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Elizabeth Wissner-Gross

Statements from a bias quiz
Elizabeth Wissner-Gross gives a bias quiz to her journalism students. She asks them to read 64 statements and circle any word or words that reveal bias.

She includes the quiz in the introduction to Unbiased Editing in a Diverse Society. Below is a sampling.

1. The college coed was from Gainesville, Florida.
2. The 10-man team helped to evacuate the passengers from the burning train.
3. The white militant and the black activist met together on racial issues.
4. The breadwinner in the average household tends to earn twice as much as his wife.
5. When you wake up, there's nothing like shaving with coconut oil on your face.
6. "Miss Saigon" is about a petite Oriental girl's relationship with an American soldier.
7. The elderly woman had just celebrated her 50th birthday with her grandchildren.
8. The 30-year-old murderer, who had been an adopted child, was sent to prison.
9. In federal court today, the plaintiff wore an orange plaid ski sweater, gold earrings and matching slacks, and her hair was pulled back in braids.
10. She spoke Jewish and English with a Jewish accent.
11. While she was off at work, her kids were tearing up the neighborhood.
12. Despite her Irish heritage, she did not drink...

Bio
Guidelines for detecting and correcting bias

Elizabeth Wissner-Gross
The author of Unbiased Editing in a Diverse Society, Elizabeth Wissner-Gross has been a journalist for more than 20 years. She has written and edited for Newsday, the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Daily News. She has written articles for more than 30 newspapers and magazines.

Having spent many years studying bias in journalism, she has led workshops on media bias for professional groups, including Newsday staff, and participated in panel discussions on it for civic clubs, religious organizations and public schools. For more information, contact her at xanzak@aol.com.

She also has taught journalism at Hofstra University, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Iona College.

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