Bias and Propaganda

WHAT IS BIAS?

Bias is writing which is slanted toward one

●

opinion

●An unbiased article would present both

sides of the issues
 WHAT IS PROPAGANDA?

●Propaganda is a way of wording or

structuring something so it appeals mostly
to emotions, and it distorts facts.
●It is used to promote a one sided argument

aimed at winning people over to a certain

cause or belief
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Loaded words and phrases / emotional

●

appeal

●Buzzwords which create a certain reaction in

the audience without thinking

For example, customers react positively to the

●
word “free” even if there are hidden costs
EXAMPLE
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Name calling / demonizing the enemy

●

-An attack on a person instead of an issue

-Attaching a word to a person in order to take

advantage of the words emotional meaning
NAME CALLING
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Euphemisms
●

●Using words that make harsh or bad things

sound not so bad

●For example, a person “passed away” instead

of “died, croaked, kicked the bucket”
 EUPHEMISM

Correctional Facility
instead of a JAIL
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

The bandwagon technique

●

●It encourages people to do something because

others have already joined the cause or
participated in the action

Do it or buy it because everyone else is

●
EXAMPLE
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

● Testimonial
Provides a source to give credibility to or support a
●
statement
●Problems arise when someone unqualified recommends
a product
●www.youtube.com/watch?v=lud7IY0blNEl
●Has Ronnie ever really needed to lose weight and use
this product?
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Transference
●

●Tries to transfer the authority of one person,

product, or organization to something or
someone else
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xAVALXH9nxU
●Do you think these dentists are qualified to speak on
behalf of this product?
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

● Bad Logic
●An argument based on false premises or false
logic

●Premise 1: Hillary Clinton supports gun-control

legislation.
●Premise 2: All fascist regimes of the twentieth

century have passed gun-control legislation.

●Conclusion: Hillary Clinton is a fascist.
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Fear
●

●An appeal to fear that a certain disaster or

tragedy will occur if certain action is not taken
●Sometimes the warning may be legitimate, but
if the warning lack proof, it can be propaganda
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3FtNm9CgA6U
●Does this commercial make you afraid?
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA:

Stereotyping / Sweeping Generalization

●

●Lumping all people into a certain group without

any regard for the individual
●Based on limited information
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=8tZR3M7SQwA
●Do all “manly” men have to like this type of
hamburger?
 TYPES OF PROPAGANDA

Glittering generalities
●

●This technique is mainly used in advertising,

with a particular company creating an illusion
that their product is better than their
competitors on no particular grounds.
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=31pEZWaIhr0
●According to this commercial what makes Pepsi better
than Coke?
 REPETITION

●Persuades someone to buy something by

repeating a message over and over again
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=wEuuECHZaeU
●Did you hear the repetition? Does it work?
 CIRCULAR ARGUMENT
●States a conclusion as part of the proof of
the argument
 NUMBERS, FACTS, STATISTICS

● Persuades us by showing how numbers can

affect what we think.
●http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=atgF27aIgY4
●What did you think of that???
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW
ABOUT PROPAGANDA?

Knowing what propaganda is will help you

●

know when you are or are not getting

honest information.