objectivity

1. The state or quality of being objective.
2. External or material reality.

Freedom from subjective valuation and bias in making an accounting decision. Objectivity applies to a measurement having supporting evidence. Verifiability exists in that two accountants working independently of each other will come up with similar answers. An example of objectivity is recognizing revenue at time of sale because it emanates from an independent external transaction.

noun

The quality or state of being just and unbiased: detachment, disinterest, disinterestedness, dispassion, dispassionateness, equitableness, fair-mindedness, fairness, impartiality, impartialness, justice, justness, nonpartisanship, objectiveness. See fair/unfair.

Definition: impartiality
Antonyms: bias, prejudice, subjectivity

The quality of being free from personal bias. Objectivity is the aspect of measuring and testing related to the extent to which two observers achieve the same results independently. An experimental procedure is said to have objectivity if it is not influenced by the views and perceptions of the experimenter, and is a true reflection of reality. Knowledge gained from such procedures should have validity, reliability, and be free from bias. The subdisciplines of sports science all have working criteria of objectivity, which they aim to fulfil. Many philosophers, however, maintain that strict objectivity is an unattainable goal and that all views of reality are to some extent influenced by the perceptions of the observer.

A quality in writing characterized by the absence of the author's opinion or feeling about the subject matter. Objectivity is an important factor in criticism. The novels of Henry James and, to a certain extent, the poems of John Larkin demonstrate objectivity, and it is central to John Keats's concept of "negative capability". Critical and journalistic writing usually are or attempt to be objective.