Today, a lot of information is available and it is very important to recognize the bias in the information. If an article in a newspaper is biased, it means that preference for someone or something affects the way a reporter writes his report. A reporter may side with a particular side of a debate or a particular politician, and this can cloud the report. Sometimes reporters don't mean to be biased; they may have done it unintentionally or could have been due to a lack of research. To recognize reports of this kind, you should read them very carefully and you may have to do your own research.
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Method 1 of 3: Critical Reading
Step 1. Read the entire article carefully
Reading every word in a newspaper article can take a lot of time, but it's worth it if you're trying to find bias in an article. This bias can be subtle and hard to spot. So, take a look at the whole article.
Take time each day to analyze one article at a time. This will help you practice recognizing your biases and will speed up your pace. Start by allocating thirty minutes to an article with a small number of pages
Step 2. View the headline
Some people only read headlines so they are designed to communicate clear points as quickly as possible. This means, in just a few words, most headlines make an argument. Evaluate each word to check if the title describes something positive or negative. Ask yourself why the headline is not written in a neutral manner.
For example, the headline "Hundreds of People Attend Peaceful Protest" tells a different story than "Demonstrators Troubled with Police."
Step 3. Ask yourself if the article hurt or helped anyone
Look at the words used to describe people, political issues, and other events. If the language used sounds good or bad, not neutral, the reporter may be trying to get you to side with a certain side.
After you finish reading, think about how you feel about the issues discussed in the article. Do you suddenly want to support a certain politician or do you perhaps defend a certain party in a political debate? If so, you should think about whether the article convinced you by using facts or impartial language
Step 4. Find out who the readers of the article are
Think about who usually reads these kinds of articles. Reporters may want to write something that readers enjoy. This can encourage them to write with a bias. Using Google, try to find general descriptions of the age, gender, race, income, and political leanings of readers of several newspapers and other media.
- Type something like “New York Times readership demographics” into the Google search box. You may not find up-to-date information, but these search results can still provide general information about newspaper readers.
- Understanding the demographics of newspaper readers can help you figure out what audience groups are interested in. Younger readers may be interested in education issues because they are students, while older readers may want articles on taxes and pensions.
Step 5. Look for exaggerated or colorful language
Consider whether the language used in the article is informative or emotional. Notice any time a word or description makes you feel a strong emotion. The highly descriptive words used to describe a particular side in a debate are a warning to you.
- For example, an informative description of a politician should look something like this: “Senator Smith is from Connecticut and is thirty years old.” This description can be made emotional: “Senator Smith comes from a wealthy city in Connecticut and has just left his 20s.”
- Look for words that show double standards. For example, one person might be described as “enthusiastic and inspiring”, while another might be described as “stubborn and reckless” even though both show dedication to a particular goal.
Step 6. Identify the tone of the reporter's writing to determine how they feel about the topic
Pay attention to any language that makes you have positive or negative emotions towards the information presented. If this emotion comes from the way the reporter wrote the information, ask yourself why the reporter felt this way. They may be sad or happy when they report certain events, or get angry with someone.
The best way to observe your own emotions is to think about whether the topic affected your emotions or the way the topic was written. An article tells about the opening of an amusement park in your city. This may be good news for you. Ask yourself if you feel strong emotions while reading stories that don't usually affect your emotions. Why do you feel this way?
Step 7. Examine the image for bias
Photos, cartoons, and other types of images describe a story as much as words do. Look at the main subject of the photo and think about how this person looks. Pay attention to shadows or colors that make the subject look scary or happy. Consider how the image affects how you feel, especially when you suddenly sympathize with a certain political group or view.
Step 8. Create a list of article sources
Discover how reporters make their point. Look at each person quoted and their affiliations. Consider whether one particular type of organization is discussed more often in the article than another.
For example, an article tells of a military conflict in another country. Did the reporter cite sources from the various parties involved in the conflict? The parties involved include military officials, diplomats, politicians and most importantly, people who feel the conflict. If an article only cites military personnel, read it carefully and think about why
Step 9. Check the statistical and research data cited in the article
It's hard to make an argument against numbers. That's why numbers are often included in reports. Don't let statistics intimidate you even if you're not a mathematician. You can still evaluate how reporters use these numbers. Find the relationship between the data and the author's main point and check if the data makes sense.
- Are data cited in the article or are only research conclusions included? Did the author provide access to the full study? Does the author only briefly mention an overview of the data and then draw strong conclusions without actually providing evidence?
- If the article cites only a small amount of data, ask yourself why. There may be other information that the reporter deliberately omitted.
Method 2 of 3: Dig Deep
Step 1. Find out the reputation of the newspaper
Some newspapers and other media have a reputation for leaning towards certain parties. Pay attention to newspaper readers and the issues they usually support. However, don't let information about the newspaper's reputation stop you from reading each article critically. If we assume that a particular newspaper is biased, we will believe it before we read!
Use websites like Wikipedia and Snopes to check if the newspaper has a particular bias
Step 2. Look at the link if you are on a network
Sometimes, the website can give clues as to whether the article is biased or not. A medium with a strange name that you have never heard of may not be trusted. If the link ends in.co, this could be a sign you've found an unofficial media pretending to be an authentic news source.
You should also suspect strange language or way of writing both in the links and in the articles. Writing with a lot of typos, using all capital letters, or exclamation points deserves better attention. The writing is most likely biased or fake
Step 3. Read the “About Us” section when using online media
Media with a good reputation will provide this information. This section will tell you who endorses or owns the website or newspaper. If you can't find this section, it's possible that the media is trying to hide an illegal source of funds or an untrustworthy source of information.
Step 4. Pay attention to story placement
Story placement can tell you what the newspaper considers important and unimportant. In a printed newspaper, the front page will contain the big stories, while the stories placed on the back are considered less important. In digital newspapers, articles that are considered important are placed at the top of the cover page or in the sidebar.
What topics are considered the most important and not very important based on the placement of the story? What can you conclude about the priority of the newspaper?
Step 5. Take some time to look at some of the ads in it
Newspapers and other media need money to keep operating. Advertising provides the money. Check where most of the ads are coming from and find the category of organization or company that is advertising. This will provide information about what companies or organizations the newspaper will not attack.
If a particular company or industry appears very frequently in advertisements, this could be a problem. It would be difficult for newspapers to produce neutral reports if they were trying to please certain parties
Step 6. Write down the articles you read and the biases you find
The more you read, the more information you can find about these newspapers and the types of articles they write. Keep a journal about the articles you read, the newspaper sources, and the biases you find. Be sure to note where or to whom the bias is directed.
Method 3 of 3: Checking News from Different Sides
Step 1. Read more than one article on the same topic
Look for articles from newspapers or other media that cover the same topic. Read them critically for biases in the newspapers and compare them to each other. Use this comparison to find facts that appear in various articles. After that, you can make personal judgments about a particular debate, person, or event.
Step 2. Consider what or who reporters never talk about
This is especially important if the reporter is reporting on a heated debate. Both sides should be told in the article without bias. If the article is about a particular group and the reporter does not cite anyone from that group, this is a sign of bias.
For example, if you read a story about environmental issues and the article only quotes politicians, think about why they don't quote scientists. Is it because the topic is only related to politicians or is the reporter ignoring the opinions of certain parties?
Step 3. Look for articles written by people from different groups
Most articles can sound completely different if they are written by people with different points of view. Look for articles written by people of different ages, genders, regions, political parties, and racial backgrounds. Think about how different points of view add to your understanding of a particular topic.
- You can read one newspaper and one blog article. You are allowed to read articles from different sources to check for bias in newspaper articles. Make sure you read critically and carefully wherever you get your information from.
- The more articles or sources you read, the more you will discover that people, events, and debates are incredibly complex. There will not be one simple explanation for any issue. Don't feel stressed. Try to learn as much material as you can by reading a variety of things. If you have extensive knowledge, you will be better prepared to deal with complex problems.
Step 4. Use online media or take a look at social media to see if the article gets any feedback
Sometimes, newspaper articles make people angry, frustrated, or (though not often) excited. Using Google, you can check if the article you selected provokes this kind of response. You can also view Twitter if the article was recently published. Controversy over biased articles can spread quickly.
Looking at feedback can tell you a lot about who supports and doesn't support the content of the article. While it doesn't automatically tell you if the article is biased, it's a good way to find out who liked it and help you find out who the article is supporting or hurting
Tips
- When looking for bias in a newspaper article, think about how your own bias affects your reaction to the article.
- Learn to distinguish fabricated news from satirical articles. Some websites, such as TheOnion.com, write parodies of current events.
