Fact Vs Opinon In The New York Times

1. In November 2013, "the N.B.A. issued 21 fines and suspensions — a punitive spree that amounted to about $602,882."

FACT

OPINION

This is a TRUE statement, easy to fact check for accuracy.

Explanation

This is a TRUE statement, easy to fact check for accuracy.

2. "Instead of striving to make work fun, managers should concentrate on creating the conditions in which a variety of personality types, from the excitable to the naturally downbeat, can flourish."

FACT

OPINION

This is an OPINION. Consider that someone else might have a different view on how various workers can flourish.

Explanation

This is an OPINION. Consider that someone else might have a different view on how various workers can flourish.

3. "The inspiration for the original "Anchorman" came one evening more than a decade ago when Mr. Ferrell was watching a television documentary about Jessica Savitch, one of the first women to anchor news telecasts."

FACT

OPINION

A TRUE statement, easily fact-checked at the source.

Explanation

A TRUE statement, easily fact-checked at the source.

4. "Cowbirds are brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, thus unloading the messy and demanding business of chick-rearing."

FACT

OPINION

A TRUE statement, easily fact-checked via a range of sources.

Explanation

A TRUE statement, easily fact-checked via a range of sources.

5. "A big reason America is falling behind other countries in science and math is that we have effectively written off a huge chunk of our population as uninterested in those fields or incapable of succeeding in them."

FACT

OPINION

This is clearly a matter of opinion. Consider that another researcher could argue the flip side -- we put money into science and technology fields, we offer more funding and grants to schools with low income and struggling students, etc.

Explanation

This is clearly a matter of opinion. Consider that another researcher could argue the flip side -- we put money into science and technology fields, we offer more funding and grants to schools with low income and struggling students, etc.

6. "Ms. [Mary] Barra, 51, completed a remarkable personal odyssey when she was named as the next chief executive of G.M.--and the first woman to ascend to the top job at a major auto company."

FACT

OPINION

While there is some opinion-driven language here ("remarkable personal odyssey"), Ms. Barra was IN FACT named the chief exectutive of G.M.

Explanation

While there is some opinion-driven language here ("remarkable personal odyssey"), Ms. Barra was IN FACT named the chief exectutive of G.M.

7. "In the first step to formally eradicating a thrilling but dangerous staple of the game — and an emphatic response to the concussion crisis that has gripped other sports — Major League Baseball's rules committee voted to eliminate home-plate collisions."

FACT

OPINION

This statement does have elements that are opinion-based ("a thrilling but dangerous staple of the game"), but the heart of the statement -- that the MLB voted to eliminate home-plate collisions -- is true and can be fact-checked.

Explanation

This statement does have elements that are opinion-based ("a thrilling but dangerous staple of the game"), but the heart of the statement -- that the MLB voted to eliminate home-plate collisions -- is true and can be fact-checked.