ENGL

Today’s Agenda  Fast Write  Bias  Surveys  Homework

Fast Write – Authority, Identity, and Writing Having read Issue 3 in UR, you likely have a different understanding of what “authority” in writing is compared to our discussion last time. Thinking again about the different roles you play in life, describe the areas in which you have authority – i.e., expertise – to write and the different spaces in which you can write about them.

Bias What is bias?

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Generalization  Stay away from generalization by avoiding stated or implied “all” or “never” assertions

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which of these sentences is the better choice?   Educators do not consider each child's particular learning style when developing lessons.   Some educators do not consider each child's particular learning style when developing lessons.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Use evidence  Support statements with research  Answer the “says who?” question

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which of these is the better choice?   Third-grade boys are chronically disruptive, while the girls are always eager to please.   In Clooney's (2008) study of Kansas City third graders, 35% of the boys and 68% of the girls were able to complete instructions for a tedious assignment without showing signs of agitation.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Self-awareness  Be aware of your own biases and how they may be expressed in writing  This includes assumptions about professions, beliefs about specific populations, and statements based solely on personal experience

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   The teacher should use technology when she is teaching her class.   Teachers should use technology when they are teaching their classes. -

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   Family is very important to the Hispanic population in my town.   According to Watson (2011), family is important to 47% of the Hispanic families in Auburn, Indiana.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   My daughter texts constantly, which shows that teenagers use cell phones more than they did in the past.   Teenagers' use of cell phones, specifically for texting, has increased 33% in the last 2 years (McDonald, 2011).

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Be objective   Bias does not just have negative implications; writers who are too sympathetic are also displaying bias. Giving an overly favorable opinion of someone can eliminate objectivity

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   While all teachers are very good at helping students learn, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) hinders teachers, not allowing them to serve students well. Without NCLB, teachers would be able to perform their jobs perfectly.   While most teachers are able to help students learn, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) hinders teachers, making it more difficult to serve students well. Although there are other issues that affect teachers' ability to perform their jobs well, without NCLB more teachers would serve their students better.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Be sensitive  Sensitive language helps you to avoid bias  Be specific vs. descriptive  Keep your wording parallel  Be aware of sexual identity terms  Use parallel racial and ethnic identity terms  Use “people-first” language when discussing labels

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   I surveyed the elderly participants while collecting data.   I surveyed the participants between ages 70 and 84 while collecting data.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   The man and female turned out to be the directors of the Red Cross.   The man and woman turned out to be the directors of the Red Cross.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   The population who were homosexual in the survey responded "No" 75% of the time (Martin, 2010).   The population who were lesbian responded "No" 75% of the time (Martin, 2010).

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   Those surveyed who are African American responded similarly to those who reported being White. In comparison, the non-Whites also responded similarly to the Asians surveyed.   Those surveyed who are African American responded similarly to those who reported being European American. In comparison, the African- Americans also responded similarly to the Japanese Americans surveyed.

Types of bias and how to avoid them  Which is the better choice?   The autistic child worked with the teacher who taught all of the special children at the school.   The child with autism worked with the teacher who taught all of the children with disabilities at the school.

Questions?

Surveys  For your paper, you’re required to conduct a survey  Can be electronic (e.g. Survey Monkey) or paper  Sample will likely be small

Surveys  Your topic will determine the nature of your survey  Find out what people do  Find out what people know/perceive

Surveys  Be cautious of bias when constructing your survey  Use the same care in phrasing your survey questions as you do writing your papers  Careless language can skew results

Surveys  Use clear language  Avoid jargon when possible  Know the language your “market” speaks

Surveys  Choose words and phrases with care  Be neutral and impartial  Don’t be misleading  Be well-informed about the topic  Lack of knowledge leads to bias  Be aware of various perspectives on the matter

Surveys  Know how to frame your quesitons  Avoid leading questions  Double-check your questions for inherent bias

Surveys  Provide just the right amount of options  Make sure to have enough to cover all the possibilities  Don’t have so many it’s confusing  A good idea to include “other’ or “not applicable”

Surveys  Plan a neutral survey structure  Question order might trigger bias  Randomize questions  Randomize options  Long surveys can be tiring

Surveys  Keep styling at a minimum  Choose fonts and colors carevully  People respond differently to different colors, etc.

Surveys  Be honest  The introduction part of the survey is where you can communicate why and how you’re conducting the survey, and also tell respondents how much their feedback means to you.  It might be a good idea to remind them that their identities will remain anonymous and that you welcome any feedback, both positive and negative.

Questions?

HOMEWORK