Real science involves creativity, logic, critical thinking and the use of appropriate evidence, subjects all authority to scrutiny, and allows testing of its claims. These essentials, not a list of facts, are the basis of scientific literacy for the layperson. Looking up facts can be a trivial pursuit, but reasoning scientifically provides a sound basis for comprehending our world. People can feel rewarded when they are able to develop a course in life, make judgments, or solve problems using these methods. They do not need to formalize their thinking to do science or to practice it on a personal basis. Solving a problem, whether it is scientific or not, is a tremendous joy in life, easily equaling or exceeding the thrill of pseudoscience, antiscience or unsupported beliefs.

Three concepts are central to science literacy: critical thinking, evidential reasoning, and evaluation of authority (Lipps 1999). Each includes several steps (Table 1), but these are not hard to learn or apply. Mostly, they involve asking the right questions about a situation, about the evidence, about who is promoting it, and allowing and accepting some uncertainty.