Bias

Bias



Bias is an inclination of outlook, especially a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.  Ability to identity bias in the writing of others and also our own, and knowing how to avoid it -- and leverage it -- makes us superior to others.

Warm up

1. Read the passage below:

"Vitamin A is an important nutrient. It is used to make rhodopsin, a pigment in our eyes. Thus, Vitamin A is necessary for healthy vision. People can develop night blindness if they do not get enough of it. Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A. Carrots should be a part of your daily diet."

2. Note all instances of bias you can detect in this passage.  The diagram above may give you some ideas.

3. Click on the spoiler below:

Spoiler:

Practice

4. David hosts a podcast and he is curious how much his listeners like his show. He decides to start with an online poll. He asks his listeners to visit his website and participate in the poll. The poll shows that 89% percent of the 200 respondents "love" his show.

Can you identity any possible source of bias in this scenario?

5. Returning tigers to their native habitats is critically important. The tiger is an original top predator in the natural ecosystems of Asia. If these ecosystems are out of balance, they may collapse. If that happens, millions of organisms will go extinct. Even humans are in danger if we do not do something soon. We must make sure that there are tigers in all of Asia’s remaining natural areas.

Can you identity any possible source of bias in this scenario?

6. A high school wanted to know what percent of its students smoke cigarettes. During the week when students visited the counselors to schedule classes, they asked every student in person if they smoked cigarettes or not.  The data showed that 5 percent of students smoked cigarettes.

Can you identity any possible source of bias in this scenario?

7. It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs.  Vaccines contain the same antigens that cause diseases. For example, measles vaccine contains measles virus. But the antigens in vaccines are either killed, or weakened to the point that they don’t cause disease. However, they are strong enough to make the immune system produce antibodies that lead to immunity. In other words, a vaccine is a safer substitute for a child’s first exposure to a disease. The child gets protection without having to get sick. Through vaccination, children can develop immunity without suffering from the actual diseases that vaccines prevent. All children should be vaccinated.

Can you identity any possible source of bias in this scenario?

Mastery

8. Bias is sometimes uses intentionally to craft arguments in writing and debate.  Look at the diagram at the top of the page, or consult one of the many online sources, for example: link , link , link , or link .  Write a short argument either for or against the proposition:  Revenge is sometimes justified.  Use at least three different kinds of bias in your writing.  Note in [brackets] the bias you've employed after each use.  Submit.