Facts Opinion What is a fact Is something

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Facts & Opinion

Facts & Opinion

What is a ‘fact’? Is something that can be verified and backed up with

What is a ‘fact’? Is something that can be verified and backed up with evidence “FC Barcelona Star Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Footballer of the Year. ” This can be checked and verified by looking at the FIFA records “Female hair grows more slowly than male hair. ” This can be checked and verified by looking a scientific research carried out on hair. Facts are often used in conjunction with research or study.

What is an ‘opinion’? An opinion is based on a belief or a view.

What is an ‘opinion’? An opinion is based on a belief or a view. “Wayne Rooney is the best footballer in the world” This cannot be verified, as it is not based on evidence Are there other players in the world who are better than him? “Blondes have more fun than brunettes” Again this cannot be verified, as there is no evidence to back it up. Opinions can be found in various types of writing such as newspapers. A reader may write in with an opinion and another may write in and disagree. E. g. “ 24 hour drinking (For and Against)”

Distinguishing between Fact and Opinion Look at the language. Language helps us to decide

Distinguishing between Fact and Opinion Look at the language. Language helps us to decide whether a statement can be backed up with evidence and verified in some way. Or whether the statement is someone's point of view, judgement or belief.

Examples of the language we use to express facts This review has demonstrated. .

Examples of the language we use to express facts This review has demonstrated. . . . According to the results of the latest poll. . . The latest findings confirm. . . Researchers have recently discovered. . . HINT: Look at the key words used to express facts: discovered, demonstrated, according, confirm

Examples of the language we use to express opinion • The company claims that.

Examples of the language we use to express opinion • The company claims that. . . • The research team argues that. . . • In Professor Donald's view. . . • Most experts in this field suspect that. . . HINT: Look at the key words used to express opinion: claims, argues, view, suspect.

Remember Facts and opinions can be manipulated. Opinions can be presented as facts, simply

Remember Facts and opinions can be manipulated. Opinions can be presented as facts, simply by using the language of facts to present them. "Recent statements made by the council confirm that most residents do not want a further expansion of the one-way system of streets. " • Although facts are expressed in the language in the above statement, there is very little evidence to back it up. The council may have made statements about increasing the number of one-way streets, but this does not mean that local residents were surveyed and their responses recorded in any way.

In Conclusion… • A fact is something that can be verified and backed up

In Conclusion… • A fact is something that can be verified and backed up with evidence. • An opinion is based on a belief or a view.