THEA Objective 5

Critical Reasoning

5 Types of Questions

1. Author’s Logic2. Fact and Opinion3. Author’s Assumptions4. Author’s Argument5. Author’s Credibility

2. Fact and Opinion

Ex. Which statement expresses an opinion rather than a fact?

Fact OpinionAsk yourself: Can this statement be proven?

•Numbers•Dates•Statistics•Percentages

•“according to the study…”

• words like: too, should, beautiful, respect,disgusting,interesting…• statements about the future•Statements that not everyone would agree with

1. The tarantula spider can live for as long as two years without food.

2. The first President to have been born in a hospital is Jimmy Carter.

3. The best-looking of all American Presidents was John F. Kennedy.

4. Cigarette advertising was banned on TV on January 1, 1971.

5. Congress should pass a law making cigarettes illegal.

6. Couples should know each other for at least a year before getting married.

7. For various reasons, some spouses take separate vacations.

8. In point of fact, it is always better for spouses to vacation together.

9. Boxing, an overly violent sport, should finally be outlawed.

10.Boxer James J. (“Gentleman Jim”) Corbett never had a bloody nose or a black eye during his eighteen-year boxing career.