How to Form an Educated Opinion in American

How to Form an Educated Opinion in American Politics

Examples of Personal Opinions + How Opinions are Stated • Statements beginning with “I prefer”, “I think”, “I feel”, “I believe”, “In my opinion, ” all showcase someone’s personal opinion on a topic. • People can have personal opinions about anything and everything. • Favorite food • Favorite movies • Favorite pet • Favorite music

Opinions in Politics • Opinions in American politics are an incredibly touchy subject in modern society. • Most Americans formulate their personal political opinions by the way they are raised, who their friends/family are, where they live, and other external factors. • Many Americans also form their opinion by referencing the political spectrum and classify themselves to fall somewhere on that political spectrum with their opinion.

How Can Opinions Be Properly Formed? • Individuals can choose to form their opinions amongst many factors, however when forming opinions on political subjects/topics, it’s best to form an educated opinion for yourself. • An educated opinion is created by reading/educating yourself on the material that supports your opinion. • Individuals can also form opinions by educating themselves on material that they are not in support of.

Examples of how to form an educated opinion • Receiving your news from MULTIPLE sources is important when forming an opinion. • Avoid watching/reading just one news source. • Fact check the information that you see online that does not come from a validated source. • Review a News Bias chart to engage with multiple news sources that are both liberal and conservative to see both sides of differing opinions.

News Bias Chart

• Arguments aren’t always the right tactic to resort to but can sometimes be useful when getting your opinion across TASTEFULLY. • When having a disagreement with someone about a political subject, having an educated opinion can get you much further than someone who doesn’t understand what they’re speaking on. The Art of Argument • Remember to be patient when speaking with someone who has a different point of view than you. It’s important to remember that people are entitled to their own opinions! But it’s up to you to be patient and charismatic, then speak on your opinion the right way, with supportive sources.

But…why are opinions formed? • Opinions are formed simply because not everyone always agrees with one another…and that’s FINE! • America is great because we are ALL entitled to our own opinions!