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Facts, Opinions, and Bias

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Facts, Opinions, and Bias

Read each statement and the short article carefully. Decide which claims can be checked, notice language that may influence readers, and support your answers with evidence from the text.

Fact or opinion?

Choose the best classification for each statement. A fact is a claim that can be checked against reliable evidence; an opinion expresses a judgement, preference or recommendation.

1.The Australian Bureau of Statistics conducts a national Census every five years. Is this statement a fact or an opinion?

Fact
Opinion

2.A city council should spend more money on cycle paths than on car parks. Is this statement a fact or an opinion?

Fact
Opinion

3.The Great Barrier Reef is off the coast of Queensland. Is this statement a fact or an opinion?

Fact
Opinion

4.School holidays should be longer in winter. Is this statement a fact or an opinion?

Fact
Opinion

5.A standard Australian banknote is made from polymer. Is this statement a fact or an opinion?

Fact
Opinion

6.Which claim is an opinion rather than a fact?

Canberra is Australia's capital city.
A year has 12 months.
Public libraries are the most valuable service in any community.
The Pacific Ocean borders Australia's east coast.

Reading for bias

Read this newly written opinion piece, then answer the questions that follow.

The council is considering closing Harbour Street to private cars on Saturdays for a six-month trial. Supporters say the change could give pedestrians more room and make outdoor dining easier. Yet the proposal is a reckless experiment that could turn a lively shopping strip into a logistical nightmare. Drivers would be forced to circle the town, and independent shops could pay the price. The council points to a survey in which 58 per cent of respondents supported the trial, but that figure tells us little without knowing who was asked or how many people took part. Until those details are released, residents should reject this disruptive plan.

7.Identify three words or phrases in the opinion piece that encourage readers to view the proposal negatively.

8.What information about the 58 per cent survey result is missing, and why does that matter when judging the claim?

9.Which techniques make the opinion piece appear biased against the trial? Select all that apply.

Using emotionally charged descriptions
Presenting a possible harm without evidence to support it
Explaining the strongest arguments on both sides equally
Questioning a statistic by pointing out missing context
Ending with a direct recommendation to reject the plan

10.Rewrite the article's main argument as a fair-minded supporter of the trial might express it. Include a possible benefit and acknowledge one concern.

Evaluate the message

Use evidence and careful reasoning in your responses.

11.Explain why recognising bias matters when people read persuasive texts. Give one way a reader can check a claim before accepting it.

12.Complete the sentence with a useful critical-reading action: “When I encounter a persuasive claim, I can avoid being misled by bias by …”

13.Write one biased sentence arguing for or against a car-free high street trial, then revise it into a more balanced sentence. Include a reason in each version.