Fact vs.

Opinion

Before we can critique sources, we must first understand the difference between fact and
opinion.

Fact Opinion
An opinion is a statement of belief which may or
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or
may not be backed up by facts, but cannot be
false.
proven true or false.
Is objective Is subjective
Is discovered Is created
States reality Interprets reality
Can be verified Cannot be verified

How do you know if what you are reading is factually accurate?

 Check the date of publication

 Supporting Sources
 Check the references/citations
 Use sources you know to be authoritative
 Check for bias
 Criticize your sources

Objective vs. Subjective

 Objective information reviews many points of view. It is intended to be unbiased.

News reporters are supposed to be objective and report the facts of an event.
Encyclopedias and other reference materials provide objective information.

Example: "99% of U.S households have at least one TV set."

 Subjective information is one person's opinion. In a newspaper, the editorial section

is the place for subjectivity. It can be based on fact, but it is one person's interpretation
of that fact. In this way, subjective information is also analytical.

Example: "It is clear that even though many people are poor, television is more
important than anything else."