Professor: Lindsay Hinkle

4.00 credits

• CRN 22422: Tuesday & Thursday, 10:00-11:50am @ CHA 301

In this course, we will explore scientific claims that have gone viral on social media.  Together, we’ll investigate which pieces of these arguments are verified, stretched, or wholly incorrect.  Along the way, we’ll define what makes a process scientific and how to evaluate scientific information presented by a source. But that’s all that can be said about the specifics of this class, because you, the students, will choose case studies and design the assignments.  You will set the specific goals for a major term-long project and work toward completing them.  You may choose to write a research paper, aimed to inform a particular audience.  Or you could choose to put together a social media campaign to educate the public about a viral piece of misinformation.  These could be individual projects or group projects.  It will be up to you. Students who register for this class should be willing to be flexible, try new things, and to engage with this process.  The structure of this class may not be for everyone, and that’s okay! This class will be graded using a contract-based grading scheme that will rely largely on feedback and self-reflection.  For more information about how this class will function, please don’t hesitate to ask Prof. Hinkle.