Subjective Vs.

Objective
Writing
 Subjective Evidence
- Evidence that you cannot evaluate—you
simply have to accept or reject what the
person says.
- It emphasizes:
- Personal feelings, thoughts, judgments, opinions
- What does the word bias mean?
- What might Mrs. Brown me biased about?
 Subjective Writing
Subjective writing is found in
personal essays, in
autobiographies, and in the
editorial section of newspapers
where journalists express their
opinions about news events.
 Objective Writing
- Evidence you can see and evaluate
for yourself.
- It emphasizes:
- Facts, figures, and imagery

*No opinions or personal beliefs!

 Objective Writing

Journalists who report the news write in

an objective style. They stick to the
facts and figures of the events they
report; their purpose is strictly to
inform the readers. Objective writing is
also found in textbooks.
 Warning!
Some texts may combine objective
writing and subjective writing. For
example, a biographer may include his
or her opinion of the person about
whom he or she is writing, as well as
report the facts regarding that person’s
life. It is important to recognize which
segments are written objectively and
which are written subjectively.
 Warning!
Likewise, a inexperienced or
unprofessional journalist may
inadvertently or on purpose mix actual
facts related to a news event and his or
her own opinions of that occurrence.
Again, it is the reader’s responsibility
to distinguish fact from opinion.
Examples
 Subjective:
 Andy says “My foot hurts a lot.”
 Is he lying? How much is “a lot”? What is Andy’s
idea of pain? Is he actually injured or is his foot
just asleep?
 Objective:
 Andy walks in with a cane and a knife stuck in his
foot.
 There is physical evidence that he’s in pain.
Examples
 Subjective
 Andy says “That was an awesome football
game!”
 Compared to what? Who was playing? His son?
The team he coaches? Himself? Two pro teams?
 Objective
 If you see a video of the game, you might see
great plays, high scores, a last-minute win, etc.