Question

1. suppose you read an article that emphasizes the safety and economic necessity of offshore oil drilling. which piece of information about the author might cause you to suspect bias in the author’s point of view?

the author is an executive for a large oil company.
the author carefully researched the pros and cons of offshore drilling.
the author has criticized the safety records of some oil companies.
the author has no real background in the energy industry.

Explanation:

To determine bias, we analyze each option:

• Option A: If the author is an executive for a large oil company, their professional role creates a potential financial or professional interest in emphasizing the safety and economic necessity of offshore drilling, which is a strong indicator of bias.
• Option B: Careful research of pros and cons would suggest a balanced approach, not bias.
• Option C: Criticizing safety records would show a critical (not biased in favor) stance.
• Option D: Lacking background doesn't directly imply bias toward emphasizing the necessity.

Answer:

A. The author is an executive for a large oil company.