Question

Use what you see in “Rules for Writing Summary” to turn the six sentences below into a well-written summary paragraph. Note that “Rules for Writing Summary” describes the complete process–both the creation of the sentences and the creation of the paragraph. However, here you are given the sentences and need only to write the paragraph. So as you read “Rules for Writing Summary,” you need to focus on just those parts that pertain to creating the paragraph. You might consider making a separate handwritten list of what steps you need to take.
The summary paragraph you are writing is for “What is Confirmation Bias?” by Shahram Heshmat, Ph.D.


We should avoid acting as though our negative conclusions are true.
Confirmation bias describes our tendency to find evidence in support of those ideas we want to believe and to ignore all evidence to the contrary.
People who are anxious or who have low self-esteem are likely to look for signs that other people do not like them.
Confirmation bias can also take the form of wishful thinking or false optimism in which we latch on to the positive and ignore the negative.
“Disconfirming instances are far more powerful in establishing the truth,” but they are also rarer, for people are much less likely to look for evidence that counters their beliefs.
To gain the most accurate information, we need to look for evidence that gives opposing points of view or that proves us wrong.

Answer 1

In "What is Confirmation Bias?" Shahram Heshmat, Ph.D., explains that confirmation bias is our tendency to seek out and emphasize evidence that supports what we want to believe while ignoring contradictory information. It can appear in people with anxiety or low self‑esteem who look for signs that others dislike them, and it can take the form of wishful thinking or false optimism in which we cling to positives and dismiss negatives. Heshmat points out that disconfirming evidence is generally more decisive for establishing the truth but is encountered less often because people seldom look for it. To obtain the most accurate picture, we should actively search for opposing viewpoints or evidence that could prove us wrong and avoid acting as if our negative conclusions are already true.