Why that word?

The words an author chooses can be very revealing. Words convey hidden meaning much the same as facial expressions tell observers what we may really be thinking.

Here's a good question to ask as you read: with so many words to choose from, why does an author use these particular words?

The "1 in 5" rule applies here. Each time we search using a particular word there are, on average, four other words an author might have used instead. Why doesn't an author use the word we were thinking of? There are several reasons:

1. Language is complex, giving us many different ways to express an idea. It's impossible always to guess which one another person might use.

2. We may not know the most appropriate word. If the author is an expert, she may use professional vocabulary, for example, 'bison' instead of 'buffalo.'

3. The author has a particular point of view and uses a word that captures that unique perspective.

Number 3 is where bias occurs. If an author maintains objectivity, we say she represents different sides of an idea fairly. On the other hand, a biased author represents a particular view of an idea. The words used to represent that view may be very positive. The words used to represent the opposite view may be very negative.

An example of a positive perspective of a movie might be a review that uses words like "awesome," "inspiring," "delightful." A negative review might use words like "horrible," "boring," or a "waste of time and money." It's pretty easy to detect bias when those words are used.

Whenever one side of a topic is praised and the other side is criticized, the words clearly reveal how an author feels about the topic.

Bias is often more subtle. One side of the argument might be missing. An author may write only about the negative side of a topic. Articles that intend to sell something may only use words to express the positive nature of a product.

The words used may have emotional appeal. Watch for words that make you feel happy (smile) or angry (frown). That may be exactly the reaction the author wanted you to have.

Interactive Training

Use the MicroModule Flash Companion: Objectivity to improve your skills. You will be shown four articles. Our staff has rated each article for bias. You will earn up to 8 points for your choices on each article. A good score in this training is 60% to 90%. Achieving a perfect score is not necessary. That would mean you completely agree with our team's perspective, which rarely happens. We believe you should have your own standards--our views may not be right for you.

The goal of the exercises is to get you to question the words an author uses and to identify words that strongly convey positive or negative opinions.