How to tell opinion from reporting on foreign policy

Short answer: news reports describe what happened, present sources and try to balance versions; opinion pieces defend a thesis, use arguments and take a point of view. To tell them apart, look at the outlet's section, the byline, the tone and the use of adjectives and judgment verbs. Both have value, but call for different readings.

What helps before you start

• A text on foreign policy, such as an agreement, a sanction or a diplomatic crisis.
• Attention to the outlet's labels: sections such as "Opinion", "Analysis" or "Editorial".
• Willingness to read with the right criteria for each type.

Steps

1. See where the text is published. Many outlets separate news and opinion into sections. But this is not always clear, especially on social media.
2. See who signs it. News reports are usually signed by reporters or the newsroom. Opinion is usually signed by columnists, experts or the outlet, in editorials.
3. Observe the tone. Reports tend to describe; opinion tends to evaluate, recommend or criticize.
4. Check the sources. Reports cite documents, statements and testimony. Opinion may also cite, but generally to support a thesis.
5. Look for judgment verbs and adjectives. "Failed", "courageous" and "disastrous" indicate evaluation.
6. See whether opposing versions appear. Well-done reports try to hear different sides. Opinion may present only one.
7. Identify the thesis. If the text has a conclusion it wants to convince you of, it is opinion or analysis.
8. Watch for analysis pieces. They sit between the two: explaining what a fact means, with some degree of interpretation. Read with care.
9. Check in another source. Compare described facts with reports from other outlets.

An example

Two texts dealt with an economic sanction. The first, signed by a reporter, described the measure, cited the official statement, heard experts from different positions and explained the expected effects. The second, in a column, said the sanction "was a strategic mistake" and advocated another policy. Both were useful, but only the first served as a basis for understanding the facts. The second helped to learn an argument. This is an illustrative example.

Common mistakes

• Treating an opinion as if it were a fact.
• Rejecting all opinion as "just opinion": good arguments help us think.
• Reading only opinions that confirm what you believe.
• Ignoring the section and byline.
• Sharing a headline without knowing the type of text.

Next step

Next time you read about foreign policy, note whether the text is reporting, analysis or opinion, and what you will use from it: the facts or the argument.