Equal emphasis
Emphasis differs from bias in that it is omission of information rather than deliberate over-statement of one point of view. For example, US sites may devote little space to British developments. Another pertinent example in UK public libraries is that sites for UK government departments may include information only for England on devolved issues
You should be aware that emphasis can be more difficult to detect than bias. A solution is to apply the technique of cross checking with other sites on the same topic.
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Look at the government website for the Department for Education and Skills at http://www.dfes-uk.co.uk. Education is a devolved responsibility and thus varies considerably between the four UK nations. Much of the information on the DfES website applies only to England and sometimes Wales. |
Compare the information about literacy strategy in schools with that given on:
| http://www.deni.gov.uk | Department of Education Northern Ireland |
| http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/education | Scottish Executive Education Department |
| http://www.learning.wales.gov.uk | Welsh Assembly's Training and Education website |
Let's go on now to consider the accuracy of information found on websites.
