Learning Outcomes and Assessment

These are things I expect you to know and be able to demonstrate upon successful completion of the course.  None of them are things I expect you to have mastered at the beginning of this course!

Content

  • I expect you to be familiar with the major developments in scientific theories and methods since 1700. This is the most basic level of mastery and is primarily assessed through weekly quizzes, and the quiz and short answer portions of the midterm and final exams.
  • I expect you to understand science as a human endeavor (like art, literature or music) that has been influenced, in both positive and negative ways, by social, cultural, political and economic forces, and one that has powerfully influenced society, culture, politics and economies, again in both positive and negative ways. This is a more sophisticated level of mastery that entails developing historical perspective and an understanding of historical causality. This outcome is assessed through research papers and your contributions to class discussions.
  • Finally, I expect you to be able to go beyond the material covered in this course and to apply a historical perspective to contemporary issues in science and science policy. This is the highest level of mastery, and is assessed through your contributions to class discussions, as well as through your answer to the essay question on the final exam.

Research skills

  • I expect you to be able to find primary sources in the history of science using appropriate databases and search engines.
  • I expect you to be able to find secondary sources in the history of science using appropriate databases and search engines.
  • I expect you to be able to read secondary sources and summarize and paraphrase the arguments made by their authors, rather than simply accumulating facts.

Writing skills

  • I expect you to be able to analyze primary sources and use them to construct a historical argument.
  • I expect you to be able to compare and critically evaluate secondary sources.
  • I expect you to be able to combine primary and secondary sources to construct your own historical argument.

Research and writing skills are assessed through a research paper and a Wikipedia article worth (collectively) 40% of your grade.