Coach Kuntz 8th Grade U.S. History What is Bias? Coach Kuntz 8th Grade U.S. History

Bias is… - Prejudice; a preconceived judgment or an opinion formed without just grounds or sufficient knowledge -JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS! Making a judgement before you have all of the facts.

How can bias be found in everyday language? NOT BIASED Frank spends very little money. BIASED FAVORABLY Frank is thrifty. BIASED UNFAVORABLY Frank is a cheapskate.

Why does bias happen? -Bias isn’t always on purpose- sometimes it just “creeps in”. - Everyone is different and has different thoughts and feelings. These thoughts and feelings can sometimes come through in your writing. - By looking for it, you can learn to spot bias and better interpret historic documents and sources.

Some types of bias…

Bias through word choice -A few words can completely change how we read a story! For example: The fundraiser for the school earned only $1,100 or The fundraiser for the school earned over $1,000 -The words that are chosen can make you read the story with a positive or negative tone.

Bias through omission - Sometimes, certain facts or details will be cut out of a story and other will be included. - This can change how readers think about a story

Bias through placement In news broadcasts or newspapers, stories at the beginning are seen as more important that stories at the end. By doing this, news can help decide what is considered important

Bias through photos - Photos can be positive and flattering or can be negative and make the subject look bad - How photos look can impact how we think about a situation.