Utilizing Content Warnings

Content warnings are an important tool for establishing an equitable and welcoming class environment. When utilized properly, content warnings offer agency to students to shape their learning experiences in a way that supports their well-being and matches their needs. It also cultivates trust with students as it demonstrates the importance the instructor gives to students’ sense of belonging and respect for whatever experiences students bring with them.

Content warnings are also known as trigger warnings. However, many people negatively associated the word ‘trigger’ with firearms and violence, hence the common switch to ‘content.’ The language of ‘trigger’ also anticipates very specific reactions to the material in question, while ‘content warnings’ focus on preparing interactants for the material they will use without presuming a specific audience outcome (such as being triggered).

The use of content warnings aligns with a trauma-informed approach to teaching. A trauma-informed approach to teaching recognizes that many students and instructors are dealing with different traumas in their everyday lives. Trauma-informed teaching creates supportive learning environments that. Rather than assuming that students can engage with course materials without any challenges, a trauma-informed pedagogy utilizes content warnings to empower students with the context they need to opt in or out of materials in a way that supports their learning of the concepts.

As this resource clarifies, using content warnings does not mean students opt out of the topics being covered. Rather, content warnings allow students to prepare themselves to engage with the material so that they are not surprised by it. Students may choose to opt out of specific material(s) that depict graphic violence or harm. Instructors can ensure that students still absorb the underlying lesson by providing alternate assignments, readings, or viewings.

Why are content warnings important?

Trauma is not a teaching tool. We may hope that students will take a problem more seriously when subjected to graphic depictions of it. In reality, engaging with upsetting material is more likely to lead students to shut down, as many people do when confronted with such information. Individuals cannot control what has traumatized or may trigger them. Often, a student opts out of engaging with certain content because they are all too familiar with the violence being depicted. These students may already understand the issue at hand very well from their lived experiences. When traumatized or re-traumatized, individuals may enter a state of fight/flight/freeze/fawn, meaning they go into survival mode and switch their focus from learning to escaping the danger they feel. This is a natural reaction to something very challenging or graphic and reinforces the need to frame potentially upsetting content for students.

If re-traumatized by course materials, a student may experience:

sudden fear, panic, anger, or sadness • feelings of being overwhelmed, out of control, abandoned, or helpless • flashbacks, which could involve reliving a memory, reliving emotions, or reliving physical sensations • physical symptoms such as a racing heart, rapid breathing, or shaking • an urge to run away or fight • freezing, which is when a person becomes immobile or cannot react • dissociation—when a person feels disconnected from their body, identity, memories, or reality (source)

It is vital that we do not associate good student performance with being able to endure graphic accounts or imagery.

Instructors may worry that students will take advantage of content warnings to avoid attending class or to skip over uncomfortable discussions pertaining to their privilege or complicity in a larger social problem, yet failure to use content warnings has the most negative impact on our most vulnerable students. Rather than avoiding content warnings out of fear of students taking advantage of them, we can start by centering the well-being of our most vulnerable students. Instead of asking “How might a student try to avoid addressing this harm?” ask, “How can I protect my students who have dealt with this type of harm in the past or who are currently dealing with it?” Students learn best when they feel a sense of trust and comfort with their peers and the instructor. Learn more about a teaching approach that centers marginalized students in this article from the CTRL Beat.

When do I use content warnings?

Not all content will require a content warning. Consider including a warning for any of the following in this list from this University of Michigan resource. Please note this list is not exhaustive and you may expand it for the content that you teach.

Sexual assault • Abuse • Child abuse/pedophilia/incest • Animal cruelty or animal death • Self-harm and suicide • Eating disorders, body hatred, and fat phobia • Violence • Pornographic content • Kidnapping and abduction • Death or dying • Pregnancy/childbirth • Miscarriages/abortion • Blood • Mental illness and ableism • Racism and racial slurs • Sexism and misogyny • Classism • Hateful language direct at religious groups (e.g., Islamophobia, anti-Semitism) • Transphobia and trans misogyny • Homophobia and heterosexism

You can shape content warnings to fit how topics are distributed in your course. For example, if you only anticipate one or two class sessions focusing on a traumatic topic, such as the topic of police brutality, you can offer a content warning for those specific sessions. If the topic is an entire module, you can warn ahead of the start of that module. If your course as a whole is focused on content which may be triggering, such as a course on the history of Nazi Germany, you might use a broader warning in the syllabus which you discuss with students at the start of the semester; you can guide students through a discussion early in the semester on class norms when interacting with this type of content; and/or you can add more specific content warnings for particular foci of class sessions, such as a note that you will discuss sexual violence as a part of Nazi history for a certain number of classes:

Because this course covers the history of Nazi Germany, our class will read, view, and discuss aspects of the Holocaust and Nazi violence. This includes graphic details of physical violence, concentration camps, and hateful ideologies. It can be challenging to examine this violence, especially for a full semester. We are exploring in such detail in order to understand how Nazi ideology fosters physical and psychological brutality. I have marked on the syllabus what aspects of violence we will be exploring next to each week. I encourage you to keep an eye on this schedule and take a break when you think engaging on a specific topic will be harmful to your well-being. You can opt out of a particular piece of content or discussion by letting me know, and I will provide an alternative assignment or reading/viewing.

Content warnings aren’t infallible but are instead our best attempt to keep students informed and prepared. We cannot predict what topics or stories our students will bring up in class, and some of these contributions may include triggering content. As part of their learning, students should make connections across readings, viewings, and topics spanning the semester. For this reason, you may consider including content warnings in your syllabus even if the warnings do not pertain to the entire course. This warning can describe options for opting out of class at any point of the semester (see ‘Offer pathways for opting out, below).

“No matter how you choose to implement content warnings, it is important that students know what to expect and that they are put in a position where they can act in their own best interest without ridicule or scrutiny.” (University of Michigan resource)

How do I use content warnings?

There is no one ‘right’ way of using content warnings. You can shape them around your course structure, content, and goals for students. Consider the following important practices:

Explain why you’re using the content.

Practice transparency by explaining to students why you are asking them to engage with this content and what they are expected to take from that engagement. Why did you pick that material over others? Why is it so important for them to learn about the problem being depicted? What are they supposed to learn or process? This shows students that the instructor is being careful and deliberate in the content they choose for students. It also helps students focus on the aspects of the content that are most important for their learning in the course. For example:

During Week 10, we will read a short story that includes Islamophobia, including accounts of graphic violence, hate crimes, and racist language. I chose to include this story because of those direct and detailed depictions, which I think is important for us to understand and examine in order to understand how Islamophobia functions. This honors our course goals of exploring the real-life implications of religious bias. We will discuss the details of these depictions in class during both Week 10 class meetings. If the reading and/or discussions might be uncomfortable for you, you may opt out of the reading and/or class meeting; please let me know and I will offer an alternative reading and/or assignment to ensure you still have an opportunity to learn these course concepts.

Offer ample warning.

Offer content warnings at least one class session ahead of a discussion or lesson focused on potentially triggering content and offer the warning more than once. Consider sharing the warning with students in-person before the lesson in question, over Canvas and/or email, and in the course schedule. This ensures that all students have a chance to read the warning and have time to assess their comfort with the material

Students should not learn that a lesson could be triggering on the same day it happens, as some may not have chosen to attend if they were warned, and thus pressures them to stay in class and participate even if they are deeply uncomfortable or disoriented.

What if I forget to share a warning before the class session?

You may realize that the topic of a lesson merits a warning on the day of the lesson. If possible, reserve the potentially triggering segment of the lesson for a future date, so you can provide warnings head of it. If you are unable to make that change, immediately provide warnings over email and/or in person. Offer pathways for opting in and out (see below). Try to hold off on exploring potentially triggering content until after a short break in class, during which students may opt out without putting themselves on the spot in front of the rest of the class.

Be specific and offer more information as needed.

There are no commonly agreed-upon parameters for triggering, upsetting, or disturbing content, and each person has different tolerances for different content. A student may be able to watch footage of surgery without feeling uncomfortable at all but have a strong negative reaction to detailed accounts of a race-motivated hate crime. Remember that everyone has a different definition of ‘upsetting’ or ‘disturbing’ and that it is best to give students enough information to decide for themselves based on their personal definition and experiences.

Content warnings should provide sufficient information for students to make an informed decision of whether they can comfortably engage with that specific content. This includes naming the type of content which may be upsetting. Instructors should name such content as imagery of blood, details of an incident of police brutality, discussions of sexual violence, and so forth. A common pitfall of content warnings is referring vaguely to “upsetting” or “disturbing” content. Warnings should not be explicit but should give students an idea of what could be upsetting in that content. For example:

Our next reading will include a depiction of a stabbing. The stabbing is described in graphic detail, including sensations, wounds, and discussions of blood. You are welcome to skip over this segment if these details are uncomfortable (pages 19 to 22). We will also discuss the scene in class when reviewing the reading, including the language used by the author to describe the stabbing.

You may choose to hold off on a potentially triggering discussion until the latter part of the class, which allows students to participate up until that point. Again, adding a short break before that point in class allows some students to leave discreetly. For example:

We will focus on this reading at the end of class, and I will alert the class when we are beginning the discussion in case you would prefer to leave at that time. The reading may arise at other points, too, as students make connections with this and other materials.

When providing warnings, you may also note how the content is depicted. You may also offer to provide additional detail for students if they would like, so they have the information they need to make a decision. Students can email or speak to you outside of class for this additional context. Here is an example of a warning that does so:

Next week, we will watch a short video clip about intimate partner violence. The video won’t show any violence, but will discuss aspects of intimate partner violence, such as types of manipulation and gaslighting. If you would like more detail to help you decide whether to attend this class session, please email me and I am happy to share more information.

Another strategy is to tag themes in your syllabus next to each week. For example:

Week 7—Reading: The Color of Water, chapter 1

Tags: racism, racist slurs, classism

You may also flag segments to help students navigate the material. For example:

Week 8—Reading: Blue Talk and Love, “Wolfpack” (story one)

Tags: sexual harassment, threat of rape, racist slurs, stabbing (pages 5-8, we will discuss this scene in class)

Here is an example of a content warning for a video that students are assigned watch in preparation for a class discussion:

Watch the first 3 chapters: “Introduction,” “Grievances,” and “Chase” (until 55 minutes in).

- The third chapter of the video will address attack dogs, starting at 34:40.
- The narrator gives a content warning at 36:20 for discussing and showing graphic police violence. The section lasts until 38:15. They also discuss how dogs are harmed by police but without graphic detail (40:00–41:00)

Remember to prioritize your well-being! It is possible to the severity of police violence without exposing or re-exposing yourself to all the graphic details.

Offer pathways for opting out both in and out of class.

A student may choose not to attend class or engage with course material based on your warning. Let students know how to inform you of this decision (over email or Canvas, before or after a class session, etc.). Students should not need to explain why the content is uncomfortable for them, but they may choose to share that information themselves.

Some students may read your content warning, decide they are ready to engage with the content in question, and then realize they are unable to continue when in the middle of viewing/reading/discussing it. Offer students a way to opt out in-class. For example, remind them that they can withdraw from discussion by looking away from the screen, leaving the room for a few minutes, or whatever else will give them some space between themselves and the content. Be careful not to put students on the spot in class by highlighting their apparent distress or discomfort. Letting students disengage from the material for a few minutes can help them practice self-care and reorient themselves to the material. This will help them give their full attention when they are ready. You can also build a break or two into class to allow students to decompress, process material, and opt out of the rest of class if necessary. For example:

The topic of this reading affects many people, and that can include members of this class community. If you feel overwhelmed and need to take some time, please feel free to step out of class, or otherwise take a mental break from paying attention or engaging in discussion.

If you are viewing content in class, you may alert students verbally to the start and end of particular segments. For example, when showing a film that includes a scene with blood, you can let students know that the scene will begin soon and quickly announce when it’s ended. This helps students who may become queasy from being surprised and having to leave the classroom!

Offer alternative materials or assignments.

Consider the goals of the lessons or module for which you are sharing the potentially upsetting content. What alternative reading, viewing, or assignment would allow the student to still work towards those goals without encountering the potentially upsetting imagery/text/material? You may replace one text, viewing, or image with another that fulfills the same goals for student learning. Offering multiple ways of engaging course content is an important aspect of teaching equitably through Universal Design for Learning.

For example:

Video Clip: students can choose to watch a short clip from a TV show that depicts gaslighting, or to read a brief article about how gaslighting works. While the show clip may feel too immersive or jarring for a student who has experienced gaslighting, the reading may be easier to engage. You might also offer an alternate video clip for the student that discusses the issue of gaslighting in a less immersive or demonstrative way, for example, an informational clip on the prevalence of gaslighting.
Paper or Presentation: you can offer students 2-4 options for a paper or presentation topic, with at least one topic being less intertwined with discussing harm or violence than the others. Another example would be allowing students to choose what portion of a reading or viewing to write about or present on for an assignment. When completing the work, students can select an aspect of the material that isn’t triggering for them.
Group Discussion: a student might not be comfortable participating in a class discussion on the graphic aspects of police brutality; instead of attending the discussion, they can submit a journal entry or short write-up on the issue.

What if I miss giving a warning before the content is covered?

You may fail to implement a content warning when it is important to do so; for example, you may not recognize the content as potentially upsetting, or may forget that a certain type of harm is included in the course material. Trust any students who shares with you that a particular topic or material is triggering. Even if the content in question does not seem significantly upsetting to you, it is for the student, and by approaching you about it, they are trying to help you understand why they reacted in a particular way and help future students feel a sense of belonging and trust in the course. It is important to learn from that experience and apologize sincerely to the student for this oversight. You can then start applying a content warning when introducing that material in the future. You can also ask the student for clarifications on what aspects warrant a warning. Teaching is an ongoing process of continual improvement, and this is a great opportunity to integrate student feedback to enhance your instruction.