The "Epidemiology and the Media" seminar course will inlcude presentations by the instructors, class discussion and guest lectures by journalists and communciation experts. The second half of the course will be based on presentations by students of current epidemiological topics followed by class discussions. Presentations will generally originate from accounts in the popular media (newspapers, TV, the worldwide web and other internet sources) combined with information from the original scientific communications. The epidemiological issues relevant to the topic will be the center of the presentation. The information presented in the popular account and the original communication should be compared, with any discrepancies receiving special attention. Click here for a sample template.
Presenters should point out strengths and weaknesses of the original communications. Other formats for presentations may also be acceptable.
Click here for a sample presentation
Click here for the 2007 schedule
Click here for past years' schedules: 2006 schedule,
2005 schedule, 2004
schedule,
2003 schedule, 2002
schedule
Alternative presentations will also be acceptable. With the wealth of epidemiological
information available on the Worldwide Web, material that can be downloaded
using the internet can provide the basis of a presentation. Often information
on a specific disease or topic is available from a variety of sources, from
the highly scientific to the interest groups. A comparison of information from
different sources would be one way of using the web.
Material for each presentation will be available during the week before on the course web site and/or in a binder in the Vet. Med. Library. All course participants will be expected to read this material before the presentation. Each week, the person presenting the topic will distribute a one page synopsis of the issues covered.
This1/4 unit (1 hour) course grade will be based on a 20-30 minute presentation (50%), a short summary (2-4 pages) of the issues presented (25%) and participation in the discussions (25%). For graduate students taking the course for additional 1/4 unit credit (1/2 unit total), an additional 10-15 page paper based on the general theme of the presentation, or on a different topic, is required.
Presentations will be prepared under the instructor's supervision and should be viewed as an opportunity to practice public appearance in a small and supportive forum. The use of powerpoint, overhead transparencies or other visual aids is recommended to clarify the presentation and facilitate discussion.
Click here for Jan. 25 - Feb. 1 assignments
Click here for some recent examples from the press.