DISTINGUISHING FACT FROM OPINION

FACT
A fact is a statement of actuality or occurrence which is based on direct evidence, actual experience, or observation. A statement of fact describes the world without interpreting it. To test whether a fact is accurate or not, you can observe or make an experiment.

Examples of Fact
The Nile is the longest river in the world. Jakarta has 7.500.000 population. UKI is an Indonesian private university. Pollution can kill fish and plants that live in rivers. English is the most interesting language in the world.

OPINION
An opinion is a statement that expresses an attitude, a belief, or a point of view. It reveals an authors personal feelings, beliefs, attitudes, or judgments on a particular subject. It tells you not only what was seen but how it was seen by the author as well. Since opinions depend on the personal experience, history, culture, and training of the people who hold them, though they are sometimes supported by facts, they cannot be judged true or false, right or wrong.

Examples of Opinion
The Nile is the most beautiful river in the world. Teenagers are too moody to be trusted. Young people think theyll live forever and cant be hurt. Monas is the most wonderful tower in Asia.

FACTS Vs OPINION
FACT things that are true or proven employ more concrete words and phrases, i.e. those referring to things that can be seen, touched or measured, such as book, cup, chair, red, ten tons, five meters, and ten minutes OPINION what someone believes or thinks, not necessarily truth rely more on abstract words or phrases (words that refer to things that cannot be seen, touched or measured, such as freedom, justice, kindness, health, and happiness) Statements of opinion use words that make value judgments, like excellent, good, significant, poor, superior, or inferior or phrases like I would suggest, It would seem possible, It seems, and I believe.

Facts and Opinions

Fact Objective States reality Can be verified Presented with unbiased words
Spinach is a form of iron.

Opinion Subjective Interprets reality Can NOT be verified Presented with value words
Spinach tastes awful.

BLEND OF FACT & OPINION

Many statement use words or phrases that belong to both concrete and abstract language. Such statement is a blend of fact and opinion. Example: An extraordinary and imaginative film, Steven Spielbergs Jurassic Park earned several million dollars in the first weekend of its American debut. Because of a newly formed and largely incompetent national weather service, Mentawai island, West Sumatera was practically destroyed in a horrifying tsunami that left thousands dead.

JUSTIFIED OPINION
A justified opinion is the one supported by a number of convincing facts. It is worthy of ones serious consideration and could be take to enrich his knowledge. Unjustified opinions lack of factual support. To take them seriously, one needs to do further reading on the subject.

Identify the underlined portion as fact or opinion

1. More and more women are deciding to give birth to their children at home. A hospital, after all, is not the best place for a baby to be born. 2. More and more women are deciding to give birth to their children at home. A hospital, after all, is not the best place for a baby to be born. 3. The national coal strike, now into its seventh week, has caused untold hardships on the miners, their families, and the rest of the winter-weary nation. 4. Lionel Messi, world famous football player, scored three goals in the game between Barcelona vs. Arsenal last week.

F O F F