Fact, Opinion, and Position Statements• Opinion statement – pure opinion; not

provable; personal and changeableChocolate is the best ice cream flavor.Math is the hardest subject in school.

• Any statement containing phrases such as I believe, I feel, in my opinion is an opinion statement.

I believe apple pie tastes better than blueberry pie.

Fact, Opinion, and Position Statements• Factual statement – unarguable fact

I live in Miami-Dade County.Humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon

dioxide.On December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter pilots

bombed Pearl Harbor, which caused the United States to enter World War II.

Fact, Opinion, and Position Statements• Position statement - Claim backed up by

evidence and facts; takes a position on an issue and backs up/justifies that position with facts and evidence

Abortion should be illegal because it ends the life of a human being and causes physical and

emotional damage to the mother.

Claim

Facts/evidence

Fact, Opinion, and Position Statements• A thesis statement is a kind of position

statement.• The justification, the backing with

facts/evidence, transforms that groundless claim into a position statement.

• Position statements never contain phrases such as I believe, I feel, or in my opinion. The author’s feelings, opinions, beliefs are irrelevant.

Fact, Opinion, and Position Statements• In essays, formal debates, or academic

discussions, you should stick to factual statements and position statements.

• Position statements are far stronger and more meaningful than opinion statements.

• You need to be able to elaborate on the facts and evidence portion of your position statement. This means you need to have sources, information, examples – more than just your opinion.

Fact, Opinion, or Position Statement?1. Professional basketball teams overpay

players.2. Athletes should be careful of what they say

and do in public because many children look up to them as both athletic and personal role models.

3. Undercooked chicken may cause salmonella.

4. Chocolate milk tastes better than regular milk.

Fact, Opinion, or Position Statement?5. Justin Bieber deserved to win the Grammy

for best new artist.6. There are fewer panda bears in the world

than grizzly bears.7. People should not be allowed to talk on

cell phones in a movie theater because it disrupts other movie patrons and causes the user to miss portions of the movie plot.

Fact, Opinion, or Position Statement?8. It is wrong for people under the age of 21

to drink alcohol.9. It is illegal for people under the age of 21

to drink alcohol.

Now you try.Write a factual statement, an opinion

statement, and a position statement about each of these topics.

MoviesSchool

Cell phonesDogs

Mexican food