Lecturer IV and Research Investigator
How Science Turns Data Into Knowledge
What You'll Learn
- Learn the rationale and limitations of significance testing within scientific inquiry, including crafting hypotheses and interpreting p-values
- Learn how scientific experiments are proposed, designed, reviewed, and published
- Identify common biases and mistranslations in science research reporting and the challenges of conveying science research to the public effectively
- Assess the credibility of claims about research and recognize the role of replicability and generalizability in scientific progress
4 Modules
12 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About How Science Turns Data Into Knowledge
How Science Turns Data Into Knowledge teaches you how to evaluate scientific claims critically, address experimental limitations, and recognize the roles of trust and responsibility within research.
During the course, you’ll explore the nuances of significance testing, scientific research methods, and science communication, emphasizing the importance of carefully interpreting statistical results. After learning about the scientific process, you’ll learn how science can make its way into the news cycle—and how critical context can be lost amidst the noise. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to think more critically about the media you consume and how you can view science news and information with a more nuanced perspective.
This is the second course in Understanding Data: Navigating Statistics, Science, and AI Specialization, in which you’ll gain a core foundation for statistical and data literacy and gain an understanding of the data we encounter in our everyday lives.
Skills You'll Gain
- Data Analysis
- Data Literacy
- Probability Distribution
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to How Science Turns Data Into Knowledge, the second course in the Understanding Data specialization. This course explores how modern scientific research creates knowledge amid uncertainty and examines how research is communicated to the public. You will learn to critically evaluate scientific claims, understand the translation of research into news, and develop skills to be an informed consumer of science. No prior experience is required.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Welcome, Introduction, and Significance
- Video: Introduction to How Science Turns Data Into Knowledge
- Reading: Meet Your Instructor
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Discussion Prompt: Meet Your Fellow Global Learners
- Reading: Help Us Learn About You
- Video: Why Test Significance?
- Video: Our First Hypothesis Test
- Video: Hypothesis Testing and Science
- Video: What Exactly is a p-value?
- Video: Is Significance Important?
- Video: Is Significance Proof?
- Graded Assignment: Module 1 Ungraded Quiz
- Reading: Module 1 Suggested Readings
- Reading: Module 1 Bibliography
Module 2: Experimental Design
- Video: Introduction to Experimental Design
- Video: Significance and Science
- Video: Controlled Experiments (When You Can't Control Very Much)
- Video: What Are We Studying Anyway?
- Video: Generalizability (What We’re Really After)
- Video: It's Not All Experiments
- Video: How Science Gets Published: The Basics of a Research Article
- Video: How Science Gets Published: Peer Review
- Video: How Science Gets Published: Accessing Articles
- Graded Assignment: Module 2 Ungraded Quiz
- Reading: Module 2 Suggested Readings
- Reading: Module 2 Bibliography
Module 3: How Science Becomes News
- Video: Introduction to How Science Becomes News
- Video: News is Faster Than Science
- Video: Expect Overstatement
- Video: Generic Language and Over-generalization
- Video: What Does It Mean to Have No Evidence?
- Video: Should You Act on That?
- Graded Assignment: Module 3 Ungraded Quiz
- Reading: Module 3 Suggested Readings
- Reading: Week 3 Bibliography
Module 4: Science and Society
- Video: Introduction to Science and Society
- Video: Science Outside Peer Review
- Video: Consensus and Doubt
- Reading: The Grey Hoodie Project: Big Tobacco, Big Tech, and the Threat on Academic Integrity.
- Video: Expertise
- Video: Replication Crisis
- Video: Science and Dependency
- Discussion Prompt: Reflect and Respond to a News Story
- Graded Assignment: Module 4 Ungraded Quiz
- Reading: Module 4 Suggested Readings
- Reading: Module 4 Bibliography
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
Grading Policy
Course materials and assignments are self-paced and open throughout the course. Learners must earn an overall grade of 80% to pass and receive a certificate. Practice quizzes after each module are ungraded but recommended to reinforce learning. A comprehensive course exam is worth 100% of the final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No previous knowledge of science research, data, or statistics is necessary.
