Supporting Details

1. Supporting Details Are those Facts or Opinions? why Should readers care?

3. What is a __________ ? • A fact is an objective statement that can be proved (verified) by research, observation, and/or measurement/assessment. • Objective means impartial, detached, neutral, unbiased. • Facts are either true or false. • Facts are universal and objective: anyone can prove or disprove a fact. • Here are some examples:

4. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865. • We can verify this through research. It is a true fact.

5. The house is green. • We can verify this through observation. It may or may not be green. But upon observation, we can prove that it is true or false.

6. This room is 17 feet by 20 feet. • We can verify this statement by measuring the room with a tape measure. The measurement may or may not be correct. However, upon measurement, we can prove that it is true or false.

7. Valencia Community College was built in 1951. • If we research this statement, we will find that this statement is false. Therefore, it is a false fact.

8. What is an opinion? • An opinion is a subjective statement. • Subjective means personal, individual, idiosyncratic. • Thus, subjective statements are interpretations of the world and experiences.

9. Where do opinions come from? Opinions are based on often assumptions that come from subjective and local (specific culture, family, etc.) experiences. Most of these assumptions are unexamined, that is we are often not aware of the source of our opinions. For example, let’s looking at a famous painting.

10. Jackson Pollack Painting

11. President Obama’s Reaction: “That’s Boring!”

12. Young Student’s Reaction: “That’s Confusing!”

13. Older Student’s Reaction: Intriguing!

14. Is that painting boring, confusing, or intriguing? Well, that depends on the individual’s perspective. Therefore, all of the evaluations, interpretations of Jackson’ Pollack’s painting are opinions!

15. In looking at a painting, one viewer may say, “That’s beautiful” but another viewer may say, “That’s ugly.” • Concepts of beauty are consequences of family, educational, and cultural environments. • Thus, a person’s ideas about what is beautiful and what is ugly are specific to his/her particular experiences. • We cannot prove that his/her assessment of the beauty of something is right or wrong.

16. Contrary to Fact Statements are Opinions • Mitt Romney: ‘If I was Latino, I’d have a better shot at winning this [election].’ • “Lincoln’s assassination could have been foreseen by his bodyguards.” • We cannot prove something that is contradicted by the facts. We can only verify what is or was: • Mitt Romney is not Latino. Who knows what effect a change in his cultural identity would have on chances of winning the future election? • Lincoln’s bodyguards didn’t suspect he would be assassinated since they allowed him to go to the theater without any security guards.

17. Predictions about the Future are Opinions • Remodeling the kitchen will raise Maria’s profits when she sells her house. • We cannot prove anything about the future.

18. “Seem” and “appear,” especially when followed by “to me,” indicate personal opinion. • This room seems uncomfortable to me. • It seems to me that the test was too difficult. • “From the tire tracks, the car appears to have been speeding at the time of the accident,” said the investigator.

19. Obama’s health care plan is unfair. • What does “unfair” mean? • To whom? • In what way?

20. Expressions that signal a writer is giving an opinion: • apparently, • one explanation is. . . .another explanation is • (if there is more than one explanation and none can be proven true or false, then the explanations are opinions.) • it is likely that, • it is believed that, • this suggests that  • presumably, • according to, • seemingly, • in my view, • possibly, • in my opinion • in X’s opinion • may/might

21. Competing Explanations = Opinions The fact that hot water freezes faster than cold has been known for many centuries.  The earliest reference to this phenomenon dates back to Aristotle in 300 B.C.  The phenomenon was later discussed in the medieval era, as European physicists struggled to come up with a theory of heat.  But by the 20th century the phenomenon was only known as common folklore, until it was reintroduced to the scientific community in 1969 by Mpemba, a Tanzanian high school student.  Since then, numerous experiments have confirmed the existence of the "Mpemba effect", but have not settled on any single explanation. One explanationof the effect is that as the hot water cools, it loses mass to evaporation. Another explanationargues that the dissolved gas usually present in water is expelled from the initially hot water, and that this changes the properties of the water in some way that explains the effect.  (retrieved from http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html#History 2010) 

22. Competing Explanations = Opinions Déjàvurefers to a state wherein a person feels certain (cognitive judgment) that he or she has previously seen or experienced something that is actually being encountered for the first time. Sigmund Freud believed the feeling corresponded to the memory of an unconscious daydream. One explanation is that we are recognising a place or a person/soul from a previous life. Another explanation, relating to a specific moment, is that we are remembering the time before we incarnated and we were planning this life. It feels like we are reliving the moment because we have already experienced it in a manner of speaking. (retrieved from http://ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100306050830AApgStQ 2010)

23. Beliefs = Opinions English is a member of the Germanic group of languages. It is believed that this group of languages began as a common language in the Elbe River area about 3,000 years ago. By the second century, this common language had split into three subgroups: East German, North Germanic, and West Germanic. (retrieved from http://www.anglik.net/englishlanguagehistory.htm 2010)

24. Levels of Opinions • An Expert opinion is an explanation, interpretation, conclusion, points of view, and/or opinion given by someone who is considered an authority or professional because of his/her education, training, or skill in a particular field of knowledge. Scientists, doctors, engineers, mathematicians, accountants, and educators are examples professionals often called on to give opinions. • The doctor said, “your symptoms suggest an infection.” • A highly informed opinion is an explanation, interpretation, conclusion, points of view, and/or opinion given by someone who has done a great deal of research into the instant topic but is not a recognized authority or professional on that topic, for example a college student’s interpretation of a political issue after s/he has thoroughly that topic. • The student said, “my reading of recent research indicates that global warming is a threat to Florida. • An informed opinion is an explanation, interpretation, conclusion, points of view, and/or opinion given by someone who has done some very basic research on a particular topic, such as a citizen’s evaluation of a tax increase after s/he has read the bill. • Based on my calculations, your tax reforms are going to raise my taxes to unsustainable levels. • An uninformed opinion is an explanation, interpretation, conclusion, points of view, and/or opinion given by someone who knows nothing about or does not understand the topic on which s/he is giving an opinion. The uninformed opinion is often based on emotion (often fear). • Science education is a waste of money because all we need to know is in the newspaper.

25. Let’s Practice Read each of the following statements/passages and determine whether each statement is facts or opinions OR

26. Fact or Opinion? 1. Cancer can be controlled through two complementary routes: prevention - reducing exposure to cancer-causing chemicals such as tobacco, environmental carcinogens, and harmful dietary components, and chemoprotection - increasing the body's defense system against carcinogens.

27. 1. Cancer can be controlled through two complementary routes: prevention - Reducing exposure to cancer-causing chemicals such as tobacco, environmental carcinogens, and harmful dietary components, and chemoprotection - increasing the body's defense system against carcinogens.

28. Fact or Opinion? 2. Cells in the body contain a family of detoxification enzymes (Phase 2 enzymes) that neutralize cancer-causing chemicals as well as free radicals before they damage DNA and initiate cancer.

29. 2. Cells in the body contain a family of detoxification enzymes (Phase 2 enzymes) that neutralize cancer-causing chemicals as well as free radicals before they damage DNA and initiate cancer.

30. Fact or Opinion? 3. A diet rich in antioxidants helps the cells in fighting the harmful effects of free radicals.

31. 3. A diet rich in antioxidants helps the cells in fighting the harmful effects of free radicals.

32. Fact or Opinion? 4. Health experts agree there is compelling scientific evidence that consumption of vegetables and fruits helps to reduce the risk of some cancers.

33. 4. Health experts agree there is compelling scientific evidence that consumption of vegetables and fruits helps to reduce the risk of some cancers. It’s a fact – we can prove whether or not experts agree about the quality of scientific evidence.

34. Fact or Opinion? 5.The chemoprotective effect of vegetables from the Brassica family, such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale, are particularly well documented through research.

35. 5.The chemoprotective effect of vegetables from the Brassica family, such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale, are particularly well documented through research. It’s a fact-we can prove the quantity and thoroughness of the research into the effects of these vegetables.

36. Fact or Opinion? 6. Through pioneering research, medical investigators worldwide are beginning to unravel the mysteries of how diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of cancer.

37. 6. Through pioneering research, medical investigators worldwide are beginning to unravel the mysteries of how diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of cancer. • It’s a fact! We can prove whether or not the research is original, worldwide, and focused on finding out the relationship between diet and cancer.

38. Fact or Opinion? 7. One explanation is that plants are rich sources of naturally protective substances called phytochemicals.

39. 7. One explanation is that plants are rich sources of naturally protective substances called phytochemicals. • “one explanation” implies that there are other explanations, which means that no one can prove one explanation right and the others wrong.

40. Fact or Opinion? 8. Plant phytochemicals number in the thousands; however only a small number of them have been identified and their mechanisms of action studied, including Allicin in garlic; Isoflavones in soybeans; Lycopene in tomatoes; Flavanoids in green and black teas; sulforaphaneglucosinolate (SGS) in broccoli and broccoli sprouts; Carotenoids in carrots; Lignans in flax seed

41. 8. Plant phytochemicals number in the thousands; however only a small number of them have been identified and their mechanisms of action studied, including Allicin in garlic; Isoflavones in soybeans; Lycopene in tomatoes; Flavanoids in green and black teas; sulforaphaneglucosinolate (SGS) in broccoli and broccoli sprouts; Carotenoids in carrots; Lignans in flax seed

42. Fact or Opinion? 9. Everyone should eat more vegetables because eating vegetables will reduce his/her chances of getting cancer.

43. Everyone should eat more vegetables because eating vegetables will reduce his/her chances of getting cancer. It’s an opinion – “statements with “should” and “ought” are opinions.

44. Fact or Opinion? 10. School cafeterias are trying to offer more vegetables into students’ lunch menus.

45. School cafeterias are trying to offer more vegetables into students’ lunch menus. It’s a fact – we can prove whether or not lunch menus are providing more vegetables.

46. Facts and/or Opinions? 1Samuel Cox, an actuary, evaluated the competing healthcare plans offered by Obama and McCain. 2His assessment provides mixed reviews. 3Most Americans with health insurance get it through an employer and those folks are relatively happy with it. 4Employers are not happy with it generally and would like to get away from providing it. 5The government allows companies to deduct health care expenses from income and does not count the cost of health benefits as income to the employee. 6In effect it is a way of paying employees tax free income, as long as it goes to heath care. 7(Originally this was a way to work around the WWII freeze on ordinary wages.) 8McCain's proposal does away with this setup, making the heath care benefit taxable income. 9On average, that is $12,000 per year for a family of four.10If a family continues in an employer program, it will pay an additional tax. 11If they are in the 25% bracket (say $75,000 income), then they will pay an additional $3,000 in taxes. 12An individual in an employer plan with health benefits of about $6,000 so will pay an additional $1,500 in taxes.

47. and 1Samuel Cox, an actuary, evaluated the competing healthcare plans offered by Obama and McCain. 2His assessment provides mixed reviews of the plans. 3Most Americans with health insurance get it through an employer and those folks are relatively happy with it. 4Employers are not happy with it generally and would like to get away from providing it. 5The government allows companies to deduct health care expenses from income and does not count the cost of health benefits as income to the employee. 6In effect it is a way of paying employees tax free income, as long as it goes to heath care. 7(Originally this was a way to work around the WWII freeze on ordinary wages.) 8McCain's proposal does away with this setup, making the heath care benefit taxable income. 9On average, that is $12,000 per year for a family of four.10If a family continues in an employer program, it will pay an additional tax. 11If they are in the 25% bracket (say $75,000 income), then they will pay an additional $3,000 in taxes. 12An individual in an employer plan with health benefits of about $6,000 so will pay an additional $1,500 in taxes.

48. Facts and/or Opinions? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants to turn Medicare into a voucher system and President Barack Obama hopes that fact alone will help him win votes among senior citizens and baby boomers.

49. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants to turn Medicare into a voucher system and President Barack Obama hopes that fact alone will help him win votes among senior citizens and baby boomers. • (we can verify what Mitt Romney wants and what President Obama hopes.)

50. Facts and/or Opinions? While we're awash in debate about the future direction of our country, there should be no question that education and the long-term success of young people must be a top priority. With just three out of four teenagers graduating high school on time, and an unemployment rate for dropouts ranging from 15 to 40 percent depending on their age and location, we need no further proof that education is the antidote for a struggling economy. Our nation's future will be determined by whether the next generation can support themselves. The harsh reality is that too many Americans today simply don't have the education and workforce training necessary to do that.