Fact, Kind-of-fact,
or Opinion
or Opinion
The Amazon Rainforest covers about 5.5 million square kilometers and stretches across several South American countries. It is home to millions of plant and animal species, making it one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
Fact
"A researcher wanted to learn about Americans' opinions on remote work. She surveyed 15 first-year college students who attended the same university and lived on campus. After analyzing the responses, she concluded that most adults in the United States prefer working remotely because the majority of her participants agreed with that statement."
Question: Which factor should you question?
Answer: Participants (The sample is too small and not representative of all U.S. adults, so the findings cannot reliably represent the entire population).
Emma used to spend hours trying to finish her homework at the kitchen table, where her younger brothers were constantly talking and the television was always on. After she moved her desk into a quiet room with a window, she found that she finished assignments much more quickly and felt less exhausted at the end of the day. "I didn't study longer," she explained. "I was just able to focus."
Question: Which primary evidence type is being used?
Anecdote
The company canceled its expensive virtual reality project after spending millions of dollars because customers showed little interest.
Question: Which idiom best describes the company's decision?
The company decided to pull the plug.
What was the title and author of the first book we read in class this semester?
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Athletes from 14 countries competed in events such as track and field, swimming, and gymnastics.
Fact
A beverage company introduced a new energy drink that it claimed could improve athletic performance. To support its marketing campaign, the company paid for a research study comparing athletes who drank the new product with athletes who did not. The published report concluded that the company's drink significantly improved endurance and reaction time but provided very little discussion of possible weaknesses in the study.
Question: Which factor should you question?
Answer: Funding (Because the company paid for the study, there may be a conflict of interest. Readers should consider whether the sponsor could have influenced the study's design, analysis, or reporting).
Since moving into a newly renovated office, employee absenteeism has fallen by 12%, while the average number of projects completed each month has increased from 145 to 169. Managers also reported a noticeable increase in collaboration between departments.
Question: Which primary evidence type is being used?
Statistics
Marcus was nervous about starting his new job, but his coworkers spent the first week teaching him how everything worked.
Question: Which idiom best completes the situation?
His new coworker showed him the ropes.
More cities are investing in bike lanes to encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce traffic congestion. While building new infrastructure requires time and money, many communities have found that safer streets encourage more people to walk or cycle instead of driving.
Question: What is the author's stance?
In favor of
Countries with higher average incomes often report higher levels of happiness in international surveys. However, researchers also emphasize that factors such as social support, freedom, trust, and health play important roles in overall life satisfaction.
Kind-of-fact
Researchers wanted to determine whether a new classroom technology improved student learning. Instead of comparing students' test scores before and after using the technology, they simply asked students to complete a survey about whether they felt they had learned more. The researchers then concluded that the technology was highly effective.
Question: Which factor should you question?
Answer: Research Design/Methodology (The researchers measured students' opinions rather than their actual learning, so the methods may not accurately answer the research question).
"The physical environment shapes the way people interact, solve problems, and stay motivated," writes organizational psychologist Dr. Elena Morris. "When employees have spaces that support concentration as well as collaboration, productivity often improves."
Question: Which primary evidence type is being used?
Quotations
When Rachel heard her name announced as the winner of the scholarship, she was so overwhelmed with emotion that she could barely speak.
Question: Which idiom best describes how Rachel felt?
Rachel had a lump in her throat
Complete this TOEFL fill in the blank activity:
Memory consolidation is the process by which newly acquired information becomes stable in the brain.
Research sug_ _ _ _ _ that sl_ _ _ plays a vita_ role in th_ _ process. Dur_ _ _ sleep, the br_ _ _ replays rec_ _ _ experiences and trans_ _ _ _ them into long-_ _ _ _ memory storage.
Research suggests that sleep plays a vital role in this process. During sleep, the brain replays recent experiences and transfers them into long-term memory storage.
The most successful schools encourage creativity rather than focusing mainly on standardized tests. Students become more engaged when they have opportunities to solve real-world problems.
Opinion
Researchers followed 500 high school students for one semester and found that students who exercised at least three times a week earned slightly higher grades than students who exercised less often. In the final paragraph, however, the authors concluded that regular exercise guarantees academic success and should become the primary focus of schools.
Question: Which factor should you question?
Answer: Conclusions (The conclusion goes beyond the evidence. The results show a relationship, but they do not prove that exercise guarantees success).
Think about the last time you tried to concentrate while someone nearby was talking loudly on the phone. Most of us have experienced that frustration. It's no surprise that employees struggle to do their best work in noisy offices where interruptions are constant.
Question: Which primary evidence type is being used?
No Evidence
Emma almost missed her flight because of heavy traffic, but she arrived at the gate just before boarding began.
Question: Which idiom best describes Emma's experience?
Emma dodged a bullet.
Although social media allows people to stay connected, it has also made it much easier for misinformation to spread rapidly. Until companies do a better job of addressing this problem, users should be cautious about trusting what they read online.
Question: What is the author's stance?
Opposed
Small classes create a better learning environment because teachers can give students more individual attention and build stronger relationships with them. As a result, students receive a higher-quality education.
Opinion
Researchers wanted to determine whether a new vocabulary app improved students' English proficiency. They recruited two existing classes at the same university. One class used the app for six weeks, while the other class continued studying as usual. At the end of the study, the app users scored significantly higher on the final exam. The researchers concluded that the app caused the improvement.
Question: Which factor should you question?
Answer: Research Design (The students were not randomly assigned to the two groups. The classes may have differed in ability, motivation, or instructor before the study began, making it difficult to conclude that the app caused the improvement.
When software engineer Carlos Vega's company replaced rows of cubicles with smaller workspaces and quiet meeting rooms, he says he finally felt comfortable tackling projects that required long periods of concentration. His experience reflects what many workplace designers have argued for years: employees perform better when they have greater control over their work environment.
Question: Which primary evidence type is being used?
Anecdote
Everyone thought Noah would fail because he had very little experience. Instead, he completely surprised everyone by winning the national competition.
Question: Which idiom best describes what Noah did?
Name four metacognitive strategies that we learned from the beginning of the semester
1. Predicting
2. Visualizing
3. Questioning
4. Making Connections