COLWRIT 52N
Science in the News
This online, asynchronous course develops students' ability to evaluate scientific claims as they move from research to public communication. Students examine how discoveries become headlines, learn to read scientific studies with a journalist's questions in mind, practice interpreting statistical claims, investigate how misinformation spreads, and learn to communicate evidence accurately to a general audience. The course culminates in an original, fact-checked Public Science Explainer that integrates source tracing, study analysis, statistical literacy, misinformation awareness, and clear public-facing communication.
Topics
- Trace a current science-news claim to an original study, press release, dataset, or other authoritative source. Locate and interpret key elements of a scientific study, including the abstract, methods, sample size, limitations, and funding or conflict-of-interest disclosures. Distinguish correlation from causation and use basic statistical reasoning — including attention to sample size and base rates — when evaluating science reporting. Identify and explain how a specific example of science misinformation originated, spread, and can be responsibly corrected. Produce an accurate, accessible, source-transparent explanation of a scientific finding for a general audience
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027