CCST5078 group project S1 2023/24 CCST5078 Health Literacy: what to know before consulting Dr. Google Final group project assignment The goal Internet users search for a variety of health information ranging from information about particular conditions and treatments to information about diet, general fitness, and healthcare professionals. Increased use of Internet health resources has led too many to be concerned about how consumers look for and find high quality information on the Web. The goal of this project is for you to engage in critical and creative thinking in your application of key concepts from course materials to create health-related social media content. Welldesigned and accurate information on social media can both inform the public, and help stop the spread of information that is untrue. Health communication, is in essence “the development and diffusion of messages to specific audiences in order to influence their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in favor of healthy behavioral choice”. The task: You will create an Instagram-appropriate slideshow, on a public health problem/ health-related topic of your choice. The post should include: 1) a panel of slides on a topic you find interesting, significant, confusing, and/or worthy of discussion 2) a caption that complements the slides on the topic you have chosen Some potential idea for the social media posts could be (but not limited to): • • • • Highlight new or discussion-worthy research Commentary on health-adjacent news stories Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Debunking / myth busting Successful posts will: • • • Go beyond summary or obvious points to bring new insights to our understanding of your image as worthy of attention and discussion (Analysis) Apply concepts discussed in the course and class discussions (Application) Engage audience by prompting comments and discussion (Engagement) 1 CCST5078 group project S1 2023/24 Format: • • • • • • • Create 6 – 10 slides in the format appropriate for an Instagram slideshow Sizes of the slides: Square (1:1; 1080 x 1080 px), Landscape (1.91:1; 1080 x 608 px), or Portrait (4:5; 1080 x 1350 px) You may choose to use multiple formats – (info)graphics, photos, short videos (max. 1 minute per slide), or a mix of these Ensure the slides are aesthetically pleasing and not overly text-heavy; use images, graphs, tables, diagrams etc. to convey your message Properly cite (at the bottom, in the caption, or end of your slides) all the information / facts you present. This will include the images you use. Complement your slides with a caption and set of hashtags so they are selfexplanatory (see below for details) Language: limit use of jargon, technical terms, or scientific language whenever possible. Write in a way that it is understandable for the layperson with little or no background in health-related knowledge. Write in active voice. Writing and caption and use of hashtags • • • • • • Write one caption for all slides. The maximum character count for captions on Instagram is 2,200 characters. However, you may use you as many (or little) words as necessary as long as it fits your purpose. Also note that Instagram captions are truncated at 125 characters Consider employing a call-to-action in the caption, i.e. using action verbs to prompt people to do something will enhance the shareability and get engagement. Some callto-action ideas are, asking questions, directing individuals to a link, or inviting people to share the post etc. Captions are meant to supplement your main content. Your audience should be able to grasp your main message from the slides alone Placement of words influences the strength of the “punch” for your message. Be intentional with your words, especially the first sentence. Add intrigue, suspense, lead your readers to read on rather than scroll down. Tie your caption together closely with the posted image or video. A hashtag serves as a keyword to identify and highlight the content of a text. Correct use of hashtags can increase exposure, help you analyze your share of voice on social media, and help you research different content idea. The maximum number of hashtags allowed on Instagram is 30 per post. However, use them strategically, focus on quality over quantity. 2 CCST5078 group project S1 2023/24 Example: @prehealthrising The pandemic has brought to light many social and health problems in society, one of them being food insecurity. Food insecurity has been a problem long before the pandemic. However, with the economic strains of the pandemic, rates of food insecurity are rising across the country and the world. To shed light on this issue, we have teamed up with @drplantel, a culinary medicine physician, to explore the impact of COVID-19 on food insecurity and nutrition on a local, national, and international level. #health #healtheducation #premed #prehealth #premedstudent #premedlife #healthequity #healthequityjustice #s ocialjustice #healthdisparities #uf20 #uf #uf21 #uf22 #uf23 #publichealth #predental #predent #foodinsecurity #fo oddesert Timeline and due dates: Project proposal (5%): Deadline for project proposal submission: October 20th 11:59PM Bring the completed proposal to class on October 19th. We will look through the proposals individually with every group during class and help you finetune your topic and/or approach if needed. Final submission (30%): You will submit the assignment on Moodle. The soft copies should be uploaded as a single file in an image format (e.g. .tiff; .jpg; .png). Submit the caption as a separated text document in Word format (.doc, .docx). Deadline for project submission: November 24th 11:59 PM 3 CCST5078 group project S1 2023/24 FAQ Can videos/mini animations be incorporated as part of the 6-10 slides? A: Yes, please submit the videos/animations in a common file format so we are able to view the idea. The maximum length for each video is 1 minute. What referencing format should we use? A: In the interest of space, you do not need to use a full Vancouver/APA/MLA style citation. Do include all key information so your readers are able to locate the reference easily. You may use the following format: First author’s last name, year, abbreviated journal name, volume (issue): first page, PubMedID (PMID, if available) E.g. Soliman et al. 2018. Nutrients 10(6): 780. PMID: 29914176 Do images need to be referenced? A: If the images belong to you (i.e. created or taken by you), or are stock images then references do not need to be included. Otherwise you must acknowledge the creator and the license with which they have allowed you to use the image. What if I do have not have Instagram? A: You will not need an Instagram account to complete the assignment. You may also ask your teammates who has an account to show you how it works. Think of it as creating a “deconstructed” poster, presented in the format of 6-10 slides. Will our slides be posted on Instagram? A: No, we will not be posting your projects on Instagram. We will always ask for your permission before sharing your working. However, you are free to post them on your personal accounts if you wish. Do make sure you ask permission from your group members before doing so. Other tips: • • • • Make your slideshow appealing and eye-catching (e.g. colorful, whimsical, using fun fonts, including images / pictures etc.). Avoid “memeifying” or trivializing. Your slideshow should serve as a call to action for viewers that spotlights an important topic – not a viral joke, catchphrase, or gimmick Credit your sources: be aware of issues with copyright and plagiarism. Make sure you have permission to use images on the Internet. It is best to use sites that have a Creative Commons license. You will need to acknowledge where you found the image, and follow the rules for how to acknowledge them. Citing reliable sources will make your arguments stronger Include graphs and data when possible. Numbers offer benefits like conveying more specific benefits to your audience; showing proof of your claims, grabbing your audience’s attention Useful resources: The CDC Guide to Writing for Social Media: https://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/tools/guidelines/guideforwriting.html Free icons from TheNounProject.com: https://thenounproject.com/ Create biology figures with BioRedner.com: https://biorender.com/ 4
