Transcript Distinguishing Types of Information

Distinguishing
Types of Information
English 102: Argumentation
Becky Cooper
Adapted from Taking Sides: Clashing Views on
Controversial Psychological Issues, 6th ed. by
Joseph Rubinstein and Brent Slife and Elements of
Argument by Annette T. Rottenberg, 6th ed.
To address issues constructively,
we must examine the evidence
before drawing conclusions.
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Distinguish between fact and
opinion
Distinguish between evidence
based on data and evidence
based on values
Important Terms
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Fact
Opinion
Values
Hypothesis
Data
Evidence
Conclusions
Fact: information that we accept
because it is widely agreed to
be true or can be verified
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New facts change old facts.
Consensus changes facts.
Opinion: a judgment made by an
individual who interprets the data
in terms of his or her personal
experience and knowledge
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Don’t confuse opinions with
objective evidence that can
be measured or observed.
Some opinions are more
valuable than others.
Values: ideas held by an individual
or group about the way things
ought to be; ideas that act as
standards for judging what is right
or wrong, worthwhile or worthless,
beautiful or ugly, good or bad
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Certain values have a greater personal
and social impact than others.
Pairs of values collide both within and
between individuals.
Values Assumptions:
unstated assertions about
values priorities
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A writer’s unstated values
priorities will largely determine
her conclusion (claim) and how
she chooses to support it.
Hypothesis: a statement of how
at least two events or conditions
may be related
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Hypotheses are guesses.
The purpose of a hypothesis is to make clear
what events or conditions must be investigated.
Definitions for the terms in a hypothesis are
crucial.
A hypothesis may be accepted or rejected,
depending on the outcome of research.
Data: the recorded observations
and measurements collected in a
research investigation
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Data may be a collection of
numbers (statistics).
Data may be a collection of
facts and observations.
Data are not conclusions.
Evidence: the application of data
to confirm or reject a hypothesis
that has been previously stated
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Using data (statistics, facts,
observations) to draw conclusions
Using the opinions (interpretation
of facts) of experts to draw
conclusions
Conclusions: the final
inferences (interpretations
of the facts) concerning the
evidence