Steps To Ensure Quality Information
How to distinguish “good” information from “bad”in the emerging field of Mind, Brain, and Education
Y
Is there a clear
research question
that can be
responded to using
MBE studies?
N Y
Likely "bad information"
and possible contributor to a
NEUROMYTH
N 5. LEARNING OUTCOME / CLASSROOM CONTEXT:
N 6. CONFIRMATION:
© Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2020
New theory?
N
Peer reviewed study?
Y 1. WHAT:
a. What was the original study and its
N primary purpose?
b. Is this a single study, or a series of
studies? (i.e. are findings in context?)
METHODOLOGY (1)
a. What was the methodology
Y
used for this study? 2. WHEN:
b. Is the methodology c. Is the study sufficiently recent so that
appropriate to answer it reflects current state-of-the-art
the question? understanding in the field?
c. Is the methodology realistic? Y
d. Is the data analysis
3. HOW:
adequate?
d. Is the study ecologically valid?
N Y (i.e. does it have “comparative validity”?)
Y
4. METHODOLOGY (2)
e. Is it a representative study? (i.e. how many subjects were/are in the study?)
f. Does it match the students you work with?
(i.e. what were the ages and characteristics of the subject?)
g. Was/is there a control group of subjects who were/are matched with the subjects
in the experimental groups?
h. Has the study been replicated by other scientists using the same methodology?
i. Are there any similar studies that have contradictory findings?
j. Is the classroom practice qualitative or quantitative? Can it be replicated?
Y
Did/does the study have learning outcomes? (i.e. an application in a real settings)
Has the recommendation been implemented successfully in context?
N
7. Is the (new) activity practice- or evidence-based?
N
8. Has the practice been documented?
9. GOOD EVIDENCE