What are the pedagogical and educational considerations for instructors wondering whether to provide content warnings for material students will encounter in a course? This collection of resources will equip instructors with a basic understanding of issues surrounding content warnings and a variety of pedagogical approaches to keep in mind.
Looking for more guidance, or have an example to share with your colleagues? Contact us at faculty.teaching@yale.edu
Including a content warning (also known as a “trigger warning” or “content notice”) is the practice of providing notification of potential adverse emotional consequences of forthcoming content (Boysen, 2017).
What is American Studies? To answer this question, we will examine several different disciplinary approaches to the study of America. From history to sociology to anthropology to art history, we will explore how scholars in various fields construct their arguments; evaluate evidence; and contribute to the field of American Studies. This class contains readings and materials that may be difficult to encounter. If at any point you have concerns about how the class materials might affect you, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me.
It is impossible to teach a course on ethics of any worth, particularly one that aims to engage the world on its terms and not to retreat wholly into the realm of the abstract, that does not regularly touch upon issues that will likely prove challenging for some students. Part of our task as a class will be to learn how to discuss these topics in a productive way. A non-negotiable norm of the course will be that we strive to create a brave space to tackle these matters. Brave, however, does not mean that we will avoid difficult, troubling, upsetting, unsettling and sometimes emotionally charged topics. All care will be taken to confront these issues responsibly. Confront them, though, we must.
Example from Leland and Kulbaga (2018), Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy
A note about the readings: Authors sometimes write memoirs after surviving or witnessing abuse, assault, family violence, self-harm, military conflict, or other trauma. While these stories are moving and inspirational, they can be painful or triggering to read. Don’t hesitate to contact Counseling Services [number] at any time, or visit [website] for helpful resources, including suicide awareness and prevention, mental health, and veteran support. Self-care is strength! Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to support your learning experience in this class.
Recent research on the effectiveness of content warnings suggests they are generally not helpful for strengthening learning and growth, nor are they particularly effective at preventing trauma responses and minimizing unproductive discomfort (Sanson et al., 2019). Other studies have found that content warnings do not work for the audience they are intended for—people who have experienced trauma—and may, in some instances, be countertherapeutic for them (Jones et al., 2020).
However, the use of content warnings do increase students’ belief that they are necessary for sensitive topics (Boysen et al., 2018). Some instructors choose to use them to communicate sensitive material that exists in a course for the purposes of transparency and inclusion. A National Coalition against Censorship 2015 survey of faculty found that most instructors who use content warnings do so globally on a syllabus and not locally for specific assignments or readings, citing their belief in academic freedom and teaching their students how to engage with challenging and difficult ideas as they learn to listen, compromise, and discuss in classroom settings.
On your syllabus and your course Canvas site, direct students to the appropriate University resources, including Yale Mental Health and Counseling, resources on Title IX and Sexual Harassment, and the Poorvu Center’s Writing, Tutoring and Academic Strategies Programs.
When pursuing meaningful goals and competencies, students generally persist longer when faced with a discipline’s difficult subject matter. Students are more willing to attempt difficult or challenging tasks, such as dialogue about a complex topic, than they are to engage with less challenging tasks. They will also use more deep-level cognitive processing strategies (Urdan & Schoenfelder, 2006).
Confirmation strategies are ways that instructors demonstrate interest in what students have to say, acceptance and respect for students, and concern for student understanding (Ellis, 2000). Examples include listening attentively when students ask questions or make comments during class, telling students that you believe they can do well in the class, checking for understanding, and using “we” and “our” pronouns instead of “I” and “you.” Enacting these strategies consistently throughout a course will enable students and their instructor to navigate sensitive topics with more depth, empathy, and understanding.