© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Appendix A: Fact and Opinion The Skilled Reader (Updated Edition) by D. J. Henry PowerPoint Presentation by Gretchen Starks-Martin St. Cloud State University, MN

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Fact and Opinion  A fact is a specific detail that is true based on objective proof.  An opinion is an interpretation, value judgment, or belief that cannot be proved or disproved. An opinion is created.  Objective proof can be physical evidence, an eyewitness account, and the conclusion arrived at by an accepted scientific method.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Traits of Fact and Opinion  Facts Objective (not personal) State reality Are discovered Can be verified Are presented with unbiased words  Opinions Subjective (personal) Interpret reality Are created Cannot be verified Are presented with biased words.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers FACT Lance Armstrong has competed in the Olympics twice, won the Tour De France four times, and overcome cancer.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Opinion Lance Armstrong is a fearless champion.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Ask These Questions  Can the statement be proved or demonstrated to be true?  Can the statement be observed in practice or operation?  Can the statement be verified by witnesses, manuscripts, or documents?

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Fact or Opinion? _____The blue whale has been listed as an endangered species for over twenty years. _____Fast food restaurants serve mouth- watering food.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers __F___The blue whale has been listed as an endangered species for over twenty years. (this can be verified by research.) __O__Fast food restaurants serve mouth- watering food. (Whether a food is “mouth- watering” is a matter of personal taste.)

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Some Biased Words to Identify Opinions  Amazing  Awful  Bad  Beautiful  Best  Better  Disgusting  Exciting  Favorite  Frightful  Fun  Good  Great  Greatest  Handsome  Horrible  More  Most  Smart  Stupid  Unbelievable  Ugly  Very

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Qualifiers to Identify Opinions  All  Always  Appear  Believe  Could  Every  Has/have to  It is believed  May  Might  Must  Never  Often  Only  Ought to  Possibly, possible  Probably, probable  Seem  Should  Sometimes  Think  Usually

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers A statement can be both fact and opinion.  Because walking in high heels strains the back and knees, women should never wear high-heels.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Beware of False Facts  Lightening never strikes twice in the same place.  Bats are blind.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Beware of Opinions Sounding Like Facts  The truth of the matter is that I never laughed so hard in my life.  Cats are agile animals; in fact, when they are falling, their movements are always graceful.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Fact, Opinion, or Fact & Opinion? ____A snake’s skin is dry and smooth. ____The television comedy Seinfeld has won numerous awards; in fact, it is the greatest television comedy of all times.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Fact, Opinion, or Fact & Opinion? __F__A snake’s skin is dry and smooth. _F & O_The television comedy Seinfeld has won numerous awards; in fact, it is the greatest television comedy of all times.

© 2005 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Try your skill in recognizing fact and opinion from the exercises in Appendix A.