Worksheet for BIO 331 Individual Assignment 5 –Spread and Accuracy of Online Information: A CaseStudy Related to Vaccines
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BIO 331 Individual Assignment 5 Instruc7ons SPR 2023
Impact of Social Media on Understanding Vaccines
Ra7onale: Many people are informed about vaccines through social media. The learning outcome
of this assignment is to systema:cally assess the validity and impact of social media posts about
vaccines. Please follow the instruc:ons indicated below and submit your completed worksheet
as a Word document or pdf using the submission link provided for Individual Assignment #5 SPR
2023. Submit by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023.
Instruc7ons:
a. Using the Ac7vity 1 Worksheet select one vaccine-related social media post from a person
on list A and one from a person on list B. Indicate your selec:ons in the spaces provided in the
worksheet.
LIST A LIST B
Dr. Sanjay Gupta Dr. Joseph Mercola
Dr. Tom Frieden Erin Elizabeth
Dr. Leana Wen Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Andy Slavitt Del Bigtree
Helen Branswell Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
Caitlin Rivers, PhD Christiane Northrup
Atul Gawande Ty and Charlene Bollinger
Dr. Peter Hotez Rizza Islam
Laurie Garrett Dr. Ben Tapper
2
b. Complete the worksheet by taking a screenshot of the post OR write down what the post
says as well as the author, day and 7me it was published, and what plaNorm you found it on.
For example, from list B, I used Google to search: “Dr. Joseph Mercola vaccine twiQer” to find a
TwiQer post on vaccines by Dr. Joseph Mercola. I found the following:
Published by Dr. Joseph Mercola, 12:26 PM · Feb 21, 2023, on TwiQer
“October 20, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven:on’s Advisory CommiQee on
Immuniza:on Prac:ces (ACIP) unanimously (15-0) voted to add unlicensed COVID-19 shots to the
U.S. childhood, adolescent and adult vaccine schedules. February 9, 2023, the CDC accepted the
panel’s recommenda:on and officially added a primary series of mRNA COVID “vaccine†to its
rou:ne immuniza:on schedules for children and adults, plus a bivalent booster (see image
below).
While the addi:on of the COVID shots to the recommended vaccina:on schedule does not make
the jabs mandatory for school aQendance, their inclusion allows states and local jurisdic:ons to
make them so. Vaccines on the childhood vaccina:on schedule are typically covered under the
Na:onal Vaccine Injury Compensa:on Program (NVICP), but the COVID shot isn’t. Instead, the jab
will remain covered by the Countermeasures Injury Compensa:on Program (CICP), which is even
more restric:ve and limited in terms of compensa:on than the NVICP.
According to CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the COVID jab was added to the childhood
vaccina:on schedule because it was “the only way†to ensure under-insured children would have
access to it. The real reason, however, is because it’s the only way for drug makers to be
indemnified against financial liability for injuries an
1
BIO 331 Individual Assignment 5 Instruc7ons SPR 2023
Impact of Social Media on Understanding Vaccines
Ra7onale: Many people are informed about vaccines through social media. The learning outcome
of this assignment is to systema:cally assess the validity and impact of social media posts about
vaccines. Please follow the instruc:ons indicated below and submit your completed worksheet
as a Word document or pdf using the submission link provided for Individual Assignment #5 SPR
2023. Submit by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023.
Instruc7ons:
a. Using the Ac7vity 1 Worksheet select one vaccine-related social media post from a person
on list A and one from a person on list B. Indicate your selec:ons in the spaces provided in the
worksheet.
LIST A LIST B
Dr. Sanjay Gupta Dr. Joseph Mercola
Dr. Tom Frieden Erin Elizabeth
Dr. Leana Wen Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Andy Slavitt Del Bigtree
Helen Branswell Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
Caitlin Rivers, PhD Christiane Northrup
Atul Gawande Ty and Charlene Bollinger
Dr. Peter Hotez Rizza Islam
Laurie Garrett Dr. Ben Tapper
2
b. Complete the worksheet by taking a screenshot of the post OR write down what the post
says as well as the author, day and 7me it was published, and what plaNorm you found it on.
For example, from list B, I used Google to search: “Dr. Joseph Mercola vaccine twiQer” to find a
TwiQer post on vaccines by Dr. Joseph Mercola. I found the following:
Published by Dr. Joseph Mercola, 12:26 PM · Feb 21, 2023, on TwiQer
“October 20, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven:on’s Advisory CommiQee on
Immuniza:on Prac:ces (ACIP) unanimously (15-0) voted to add unlicensed COVID-19 shots to the
U.S. childhood, adolescent and adult vaccine schedules. February 9, 2023, the CDC accepted the
panel’s recommenda:on and officially added a primary series of mRNA COVID “vaccine†to its
rou:ne immuniza:on schedules for children and adults, plus a bivalent booster (see image
below).
While the addi:on of the COVID shots to the recommended vaccina:on schedule does not make
the jabs mandatory for school aQendance, their inclusion allows states and local jurisdic:ons to
make them so. Vaccines on the childhood vaccina:on schedule are typically covered under the
Na:onal Vaccine Injury Compensa:on Program (NVICP), but the COVID shot isn’t. Instead, the jab
will remain covered by the Countermeasures Injury Compensa:on Program (CICP), which is even
more restric:ve and limited in terms of compensa:on than the NVICP.
According to CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the COVID jab was added to the childhood
vaccina:on schedule because it was “the only way†to ensure under-insured children would have
access to it. The real reason, however, is because it’s the only way for drug makers to be
indemnified against financial liability for injuries an
Worksheet for BIO 331 Individual Assignment 5 – Spread and Accuracy of Online Information: A Case Study Related to Vaccines
Worksheet Activity 1: Compare and Contrast Social Media Posts
Due by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023.
1. Select one science or vaccine-related social media post from a person on list A and one from a person on list B provided in the Instructions.
Note your answers must be your own and in your own words. Similarity Score <25%.
List A person:
List B person:
2. Take a screenshot of the post OR write down what the post says as well as the author, day and time it was published, and what platform you found it on.
3. Compare the two posts by completing the table below.
Note your answers must be your own and in your own words. Similarity Score <25%.
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Post from LIST A |
Post from LIST B |
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Are any references cited? If so, what are they? |
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Is anything being sold on the person’s account? If so, what? |
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How many followers does the person have? |
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How many likes does the post have? |
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How many comments does the post have? |
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How many times was the post shared by others? |
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4. Calculate the engagement rates for each post using the steps below. Use the back of the sheet if you need more space for your calculations.
a. Calculate the total engagement number (TE) by adding all reactions, comments and shares for the post. TE = R + C + S
b. Calculate the engagement rate (ER) by dividing the total engagement by the total number of followers and multiplying by 100. ER = TE/total followers x 100
c. Express the ER as a percent.
Post from person on list A:
Post from person on list B:
5.
Answer the following 4 questions. Note your answers must be your own and in your own words. Similarity Score <25%
a. Compare the numbers for followers, engagement (likes, comments), and reach (shares) of the posts as well as the engagement rate. Which of your two individuals is more influential? What brought you to that conclusion? How did the individual’s
