Reading April 16, 2012

Turn in quizzes. Discuss Fact, Opinion, Bias

Make sure to bring your project research drafts to turn in. We will be working on identifying fact, opinion and bias in readings. Bring in two articles from the internet, a magazine, or a newspaper -- one should be fact and one opinion.

A fact is an idea that can be verified as being true. An opinion is an interpreted fact. People can and often do disagree with others’ opinions. A bias is a preference for a particular viewpoint. Bias can pervade every context, and can be influenced by biology, psychology, and experiences.

Facts can be verified. Facts are objective – not influenced by personal judgment or feelings. Facts exist separately from you and outside you. They are independent of you.

According to a study by... The research demonstrated... The results of the test showed... Scientists confirmed... The poll discovered...

Opinions cannot be verified by looking in dictionaries, newspapers or encyclopedias. Opinions have to do with the subject, as in subjective. Subjective means based on or influenced by personal beliefs, feelings or tastes. Opinions are internal – they exist within the person who holds the opinion.

The defendant claims... The author argues... My point of view is... Police suspect... Many believe...

Working in groups of two, create one statement of fact and one statement of opinion for each topic on the next slide. When you are finished, ask another group to decide which statement is fact and which is opinion.

Adjectives Qualifiers Comparatives and Superlatives

Adjectives are nouns. Many of the words that tell you when an opinion is being expressed are adjectives. abnormalbaddefinitefashionablejuvenile abstractbeautifuldifferentfinitekitschy academicbigdramatichierarchicalliberal accuratecapableenhancedhipmodern adequateclassicalexpertimmaturenormal

Not all adjectives point to opinions!! Sometimes they clarify or summarize facts.

Qualifiers may be used to express an opinion or a fact. Often they are used to limit the extent of whatever the writer is describing. Qualifiers can – Tell how often or how many – Modify the meanings of the verbs that follow – Indicate degrees of certainty, permission, and necessity

Qualifiers that tell how often or how many a feweveryneversome allfrequentlynonesometimes alwaysoftennormallyusually anynearlyrarely Qualifiers that modify or change the meanings of verbs can maymust shallshould could mighthave to willwould

Some qualifiers are absolute, such as – all, always, never, none, must, have to Statements that use absolute qualifiers are usually not true, so if you see a statement with a qualifier on a test the statement is almost always false. The absolute qualifier all is sometimes hidden; it is not in the sentence at all, even though its meaning is.

A superlative compares one thing to all other things of the same kind. Superlatives usually end with –est or have most before a word, as in most intelligent. A comparative is typically used to compare two items: better, greater, stronger, more intelligent.

Choose a partner. Compose a fact and an opinion about a movie you saw recently. Both statements must use superlatives. Compose a fact and an opinion about computer software. Both statements must use comparatives.

Expert Doctor of Orthopedic Sports Medicine Informed Opinion Athlete recovering from knee injury People on the Street Sports fans

An expert is someone who earns our trust because he or she has gained extensive education and/or experience n a field of study. People are experts only in their own fields. Expert Doctor of Orthopedic Sports Medicine

Expert Doctor of Orthopedic Sports Medicine Experts gain knowledge from other experts and from direct study or experience with facts in their field. Experts are not infallible.

Expert Doctor of Orthopedic Sports Medicine Experts can build opposing opinions or interpretations from the same factual information.

Informed Opinion Athlete recovering from knee injury People who are informed have researched or experienced something we have not and are sharing what they have learned. This category includes media people who gather and relay news to the public.

Informed Opinion Athlete recovering from knee injury People who are informed get their knowledge directly from experts, from the media, and/or from personal experience. Informed opinions are often based on fact mixed with emotional experiences.

Informed Opinion Athlete recovering from knee injury People who are informed are often credible, but they don’t have he extensive knowledge of an expert.

People on the Street Sports fans Ordinary people whose expertise is unknown are referred to as “people on the street.” These opinions may or may not be based on facts.

A bias is a preference for a particular viewpoint. When someone expresses an opinion he or she is also expressing a bias. Both opinions and biases include words that express your values: what is right and wrong.