Learning objectives

The graphical representation of data is a central pillar of scientific communication and plays an increasingly important role in the spread of information we receive daily.
A well-designed chart is a powerful means of communication that can enrich knowledge but can also be deceiving, if not deliberately manipulative. The analysis of scientific as well as non-scientific charts is therefore an excellent exercise in critical thinking, the only true antidote against fake news and bad science.
The course is devoted to practicing this skill as part of a rational approach to knowledge, an effort that must be tenaciously pursued over time.

Prerequisites and basic notions

None

Program

- Why do we use charts? (clues from neuroscience)
- The grammar of charts
- Honest mistakes and lies in charts: examples from both mass media and scientific literature
- Building a chart to effectively represent the results of a study

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Five in-person meetings, alternating formal presentations, discussions, and exercises

Learning assessment procedures

The five classes will occur on Thursdays, from Nov 7 to Dec 5, between 4:30 and 6:30 PM, in Aula Osculati, Biological Institutes.
There will be no formal exam.

Evaluation criteria

Credits will be attributed to students actively attending at least 4 out of 5 classes.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

N/A

Exam language

N/A