What is "parti pris"

n. A bias or preconceived opinion.

n. an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence; "he did not even try to confirm his preconceptions" [syn: preconception, prepossession, preconceived opinion, preconceived idea, preconceived notion]

A parti or parti pris comes from the French prendre parti meaning "to make a decision". Often referred to as the big idea, it is the chief organizing thought or decision behind an architect's design presented in the form of a basic diagram and / or a simple statement. The development of the parti frequently, but not always, precedes the development of plan, section, and elevation diagrams.

In a figurative way parti pris is used when a researcher starts with a preconceived opinion to prove that this opinion is true.