ENG 334A - Writing about Science

(3 units) CO9

Begin with the concept of objectivity in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEM), and learn about the history of the idea of objectivity, including its roots in colonial conquest, how it became the central theme of STEM composition and why STEM communication looks and sounds the way it does, how we can compose in its different modes effectively, and how to engage with the problems presented by objectivity in the process.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): ENG 102. Corequisite(s): ENG 301 or Junior standing

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. recount the origins and development of the concept of objectivity in Western STEM practices, including its interactions with colonial imperialism.
2. demonstrate familiarity with a range of theories about the socio-political consequences of practices of STEM objectivity, especially on vulnerable or marginalized communities.
3. identify the ways objectivity is employed in a given STEM text (written, visual, or multimodal) and analyze that employment in terms of its socio-political consequences.
4. produce STEM texts relevant to the student’s field or interests that demonstrate a reflexive and/or resistive engagement with objectivity.

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