4 The Four Categories of Information

As you begin to research sources,  you’ll discover a great deal of information. But not all information is the same in terms of quality and type. You will need to know how to settle on the best sources and the best information to use to support your ideas. But before you learn about the different types of sources you might use, you need to distinguish among the four types or categories of information: fact, opinion, belief, and prejudice.

As you watch the video below, use this chart to keep track of crucial ideas:

The Four Categories of Information

Watch this video and test your knowledge:

Attributions for WikiCommon Images:

• Newspaper Peace. State Library of South Australia from Australia, PDM-owner, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newspaper_headline_announcing_the_end_of_World_War_II,_1945_(27319035321).jpg
• Faith, Hope, Love. Mary Lizzie Macomber, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faith,_Hope_and_Love,_Mary_Lizzie_Macomber.jpg

• Salem Witch Trial. Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salem_Witch_trial_engraving.jpg

• Witch Burning. Mullicaa, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Witch_Burning.jpg