fact or opinion?: how to tell
It's not always easy to separate fact from opinion, especially considering that all opinion is originally derived from fact.
When attempting to determine whether the information you are reading is biased, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the information presented in an emotionally charged manner?
- Have any counter-arguments or alternate explanations been discussed, or at least acknowledged?
- Has any evidence been included to support the claims made by the author?
- Is this evidence verifiable?
- Has the information been distorted or suppressed in order to force the reader towards a particular conclusion?
As a reader, you should always be aware of your own personal bias as well, as it may prevent you from accepting the arguments of others with an open mind. It is critical that you be able to accept valid, and reliable evidence that may contradict your preferred understandings, so being able to recognize and filter out your own initial preconceptions is also very important.
