Investigative Science Journalism

Catalog description

A journalist, even a science journalist, must be able to see through lies and to shed light on facts that certain people would rather keep hidden. This course is designed to give you the tools to do precisely that. By the end of the semester, you’ll be able to sniff out lies and find the facts to uncover them; you’ll also be relentless -- once you sink your teeth into a juicy story, you won’t let go. This course gives SHERP students mathematical knowledge, investigative reporting techniques, and computer skills that will help them cut through hype and obfuscation, and it will do it by having SHERPies perform first-rate investigations on important scientific or medical topics. After completing this course, students will be formidable -- and dangerous -- reporters