Bias A Perspective or Point of View

What is Bias? The point of view from which a text is presented. Perspective vs Point of View vs Bias vs Slant Positive / neutral connotationNegative connotation

Why Does Bias Matter? Every text has a bias! Determine the bias to determine the message. Believability Reliability Credibility How does the bias of a text influence your understanding of it?

Your World is Complex Back in my day… Researching was simple Books, encyclopedias, magazines Now… Instant access to millions of pieces of information Much more for you to sift through So many news outlets so you can find “versions” that fit your political perspective!

Every Text Has a Bias! Nothing can be completely neutral Every text is created by a real human being. Humans place their beliefs into their work.

Rhetorical Triangle Speaker/writer SubjectAudience Clear communication achieved.

Rhetorical Triangle Speaker/writer - Ethos Subject - LogosAudience - Pathos Clear communication achieved.

Rhetorical Triangle Speaker/writer - Ethos Subject - Logos Audience - Pathos Clear communication achieved. Purpose Tone Medium

Your Job as Reader 1)Put aside YOUR bias. This is REALLY hard! 2)Read for the text’s bias Structural and word choice clues What do they say? Not say? HOW do they say it?

3) Determine HOW they expressed their bias. Read and view CRITICALLY (meaning SPECIFICALLY) 4) Propose WHY they created what they created. What was the author’s purpose with this text?

Practice! Take an issue in history: The Presidency of George W. Bush This happened. From 2000 – 2008 he was the US President. He was president during the 9/11 attacks. During his tenure, the US invaded Iraq and Afghanistan.

POLITICAL SPECTRUM LEFT WINGRIGHT WING LIBERALCONSERVATIVE MODERATERADICAL REVOLUTIONARY RADICAL REACTIONARY

Why? What if we want a story with NO BIAS? Is that possible? Why would we read EITHER book?

Pairs of Documentaries War in Iraq

Climate Change

Education

Gun Control

American History?

Special Interest Groups

The Media We mean…NEWS Television Radio Newspapers Magazines Internet versions

Spectrum of Media

On-Line Media Sources

News Reporting vs News Opinion

Bias is Not Inherently BAD!! It is too simplistic to simply say about a text “that is biased” and then NOT pay attention to it. A strong reader will do the following:

Good readers….. 1)Put aside their bias. 2)Read for the text’s bias. Look for facts Look for opinions Look at word choice Look at ISN’T in the text (ummmm…weird?)

Good readers… 3) Determine how the authors expressed his or her bias. 4) Propose WHY they used THAT bias on THAT piece for THAT purpose.

HOW? Listen to word choice Listen to “music” Look at “colors” Think about what you already know about people’s opinions on the issues!

Detecting Bias Who is the author, and what is his or her background? What was the author’s intent in writing the piece? Did this influence his or her point of view? Who is the intended audience? How might this have biased the writing? How might the period in which the author was writing have shaped his or her view of the events or issues being discussed?

 Are the writer’s statements based on solid factual evidence or speculation?  Do other sources on the same topic support or challenge the view presented?  Are sufficient facts presented to provide a firm basis for the argument?  Which words or phrases in the article reflect the author’s bias?  How to make this memorable…….

Remember….SOAPStone  S – Subject ◦ What is the subject of this piece?  O – Occasion ◦ Why / when was this piece written?  A – Audience ◦ Who is the intended audience? ◦ Are YOU the intended audience?  P – Purpose ◦ What was the intended purpose of this piece?

SOAPStone S – Speaker Who is telling the story? Tone – Tone! What is the author’s tone toward the subject?

Suggestions Find “least biased” sources. Find “news reporting” versus “news opinion” sources Read and think for selves. Primary sources vs secondary sources Sift through bias like we have mentioned before!

Suggestions Get your information from a MENU of sources. Beware of the “outliers” ONE scientist said this… ONE study said this… Check who is funding, writing, supporting the studies, texts, or speakers.

 Elmer Fudd on….gun control?  Stewie on…..parenting?  Simon Cowell on…..amateur singers?

Point of News? To accurately report information About events About people To inform… To persuade?

“Mainstream Media” Current claim that “mainstream media” is overly liberal….. Meaning….. Favorable coverage of Democrats Unfavorable coverage of Republicans

True? Who owns these media outlets? 1)NBC… 2)CBS… 3)ABC… 4)FOX…

Big Business? Will big business tend to be more liberal or conservative? Therefore….

2008 Election Sarah Palin argued that Katie Couric (from the “gotcha” media) hounded her because CBS is “on the left” Palin – Republican Vice-presidential Candidate Couric– CBS Correspondent

Newspapers? What newspapers might you read?

Supreme Court Cases? What Supreme Court case names do you know?

“Gotcha Media”?

Bias A Perspective or Point of View