Y06W24RC Bias and Balance

This week you are exploring how the words a writer chooses can quietly push a reader toward a particular view — even when the writing looks like it is just reporting facts. As you read, you will practise spotting the difference between language that informs and language that steers. Pay close attention to individual words — sometimes a single word choice tells you more about a writer's opinion than a whole sentence does.

Analytical / critical — Commentary

A commentary is a piece of writing that examines another piece of writing — or an event, decision, or idea — and explains what it means, how it works, or what it reveals. Writers use this form to help readers think more critically, breaking down something that might otherwise be taken at face value. You can expect the content to move through clear steps, often under labelled headings, using specific examples from the text being examined alongside analytical observations about what those examples show. As a reader, your job is to follow the reasoning carefully — evaluating each point made, checking it against the evidence provided, and forming your own judgement about how convincing the analysis is.

Before You Read

  • Look at the headings before you begin — they map out the steps the commentary follows, and knowing the sequence in advance will help you understand what each section is trying to show.
  • Think about what it is like to read a description of something and notice that it sounds more like an opinion than a report — most people have encountered writing that seems fair on the surface but leans quite strongly in one direction. Keep that awareness in mind as you read.
  • The text includes a short fictional paragraph presented as an example — read it carefully as its own piece of writing before moving into the commentary sections that analyse it.

While You Read

  • As you move through each step of the commentary, pause and check the claim being made against the example provided — consider whether the analysis convincingly supports the point.
  • Pay attention to how individual word choices are singled out and examined — notice that the commentary explains not just what a word means but what it implies beyond its surface meaning.
  • When the commentary distinguishes between two types of language, track how each is defined and then applied — this distinction is the foundation the rest of the analysis is built on.
  • If a term is introduced in the commentary, look for the definition that follows it in the same sentence or nearby — the writer consistently signals meaning through context.

Read With Purpose

  • Notice the moments where a word in the fictional paragraph is described as doing more than simply reporting information — consider what kind of work that word is doing on the reader instead.
  • Pay attention to how the commentary describes the effect of using language that favours one side — consider what the difference is between taking a position and being unfair to the other side.
  • Keep track of the distinction the commentary makes between writing that steers a reader toward a conclusion and writing that informs a reader of one — that distinction is the heart of this week's big idea.

Now read

The commentary

~3 min read · ~584 words

Spot the Tilt

The Paragraph Under the Microscope

Read the following fictional paragraph carefully. It is the kind of writing you might find in a school newsletter or a student opinion piece. After reading it, work through the commentary below to see how a reader can identify when a piece of writing leans in a particular direction.

THE PARAGRAPH (Fictional):

“Last Tuesday, the school canteen finally stopped selling meat pies after years of complaints from students who actually care about healthy eating. The new menu, which sensibly replaces junk food with nutritious options, has been welcomed by forward-thinking students and staff alike. Those who have objected to the changes are simply resistant to improvement, and their opinions have fortunately been outvoted.”

Step 1: Separating Objective from Subjective

The first step in identifying bias is to separate ‘objective’ language — that is, language that reports facts without expressing an opinion — from ‘subjective’ language, which carries the writer’s point of view.

Look at the phrase “stopped selling meat pies.” This is objective. It reports a fact: meat pies are no longer on the menu. A reader can verify this information independently.

Now look at the word “finally.” This is subjective. It implies that the change was long overdue — that the writer had been waiting and hoping for it. A genuinely neutral report would simply state when the change occurred, not express relief that it happened at all.

Similarly, the phrase “students who actually care about healthy eating” is subjective. The word ‘actually’ implies that students who preferred the old menu did not care about their health — a judgement, not a fact.

Step 2: Identifying Loaded Words

Some words carry emotional weight beyond their basic meaning. These are called ‘loaded’ words, and they are one of the clearest signs of bias in a piece of writing. They push the reader toward a particular feeling or conclusion before any evidence has been provided.

In the paragraph, the word “sensibly” appears before the description of the new menu. This word implies that the decision was obviously correct — leaving no room for disagreement. A balanced writer would describe the change and let the reader decide whether it was sensible.

The phrase “forward-thinking” to describe supporters is another loaded choice.

It implies that those who disagree are backward-thinking — though the writer never says this directly. The same logic applies to “simply resistant to improvement,” which dismisses the opposing view without engaging with it.

Step 3: Reaching a Bias Conclusion

Once the loaded language has been identified, a reader can draw a conclusion about the writer’s ‘stance’ — that is, the position or point of view the writer holds on the issue.

In this case, the writer clearly supports the canteen changes. That is not automatically a problem — opinion pieces are expected to take a side. The problem arises when the writing presents opinions as though they are facts, or dismisses the other side without fairly representing it.

A balanced piece of writing on the same topic might acknowledge that some students valued the old menu for reasons beyond laziness or indifference. It might present data about student preferences, or quote someone with a different view. Instead, the paragraph uses language designed to make one side look reasonable and the other look unreasonable — and that is what makes it ‘biased’ rather than balanced.

Recognising bias does not mean rejecting everything you read. It means reading with enough awareness to notice when language is being used to steer you toward a conclusion, rather than inform you of one.

Check your vocabulary knowledge

objective adj.
based on facts, not personal feelings or opinions.
subjective adj.
shaped by personal opinion or point of view rather than facts.
loaded adj.
carrying strong emotional meaning beyond a word's basic definition.
stance n.
the position or point of view a writer holds on a topic.
biased adj.
favouring one side unfairly, without fairly representing the other.