Evaluating Objectivity

Issue

Strategies

Does the author state the goals for this publication?
(i.e. to inform, explain, educate, advocate, persuade or dissuade, sell a product or service, or serve as a soapbox?)

Read the foreword, preface, abstract and/or introduction

Does the author exhibit a particular bias?
(i.e. commitment to a point of view, acknowledgement of bias, presentation of facts and arguments for only one side of a controversial issue, language full of emotion-arousing words and bias?)

Read the abstract and/or introduction

Examine the work for:

• Inflammatory language
• Images or graphic styles (e.g., text in color or boldface type) to persuade you of the author's point of view
• Propaganda
• Author's arguments or supporting facts
• Author's conclusions
• Bibliography that includes multiple points of view

Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched?
(i.e. reasonable assumptions and conclusions, arguments and conclusions supported by evidence, opposing points of view addressed, opinions not disguised as facts, cited authoritative sources?)

Verify facts and statistics with a reliable source

Examine cited sources for authority and objectivity