Distinguish Facts from Opinions Back to 20 Best-practices Reading Strategies Facts are statements that can be proven true. Opinions are statements that describe someone’s judgment, belief, feelings or way of thinking about a topic. Readers sort out facts and opinions from a selection. Readers check a variety of sources to support statements of fact. Opinions are sometimes supported by facts or authority. These statements are defined as valid opinions. Questions that help students distinguish facts from opinions: What facts were presented in the article? What evidence did the author include to support statements of fact? What hypotheses did the author present in the selection? What opinions were revealed in the selection? Can (this statement) be proven true or false? How did the author convey the validity of the information? What words and/or phrases did the author use to let readers know that an idea was a fact or an opinion?   This Season Teachers Kids Orientation Registration Search Copyright 1997-2009 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Questions or comments? Contact us.