English

• Bias


  An author's expression of their own opinion on a particular topic or issue without examining and presenting enough evidence
• Factors that influence bias


  • Personal beliefs
  • Culture
  • Attitudes
  • Preference
  • Past experience
• Subjective


  The author only focuses on one side of an argument/presented issue. Talking about personal opinion or feeling that is based on an individual's preference.
• Objective


  Taking about something – like arguments, report or decision that's unbiased and based solely on the observable or verifiable facts (focuses on both sides).
• Types of bias in writing

  • Biased writing - unfair presentation of the issue and it only focuses on one side
  • Unbiased writing - fair presentation of the issue and it focuses on both sides
• When an author becomes biased


  When he/she persuades the reader to believe on his/her own stand of the issue by giving inaccurate information or false impression even with or without the intention of misleading the readers
• Tips to distinguish bias in writing


  • A prejudice against something an author is writing about
  • Favoritism for something an author is writing
  • An author is letting feelings or emotions to cloud his/her objectivity concerning something he/she is writing about
• Determining the author's biases


  1. Look at the use of evidence and diction

  2. Evidence can be facts and information, testimonies and direct observation, scientific and legal findings, and anecdotes and philosophical evidence

  3. Diction refers to the words or expression that helps convey the stand of the author towards an issue. These words and expression may indicate a positive or negative connotation or meaning
• Positive connotation


  The word 'mature' means that the woman is well-mannered. This implies the author's positive view towards the woman.
• Negative connotation


  The word 'mature' means that the woman looks in in her dress. This implies the author's negative view toward the woman
• Propaganda


  A form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitudes, perspectives and emotions of people or communities toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument
• Types of propaganda


  • Card stacking
  • Name calling
  • Plain Folks
  • Glittering Generalities
  • Soft Soap
  • Bandwagon
  • Testimonial
  • Transfer
  • Simplification
  • Loaded Words
• Propaganda techniques


  • Coke makes your day cooler (Glittering Generalities)
  • I am grateful to be in front of these beautiful and smart people (Soft Soap)
  • Beware! Terrorists are everywhere (Name-calling)
  • Smart kids choose Bonakid! (Plain Folk)
  • Amazing sugar-free muffins: healthy sweets that brighten your day! (Card Stacking)
  • I never expect to be cured from cancer using this Miracle Drink within three months. The doctor gave me only six months to survive but God granted my prayers through this food supplement. Try it yourself and it will never fail you! (Testimonial)
  • Nothing to worry about! Statistics show that the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country is only a bit of the country's total population (Simplification)
  • I decided to buy this cell phone because everybody else is using it. The cellphone has the latest cutting-edge technology which is sought by many (Bandwagon)
  • An apple a day keeps the doctor away (Transfer)
  • The Hope of humanity (Loaded Words)
• Social issue


  An issue that prevents the society from functioning at the most desirable level. It involves people in the society, is recognized as a problem by the public, is seen as a valid concern by a large segment of the population, and can be alleviated through the joint actions of the citizens.
• Moral issue


  A situation or action that does not conform to the shared norms and values, culture, and beliefs distinguished by a certain community or social setting. It is against the values, beliefs, and preferences of the people in the society, involves behavior patterns that bring the individual repeatedly into conflict with the society, and involves actions which have the potential to harm others or the persons themselves.
• Economic issue


  A situation that reflects the scarcity of resources which are deemed insufficient to satisfy human wants and needs. It involves inflation or the increase of price of basic commodities and services affecting a large number of people, an increase of unemployment or not having a job to earn ones living, and poverty caused by underlying factors such as lack of education, cultural and religious discrimination, overpopulation, unemployment and corruption.
• Cohesion


  The way we use vocabulary and grammatical structures to make connections between the ideas within a text. It provides flow and sequence to your work and helps make your paragraphs clear for the reader.
• Cohesive devices


  • Repetition of words or ideas
  • Use of synonyms for key words and phrases
  • Pronouns/determiners
  • Use of transitional devices (linkers, conjunctions or connectors)
• Parallel structure


  Using the same construction for sentence elements that are the same in function.
• Rules for parallel structure

  • Use parallel structure when elements are joined by coordinating conjunctions
  • Use parallel structure when writing elements in the form of a list or a series
  • Use parallel structure when comparing or contrasting elements
  • Use parallel structure when elements are joined by correlative conjunctions
• Propaganda


  A form of communication aimed at influencing the attitudes, perspectives and emotions of people or communities toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument
• Propaganda is usually repeated and presented over a wide variety of media in order to attract the interests of a greater majority
• Types of propaganda


  • Card stacking
  • Name calling
  • Plain Folks
  • Glittering Generalities
  • Soft Soap
  • Bandwagon
  • Testimonial
  • Transfer
  • Simplification
  • Loaded Words
• Card stacking


  Shows the product's best features, tells half-truths, and omits its potential problems proposed evidence
• Name calling


  Use of names that may evoke fear or hatred among the viewers, links a person or idea to a negative symbol
• The most obvious type of name-calling involves bad names such as racist, dictator, terrorist, rebel, protester, idiot, liar and monster
• Plain Folks


  Use of common people to sell or to promote a product or service
• Advertisements appear to associate a person or groups of individuals to be one of common people or the masses
• Plain Folks is commonly used in the world of advertising because buyers are on the lookout for real experiences
• Glittering Generalities


  Use of words or ideas that evoke a positive emotional response from an audience
• Virtue words are often used, for better effect, brands appear to use hyperboles, metaphors, or lyrical phrases to attract more attention
• Soft Soap


  Use of flattery or insincere compliments designed to get the audience on the side of the speaker
• Bandwagon


  Persuades people by showing them that everyone else are doing the same thing
• Bandwagon also implies that one must accept or reject an idea because everyone else is accepting or rejecting it
• Testimonial


  A famous or seemingly authoritative person recommends a product or service, and vouches for its value
• Transfer


  Technique projects positive or negative qualities of a person, entity, object, or value onto another in order to make the second more acceptable or discredit it
• Simplification


  Used to reduce crucial issues to basic ideas and packages them with catchy slogans and images
• Simplification usually targets uninformed readers or customers
• Loaded Words


  Uses words in attempting to influence an audience by using emotional appeal or stereotypes that cannot be supported by concrete evidence