The term "biased language" refers to words and phrases that are considered prejudiced, offensive, and hurtful. Biased language includes expressions that demean or exclude people because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, social class, or physical or mental traits. Show
Bias in language refers to language that is uneven or unbalanced or not a fair representation, says the University of Massachusetts Lowell, adding that you should strive to avoid bias in writing and speaking because such language may contain “hidden messages” about the superiority or inferiority of various groups or types of people. Examples of Biased LanguageBias is prejudice toward or unfair characterization of the members of a particular group, says Stacie Heaps writing on WriteExpress: "Bias is so common in speech and writing that we often are not even aware of it. But it is the responsibility of everyone to become conscious of and write without bias." Heaps gives several examples of bias together with alternative (and unbiased) phrasing:
Be sensitive to the feelings of the opposite sex, minorities, and special interest groups says Cengage: Don't emphasize differences by separating society into "we" and "they" by singling out minorities, particular genders, or groups of people such as those with disabilities and senior citizens. How to Avoid Bias in Your WritingPurdue OWL provides some examples of biased language with alternatives you could use to avoid gender bias:
You have to be on guard against bias because it can so easily creep into your writing or speaking, but Cengage says it's easy to avoid, as in this example:
Remove the bias with just a simple adjustment:
You can just as easily avoid bias in race. Don't say: "Attending the meetings were three doctors and an Asian computer programmer." In the example, Asian is preferred to Oriental, but why even single out this person's ethnicity? The sentence did not specify the ethnicity of the doctors, who were presumably Caucasian. Examples and ObservationsBe on guard for these types of bias in writing and speaking:
Biased language can defeat your purpose by damaging your credibility, say Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu in their "Handbook of Technical Writing." They add: "The easiest way to avoid bias is simply not to mention differences among people unless the differences are relevant to the discussion. Keep current with accepted usage and, if you are unsure of the appropriateness of the expression or the tone of a passage, have several colleagues review the material and give you their assessments." As you write and speak, remember that "biased language insults the person or group to which it is applied," say Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy II in their book, "The Scribner Handbook for Writers." When you use biased language—even inadvertently—you denigrate others, creating division and separation, they say. So, strive to use unbiased language, and you will show that as a speaker or writer, you are including all potential members of your audience without segregating and referring pejoratively to a select few. Which of the following statements best describes biasWhich of the following statements best describes bias-free language? Bias-free language avoids words or phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other personal characteristics.
Which of the following best represents the use of biasWhich of the following best describes bias-free language? Bias-free language avoids words and phrases that unfairly stigmatize people.
Which of the following is not true of language?From the above points, we can conclude that every language has a script is NOT true of language.
What is the correct order of the three step writing process?Writing is a process that can be divided into three stages: Pre-writing, drafting and the final revising stage which includes editing and proofreading.
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