These are two statements. One is a fact, and one is an opinion. It may seem obvious from these simplistic examples which is which, but when reading more advanced sources, or from a particularly talented writer, the differences might be harder to spot.
Learning to separate fact from opinion is especially important when you're using that information to make political decisions. Staying informed about what's actually going on in your country, and how your government works, is key to being an informed and empowered citizen.
Check out these research guides for how to evaluate a source: Is this the right source for my information need? Can I trust the information this source presents?
What is the difference between articles in Time magazine and The Journal of Studies on Alcohol? Why use scholarly journals for your research papers? This chart helps you observe the differences.
1) Scholarly journals
Scholarly journals may also be called peer reviewed or refereed journals. This indicates that a panel of experts reviewed the article manuscripts thoroughly before they were published. If other researchers based their work on faulty original research, bad research would spread quickly!
2) Popular Periodicals:
a) News magazines & newspapers
b) Popular magazines
c) Trade magazines
d) Opinion Periodicals
Some publications could fit in more than one category. For instance: Scientific American is a scholarly journal with scientific but readable articles. It has a suggested reading list, but does not actually cite its sources. When in doubt, ask your instructor if certain articles are suitable for your research paper.
For help with citing articles, visit the college’s Center for Reading and Writing on the main floor of the library for personalized assistance in organizing and writing your paper and bibliography.