Propaganda is a step beyond media bias, and clashes directly with scholarly research. Scholarly research is created with virtuous ideals of truth, while propaganda is an attempt to influence us through lies and deception.
The following chart presents a detailed breakdown of the difference between scholarship and propaganda, as developed by Eileen Gambrill and included in Bodi, S. (1995). Scholarship or propaganda: How can librarians help undergraduates tell the difference? The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 21(1), 21–25.
| Scholarship | Propaganda |
| Presents data that does not favor preferred views, as well as data that supports them | Distortions of data unfavorable to preferred views |
| Presents accurate descriptions of alternative views | Suppresses contradictory views |
| Relies on critical thinking skills | Devalues thought/critical appraisal |
| Looks for counter-examples | Suppresses contradictory facts |
| Admits own ignorance | Excessive claims of certainty ("We have 'the way, the view'.") |
| Describes limits on data | Magnifies or minimizes problems/suggested remedies |
| Encourages debate, discussion and/or criticism | Emotional appeals |
| Updates information when new discoveries come to light | Presents information/views out of context |
| Uses language in agreed-on ways | Transforms words to suit aims |
| Settles disputes by use of generally accepted criteria for evaluating data | Personal attacks/ridicule |
| Attempts to discuss general laws/principles | Appeals to popular prejudices |
| Finds own field/area of investigation difficult and full of holes | Relies on suggestions (e.g. negative innuendo) |
Thanks to USC Library and University of Michigan Library
