Bias in the Media; Modes of Persuasion

Clickbait

sensational headlines designed to tempt Internet users to click through to a specific web site

Deflecting

shifting the conversation to another topic

Omission

someone or something that has been left out or excluded

Understanding the Rhetorical Appeals...

strengthens the persuasiveness of your writing.

Why is it important that we understand bias?

Media and bias influences our daily decisions. Our lives are driven by what we see and what we hear. We do not want to be misinformed. Media is a source of information, and if people agree with what they hear, they are more likely to be subject to "confirmation bias" and other biases.There is no exact way we can be completely unbiased / objective, so knowing how our biases impact us is critical for our credibility as writers.

Overgeneralization

Draw a conclusion or make a statement about (something) that is more general than is justified.

Overly Biased Fake News

News delivered with a particular point of view that may rely on propaganda and opinions rather than facts. (CONFIRMATION BIAS)

Spin (Media)

A form of propaganda, achieved through providing a biased interpretation of an event or campaigning to persuade public opinion in favor or against some organization, product, or public figure.

Stereotype

A generalized belief about a person or a group of people

Groupthink

A situation in which group members seek unanimous agreement despite their individual doubts

Ethos

Appeal to ethics and credibility

Pathos

Appeal to feelings and emotions

Logos

Appeal to logic and reasoning

Circular Logic

Assuming your claim is already proven and then using your "proven" claim to support itself; Attempting to make an argument by beginning with an assumption that whatever is trying to be proved is already true.

Media Bias

Bias or slant in the selection of which news to report and how the news is reported; It occurs when the media emphasizes one particular point of view in a way that disregards the standards of professional journalism

Aristotle

Greek philosopher. A pupil of Plato, the tutor of Alexander the Great, and the author of works on rhetoric: pathos, logos, ethos.

Propaganda

Ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause; information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

Loaded Language

Language which has strong emotional implications and involves strongly positive or negative reactions beyond their literal meaning.

Rhetorical Devices

Literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression.

Censorship

The suppression of speech, public communication, or other information that may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient as determined by governments, media outlets, authorities or other groups or institutions.

Culture Bias

The tendency to judge people in terms of one's own cultural assumptions; Assumptions about motivations and influences of other cultures based on our own cultural viewpoints, also without considering alternative perspectives and potential counter arguments.

Why are Global Issues so hard to solve?

There are too many different solutions so it can be hard to figure out which one is the best. The problem is so complicated that it will take years to research and develop a solution. We are presently inadequately prepared to research, discover, and implement a solution.

Define Fake News

This type of news, found in traditional news, social media or fake news websites, has no basis in fact, but is presented as being factually accurate.

Bandwagon

Tries to persuade the reader to do, think, or buy something because it is popular or everyone is doing it; A common effect in which someone adopts a trend or belief because the majority of people already seem to have adopted it.

Dismissal

denying the truth and the facts

Facade

a deceptive outward appearance; a misrepresentation

White Lie

a lie that you tell someone in order to protect them or avoid hurting their feelings

Cliché

a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.

Confirmation Bias

a tendency to search for information that only confirms one's preconceptions; confirmation bias occurs when a researcher forms a hypothesis or belief and uses respondents' information to confirm that belief without considering alternative perspectives and potential counter arguments.

Social Desirability Bias

the tendency for people to say what they believe is appropriate or acceptable; When a person answers research questions to be liked and accepted, regardless of how they truly feel about the topic or what their research actually suggests.

Bias

the tendency to have an opinion, or view, that is often without considering evidence and other information.

Satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. News sites that parody actual events and news and are for entertainment purposes only. They often mimic reputable news sites, using exaggerated information out of context.

The Goal of Persuasion is...

to convince people that your side of an argument is valid.