Prerequisites: C- or better in BSCI170 or BIOE120; MATH135 or MATH140; and CHEM131.

(Sponsoring Dept: BIOL). Acceptable toward Biological Sciences Specialization Areas: GENB (Additional Credits) and PHNB.

Health misinformation, ranging from unsupported claims about the benefits of juice cleanses and (debunked) claims about vaccines causing autism, often comes couched in buzzwords, statistics, and visualizations to create an illusion of scientific legitimacy. Students in this course will use quantitative reasoning tools and common data manipulation techniques to identify and confront misinformation, especially in the context of healthcare. Students will learn these skills through a combination of lectures, in-class discussions, and case studies drawn from social media, advertisements, and other sources.