Bias refers to a tendency of holding a particular perspective, opinion or judgment, often based on personal experiences, beliefs or attitudes. Bias can manifest in different ways and can affect different aspects of our lives, including decision-making, attitudes, behaviour and communication.

Bias can be conscious or unconscious. Conscious bias is when a person is aware of their biases and actively chooses to act on them. Unconscious bias, also known as implicit bias, is when a person’s attitudes or beliefs are shaped by social and cultural factors, and occurs without conscious awareness.

There are different types of bias. Confirmation bias is where people tend to seek out information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs. And halo effect bias is where a person’s overall impression of someone or something influences their judgment of specific attributes or characteristics.

It’s important to be aware of our biases and, in some cases, move past them. By recognizing our biases and actively seeking out diverse perspectives, we can make more informed decisions, reduce prejudice and promote fairness and equity.

Part One

Look through the Curated Library or search online for two science-focused stories (either science journalism or coverage of a scientific report).

  1. What’s the author’s purpose (inform, entertain, teach, persuade, etc)?
  2. Does the author have a scientific background?
  3. Is the story fact-based reporting or an opinion editorial?
  4. When was the story produced?
  5. Who is the audience? Who is the author targeting?
  6. Are there particular words or phrases that reveal bias?
  7. Does the story present a strong point of view on the topic?
  8. Are there visual elements in the story? Could these elements – images or graphics say – be taken out of context or be used to influence the audience’s reaction to the story?
  9. Are there any other stories by this author? If so, do they have a similar theme or objective?
  10. Does the title establish a tone or point of view? (Keep in mind, media headlines are rarely written by the author/reporter, but rather by editorial staff. An article can be factual, reported news and still have a biased or leading-headline)
  11. Does the article help or hurt a specific perspective or issue intentionally?
  12. If there are any sources or quotes featured in the story, determine if they cover different points of view.
  13. Research the reputation of the author and/or publisher (using reliable sources) to help determine their track-record or editorial perspective.
  14. Research the core facts presented in this story (using reliable sources) to see if the information is disputed.
  15. If the story is focused on a science report or study, does the article state who funded the research? Was the research funded by a special interest group (a business or an advocacy group)?
  16. If the story is focused on a science report or study, was the study submitted and approved by a scientific peer review panel?
  17. If the story is focused on a science report or study, did the author point out any limitations or problems with the scientific process or results (sample size, scope of question, etc)?
  18. Did the author leave out any important facts, figures or perspectives relevant to the science being covered in the story?

Part Two

Now compare your answers and ask yourself:

  1. Which story do you like the best?
  2. Which story is more reliable and factual?
  3. Is one story more biased than the other?
  4. Which story is more entertaining? Which story would you be more likely to share on social media?
  5. What can you learn from the answer to the question above?
  6. What tools have you gained from this activity that might useful while researching information for your final project? What tools have you gained to help you be a critical thinking media consumer?
  7. Why is it important to be aware of bias, especially in science-focused media?