Public Health 191PUBH11 - FYS- Science&PopCulture:Real?

We are exposed to a considerable amount of scientific material through popular culture in the television and movies we watch and news media sources but how much of this scientific content is accurate? Critical thinking as well as hypothesis formulation and testing through scientific methods are key factors for solid research and scientific ethics. The course will provide an introduction to the scientific method, hypothesis formulation and laboratory testing. Student will discuss science presented in videos from popular culture televisions series and movies. The discussion will be facilitated through power point slides and lectures. The objective of the course is to encourage an ethical approach towards science and introduce students to critical thinking, hypothesis formulation and test designing.

The first part of the course is aimed towards providing the students the tools to gather information and evaluate sources, together with designing hypotheses and tests. In the second part of the course, seminars will include documentaries, television sitcoms, movies and news articles that will be evaluated for scientific authenticity. Discussion will focus on the scientific methods and the methodological errors, in order to identify the correct approach to test a hypothesis.

Open to students in the Public Health Exploratory Track and first-year Public Health, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Communication Disorders majors.