01
Find the original source.
Does the post link to an actual study with authors, a journal or a DOI? If it only links to another blog, keep looking.
Research & knowledge / Science literacyNo science background required
Can you trust
that science claim?
When a post promises a miracle cooling material or a news headline claims a single tree cuts temperatures by ten degrees, a few questions can help you find out what the evidence really says.
A simple six-step checkBefore you
Before you
believe or share.
You do not need to be a scientist to ask where a claim came from.
02
Ask exactly what changed.
Was it a roof's surface temperature, outdoor air temperature, indoor comfort or a utility bill? They are not the same measurement.
03
Look for how it was tested.
Was the claim based on measurements in real homes, computer simulations, a small experiment or a review of many studies?
04
Check for the missing context.
Which city, season, building type, sample size and comparison? A dramatic number may apply only to one situation.
05
Notice who benefits.
Is the article selling a product? Funding and commercial interests do not automatically invalidate research, but they are worth disclosing and examining.
06
Compare independent evidence.
Can you find related work from other research groups, especially a well-conducted systematic review? One surprising study is rarely the final answer.
Example / Breaking down a claim“Trees cool streets
“Trees cool streets
by 10°C!”
A fictional headline for practice—not a result from a named study.
TREES CUT CITY HEAT BY 10°C!
What exactly cooled?
Was the number about pavement in direct sun, a shaded person's experience, or the surrounding air? A surface reduction does not equal an indoor or air-temperature reduction.
Compared with what?
Is the comparison an exposed surface nearby, a measurement from before planting, or a model scenario? Each comparison supports a different interpretation.
Where and when?
Midday versus night, wet versus dry soil, summer versus winter, and the local building layout can all affect the result.
What's the careful takeaway?
Tree shade can be beneficial, but the specific cooling amount depends on the temperature measured and local conditions. Look up the study before adopting its headline as a universal fact.
Peer reviewWhy it matters.
Why it matters.
What it cannot promise.
Before many journal articles are published, independent specialists examine the manuscript. They may ask whether the question is clear, the methods are suitable and the conclusions match the evidence. Authors may need to revise their paper or it may be rejected.
That is a valuable check, but peer review is not a truth certificate. Reviewers can miss errors; some published work is later corrected or retracted. Scientists still need to test whether results are repeatable and whether other research supports the same conclusion.
A DOI is also not a quality seal. A DOI is a stable way to find a specific publication. It does not tell you if that publication has been peer-reviewed, whether it is correct or whether it applies to your house.
Preprints, technical reports and government data can also be valuable. The key is to identify what kind of evidence you are using and assess its limitations.
Signs to slow downFive common
Five common
warning signs.
No original source
“Researchers prove…” but no authors, paper title, methodology or link.
One number fits everybody
“Save exactly 40% on every heating bill,” with no climate, building type or baseline.
Cause from a comparison
“Homes with trees have lower bills, therefore trees alone caused the savings.” Other factors might differ.
Simulation sold as proof
“Guaranteed to reduce your bill,” when the only evidence is a modeled scenario.
Missing downsides or uncertainty
Every solution has conditions, tradeoffs or limits. Reliable sources are willing to discuss them.
Practice togetherA better way
A better way
to use evidence.
When a claim sounds interesting, start with the original DOI-linked paper. Read the abstract and methods, ask which numbers are measured, and check the study's limitations. Then compare it with other research before applying it to your home.
Understand different paper types ↗Explore independently attributed studies ↗
For a deeper reading: University of Toronto Library on critical appraisal ↗ and Crossref on DOI links ↗.