Social Sciences and Global Studies

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  Analyzing a News Article

  Tolga Tezcan

  Students will synthesize academic knowledge (sociological concepts) with experiences (their own news browsing habits and selection). To differentiate between statements of value and statements of empirical fact within a journalistic piece. To engage in self-reflection regarding one’s own vulnerability to media bias and selective exposure.

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  Conspiracy Theories on Reddit

  Tolga Tezcan

  To develop skills in applying sociological theory (epistemic, existential, and social motives) to real-world, user-generated data. To examine underlying assumptions and biases in online discourse. To evaluate the broader ethical implications of conspiracy beliefs on society.

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  Critical Thinking Scale

  Tolga Tezcan

  To enable students to engage in metacognitive self-assessment by evaluating their own thought process using a critical thinking scale. To identify and reflect upon personal strengths and weaknesses in critical thinking skills.

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  Disinformation Case Study

  Tolga Tezcan

  To examine the assumptions, intent, and motivations behind the creation and spread of disinformation. To apply sociological and psychological factors to explain the virality and acceptance of false information.

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  Ethical Reasoning

  Tolga Tezcan

  To learn how to apply different ethical frameworks to analyze a complex, real-world social issue. To engage multiple perspectives and counterarguments before forming conclusions.

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  Formulating Arguments: Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

  Tolga Tezcan

  To help students practice deductive logic by formulating testable hypotheses and deconstructing arguments. To enable students to apply inductive logic by analyzing specific observations to identify and articulate broader social patterns.

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  Literature Review

  Amanda Pullum

  Students should learn to develop a social scientific research question; distinguish scholarly from non-scholarly sources; locate and evaluate relevant scholarly literature; and synthesize multiple scholarly sources.