A scientist is studying the effect on human health of bacteria that live in the human intestine. In her study, she found that the bacteria actually help the body’s immune response. To develop scientific consensus about her idea, the scientist should

Scientific consensus develops when researchers share their findings so other scientists can evaluate the evidence and methods. Publishing in a peer-reviewed journal lets experts review the study before publication and allows other researchers to replicate it. Contacting a reporter does not provide this scientific scrutiny, and discouraging replication or hiding methods undermines it. The correct choice is “publish her results in a peer-reviewed journal.”

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