How to Detect Bias and Author's Purpose in Informational Texts

Khan Academy

In this engaging educational video, Khan Academy's David explores the complex concept of author's purpose in informational texts, moving beyond the simple "Persuade, Inform, Entertain" (P.I.E.) framework. Through a humorous and memorable analogy involving rival "Cake" and "Pie" lobbyists in Washington D.C., the narrator demonstrates how an author's personal opinions and hidden agendas can subtly shape the information they present. The video walks viewers through a mock newspaper article to illustrate how bias manifests through inclusion, exclusion, word choice, and tone. Key themes explored include critical reading, detecting bias, analyzing word connotation, and understanding the relationship between an author's background and their writing. The video specifically defines and provides examples for sophisticated reading skills like identifying omitted information and recognizing how scientific language can be manipulated to create a false sense of authority. It encourages students to maintain "healthy skepticism" when consuming media. For educators, this video serves as an excellent anchor for lessons on media literacy and reading comprehension. It provides a concrete, non-political framework (cake vs. pie) that allows students to practice identifying bias without getting bogged down in real-world controversies. The specific checklist of questions provided in the video offers a readymade scaffold for students to apply to any informational text they encounter in social studies, science, or language arts classes.