Calling Bull

Kids may not realize news articles and research publications can contain errors, but it can be hard to leave this site without a more skeptical approach to claims about scientific findings. Given the examples of skewed metrics and other items it contains, that's probably a good thing. The content focuses on several specific issues -- for example, the ways graphics can visually represent information inaccurately, such as a bar chart created with a measurement axis that doesn't go to zero. Kids won't find a massive list of items the site creators have disproved, or detailed instruction on how to gauge if things outside of the social and natural science realm are untrue. That said, the critical thinking skills they'll pick up can certainly translate into other areas.

The site's biggest drawback is that it primarily involves a lot of reading (it is, after all, meant to correspond to a college course). Adding more interactive elements would probably make the information more appealing to kids; including more frequently updated content might increase the chance they'd visit the site more than once or twice. Kids who are willing to wade through the examples, though, should be able to more effectively analyze how data is presented, even though it only focuses on natural and social sciences. Parents may want to go over the examples with younger kids to ensure they understand each concept. But depending on their interest and ability level, along with the informal tone and detailed examples that are provided, some may be able to grasp the logic fairly easily, and will be able to apply these skills to other research items.