Facts

1. Fact and Opinion: Is There
Really a Difference
Every man has a right to be wron
in his opinions.
But no man has a right to be wro
in his facts.
-Baruch, Bernard M 1870-1965
American Financier
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2. Through a
PowerPoint Workshop
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3. Let’s Get The Facts
Straight!
There is a difference between
FACT and OPINION.
Facts are statements that can be proven.
Opinions can not be proven. They are based
on someone's thoughts, their feelings and their
understanding.
Though you may be able to use facts to add
credibility to an opinion, it is still an opinion!
Though an opinion may be widely accepted, that
does not make it a fact.
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4. Let’s Get The Facts
Straight!
A fact is something that can be
proven by a
reliable authority such as:
Note : None of these authorities are fool proof, but information that they
provide is considered to be fact.
A
history book
An observation
Governmental
law
Proven
scientific law
Statistics
Mathematics
Measurements
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5. Lets Look at Some
Examples of Facts
John F. Kennedy was
President 1961-1963
History Book
The adult human body
has 206 bones
Science
56% of US gun Deaths
are suicides
Statistic
21 is the legal drinking
age in Cincinnati, OH
Governmental
Law
Fact
s
Reliable
Authority
Must Have
a
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6. More Examples of
Facts
What About Observations?
Observations are facts because they can
be proven by the senses.
Some flowers are
larger than others.
You can bring in
flowers of various
sizes
The shirt is green. You can bring in the
shirt so that the color
can be seen
Fact How it is
Provable
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7. Getting the Facts on
Facts
Some facts change over time.
For example:
It was once considered to be a fact that the world was flat.
We believed that those traveling too far in either direction could
literally fall off!
Because new things are being discovered everyday,
reliable authorities are sometimes forced to alter
what we all once considered to be facts.
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8. Lets Look at Some
Examples of Opinions
John F. Kennedy was an President.
the adult human body has more
bones than
that the US suicide rate will decrease
soon.
for the legal drinking age to be 21.
Here are some of the same topics that we saw as facts.
Can you figure out how they were changed to opinions?
excellent
Apparently,
It is unfair
It is likely
necessary.
All of these
words are hints
that there is an
opinion present.
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9. Types of Opinions
There are Several
Types of Opinions:
 Hypothesis Statements
 Theory Statements
 Assumptive Statements
 Value Statements
 Exaggerated Statements
Lets Take a Quick Look at all
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10. A Hypothesis is an assumption
made in an attempt to explain an
observation. Though an
Observation is a Fact, a
Hypothesis is an Opinion.
Some flowers are larger than others
because they are in more fertile soil.
This hypothesis would have to be further investigated
and scientifically proven to be considered a fact.
For Example, if I were to elaborate on a previous observation and
say:
Types of Opinions:
Statements of
Hypothesis
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11.  The Theory of Relativity.
 The Evolutionary Theory.
Types of Opinions:
Statements of Theory
A theory is an opinion that is a
widely believed explanation for a
group of observations. Here
are two well known examples:
Though many scientists believe that these
theories are true, we still consider them to be
opinions rather than facts because they have
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12. If Hillary Clinton ran for President she would
definitely win.
The war in Iraq will eventually cost the US all of
its allies.
When that new movie comes out it will definitely
be at the top of the charts!
Types of Opinions:
Statements of
Assumption
An assumptive statement is an
opinion that is an improvable
prediction. Here are three
examples
Though these are stated as though they are
true, they are only assumptive opinions.
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13. Colin Powell is an excellent candidate for president.
The use of animals in lab testing is cruel and must
be stopped.
The Bahamas is the most beautiful place on Earth.
Types of Opinions:
Statements of Value
A value statement is any claim
that is based on someone's
beliefs. Here are three
examples
Value Statements are often opinions attempting to
sway the reader to a certain belief.
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14. There were millions of people rioting on
the streets of down town Cincinnati.
The president has not made one good
decision since he has been in office!
Types of Opinions:
Statements of
Exaggeration
An exaggerated statement is one
that embellishes the facts,
often to sway the reader. Here
are two examples
Writers often use exaggeration to make their point
more clear. They are still opinions.
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15. Opinions: Words To Look
Out For
There are Certain Words that will Warn You that
You are Being Given an Opinion and
Not a Fact!
Perhaps
Apparently
Experts Agree
Necessary
Best / Worst
Successful
Maybe
Probably
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16. Getting the Facts
About Opinions
An opinion is not necessarily wrong, it is merely
not a provable fact.
For example:
“Bridgett is a very beautiful young lady.”
Even if everyone agreed with this statement, it
is still an opinion because it is not provable.
Beauty is relative.
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17. Keeping Your Facts
Straight
Do you think that you can separate facts from opinions?
The next slide will have five
statements. Decide whether each
statement is a fact, or an opinion.
Write down you answers on a
separate sheet of paper.
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18. The best way to choose a spouse is
based on brains, not beauty.
The car probably stopped running
because it ran out of gas.
The Learning Center is in the
Educational Services Building.
If I were to go on to receive my
Bachelors, I would not be successful.
There are 121 prescription drugs
Keeping Your Facts
Straight
Separate the facts from the opinions.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
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19. Keeping Your Facts
Straight
How well did you do?
The best way
to choose a
spouse is
based on
brains, not
beauty.
-Opinion: value
statement
The car
probably
stopped
running
because it ran
out of gas.
-Opinion: hypothesis
The Learning
Center is in
the
Educational
Services
Building. -
Fact
If I were to
go on to
receive my
Bachelors, I
would not be
successful.
-Opinion:
Assumption
There are 121 prescription drugs
that come from plants.
-Fact
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20. Need more help
Separating Facts from
Opinions?
Visit Us on Campus
at:
The Learning Center
Room 100
Educational Services
Building
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