Subjective Vs. ObjectiveWriting

Subjective Evidence- Evidence that you cannot evaluate—

you simply have to accept or reject what the person says.

- It emphasizes:- Personal feelings, thoughts, judgments,

opinions

- What does the word bias mean?- What might Mrs. Brown me biased

about?

Subjective Writing

Subjective writing is found in personal essays, in

autobiographies, and in the editorial section of newspapers where journalists express their

opinions about news events.

Objective Writing

- Evidence you can see and evaluate for yourself.

- It emphasizes:- Facts, figures, and imagery

*No opinions or personal beliefs!

Objective Writing

Journalists who report the news write in an objective style. They stick to the facts and figures of the events they report; their purpose is strictly to inform the readers. Objective writing is also found in textbooks.

Warning!Some texts may combine objective writing and subjective writing. For example, a biographer may include

his or her opinion of the person about whom he or she is writing, as well as report the facts regarding

that person’s life. It is important to recognize which segments are

written objectively and which are written subjectively.

Warning!

Likewise, a inexperienced or unprofessional journalist may

inadvertently or on purpose mix actual facts related to a news

event and his or her own opinions of that occurrence. Again, it is the

reader’s responsibilityto distinguish fact from opinion.

Examples Subjective:

Andy says “My foot hurts a lot.” Is he lying? How much is “a lot”? What is Andy’s

idea of pain? Is he actually injured or is his foot just asleep?

Objective: Andy walks in with a cane and a knife stuck in

his foot. There is physical evidence that he’s in pain.

Examples Subjective

Andy says “That was an awesome football game!”

Compared to what? Who was playing? His son? The team he coaches? Himself? Two pro teams?

Objective If you see a video of the game, you might see

great plays, high scores, a last-minute win, etc.