Detecting Bias in Essays

The essays we are reading in this unit are not objective news stories. The authors write them from a particular position (as an expert, a concerned citizen, for a political agenda, etc.) even though they might not be overtly trying to persuade their audience. Some of them come across as "just telling you about" a story or issue, but when you look closely, there is more than meets the eye.

Today we'll look at issues of bias and the ways in which authors construct their arguments.

First you'll take a short on-line quiz about detecting bias.  Go to socrative.com and enter room 856036.
Note that for the last question you will need to paste the link into your browser.

Here is a link to the New York Times article.  In a new post on your blog, please answer these questions:

• What is his position about the Olympics?
• Cite two pieces of evidence he uses to support his position.

After we go over the answers together, you will go to a blog I assign you to.  You will read the article they brought in for today. In a post back on your blog, you will write about the article (including a link to it) describing the presence of bias in it:

• What is (are) the issue(s) discussed here?
• What is the author's position?
• What is the author's relationship to the issue (are they an expert, someone affected by it, etc.)?
• Quote a specific passage from the article and explain how it reveals the bias of the author.

Go to this website from Purdue University to read about "Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion."