Bias and Tone and Fact vs. Opinion .pptx

Teach students about purpose, bias, tone, and fact vs. opinion

1. Purpose, Bias, Tone and fact vs. Opinion

2. What is Tone? Try to identify the tone of these examples. Is ticket scalping really a rip-off ? We must first recognize that such ticket resales are voluntary transactions. If both buyer and seller did not expect to gain from the exchange, it would not occur! – Campbell R. McConnell and Stanley L. Brue “Ticket Scalping: A Bum Rap” But, oh, we had such a great time together during those early months when he was still my romantic hero and I was still his living dream …We had more fun waiting in line together than most couples have on their honeymoons. -Elizabeth Gilbert Eat, Pray, Love I’m as sick of work as the next guy, but I’m still practical enough to recognize the need for it. Without work, where would all the new breed of millionaires that I read about in Time Magazine get their dry cleaning done? Who would fix their cars? – Iain Levison , A Working Stiff’s Manifesto: A Memoir

3. Tone is the Feeling or emotional Quality of Text How can you identify the tone? Look at this example again: I’m as sick of work as the next guy, but I’m still practical enough to recognize the need for it. Without work, where would all the new breed of millionaires that I read about in Time Magazine get their dry cleaning done? Who would fix their cars? – Iain Levison , A Working Stiff’s Manifesto: A Memoir The red words tell you the author’s emotion. WORD CHOICE OR DICTION REVEALS THE TONE

4. common Tones Neutral – informative, impartial, instructive Positive – approving, admiring, sincere, serious, philosophical, eager, questioning, skeptical, amusing, sorrowful, mournful, nostalgic, sad, critical Negative – angry, critical, fault-finding, complaining, whining, harsh, mean-spirited, shrill, inflammatory, sentimental, gushy, sarcastic Try this one again: Is ticket scalping really a rip-off? We must first recognize that such ticket resales are voluntary transactions. If both buyer and seller did not expect to gain from the exchange, it would not occur! – Campbell R. McConnell and Stanley L. Brue “Ticket Scalping: A Bum Rap” * Does the word “scalping” have a positive or negative connotation? What about the word “rip off”? These words reveal that the author is somewhat negative. It is a somewhat angry or critical tone.

5. The Role of Bias in Informative and Persuasive Writing The more passionate the tone the more likely it is that the author harbors a bias for or against the subject or issue under discussion. In persuasive writing, bias is to be expected. bias is only bad if the writer goes overboard and insults or won’t even acknowledge an opposing point of view. In informative writing, authorial bias is supposed to be almost completely eliminated.

6. What’s the author’s purpose (To Inform or Persuade) and can you detect a bias? What’s a Mining Hall of Fame without Miners? The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, first opened in 1988, cries out to be included in any discussion of how history can be distorted. The Mining Museum doesn’t say much about those who have done the actual mining in the United States; the luminaries* it does showcase are mainly white Anglo-Saxon Protestant men, most of them mine owners, executives, or engineers rather than, god forbid, actual miners, who risked their life to dig metals from the earth. In reality, mining has been one of America’s most multicultural occupations with, among others, Italians mining granite in Vermont, Finns digging for copper in Michigan, and Chinese Americans panning for gold in the West, but you’d never know that from visiting the National Mining Hall of Fame. * luminaries: famous people, stars

7. What’s the author’s purpose and can you detect a bias? The signs for a persuasive purpose and a strong bias are certainly there: The language sometimes packs an emotional punch, for instance, the mining museum is an example of history being “distorted,” or misrepresented. This opinion, for that’s what it is, is not attributed to someone else. The author takes full responsibility for it. The tone with its sarcasm—”rather than, god forbid, actual miners”—makes it clear that the author has strong feelings on the subject. So, yes, there is a bias. The selection of detail highlights the contrast between what’s displayed in the museum as the history of mining and the reality of mining across the country. Above all, there’s no hint of an opposing point of view.

8. Tone and Readers Readers need to pay attention to tone because it helps reveal the writer’s purpose. it helps them better understand the effect of tone on their response. it offers a solid clue to the writer’s degree of bias , i.e., the more emotional the tone , the greater the bias . Bias is a writer’s personal preference. it will make them better readers, more aware of the many different ingredients that go into an effective piece of writing.

9. Purpose = P.I.E. P. – Persuade I. – Inform E. – Entertain (may be aesthetic)

10. What’s the Purpose?

11. Determining Purpose by Looking at Facts and Opinions Recognizing the balance between fact and opinion in a piece of writing can help you determine an author’s purpose. However, that means you need to clearly understand the difference between fact and option. Which of the following statements, then, is a fact and which one is an opinion? 1. On August 17, 1896, forty-four-year-old Bridget Driscoll became the first woman to be killed by a car; the car was traveling four miles per hour and the impact proved fatal. 2. The traffic death of forty-four-year-old Bridget Driscoll in August of 1896 was the first sign that the auto, hailed as an industrial triumph, was to become a weapon of mass destruction.

12. Comparing Facts and Opinions Statement 1 is a fact because it can be verified , or proven true, by any of the following sources: records, witness statements, reference books, and photos. Statement 2 is an opinion because not everyone in the world would see that first traffic accident as a sign of the auto’s destructive power. That’s a personal interpretation , or understanding, of how that incident might be viewed. Ask other people if they agree, and the answers will vary from person to person. Facts do not vary with their source.

13. Example: FOXY LADY. Blue haired beauty, 80s, slim 5’4’’ (used to be 5’6’’). Widow who has just buried fourth husband. Has original teeth and new parts including hip, knee, cornea, and valves. A groovy chick who is still the life of the party. What are the facts? What are the opinions?

14. Now You: Write down three facts about yourself. (Can be verified) Write down three opinions. (Belief, judgement, or conclusion) Share with a partner.

15. Defining Terms Statements of opinion often use language that packs an emotional punch. reflect a personal interpretation or point of view. often make value judgments, e.g ., “Jimmy Carter was a better president than most people think.” frequently predict future events, e.g. “We are going to regret our failure to address the problem of homelessness.” often provide interpretations, e.g., “Tupac Shakur could not escape his violent past.” cannot be checked for accuracy. are reflections of what the speaker or writer has learned and experienced.

16. Defining Terms Factual statements are likely to use dates, numbers, and statistics. are not affected by the person who reports them. identify and describe events in language that has little or no emotional effect on the listener or reader. don’t make predictions, express value judgments, or offer interpretations. can be verified, or checked, for accuracy. aren’t subject to change unless previously unavailable information or new technology arrives on the scene.

17. Try practice 1 p. 333 Remember P.I.E.!