55 Examining Biases

Sometimes when we pick and choose information, our own biases and lived experiences lead us to seek certain sources over others. This is called confirmation bias, which occurs when you only seek out evidence that confirms what you already believe or interpret evidence in a way that confirms your existing beliefs.

Let’s apply these ideas to the common practice of searching the internet for information. By recognizing cognitive biases, you can find the most accurate and reliable information:

First, use Google to search results for “women 78 cents on the dollar.”

Then, use Google to search results for “women 80 cents on the dollar.”

Searching for something you already believe to be true can lead you to finding results that support that belief (confirmation bias). For example, if you search “women 78 cents on the dollar,” you get results that say women make $0.78 on the dollar compared to men. If you search “women 80 cents on the dollar,” you get results that say women make $0.80 on the dollar compared to men.

On the other hand, searching for the more neutral term “wage gap” is more likely to provide balanced results. How else can you avoid confirmation bias in your search terms? Consider one more example:

First, search results for “are we eating too much protein.”

Next, search results for “protein nutrition.”

Notice the difference between the search terms “are we eating too much protein” and “protein nutrition.” The first gives results that indicate eating too much protein is bad. Authors that have this viewpoint are more likely to use the words “too much protein” than people who do not. The search “protein nutrition” gives results that are more neutral. Only using terms that frame a topic a certain way will produce biased results. It is similar to asking a leading question (Did you have a great day?) vs. a neutral question (How was your day?). Can you think of a topic where framing bias might be hiding in your search terms? How can you make them more neutral?

Anchoring Bias & Search Results

When searching, you may be tempted to click on the first result you see, which can lead you to the anchoring bias and cause you to frame all other search results within the context of the first. To avoid this, think about what types of information you want to find and what makes an authoritative source before you search. If you don’t see the types of sources you were expecting, reformulate your search.

Consider how search engines choose which results to put first. Is it based on accuracy, relevance or popularity? If it is based on popularity, how does that influence the accuracy or relevance of the source?

Availability Heuristic & Evaluating Information

When reading an informative source, it may not feel natural to question the information being presented. Since what you are reading is the most available information to your mind at the moment, it is likely to dominate your thinking. Try to outline the author’s argument and then question each point of the argument. Actively search for information that opposes the information presented so you can get a balanced view of the topic. How else might the availability heuristic affect how you seek and read information?

False Consensus Bias & Evaluating Information

When reading information that opposes your personal viewpoint, you may be more likely to dismiss the author’s arguments. Since false consensus bias leads us to believe that others think the same way we do, it can be hard to accept that others have different beliefs that are also valid.

To avoid the false consensus bias, approach the information like a scientist with a hypothesis. Acknowledge your hypothesis and be willing to accept that the hypothesis may be wrong. In science, a wrong hypothesis is celebrated as learning something new. Let it be the same with exploring information. Why might you want to avoid the false consensus bias?

Information evaluation is not a simple process with a universal right or wrong answer. Your instructor may require you to use only academic, peer-reviewed sources for a term paper, but such sources may be less appropriate for a different audience. If you are giving a presentation to a local non-profit group about resources for helping refugees in your community, academic sources may be less relevant than language learning blogs or social media posts about food banks and other outreach programs. If you are trying to convince colleagues at a business whether to invest in a new company, financial data, trade magazine articles, and market reports may be more relevant than an article from an academic journal of economics.

Even in college writing courses, you may find you need to make the case for the sources you use, depending on the situation. In general, it may be helpful to start thinking of information evaluation and the application of information as a conversation with your audience. That may mean getting into the habit of talking to your professors and librarians about the information you find and about whether it is of good quality and appropriate for your assignments.

Ultimately your evaluation of information will depend on many factors that you can’t predict. The CRAAP method and the information on examining biases are tools to help you move through your research plan. Once you understand the principles, you can apply them to any rhetorical situation you encounter or any writing assignment you have to complete.