This class is designed to evaluate health stories in the media. This course will address how health information is reported in news outlets and popular media and teach you how to analyze these health claims critically. Analysis of news stories involves critical thinking; you will be introduced to a rating instrument and practice exercises to develop this skill.
Just as no study is perfect, no health story in the news is perfect – but developing this skill will aid you in identifying common reporting issues and teach you how and where to seek more information.
There are five learning objectives for this class. Upon completion of this class, students will be able to:
- Define news literacy
- Describe sources of health news stories
- List challenges journalists face in reporting health research
- Use a rating tool to analyze health news stories
- Identify the difference between health news stories and unverified information