Fiducia TogetherBias and objectivity
A one-sided view, and why calling something biased is not analysis.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Bias is a systematic leaning towards one view. Objectivity is the attempt to describe without it — an aspiration rather than a state anything achieves completely.
Where it applies
History, media studies, sociology, science and everyday reading.
How it works
Everything has a perspective, so identifying bias is only the first step. What matters is the DIRECTION of the bias, what it makes the source good evidence for, and what it makes it unreliable about.
How to use it in your work
Never end an answer at 'this is biased'. Say biased in which direction, why, and what that means for the claim.
A biased source is excellent evidence of the views of whoever produced it.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification and mark scheme.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The History Song The GCSE history topics, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.