Is anecdotal evidence cited?
Anecdotes, or individual stories, are not scientifically useful. Such a story suggests only that the individual did so-and-so (assuming no fakery). Nothing about larger populations can be inferred from it. Any description of an invention or product which uses large numbers of anecdotes or testimonials is suspect. You also must remember that testimonials can be bought; you can pay someone to do it for you. Also – the Federal Trade Commission will prosecute false claims, but testimonials are not regulated. 4. Does the source claim that “the establishment is trying to suppress this discovery?” Such a claim does not provide any evidence that the “discovery” is really valid. You need to poke these with other questions to find out more. 5. Does the claim fit in with what we know about the world? Does it fit into the larger context of knowledge? Shermer describes the claim that the Earth is only 6,000 years old. Accepting that claim requires that you also concede that everything learned about
