Should Factual Writing Contain Bias?

‘Factual writing is a skill that deals with facts and everyday situations. It is a skill that is in very high demand in literature writing. It is also referred to as non-fiction writing.’ – Ask.com

‘The term bias may refer to a number of things such as being prejudice in favor of or against something, an individual or group compared with another generally in a way considered to be unfair. The term may also refer to a concentration on or interest in one particular region or subject.’ – Ask.com

This is the definition of factual writing, if it’s supposed to contain only facts then so under certain circumstances there’s no reason why you can’t include bias. If you were writing a leaflet on helping people into quitting smoking then you obviously would show the plus side if there was any into the other side of the argument which would be smoking, instead you would only show the negatives and so long as they are facts then there is no reason as to why you cant and also to show the positives of what not smoking can do. That’s the same for any sort of argument or leaflet that is there in order to help people give things up.

With bias you never know which side of the argument is what’s being bias, as one side is more likely to be one side of someone’s opinion where as the other side is actual fact and so that’s why people don’t see the need to have certain sides put across as if its factual writing then you would only want the facts to be included not someone’s person opinion that contrast with the facts.

People may argue that no bias should use at all that if you are going to speak about something in particular that you should cover both sides equally so that it’s a fair argument even though that isn’t the right way in which to help someone quit smoking referring to my last example. If you are from one side of an argument and wanting to promote it you wouldn’t go out of your way in which to show off the other side, you’d show only the negative’s and so long as the negatives were actually facts not just an opinion then there’s nothing wrong with being one sided in an argument as there will always be people on either side of the argument that agree with you and disagree with the others. Some reasons behind the people not thinking it to be fair to be bias is because people are often slated through new papers, showing off only the negatives but hiding the real reason behind why this was happening. Occasionally there isn’t anything good behind what the story is, for example when Justin Beiber hit a journalist and was because of them just taking pictures of him, whereas there are other situations where the celebrity will of reacted but they would only show the negative side to give them negative lighting.

An example of where only showing one side of the story which is being bias was when the actor from glee ‘Cory Monteith’ was found dead from a drug over dose

but when reporting on this because he was so well thought of people choose not to read about the fact that he died from the fact he overdosed on drugs that he was using for recreational use and whilst doing so drinking alcohol and so when mixed is what actually killed him. The papers only ever reported that it was a drug overdose which comes across that it was someone else fault but if it was someone else who is slated a lot in the papers then they would of divulged all negative information but instead kept it from the readers eyes but it was to upsetting for readers to know a star would even consider to do that as he was inspirational after taking part in a program aimed at helping kids becoming happier with themselves.

My own personal opinion of bias should be that it depends on to the topic as to whether or not it should be included, if it’s a topic people will benefit from only hearing one side of the argument then there’s no need for it but if your argument isn’t over anything serious then showing both sides off isn’t a bad thing just shows your willing to show off both sides.