A Pew Research Center study (Mitchell, Gottfried, Barthel & Sumida, 2018 (Links to an external site.)) explored people’s
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2022 11:12 am
A Pew Research Center study (Mitchell, Gottfried, Barthel &
Sumida, 2018 (Links to an external site.)) explored people’s
ability to distinguish between factual and opinion statements in
the news. This is obviously an important research topic in the age
of partisan politics, denigration of the news media, and
accusations of “false news”.
The study of some 5,000 U.S. adults asked participants to
distinguish between five factual statements and five opinion
statements. A majority of participants correctly identified at
least three of the five statements in each set, but this result is
only a little better than random guessing. Far fewer got all five
correct and roughly a quarter got most or all wrong.
Assume that in response to such data your campus has initiated
an across-the-curriculum program to ensure that all majors graduate
with a basic ability to distinguish fact from opinion. Follow-up
surveys of graduating seniors indicate that they have an acceptable
ability to do this. However, as we know, surveys do not address
causality.
What experiment(s) might you design to help assess whether the
ability of graduating seniors’ to distinguish fact from opinion is
a function of the campus instructional program and not of other
relevant experiences such as being politically active, or having
taken other relevant courses such as philosophy, logic, debate,
political science or media criticism?
Assume that your dependent variable is the ability to
distinguish a statement of fact from an opinion.
Hint: In this Pew study, a factual
statement is defined as one that can be proven or disproven by
objective evidence.
Sumida, 2018 (Links to an external site.)) explored people’s
ability to distinguish between factual and opinion statements in
the news. This is obviously an important research topic in the age
of partisan politics, denigration of the news media, and
accusations of “false news”.
The study of some 5,000 U.S. adults asked participants to
distinguish between five factual statements and five opinion
statements. A majority of participants correctly identified at
least three of the five statements in each set, but this result is
only a little better than random guessing. Far fewer got all five
correct and roughly a quarter got most or all wrong.
Assume that in response to such data your campus has initiated
an across-the-curriculum program to ensure that all majors graduate
with a basic ability to distinguish fact from opinion. Follow-up
surveys of graduating seniors indicate that they have an acceptable
ability to do this. However, as we know, surveys do not address
causality.
What experiment(s) might you design to help assess whether the
ability of graduating seniors’ to distinguish fact from opinion is
a function of the campus instructional program and not of other
relevant experiences such as being politically active, or having
taken other relevant courses such as philosophy, logic, debate,
political science or media criticism?
Assume that your dependent variable is the ability to
distinguish a statement of fact from an opinion.
Hint: In this Pew study, a factual
statement is defined as one that can be proven or disproven by
objective evidence.