In spring 2017, iSchool Assistant Professor Jevin West and Biology Professor Carl Bergstrom launched a new course at the University of Washington, "Calling Bullshit in the Age of Big Data."
The topic struck a nerve. The had a viral effect right after its launch in January; news organizations across the country covered the story; and the first 1-credit class was booked up within one minute after registration began.
Below you'll find some of the news coverage and resources related to the class, including all of the lectures, now available on the :
to see new lectures as they are posted.
- The Seattle Times , "How to fine-tune your BS meter."
- Jevin West podcast, on an episode titled "How to Detect Bullshit."
- about the course.
- "Hone Your Bullshit Detector with This Free Online Course" promoted by .
- "Calling Bullshit in the Age of Fake News" earned a Knight Foundation grant to tackle BS in journalism and education.
- New York magazine's The Science of Us column compiled a , inspired by the class.
- about the class in June.
- as a useful resource in May.
- about plans to expand the course to 3 credits in fall.
- in May and came back with a story.
- with West and Bergstrom in May.
- West and Bergstrom talked about the course on the in early May.
- on the origins and motivations for the course.
- The , originally posted by .
- We wrote about the first lecture for the iSchool site.
- as the first lecture approached.
- as its debut neared.
- how the idea for the course took shape.
- what motivated West and Bergstrom to create the course.
- to the class.
- as it went "viral."
- The on the "fine art of sniffing out crappy science."
- NPR reported on the class:
- Seattle's as it was being developed, as did .
- West and Bergstrom went on Q-13 to talk about the class amid the initial craze:
- .
- as they developed the course.
- after its unveiling.