Bias and Fallacy
How to recognize it in others’
work
And
Avoid it in your own
Bias

Bias means holding opinions about a
person or group that are stereotypical,
prejudiced, or judgmental.
Types of Bias
Type of Bias
Example
Political bias Republicans are the reason gay marriage laws
will not pass.
Gender bias Men take all the good jobs and always make
more money than women do.
Racial or ethnic bias Our country has so many economic
problems because of all the illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Religious bias Muslims believe in killing others for eternal
reward.
Age bias
Senior citizens do not know how to drive
properly and should not have driver’s licenses.
Bias

Academic writing requires you to be
unbiased.


your reader does not feel offended or excluded
you emerge as a fair and accurate researcher
and writer.
Bias
use caution to avoid bias in your own
writing
 avoid using research that is biased or onesided

Fallacy

Using emotion the wrong way can create
what is known as a fallacy. Fallacies
occur when you use an illogical argument.
Types of Fallacy

Scapegoating:
Blaming a group or a
person for a problem

Example: Racial
quotas are the reason I
cannot find a better job.

Scare tactics: Using
fear to try to scare
readers

Example: If you sit too
close to the television
set, you will go blind.

Ad hominem:
Attacking a person
rather than attacking
an argument

Example: The
president is stupid for
proposing a tax cut at
this time.
Types of Fallacy

Straw man: Creating a
position that is easy to
refute and then
attributing that
position to someone
else (such as a source
that is arguing the
opposite of what you
are arguing)


Example:
Person One’s argument:
I do not think children
should have a rigorous
academic schedule all
day.
Person Two’s misuse of
Person’s One’s
argument: You cannot
allow children to play all
day and not study.
Types of Fallacy



False dilemma: Presenting
two choices as the only
choices available when
there are other options
that have not been
revealed
Slippery slope: Suggesting
an action will cause a chain
of bad events
Apple Polishing: Appealing
to reader’s vanity.

Example: You are either
for us or against us.

Example: Once everyone
owns a gun, no one will be
safe.

Example: All intelligent
people will vote for Bruce.
Examples of Bias and Fallacy
Citizen Kane Speech

Scapegoating: Kane blames
Boss Gettys for the political and economic problems in the
state, accusing Gettys of being a man who does not keep
his promises or care for ordinary citizens.

Scare tactics: Kane implies that no one will watch out for
the interests of the working class or underprivileged if
Gettys continues to control the state.

Slippery slope: Kane implies that no one will watch out for
the interests of the working class or underprivileged if
Gettys continues to control the state. The eventual decline
if Gettys remains in office is a dangerous and frightening
look into the future.

Examples of Bias and Fallacy
Citizen Kane Speech

Ad hominen: Kane refers to the downright villany of Boss
Gettys. Nowhere during the speech does he explain what
Gettys has done to earn this title or discuss Gettys political
viewpoint or decisions.

False dilemma: Kane offers only two choices to voters:
Continue under the evil reign of Gettys’ political machine
and his total control of the state or vote for Kane to solve
all of their problems.

Apple polishing: Kane appeals to the vanity of the
listeners by implying all decent, hardworking people should
agree with him.