Fact versus Opinion

1. Fact versus Opinion A Lesson Plan for Senior Composition Elizabeth O’Farrell

2. Senior Composition—Argumentation Essay Unit Tasks • Basic research • Note taking • Differentiate fact from opinion • Formulate argument • Gather evidence • Note and bibliography cards • Annotated bibliography • Argumentative Essay

3. Read three op-ed pieces on the case of Napoleon Beazley’s execution Highlight all factual material in one color, all opinion in another. Answer these three questions: 1. What is the over-arching point of view the author wants to make you believe? 2. List and explain three pieces of evidence (facts/opinions) which he uses to attempt to convince you. 3. Does it work? In other words, when you finished the piece, did you agree with the author? Why or why not? Discussion: What is the difference between facts and opinion? How, then, can we look at an opinion piece and know what is provable, what is conjecture, and what is the conclusion drawn by the author? In writing our own opinion pieces, how do we link the factual material we have gathered to the conclusions we wish the readers to reach? Fact and Opinion Exercise

4. Senior Composition Fact Versus Opinion We are working on writing an argumentative essay--that is, an essay designed to persuade the reader using logic. According to your textbook, there are two types of evidence: facts and opinions. We added two additional types of evidence to those--reasons and incidents. For the purposes of this exercise, however, we will stick with the original two types. This packet contains op-ed (opinion-editorial) pieces by two writers on the same subject. Both Bob Herbert (in the Washington Post) and R. Ted Cruz (in National Review Online) wrote about the case of Napoleon Beazley, a man convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Beyond the subject, however, Herbert and Cruz agree on almost nothing. Your task is to read all three pieces carefully. Using two highlighters, mark the pieces this way: Highlight every fact in one color and every opinion in another. Remember that a fact is something which can be independently verified or proven. In the United States, December 25 is the day on which we celebrate Christmas--fact. An opinion is a "personal view, attitude, or appraisal," according to dictionary.com. Christmas is a religious holiday which has been hijacked by the retail market and had its true meaning destroyed--opinion. Once you have finished doing your highlighting, answer the following questions for each op-ed piece on a sheet of notebook paper. Be sure to make it clear which piece you are analyzing. Questions 1. What is the over-arching point of view the author wants to make you believe? 2. List and explain three pieces of evidence (facts/opinions) which he uses to attempt to convince you. 3. Does it work? In other words, when you finished the piece, did you agree with the author? Why or why not?

5. Marked copy of Ted Cruz’s response to Bob Herbert’s op-ed piece

6. Marked copy of Bob Herbert’s First op-ed piece on the Beazley execution

7. Marked copy of Bob Herbert’s second op-ed piece on the Beazley execution

8. Student response to questions over op-ed pieces

9. Student response to questions over op-ed pieces

10. Final Thoughts and Questions • When writing argumentation, writers must know the point they are trying to prove and must keep the internal logic of the piece in mind while writing it. • If I omit an idea or a fact which strongly damages my point, I am, in effect, cheating. I need to address that idea or fact and either dismiss it or negate it.