46 — Chapter 2 Thinking Critically about the Internet ‘What Function Does the Site Serve? 3 Every site has a specific purpose. Generally speaking, government and education sites are designed to provide the public with important or helpful information. On the other hand, commercial sites are designed to sell products and/or services. 4 Expect the companies that have commercial websites to say good things about their own products and services and to ignore faults and defects. Don't be surprised if they imply that their competitors’ products and services are inferior. Be aware that such statements may or may not be true and should be tested rather than assumed to be true. Which Statements Are Fact and Which Are Opinions? 5 A fact is generally accepted reality, something that informed people agree about. An opinion, on the other hand, is a belief or a conclusion that not everyone agrees about. It is important not to confuse opinion with fact. 6 Itis more difficult to tell fact from opinion on the Internet than on TV or in magazines. This is because anyone can express his or her ideas on the Internet. ‘Where Can Statements of Fact be Confirmed? 7 Statements that are offered as fact may in reality be false. (Even honest people make mistakes, and not everyone is honest.) Suppose you encounter the statement: “The divorce rate has tripled in the past 20 years.” This is written like a statement of fact. But is it factual? In other words, is it accurate? You should probably check this fact to make sure. You can check other Internet sites, books or magazines to see if they agree with this statistic. Does the Evidence Support the Opinion? 2 Inmaking this decision, consider all the evidence you have found. That includes the kind of evidence that supports the opinion. Remember, that your own personal observation and experience count as evidence. Source: Adapted from Ruggiero, V. R. (1999). Becoming a Critical Thinker. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, pp. 111-112 3. confirmed (kon-fiirmd’) adj. Firmly established; proven.