1 / 10

Facts, Opinions, and Bias

Facts, Opinions, and Bias. Notes pages 9 - 14. Fact versus Opinion. Opinions are the beliefs you hold and the judgements you make about the events in the world around you. They are subjective meaning they form as a result of your personal outlook on life. .

matteo
Download Presentation

Facts, Opinions, and Bias

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Facts, Opinions, and Bias Notes pages 9 - 14

  2. Fact versus Opinion • Opinions are the beliefs you hold and the judgements you make about the events in the world around you. They are subjective meaning they form as a result of your personal outlook on life.  • Facts are indisputable truths, knowledge that is certain and incontestable. Your own personal experience cannot change the nature of the factual information you have. Facts are objective.

  3. Although the information (facts) is the same, the two opinions are highly subjective and very different, and each opinion reflects the experience of the observer. • Public opinion in N.A. turned against DDT when its was perceived that its use in mosquito control was not worth the environmental costs. • Opinions, based on facts, led to the banning of DDT in North America. • Ban was promoted globally and accepted by many countries deeply affected by malaria. • Overtime time, high death toll in nations affected by malaria led to a backlash against the DDT ban. • Public opinion in these nations: better to use DDT in preventing malaria and saving lives. • DDT is banned in 120 countries but used in many nations where it is used to control malaria.

  4. Bias is the presentation of an issue from a single point of view. It can be detected be examining use of language, especially the choice of verbs & adjectives. Denver Post red wings 5, avalanche 3 Injury begins Avs' tumble Detroit News Red Wings 5, Avalanche 3 Wings are too much for Avalanche http://www.umich.edu/~newsbias/wordchoice.html Ottawa Citizen Senators snap winless skid at 11 EDMONTON — It was relief a long time coming. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Senators+snap+winless+skid/4272699/story.html • The Ottawa Sun • Sens end losing streak at 11 • EDMONTON — The bleeding has stopped. • http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2011/02/12/17253711.html

  5. Levels of confidence: • Highest in academic articles, professional journals, and most scholarly books because they are subject to independent editorial review. • Lower in magazines and newspapers not subject to review but which are financially responsible. • Lowest in sources where peer review & financial accountability are absent.

  6. Some Facts About The Three Gorges Dam Project Embassy of the People’s Republic of China (USA) • World’s largest hydropower plant • World’s largest water conservation facility • Guarantee smooth navigation at the construction site • World’s largest inundated area by a single project • Charming scenery untouched by damming of the mid-section • Favourable start of the massive resettlement drive

  7. Three Gorges Dam Project Probe International • Unfavourable political and economic conditions • Too costly • Catastrophic flooding • not contribute much to shipping • opposition or abstention from one third of delegates • corruption scandals, bribery • skimped, shoddy • human rights violated • clogged ports • obsolete

  8. Image Links http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vanti20m/classweb/website/benefits.html http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vanti20m/classweb/website/benefits.html http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Chinese-government-fears-Three-Gorges-Dam-%E2%80%9Ccatastrophe%E2%80%9D-10404.html http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vanti20m/classweb/website/environmentalimpact.html http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~vanti20m/classweb/website/socialconsequences.html

More Related