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HNRS 43W

Science, Rhetoric, and Social Influence

Seminar, four hours. Enforced requisite: English Composition 3 or 3H or English as a Second Language 36. Science writing, particularly scientific texts, both contemporary and historical, that have been used to communicate science to and influence large groups of people's beliefs and behavior. What is it about certain scientific texts that change way we think and have potential to affect social policy? Texts cover variety of topics from evolution to nutrition and food industry to current debates about climate change. Students encouraged to practice science writing themselves. Satisfies Writing II requirement. Letter grading.

Course statistics

Predicted GPA
3.86
n = 57 · 3 terms · ± 0.065
A range
91%
of letter grades
Taken P/NP
0%
— of those passed
D / F / W
0.0%
incl. withdrawals

Sections in Fall 2026

Not offered in Fall 2026.

Enrollment history

Final enrollment per term, averaged across that term's sections. Four years deep, summer excluded. Per-section live curves are on each section page.

  • 1822W
  • 1923W
  • 2024W
Enrolment by term: 22W 18, 23W 19, 24W 20
Peak 20 Most recent 20 in 24W 3 terms on record

Grade distribution

  • A+ 7 · 12.1%
  • A 32 · 55.2%
  • A- 13 · 22.4%
  • B+ 3 · 5.2%
  • B 1 · 1.7%
  • B- 1 · 1.7%
  • I 1 · 1.7%

Grey bars are non-letter outcomes — P/NP, S/U, incompletes. They are excluded from the GPA entirely rather than scored, because counting a P as a 4.0 would be a fabrication.

By instructor

Instructor Predicted Raw n Terms A range
WATSON, DANA CAIRNS 3.86 3.85 57 3 91%

“Predicted” is shrunk toward the course average, which is itself shrunk toward the department — so an instructor with a handful of students sits near the course mean rather than topping the list.

By term