College Composition / Unit 22 CMP 0537 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Facts, Inferences and Opinions
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The idea
Evaluating a source includes telling apart its facts, the inferences it draws from them, and its opinions.
In practice
"Enrollment fell by a fifth" is a fact; "families are losing confidence in college" is an inference; "college is no longer worth it" is an opinion.
Where people slip
A source that presents opinions as if they were facts is less trustworthy, however confident it sounds.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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