Everyone has opinions. Some opinions are helpful, others are harmful, and still others simply are. When people use their opinion to make a claim and follow that claim up with supporting information, then they are making an argument. Claims and arguments are often confused, but they work together to make a meaningful impact in writing.
Opinion Definition
An opinion is a statement about someone's views or judgement on a subject. Opinions are not conclusive; in other words, they do not pursue a conclusion that is either true or false. An individual can hold an opinion, regardless of whether or not it's true.
The validity of an opinion is not relevant because they are not necessarily based on objective facts and data. Opinions are entirely subjective.
Subjective is the term used to describe something that is based on or influenced by an individual’s perspective, feelings, or preferences. The opposite of subjective is objective, which is the term used to describe something that can be proven either true or false. Objectivity is based on reliable, unchanging facts that remain consistent from person to person.
Someone’s opinion can’t be validated—proven true or false—because it simply is their opinion.
Someone can hold an opinion even if it has been factually proven false; it still remains their opinion.
Opinion vs. Fact
A statement is either a statement of fact or of opinion.
A fact is an objectively true statement. You can validate it by proving it with evidence.
For example, someone might make the following statement: Jean Valjean is the best character in Les Misérables. This is a statement of opinion: the speaker believes that Jean Valjean is the best character, but there is no way to prove this is objectively true.
Alternatively, someone could make the following statement: Les Misérables is a story that examines the line between law and grace and how to interpret the word justice. This is a statement of fact, and it is true because these themes are present in the story.
Argument Definition
An argument is a reason or set of reasons presented to support a claim.
A claim is an assertion that something under dispute is true.
It’s still appropriate to use the word argument in the well-known sense of a heated exchange, but the academic definition of argument is to support an idea or claim.
Arguments seek to prove a claim is valid, so they are generally based on objective facts and data. These things can be validated or invalidated; in other words, proven true or false. If a claim uses an argument that contains false information, that argument is invalid. It doesn’t invalidate the claim, but it weakens it.
Claim: The Chronicles of Narnia series is the best fantasy literature to come out of the twentieth century.
Poor argument: The Chronicles of Narnia series is the best fantasy literature to come out of the twentieth century because they were written by a child.
Better argument: The Chronicles of Narnia series is the best fantasy literature to come out of the twentieth century because they were written with layers of meaning, most obviously as an allegory for Christianity.
The example of a poor argument is not as good because it's a false statement: The Chronicles of Narnia were written by C.S. Lewis (as an adult). A false argument does not support a claim, no matter how good or convincing it sounds.
The better argument is a true statement: C.S. Lewis wove the Christian allegory throughout the entire series. This fact alone may not convince people to believe the claim—that it’s the best fantasy series—but it might help the audience come closer to accepting the claim. The writer will likely need to provide several arguments to support a claim so bold.
A valid argument does not need to be accepted by everyone to be valid. Many will disagree with the better argument because they have different religious beliefs. The important thing is that the argument has true evidence to back up the claim.
Differences Between Opinion and Argument
Arguments and opinions are easy to confuse. Someone with an opinion presents a claim they believe is true; someone with an argument presents a claim they believe is true. So what’s the difference?
The main difference between opinion and argument is an opinion does not necessarily need to prove itself with facts and details.
Opinion: “I believe Santa Clause is real.”
Argument: “Santa Clause is real because…”
The substance of the opinion or argument doesn’t matter. The difference is that an argument presents a claim supported by evidence—which is rooted in objective information—and asks the audience to accept the claim.
If the argument is not rooted in objective evidence, the audience is less likely to accept the claim and might view it as merely an opinion. It all hinges on how the claim is presented and what details, if any, you use to support it.
Many arguments are based on opinions. It becomes an argument when the speaker presents information that asks the audience to either accept or reject the statement.
Types of Opinion
When you begin a sentence with “I think” or “I believe,” you are about to reveal a statement of opinion. There are different types of opinions, each of which implies something different about the speaker and the credibility of the opinion.
Collective opinion – the opinion formed and held by a group of people about a particular subject.
Expert opinion – the belief or judgement based on one’s experience, knowledge, or education in a given field.
Personal opinion – an opinion based on a single person’s feelings or knowledge of something.
Collective opinion can be influenced by a number of factors, including something called groupthink.
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a group of people come to a conclusion or belief based on the mutual desire to conform to the majority.
For this reason, you should always closely examine an opinion offered by a group to determine what motivates the collective and its opinion on the topic.
Personal opinion is similar to collective opinion in that it can be swayed by a variety of factors. Personal opinion is rarely without bias, which greatly reduces the credibility of the opinion itself.
Bias is prejudice against or in favor of a particular thing, person, or group of people.
A personal opinion that is heavily biased is not credible because it’s capable of blinding a person to objective facts.
Expert opinion, on the other hand, is highly credible—so much so that it is often used in a court of law to settle disputes. This is because experts are people that have devoted their time and energy to learning the objective details about a subject.
An expert can be someone with extensive knowledge in any field.
Expert opinions are a high-quality source of information when writing an essay.
Opinion in an Essay
Nearly every type of essay requires a thesis statement.
A thesis statement is a single declarative sentence that states the author’s intention for the essay.
A good thesis statement should be arguable, which means it should contain an opinion. It is the responsibility of the writer to convince the audience that their perspective on the subject—their thesis—is logically and factually sound.
The thesis is frequently called the argument of an essay. This is because an argument is defined as a reason that supports a claim, and a thesis is essentially a claim supported by details or evidence. As with an argument, a thesis asserts a claim and supports it with information the author hopes will persuade the reader to accept it.
Your thesis should simply be your opinion about objective facts and details. Remember to keep your descriptions factual. Don't take too many liberties with details from other texts or sources. Your opinion comes in the discussion of how the details interact with each other and other ideas.
Here is an example of a good thesis statement:
Research shows that culture plays a powerful role in language acquisition, so for students to achieve the highest success in learning additional languages, they should pursue a cultural immersion rather than an academic education in a new language.
This example is good because it is based on objective detail (i.e., the research regarding language and culture) and contains a specific opinion. The writer believes cultural immersion is the best course for language acquisition.
Here is an example of a poorly written thesis statement:
Research shows that culture plays a powerful role in language acquisition.
This is not an effective thesis statement for an essay because it merely states a fact with no opinion whatsoever.
More Opinion Examples
Below are a few examples of opinions, with information on how the opinions function in the text.
This excerpt comes from an opinion piece in the New York Times called “The Lady and the Trump” (2020), in which Maureen Dowd, the journalist, compares Princess Diana to Donald Trump.
[Princess] Diana and Donald [Trump] shared a few things in common: their toxic tango with the press, their psychic connection with their fan base, their willingness to blow up norms."
Dowd’s opinion is seen here where she says they “shared a few things in common,” but more so in the language she used to describe the similarities. She calls their interaction with the press “toxic” and says they’re both willing to “blow up norms.” Her word choice is entirely subjective, or based on her perspective, and so it is her opinion.
Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. (Act II)
The above quote comes from Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), one of Oscar Wilde’s famous plays. Lord Darlington, the speaker, boldly makes this statement as though it were fact. He doesn’t begin the sentence with “I think” or “I believe." The audience would still realize, however, that this is not a statement of fact, but it's his opinion. How do they know this? Because of how outlandish the claim is! After all, many people would argue that it is quite possible for men and women to be friends.
Argument Examples
Below are a few examples of arguments, with information on how the argument functions in the text.
The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together. The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts—of common dangers, sufferings, and successes. (George Washington, 1796)
This quote is taken from George Washington’s Farewell Address as he exited office. The claim of Washington’s argument is that there is more significance in what Americans have in common than what they do not. He supports his claim by saying the differences in religion, manners, habits, and political parties pale in comparison to the bond shared between Americans after fighting for their liberty together. Regardless of whether you agree with this claim, the argument still resonates over two hundred years later.
The title of Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice (1813), hints at the tension between the two main characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. The following statement comes from Mr. Darcy:
“Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride - where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation. (Ch. 11)
The question under dispute here is which is worse, pride or vanity? Mr. Darcy’s claim is that vanity is weakness, but pride is the greater offense. He supports his claim in the way he words his response—pride is a result of a lack of “real superiority of mind.” In so many words, Mr. Darcy's argument is that anyone who is prideful is weak in the mind.
Opinion - Key Takeaways
- An opinion is a statement that someone believes to be true.
- An argument is a reason or set of reasons presented to support a claim.
- The main difference between opinion and argument is an opinion does not necessarily need to prove itself with facts and details.
- There are three types of opinion: collective opinion, personal opinion, and expert opinion. Both personal and collective opinions are susceptible to bias, but expert opinions are highly credible.
- The thesis of an essay should contain an opinion.
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