Bias: A Rhetorical Analysis

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Bias is “a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned”. (Bias, Dictionary.com) Bias is when one is in favor of one side more than the other. Knowing this information, is the media or the reader responsible for the perpetuation of misinformation? Perpetuation of misinformation can be caused by many factors, one being the reader not being able to identify a biased or unbiased article when they read, so they assume wrong conclusions. Misinterpretations of the reader is the reason for readers having wrongful information about marijuana and its effects on people. The Effects of Marijuana on Your Body by Ann Pietrangelo, and Kristeen Cherney, is not biased. This newsletter explains …show more content…
Also, it thoroughly describes to one what is occurring in each system. It also mentions the different ways to consume marijuana and which one is more harsh and effective. The intended audience is any person who reads the article who uses or plans to use marijuana which is mostly teens and adults. For example, in the article it said, “Different methods of taking the drug may affect your body differently. When you inhale marijuana smoke into your lungs, the drug is quickly released into your bloodstream and makes its way into your brain and organs.” They always use words like “you” and “your”, referring to the reader. The author also warns the reader about the drug affecting their body differently, which implies that the reader has an interest in trying the drug. Also, the doctor that reviewed the article had multiple credentials such as a PHD, PsyD, CRNP, ACRN, and CPH which proves the article to be credible. One of the authors, Kristeen Cherney is a doctorate student in Rhetoric and Composition at Georgia State University. The authors had a doctor with multiple degrees review the document and the timeliness of the document prove this article to be plausible. Not to mention, the article never goes off topic and is relevant to the essential question of the effects of marijuana. In addition, the article …show more content…
Also, she states how it affects the mind and its side effects, how it affects teens, and how it affects the body when she says, “When marijuana use begins in the teen years, it can have a significant impact on brain development, including decreased brain activity...which controls learning and memory functions. According to a 2014 Northwestern Medicine study of teen marijuana users, memory-related structures in the brain appeared to shrink, a possible signs of a decrease in neurons.” When people used marijuana in their earlier years, brain abnormalities occurred and stuck around for about two years. This newsletter targets teenagers because it explains how marijuana at an early age could affect their brain development, as well as other things. It also targets adults because it warns them about the side effects they can have, but also it explains to them how marijuana can help them. Lauren Cox has a master of science degree in science journalism from Boston University which means she is a credible author. It was posted on June 6th of 2017, so its research is updated and pertinent to the topic. For instance, it talks about legalizing marijuana in some states, which was rare years before. This source is credible because the author