In this article I discuss the very real challenge of trying to assess research findings as presented in the popular press. The popular news media, be it television, print, or the web, abounds with interesting and titillating “”findings”” from studies done all over the world. When you read or pay close attention to the research as it is presented in the news, it is often hard to tell what the researchers actually did, which makes it hard for us, as consumers of statistical information, to evaluate their research design and decide for ourselves whether or not we accept their findings. Below I offer two things: first, a list of questions that, if you can satisfactorily answer, will allow you to evaluate almost any kind of research; and second, some suggestions on how to go about answering those questions starting with something as flimsy as a brief newspaper article or web headline.