Science Teacher's Guide to Pseudoscience, Myths, & Misinformation

Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be scientific but are incompatible with the scientific method. Often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable claims, lack of peer review, and ignoring contradictory evidence.

Junk Science

Junk science is used to describe scientific data, research, or analysis that has been misinterpreted or considered to be fraudulent. The concept is often invoked in political and legal contexts where facts and scientific results have a great amount of weight in making a determination. 

Superstition

A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural. These beliefs are attributed to fate, magic, divine intervention, or other perceived supernatural influence. They are born out of a lack of understanding for that which is unknown. 

Folk Science

Folk science describes ways of understanding the natural and social world, that are based on experience, but without the use of rigorous methodologies. Superstitions are often described as common knowledge. There is a strong connection to the geographical area and culture that these ideas are born from.