1. Fact and Opinion: Is There Really a Difference Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions. But no man has a right to be wrong in his facts. - Bernard M Baruch American Financier 1870-1965

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

5. Lets Look at Some Examples of Facts Facts must have a reliable authority 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

6. More Examples of Facts What About Observations? Observations are facts because they can be proven by the senses. Fact How it is Provable 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

8. Lets Look at Some Examples of Opinions Here are some of the same topics that we saw as facts. Can you figure out how they were changed to opinions? excellent Apparently, John F. Kennedy was an President. the adult human body has more bones than necessary It is likely that the US suicide rate will decrease soon. It is unfair for the legal drinking age to be 21.

10. Types of Opinions: Statements of Hypothesis 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:

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

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.

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 Mac lab is in Blodgett Hall. - 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

20. The End