Article Summary
Objective writing sticks to verifiable facts, while subjective writing expresses personal opinions and bias. This article covers key differences, real-world examples, and when to use each style. You'll gain the clarity to choose the right approach for any writing context.
If you’re learning about writing, especially third-person writing, you may have come across the words subjective and objective. But what is objective vs subjective, and why are both important to writers?
In this article, we’ll go over the definition of subjective vs objective and how they’re used in different types of writing.
The definition of objective vs subjective
The word objective refers to facts that are provable or verifiable. Objective statements and observations don’t include people’s personal views and preferences, known as biases.
Subjective, on the other hand, refers to personal feelings, viewpoints, opinions, and biases. Subjective statements and observations express people’s preferences as well as personal interpretations about something that happened.
An example of objective vs subjective observations
One easy way to think about objective vs subjective observations is to think about temperature.
Right now, the temperature outside my home is 63o F (17o C). This is an objective observation. Anyone with the same thermometer would be able to measure the temperature outside and come to the same conclusion. It would be very difficult to disagree about the temperature outside because it’s possible to prove the temperature over and over again. We measure temperature using a thermometer, which is an unbiased instrument. In other words, a thermometer doesn’t prefer one temperature over the other, and it’s not affected by past temperatures.
Now, for me, 63o is the perfect temperature for walking outside, running, and enjoying the outdoors. A lot of people would agree with me. But a lot of people wouldn’t. For a lot of people, 63o is too cold. Or it could even be too warm.
So, when I say something like “63o is the perfect temperature,” I’m making a subjective observation. My idea of the perfect temperature is specific to my own experiences and preferences, also known as bias. If I spent most of my life in a cooler climate, my bias would be for cooler temperatures. On the other hand, if I grew up somewhere hot, my bias might be for warmer temperatures.
Ultimately, everyone has their own bias. Some people who live in warm climates actually prefer cooler temperatures, and vice versa. So, when you think about the term “subjective,“ think “personal preference” or “personal opinion.“
Sources of objective and subjective information
Researchers and writers turn to different sources of information to help them, and it’s important to understand which information sources are subjective vs objective.
Below are common sources of objective and subjective information.
Examples of objective sources of information
- Government records
- Measurement data
- Research published in academic journals
- Health information
- Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Note that an objective source of information isn’t necessarily a reliable source of information. For example, government records may be incomplete, while measurement data can be inaccurate.
Examples of subjective sources of information
- Personal letters
- Diaries
- Blogs
- Social media posts
While the sources above are the best places to find subjective information, they can contain objective information too. For example, a blog post can quote objective information from published research.
It’s important to remember that both objective and subjective information can be valid sources. For example, journalists and historians may look through official records and personal letters to reconstruct what happened in the past.
Objective vs subjective in writing
Whether you’re writing for social media or learning to write your first book, it’s important to first understand whether you should be writing objectively or subjectively.
When writing objectively, you should stick to things that are verifiable or provable. For example, if you’re a journalist reporting on a local burglary, you should talk about where and when it happened. You might also report that the victims are upset based on a personal interview, but you shouldn’t talk about your own views on crime in your news report.
That said, everyone has their own biases, and sometimes it’s impossible to ignore them. When writing objectively, it’s important to recognize those biases and even mention them in your writing. For example, suppose that you’re a movie reviewer who hates horror movies. When writing your review, it may make sense to mention that you personally don’t like horror movies. You should still try to make objective observations about the plot, special effects, and film direction, but readers will understand that you may be introducing some bias into your objective writing.
When writing subjectively, it’s okay to add in your personal views, but subjective writing doesn’t have to mean that it’s all about you. In fact, good subjective writers mention how they think other people are feeling and why. Subjective writers also aren’t afraid to combine objective observations to explain subjective views. For example, the author of an opinion column may point to a historical event to explain why she feels strongly about a certain issue.
As you develop your own writing style, here are some common sources of objective and subjective writing:
Examples of objective writing
- Research papers
- News articles
- Scientific texts
- Instruction manuals
Examples of subjective writing
- Novels
- Short stories
- Poetry
- Opinion columns
Other uses of objective vs subjective
If you’re a writer, you may have heard of objective vs subjective being compared in grammatical terms. Let’s take the sentence:
The dog bites the boy.
Here, there are three main components of the sentence. There’s the action, or verb, which is “bites.“ Who’s doing the biting? That would be the grammatical subject, or “the dog.“ And who does the dog bite? That would be the grammatical object, which is “the boy.“ In other words, the subject performs the action, and the object receives the action.
Let’s look at another sentence:
The boy bites the dog.
Here, the verb is the same, “bites.“ But who is doing the biting now? It’s the boy, so ”the boy“ is the subject of the sentence. The dog is receiving the action now, so “the dog“ is the object of the sentence.
Objective and subjective writing are both valuable
A common mistake that people make is assuming that the objective is always better than the subjective. But that’s not true. Objective and subjective observations are simply used in different situations. Both types of observations can be true or valid.
For example, we can objectively take temperature measurements with a thermometer. But if the thermometer breaks, none of our objective measurements will be valid. At the same time, if I see you eating your favorite food, I can tell by the look on your face that you’re enjoying the food — even if I can’t objectively prove it.
So, the next time you write, think about whether you want to present facts or feelings. Then, you’ll know whether you should focus on writing objectively or subjectively.
Ready to take the next step toward becoming a better writer? Learn more about third-person writing and improve your skills in narrative writing.