What is the Difference Between Fact and Opinion?

Master readers must sort fact from opinion to properly understand and evaluate the information they are reading.

A fact is a specific detail that is true based on objective proof. A fact is discovered.

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, or the result of an accepted scientific method. Most people’s points of view and beliefs are based on a blend of fact and opinion.

Separating fact from opinion requires you to think critically because opinion is often presented as fact. The following clues will help you separate fact from opinion.

Recognizing Fact and Opinion

Fact: a specific detail that is true based on objective proof such as physical evidence, an eyewitness account, or the result of an accepted scientific method. Example: Kanye West was born June 8, 1977.

Opinion: an interpretation, value judgment, or belief that cannot be proved or disproved. Opinions often include biased words (beautiful, miserable, exciting, frightful).

Example 1

Kanye West is superior to all other hip-hop artists.

To test whether a statement is a fact, ask these three questions:
—Can the statement be proved or demonstrated to be true?
—Can the statement be observed in practice or operation?
—Can the statement by verified by witnesses, manuscripts, or documents?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, the statement is not a fact. Instead, it is an opinion. With that being said, many statements blend both fact and opinion.

Example 2

Kanye West, the best hip-hop artist around, was born June 8, 1977.

This statement has both a fact and opinion. If you don’t have both options as one answer choice on a test, then choose opinion.

There are various ‘levels’ of opinions:

An informed opinion is developed by gathering and analyzing evidence.

Example: a news reporter writing an editorial about a political candidate and why we should vote for him or her.

An expert opinion is developed through much training and extensive knowledge in a given field.

Example: a doctor giving a patient advice about diet and exercise

Beware! Expert and informed opinions may sound factual, but they still are OPINIONS!

Ask Questions to Identify Facts

To test whether a statement is a fact, ask these three questions:

• Can the statement be proved or demonstrated to be true?
• Can the statement be observed in practice or operation?
• Can the statement by verified by witnesses, manuscripts, or documents?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, the statement is not a fact. Instead, it is an opinion. With that being said, many statements blend both fact and opinion.

Note: Biased Words to Identify Opinions

Be aware of biased words, words that express opinions, value judgments, and interpretations. They are often loaded with emotion.

• amazing
• awful
• bad
• beautiful
• best
• better
• disgusting
• exciting
• favorite
• frightful
• fun
• good
• great
• greatest
• handsome
• horrible
• miserable
• more
• most
• smart
• stupid
• unbelievable
• very

Note Qualifiers to Identify Opinions

• Be on the lookout for words that qualify an idea.

• A qualifier may express an absolute, unwavering opinion using words like always or never.

• It can also express an opinion in the form of a command as in must, or the desirability of an action with a word like should.

• Qualifiers may indicate different degrees of doubt with words such as seems or might.

Words that Qualify Ideas

Think Carefully About Supposed “Facts”

Be aware of false facts, or statements presented as facts that are actually untrue. Sometimes authors mislead the reader with a false impression of the facts. Ex: political and commercial advertisements. Sometimes an author deliberately presents false information.Be aware of opinions that sound like facts. Facts are specific details that can be researched and verified as true. However, opinions may be introduced with phrases like in truth, the truth of the matter, or in fact.

Example: In truth, reproductive cloning is expensive and highly inefficient.

Reading Critically: Evaluate Details as Fact or Opinion in Context

• Because the printed word seems to give authority to an idea, many of us accept what we read as fact. However, much of what is published is actually opinion.
• Master readers questions what they read.
• Reading critically is noting the use of fact and opinion in the context of a paragraph or passage, the author, and the type of source in which the passage is printed.

Evaluate the Context of the Author

Even though opinions can’t be proved true like facts can, many opinions are still sound and valuable. To judge the accuracy of the opinion, you must consider the source; the author of the opinion.

• Authors offer two types of valid opinions: informed opinions and expert opinion.
• An author develops an informed opinion by gathering and analyzing evidence.
• An author develops an expert opinion though much training and extensive knowledge in a given field.

Evaluate the Context of the Source

• Often people turn to factual sources to find the factual details needed to form informed opinions and expert opinions.
• A medical dictionary, an English handbook, and a world atlas are a few excellent examples of factual sources.

Reading a Textbook: The Use of Graphics, Fact, and Opinion in a Textbook

Most textbook authors are careful to present only ideas based on observation, research, and expert opinion. Textbook authors often use pictures, drawings, or graphics to make the relationship between the main idea and supporting details clear. Master readers must carefully analyze these graphics in order to discern facts from opinion as they are interpreted.

Watch this video to see more examples of facts and opinions:

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Content adapted from an open course from Broward, licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.