Use the links below to discover where your favorite news source falls on the political spectrum and the bias it may have.
Bias is a leaning or prejudice in favor of or against one side, person, item, or group compared with another, often in an unfair manner.
Since anyone can write and publish anything, we have articles that focus on legitimate research and reporting and we have articles filled with lies, "fake news", and propaganda. Authors of scholarly and research-oriented articles (Scholarship) seek to identify the truth as they understand it. All authors (and publications) have a Bias, some write to that bias and others try to be more balanced in their writing. When the author focuses on persuasion using bias, emotional appeals and distortion of facts, the article enters the category of Propaganda. The University of Michigan Library offers an excellent chart on:
Indicators of Scholarship vs. Indicators of Propaganda
While scholarship and objective news reporting is created with a focus on the ideal of truth, propaganda actively seeks to influence through the use of deception. Presenting a point of view is different from deliberately using psychological techniques to shape the opinion of others.
| Indicators of Scholarship | Indicators of Propaganda |
| Describes limits of data; Admits own ignorance and uncertainty; Strives for truth/facts | Excessive claims of certainty (We have "the way, the view"); Mixes both truth and falsehood |
| Presents accurate descriptions of alternative views | Personal attacks and ridicule on alternative views; Identifies one point of view as the only view |
| Presents data that do not favor preferred views as well as data that supports those views | Distorts or manipulates data to support preferred views |
| Encourages debate, discussion, criticism, Relies on critical thinking skills | Relies on emotional appeals and suggestion (e.g., negative innuendo); |
| Settles disputes by use of generally accepted criteria for evaluating data | Devalues thought and critical appraisal; suppresses contradictory views |
| Looks for counter-examples | Suppresses contradictory facts, Magnifies or minimizes problems and suggested remedies; Offers ready-made answers |
| Uses language in agreed-on ways | Transforms words to suit aims |
| Updates information | Presents information and views out of context |
| Attempts to discuss general laws and principles | Appeals to popular prejudices; deliberately misleads |
| Invites continuing research | Success measured by changed attitudes/motivations |
From Prof. Eileen Gambrill in Bodi, S. (1995). Scholarship or propaganda: How can librarians help undergraduates tell the difference? Journal of Academic Librarianship. 21(1):21–25. With thanks to the UMich Library.