WEBVTT 00:00:00.655 --> 00:00:01.688 Is it a fact, 00:00:01.688 --> 00:00:03.088 or is it an opinion? 00:00:03.248 --> 00:00:04.279 Does it matter? 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:05.461 Yes. 00:00:05.461 --> 00:00:06.513 Both are important. 00:00:06.723 --> 00:00:09.370 But knowing how to distinguish between fact and opinion 00:00:09.621 --> 00:00:12.751 can help us to better understand what we read and hear, 00:00:12.751 --> 00:00:14.665 and how we form our opinions. 00:00:15.088 --> 00:00:16.318 Let's take a look. 00:00:17.356 --> 00:00:19.970 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true. 00:00:20.472 --> 00:00:21.726 Facts are objetive, 00:00:21.726 --> 00:00:25.201 which means they are not influenced by what someone thinks or believes. 00:00:25.530 --> 00:00:28.303 A fact is indisputable and cannot be changed. 00:00:28.714 --> 00:00:30.878 Here are some key questions to identify facts. 00:00:31.294 --> 00:00:35.073 1. Can it be measured or confirmed with calculations or data? NOTE Paragraph 00:00:36.383 --> 00:00:39.395 For example, two plus two equals four. 00:00:39.680 --> 00:00:42.929 We can add the numbers and demostrate that this stament is true. 00:00:43.603 --> 00:00:46.804 2). Can it be observed? Can we see it happen? 00:00:48.607 --> 00:00:52.133 For instance, 99% of people cannot lick ther elbow. 00:00:53.183 --> 00:00:54.201 This is true. 00:00:54.201 --> 00:00:55.989 This is a fact that can be observed. 00:00:56.349 --> 00:00:57.556 Research has determined 00:00:57.556 --> 00:01:01.347 that only one out of a hundred people can successfully complete this task. 00:01:02.214 --> 00:01:05.273 3. Can it be verified by primary sources, 00:01:06.052 --> 00:01:09.667 such as research, photographs, newspapers, and other facts? 00:01:10.314 --> 00:01:11.453 Here is an example, 00:01:12.062 --> 00:01:14.080 Nintendo was started in 1889. 00:01:14.436 --> 00:01:17.564 This is a fact because it can be verifed by many sources. 00:01:17.777 --> 00:01:20.485 A man named Fusajiro Yamauchi from Japan 00:01:20.485 --> 00:01:23.786 founded Nintendo as a playing card company in 1889, 00:01:23.786 --> 00:01:26.606 and now is one of the largest gaming companies in the world. 00:01:27.178 --> 00:01:29.054 Now let's move on to opinion, 00:01:29.054 --> 00:01:31.644 which sometimes can be a little trickier. 00:01:31.986 --> 00:01:34.369 An opinion is a statement of believe or judgement. 00:01:34.846 --> 00:01:37.603 Opinions express what someone thinks or feels. 00:01:37.772 --> 00:01:39.335 An opinion can change. 00:01:39.618 --> 00:01:41.135 Let's look at some examples. 00:01:41.590 --> 00:01:43.421 Ice cream is delicious. 00:01:43.841 --> 00:01:46.108 Many people believe this but some people don't. 00:01:46.378 --> 00:01:48.747 It is a judgement, and therefore an opinion. 00:01:49.456 --> 00:01:51.492 When we evaluate something or somebody 00:01:51.492 --> 00:01:56.200 we often use adjectives such as important, beautiful fun or difficult. 00:01:56.753 --> 00:01:58.901 An adjective that allows us to judge something 00:01:58.901 --> 00:02:01.198 is a clue that a statement is an opinion. 00:02:01.935 --> 00:02:05.189 Another signal word for opinions is the word "should". 00:02:05.380 --> 00:02:06.408 Here is an example. 00:02:06.721 --> 00:02:08.915 Everyone should learn more than one language. 00:02:09.312 --> 00:02:12.567 Well, there may be many good reasons to learn more than one language, 00:02:12.750 --> 00:02:15.811 not everyone would agree about personal value of doing so. 00:02:16.624 --> 00:02:18.676 Political views are opinions. 00:02:18.935 --> 00:02:22.317 Different people have different ideas about what societie's problems are 00:02:22.317 --> 00:02:23.770 and how to best address them. 00:02:23.966 --> 00:02:26.350 Since opinion can´t be proven or disproven, 00:02:26.350 --> 00:02:28.057 there is no right or wrong answer: 00:02:28.057 --> 00:02:29.693 just different view points. 00:02:30.189 --> 00:02:32.872 While opinions may be supported by facts and evidence, 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:35.877 the issue we care about may still be up for debate. 00:02:36.317 --> 00:02:37.521 For example, I could say 00:02:37.521 --> 00:02:40.246 that going to school year-round is better for students. 00:02:40.936 --> 00:02:43.582 Now there are reasons to support this viewpoint. 00:02:43.752 --> 00:02:45.959 Some may argue that a shorter vacation period 00:02:45.959 --> 00:02:48.590 would prevent students from forgetting what they learnt, 00:02:48.590 --> 00:02:51.357 or say that students often get bored over the summer, 00:02:51.357 --> 00:02:54.635 or that other countries around the world use a year-round system. 00:02:55.283 --> 00:02:58.266 However, we cannot prove that the stament is true. 00:02:58.549 --> 00:03:01.729 There are many reasons to think that a 10 month calendar is better. 00:03:01.898 --> 00:03:04.375 You could argue that students need an extended break 00:03:04.375 --> 00:03:08.081 and they should be allowed to participate in camps or other summer activities, 00:03:08.081 --> 00:03:09.982 or that a lack of air conditioning means 00:03:09.982 --> 00:03:12.726 they shouldn't be inside a school building in the summer. 00:03:13.386 --> 00:03:15.100 If we look back at the statement, 00:03:15.100 --> 00:03:18.144 we can also identify another signal word for opinion: 00:03:18.593 --> 00:03:19.916 the word "better". 00:03:20.336 --> 00:03:24.686 When we are comparing different things or we see words like 'greatest','best' or 'better', 00:03:24.986 --> 00:03:27.933 it can suggest we are looking at an opinion statement. 00:03:28.249 --> 00:03:30.763 Another type of opinion is a prediction. 00:03:31.144 --> 00:03:34.061 Often predictions are made on experience. 00:03:34.343 --> 00:03:35.607 knowledge or research. 00:03:35.966 --> 00:03:37.839 But because they are based on the future, 00:03:38.189 --> 00:03:39.887 we can't actually verify them today. 00:03:40.236 --> 00:03:41.552 Let's look an example. 00:03:41.851 --> 00:03:45.979 Driveless cars will represent 10% of all cars in 2026. 00:03:47.028 --> 00:03:48.909 That sounds both amazing and scary. 00:03:49.225 --> 00:03:53.055 Although there are so many factors about car technology 00:03:53.288 --> 00:03:55.436 we have no way of verifying the statement today. 00:03:55.785 --> 00:03:57.666 So, it is an opinion. 00:03:57.983 --> 00:04:00.845 One thing to remember is that just because 00:04:01.563 --> 00:04:04.709 we believe something to be true, 00:04:04.975 --> 00:04:05.575 that does not make it a fact. 00:04:05.828 --> 00:04:07.318 Let's recap what we learnt. 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:11.020 A fact is a statement that can be proven to be true, 00:04:11.852 --> 00:04:14.032 Can it be measured or confirmed by data? 00:04:14.631 --> 00:04:15.414 Can it be observed? 00:04:15.763 --> 00:04:18.226 Can we verify its truth with other sources? 00:04:18.592 --> 00:04:19.942 Does it say the same? 00:04:20.492 --> 00:04:22.856 If we answer yes to one of these questions 00:04:23.422 --> 00:04:25.019 that means it is a fact. 00:04:25.753 --> 00:04:27.883 An opinion is a statement of believe and judgement 00:04:28.632 --> 00:04:29.798 that cannot be proven to be true. 00:04:30.182 --> 00:04:31.630 Does it evalute someone or something? 00:04:32.029 --> 00:04:33.111 Can we debate it? 00:04:33.444 --> 00:04:34.360 Does it make a prediction? 00:04:34.709 --> 00:04:35.742 Can it change? 00:04:36.141 --> 00:04:39.238 If you may answer 'Yes' to these questions, is an opinion. 00:04:40.171 --> 00:04:42.717 Knowing how to separate between fact and opinion, 00:04:43.134 --> 00:04:44.565 help us to understand information 00:04:45.215 --> 00:04:46.929 and shape our own beliefs about the world. 00:04:47.296 --> 00:04:51.341 Try it and see if you can use these questions 00:04:52.723 --> 00:04:53.361 and tell the difference in your own light.