Bias Quote by Eric Garland
““Remember that some organizations, especially activist groups, have no obligation to rigorous, unbiased data. They are working to convince you to adopt their view of the world and thus aren't necessarily impartial [...] This type of bias or spin is common, and you need to be on the alert for it in the reports you read. In fact, bias is a major reason to get multiple kinds of trend data before drawing conclusions. Even if activist groups don't publish false information, they might leave out key data, which might lead you in another direction. If you read particularly alarming data, for example, a trend that says, "we're losing 10 percent of all bird species each year," you should make sure you verify it with other sources. In a world that moves as fast as ours does, sensational problems sometimes arise, but if it's really an issue, more than one expert will be covering it.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Critical Thinking in Media, Eric Garland, 2020
Activist groups may present biased data; cross‑checking multiple sources is essential to avoid misinformation.
In simple terms: Check many sources before believing data.
Validate information through diverse evidence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading news
- researching reports
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure data credibility?
- What steps can you take when data seems alarming?
Time constraints can limit thorough verification.