Betteridge's Law

Definitions

1. An adage stating that any headline ending in a question mark can be correctly answered by the word "no".
2. Alternative letter-case form of Betteridge's law.
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Examples

“No, no, hell no. The true answer⟳ is that there is no one answer⟳; that what works best is a dynamic combination of solitary, pair, and group work⟳, depending on the context, using your best judgement. Paired programming definitely has its place⟳. (Betteridge’s Law strikes again!) In some cases that place⟳ may even be “much of most days.” But insisting on 100 percent pairing is mindless dogma, and like⟳ all mindless dogma, ultimately counterproductive.”

“And from the National Journal: “When U.S. Steps Back, Will Russia and China Control⟳ the Internet?” As Betteridge’s Law of Headlines suggests, the answer⟳ is no.”

“Andrew Marr believes that a headline with a question⟳ mark⟳ at the end⟳ is 'often a scare⟳ story, or an attempt⟳ to elevate some run-of-the-mill piece of reporting into a national controversy and, preferably, a national panic.' (Marr 2005: 253). His advice to readers is – 'If the headline asks a question⟳, try⟳ answering "no"' (loc. cit.). This motto has since been parlayed into a 'law' – Betteridge's Law, named for Ian Betteridge after he wrote a piece for Technovia questioning the validity of a news item published under a headline that ended in a question⟳ mark⟳[…].”

“No, no, hell no. The true answer⟳ is that there is no one answer⟳; that what works best is a dynamic combination of solitary, pair, and group work⟳, depending on the context, using your best judgement. Paired programming definitely has its place⟳. (Betteridge’s Law strikes again!) In some cases that place⟳ may even be “much of most days.” But insisting on 100 percent pairing is mindless dogma, and like⟳ all mindless dogma, ultimately counterproductive.”

“Conforming to Betteridge’s law of headlines, the answer⟳ is no – or at least, not yet.”

“And from the National Journal: “When U.S. Steps Back, Will Russia and China Control⟳ the Internet?” As Betteridge’s Law of Headlines suggests, the answer⟳ is no.”

“An earlier and slightly mysterious version of Betteridge's law applies to the rarefied world of particle physics. Hinchliffe's Rule⟳ – the mystery lies in who Hinchliffe is or was – states that any scientific paper or website posting whose title ends with a question⟳ mark⟳ is to be answered with a 'no' or, at best, 'probably not'.”

“Andrew Marr believes that a headline with a question⟳ mark⟳ at the end⟳ is 'often a scare⟳ story, or an attempt⟳ to elevate some run-of-the-mill piece of reporting into a national controversy and, preferably, a national panic.' (Marr 2005: 253). His advice to readers is – 'If the headline asks a question⟳, try⟳ answering "no"' (loc. cit.). This motto has since been parlayed into a 'law' – Betteridge's Law, named for Ian Betteridge after he wrote a piece for Technovia questioning the validity of a news item published under a headline that ended in a question⟳ mark⟳[…].”

“For the avoidance of doubt⟳, and with a nod to Betteridge’s law, it is not true that the reason⟳ prostate cancer research⟳ receives half as much funding as breast cancer, despite a higher mortality rate, is because of bias against men.”

CEFR level