the information presented. We will do this by
breaking down an article on the subject of water conservation and
looking at the credentials, the claims made in the article, and the
organization behind the site providing the article. We will answer a
few other questions that test the validity of the site and the
article. Enjoy!
Web link:
The full article can be viewed at the
following link;
I will summarize the main points and
further explore the article.
Summary:
The problem presented in the article
titled “Fog-catching fabric could improve water collection in
deserts” is the limited access to freshwater in desert areas.
The solution provided is the “novel,
affordable fabric that collects fog.”
Researchers from the Eindhoven
University of Technology from the Netherlands and Hong Kong developed
a cotton fabric into a water collecting and water distributing
device. The fabric is coated with a polymer that allows it to absorb
water at low temperatures, then release the water when the
temperature rises. The article makes the claim that this product, if
manufactured at a commercial rate, could improve water collection in
desert climates.
Verification Questions:
In this portion I will answer questions that help determine the reliability of the site from where the article was obtained.
SciDev.net is the name of the site hosting the article. This site provides a disclaimer at the bottom of the page where the article is found stating the site is not responsible for the content from outside resources which means this site could have inaccurate information. The site is funded by many reputable organizations like the Sao Paulo research foundation in Brazil, and the International Science Journal. The author of the article has a strong reputation in the science community. Both the sponsors of the site and the author of the article are reputable which builds the sites credibility. When researching the site SciDev.net I was able to find a list of people who work on the site and ways of contacting those individuals. That kind of transparency bodes well for the validity of the site. There mission statement which states the sites commitment to making science part of "global development" coincides with the content found on the site. After these findings I can contend to the validity and honesty of the site and it's creators.
It is important to seek beyond the initial presentation of information in order to obtain an accurate account, in other words, be skeptical.
The Article Itself:
When seeking accurate information you must question not only the presenter, but the creator. Let's take a look at the article itself and see if it holds true. A superfluous claim is made in the article that this material could cause a large change in the amount of water obtained in the desert climates. There is no hard evidence to support this claim, it is merely an assumption.
Overall:
The article is very intriguing and gives attention to alternative resources that are renewable and have not been used up to this point. I am excited to hear of such innovative ideas, and I am hopeful that this world can be used in a more sustainable way.
Thanks for reading.
-Sami
