Fact, Opinion, and Bias

Author's bias, fact, opinion, objective, subjective

By Kristel Bishop

​Fact vs Opinion

Do you know the difference?

What is a fact?

...an event known to have happened or something known to have existed. It can be proven to be true or false.

​ Examples of facts:

1.Snakes are reptiles.

2.The earth is round.

What is an opinion?

... something that is believed to be true but might not be. This can be an attitude or judgment that cannot be proven true or false.

Examples of opinion:

1.The dog is cute.

2.This class is hard

​BIAS

• Bias is an undue favor, support or backing extended to a person, group or race or even an argument against another.

• Biases exist in cultural context but creep also into various forms of academic life and in literature.

• Etymologically, it came from the French word “biais” which means

  angle or slant.

• A biased author may not pay attention to all the facts or develop a logical argument to support his or her opinions. Its purpose is to convey a certain attitude or point of view toward the subject. When we evaluate the writing of others, we should be careful to look for author bias.

​Author's bias can be recognized by looking for certain problems with their

statements which include:

a. Using emotional or loaded statements

b. Using overstatements or exaggerations

c. Using opinions rather than facts

d. Using broad, sweeping statements or generalizations

e. Using statistics​

​ Objective Point of View is..of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.

• Neutral, and impartial

• provides factual information

• this point of view is reliable and can be trusted.

  Subjective Point of View is...he message of subjective language cannot be proven or measured. This kind of language contains judgments, interpretations, evaluations, or opinions or Point of view that shows a personal belief or bias and cannot be proven to be completely true

• Based on a person's feelings or opinions

• not reliable /defendable information

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of bias?

• Information that hasn't been verified.

• A prejudice for or against something.

• Quality journalism.

• International news reporting.

Multiple Choice

What is generalization bias?

• What general things sound like.

• What general people think about.

• What things look like.

• A sentence that applies to a group of people or things be on some examples.

Multiple Choice

What is Omission?

• The name of a person.

• The placement of information.

• The emotions in words.

• leaving out specific information.

Multiple Choice

To know what the author left out, you have to check other sources.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What type of bias is this sentence? All types of parents try to make life difficult for their children.

• Subjective Language-specific words that show the author's feelings.

• Fact/Opinion- a sentence that is written like a fact, but is an opinion.

• Arguable Statement- a sentence that can be argued.

• Generalization- a sentence that applies to a group of people or things.

Multiple Choice

 

Is this sentence biased or unbiased.

Aardvarks make amazing pets. Everyone should have one.

• biased

• unbiased

Multiple Choice

What is Connotation Bias?

• The name of a person.

• The emotions of words.

• The placement of information.

• Selecting specific information.

Multiple Choice

Is this sentence biased or unbiased.

Vegetarians do not eat meat. A person on a vegetarian diet may eat eggs and dairy products. A vegan, however, eats no animal products including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and even honey.

• biased

• unbiased

Multiple Choice

What is Subjective Language?

• Words that show the author's words.

• Words in a story.

• Positive words

• negative words

Multiple Choice

New York is the best state to live in because of our heritage and diversity.

• objective

• subjective

Multiple Choice

Research shows that dogs can lower an owner's blood pressure.

• objective

• subjective

Multiple Choice

Subjective or Objective?

Zaiden: We should use corn as ethanol to help the environment.

Amaya: We should actually use corn as a food source as we use too much for ethanol.

• objective

• subjective

Multiple Choice

What piece of writing would most likely be objective?

• poem

• personal story

• Advertisement

• Newspaper article

Multiple Choice

not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased

• subjective

• objective