Comments on: Everyone should read this post on bias http://info-fetishist.org/2008/04/25/pot-on-bias/ yeah, it's long -- I didn't have time to make it shorter Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:44:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Sara J http://info-fetishist.org/2008/04/25/pot-on-bias/#comment-1189 Sara J Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:35:21 +0000 http://infofetishist.wordpress.com/?p=78#comment-1189 Rereading this and it's still great. I try to tell students that they are also biased, that everyone is always biased, and they don't believe me. They say - I am going to write a totally objective and non-biased paper. I say, #1 not possible, and #2 then it's not an argument, which is the assignment. I used to think that it was the science students who were biased in favor of a belief in objectivity, but now I'm not so sure that the naive belief is not more wide spread. From "new kid" it appears that history students struggle just as much against their bias against bias. Rereading this and it’s still great. I try to tell students that they are also biased, that everyone is always biased, and they don’t believe me. They say – I am going to write a totally objective and non-biased paper. I say, #1 not possible, and #2 then it’s not an argument, which is the assignment. I used to think that it was the science students who were biased in favor of a belief in objectivity, but now I’m not so sure that the naive belief is not more wide spread. From “new kid” it appears that history students struggle just as much against their bias against bias.

]]> By: Nicholas http://info-fetishist.org/2008/04/25/pot-on-bias/#comment-82 Nicholas Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:06:19 +0000 http://infofetishist.wordpress.com/?p=78#comment-82 There will be a blog at informationgames.info eventually. I spent the weekend pretending to be a sysadmin and getting my feet wet administering the site. After working with the joint conference website and choosing to be satisfied with function while forgoing elegance, I decided that the next time I will be prepared. So now there is a domain registered, a server rented, and wordpress installed. If that is what makes a blog then I've got one. What I don't have is content. I'm vaguely planning to install Drupal and Mediawiki as well, so this project is at least as much me playing at being a systems administrator as it is me playing at being an author. There will be a blog at informationgames.info eventually. I spent the weekend pretending to be a sysadmin and getting my feet wet administering the site.

After working with the joint conference website and choosing to be satisfied with function while forgoing elegance, I decided that the next time I will be prepared. So now there is a domain registered, a server rented, and wordpress installed. If that is what makes a blog then I’ve got one. What I don’t have is content.

I’m vaguely planning to install Drupal and Mediawiki as well, so this project is at least as much me playing at being a systems administrator as it is me playing at being an author.

]]> By: Anne-Marie http://info-fetishist.org/2008/04/25/pot-on-bias/#comment-80 Anne-Marie Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:47:44 +0000 http://infofetishist.wordpress.com/?p=78#comment-80 Nick - I know - I think I've spent a lot of time talking around this issue as well. I just think it's easier to think about what's wrong with this kind of lack-of-analysis when your focus is on the product of that analysis (a well synthesized and analyzed paper) instead of on the evaluation/analysis itself. Even an annotated bibliography, though much better than what we usually have to work with as librarian teachers, can be hard. After all, one *can* write an annotated bibliography that is a collection of disparate entries and still meet most of the requirements. Where once you see them try to synthesize those things together into an argument or narrative, the problems are much easier to talk about. Best - and is that a new blog I see attached to your name there? Nick – I know – I think I’ve spent a lot of time talking around this issue as well. I just think it’s easier to think about what’s wrong with this kind of lack-of-analysis when your focus is on the product of that analysis (a well synthesized and analyzed paper) instead of on the evaluation/analysis itself.

Even an annotated bibliography, though much better than what we usually have to work with as librarian teachers, can be hard. After all, one *can* write an annotated bibliography that is a collection of disparate entries and still meet most of the requirements. Where once you see them try to synthesize those things together into an argument or narrative, the problems are much easier to talk about.

Best – and is that a new blog I see attached to your name there?

]]> By: NIcholas http://info-fetishist.org/2008/04/25/pot-on-bias/#comment-79 NIcholas Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:58:56 +0000 http://infofetishist.wordpress.com/?p=78#comment-79 Now, why couldn't I have read this an hour before I talked to my class about how they addressed bias in their annotated bibliographies, rather than an hour after our final session? "The thing is, you inevitably declare that the author is “biased” as if this is all you have to say on the subject - as if discovering “bias” is some form of analysis. I hate to tell you this, but it’s really not." I think I spent 10 minutes trying to say this, but I'm certain I only obfuscated the issue further. Sigh. Thanks for pointing it out, though. Cheers, Nick Now, why couldn’t I have read this an hour before I talked to my class about how they addressed bias in their annotated bibliographies, rather than an hour after our final session?

“The thing is, you inevitably declare that the author is “biased” as if this is all you have to say on the subject – as if discovering “bias” is some form of analysis.

I hate to tell you this, but it’s really not.”

I think I spent 10 minutes trying to say this, but I’m certain I only obfuscated the issue further.

Sigh. Thanks for pointing it out, though.

Cheers,
Nick

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