Framing Bias is best described as which statement?

• A. When an author presents, or frames, an issue that affects the way the reader perceives it.
• B. When an author uses footnotes to support claims.
• C. When an author uses a random sample of data.
• D. When an author writes in passive voice.

Answer: (A)

Framing bias happens when the way an issue is presented shapes how readers interpret it. When an author frames something, they choose which details to emphasize, which facts to include or omit, and the words used, all of which steer perception. That is exactly what the statement describes: presenting an issue in a way that affects how the reader perceives it.

Footnotes are about citing sources and supporting claims, not about shaping the reader’s view. A random sampling method concerns how data is collected and can affect conclusions, but it doesn’t describe the act of presenting the issue to influence perception. Writing in passive voice affects emphasis and readability, but it isn’t inherently about framing an issue to sway interpretation.