fact

(noun)

Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation.

Related Terms

Examples of fact in the following topics:

  • Facts, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom

    • Facts, information, knowledge and wisdom are not the same things.
    • (For our purposes, we will accept facts in the spirit of its Latin roots.
    • Facts alone do not tell us much.
    • The recognition of patterns is aided by the way in which facts are ordered.
    • Information may also include the communication of those facts.

  • Persuasive Speeches on Questions of Fact

    • Questions of fact are one focus of persuasive speaking.
    • They propose that something is a fact.
    • Questions of fact (which are also called propositions of fact) basically state that something is, something exists, or something doesn't exist.
    • Questions of fact focus on convincing the audience that the cold, hard facts are true.
    • Explain how to present evidence to prove that a fact is true

  • Outcomes and the Type I and the Type II Errors

    • The decision is to not reject Ho when, in fact, Ho is true (correct decision).
    • The decision is to reject Ho when, in fact, Ho is true (incorrect decision known as a Type I error).
    • The decision is to not reject Ho when, in fact, Hois false (incorrect decision known as a Type II error).
    • α = probability that Frank thinks his rock climbing equipment may not be safe when, in fact, it really is safe. β =probability that Frank thinks his rock climbing equipment may be safe when, in fact, it is not safe.
    • Type I error: The emergency crew thinks that the victim is dead when, in fact, the victim is alive.

  • Persuasive vs. Informative Speaking

    • Informative and persuasive speeches differ in what they want the audience to walk away with: facts or an opinion.
    • The goal is always to supply information and facts to the audience.
    • This information can come in the form of statistics, facts, or other forms of evidence.
    • Academic lectures are often informational speeches, because the professor is attempting to present facts so the students can understand them.
    • A common cry against certain persuasive speeches is that they rely too much on emotion and not enough on facts.

  • Turning Your Working Hypothesis into a Claim

    • Your working hypothesis should not be a statement of fact, but a claim you work to prove in your writing.
    • It may sound counterintuitive, but your argument should be based on hypothesis, not fact.
    • If you are arguing an accepted fact, then you have no good explanation of why you are writing your paper.
    • If something cannot be contradicted, it is a fact rather than a claim.
    • Currently accepted facts generally make for poor claims, as there's not much against which to argue

  • Try these multiple choice questions.

    • To conclude the drug is safe when in, fact, it is unsafe
    • o conclude the drug is safe when, in fact, it is safe.
    • at least 20%, when in fact, it is less than 20%.
    • less than 20%, when in fact, it is at least 20%.
    • less than 20%, when in fact, it is less than 20%.

  • Gouache

    • Gouache is a water-soluble painting medium that is very similar to watercolor, differing only in the fact that it is opaque.
    • Sometimes referred to as "opaque watercolor," the primary difference between the two mediums is the fact that gouache is opaque and watercolor is semi-translucent.

  • Data and Information

    • Data consists of nothing but facts, which can be manipulated to make it useful; the analytical process turns the data into information.
    • Data consists of nothing but facts (organized or unorganized) which can then be manipulated into other forms to make it useful and understandable, turning the data into information.
    • The process of manipulating facts to information is referred to as "processing. " In order to be processed by a computer, data needs to first be converted into a machine readable format.

  • Journalistic Standards

    • According to the Columbia Journalism Review, the German weekly Der Spiegel runs "most likely the world's largest fact checking operation," employing the equivalent of eighty full-time fact checkers as of 2010.
    • Events with two or more independent eyewitnesses may be reported as facts.
    • Controversial facts are reported with attribution.
    • Moreover, independent fact-checking by another employee of the publisher is desirable.
    • According to the Columbia Journalism Review, the German weekly Der Spiegel runs "most likely the world's largest fact checking operation," employing the equivalent of eighty full-time fact checkers as of 2010.

  • Cognitive Biases

    • Implicit in the concept of a pattern of deviation is a standard of comparison with what is normative or expected; this may be the judgment of people outside those particular situations, or a set of independently verifiable facts.
    • Confirmation bias - Simply put, humans have a strong tendency to manipulate new information and facts until they match their own preconceived notions.
    • Belief bias - Individuals often make a decision before they have all the facts.
    • In this situation, they believe that their confidence in their decision is founded on a rational and logical assessment of the facts when it is not.
    • Framing enables people to ignore relevant facts by narrowing down what is considered applicable to a given decision.