Separate evidence from evaluation
Die Zahl ist eine Angabe; die Bewertung ist eine Meinung.
Recognize factual claims, opinions and mixed statements, and avoid treating a small survey as everyone’s view.
A factual claim is a statement that could be checked, such as Die Umfrage hatte 80 Teilnehmende. That does not prove it is true; you still need a source. An opinion evaluates: Ich finde die neue Regel sinnvoll. A sentence can contain both a reported number and an evaluation. In the fictional survey here, percentages refer only to the people who answered, not automatically to all residents. A majority of responses does not mean everyone agrees, and preference does not prove a cause. Check the group, date and wording before drawing a conclusion.
Laut Umfrage haben achtzig Personen geantwortet.
According to the survey, eighty people responded.
Sechzig Prozent der Befragten bevorzugen den späteren Termin.
Sixty percent of respondents prefer the later time.
Diese Zahl beschreibt nur die Teilnehmenden der Umfrage.
This figure describes only the survey participants.
Ich finde den Vorschlag sinnvoll.
I think the proposal is sensible.
Das ist eine Bewertung, keine gesicherte Ursache.
That is an evaluation, not an established cause.
Aus dieser Angabe folgt nicht, dass alle zustimmen.
This information does not imply that everyone agrees.
A factual claim is a statement that could be checked, such as Die Umfrage hatte 80 Teilnehmende. That does not prove it is true; you still need a source. An opinion evaluates: Ich finde die neue Regel sinnvoll. A sentence can contain both a reported number and an evaluation. In the fictional survey here, percentages refer only to the people who answered, not automatically to all residents. A majority of responses does not mean everyone agrees, and preference does not prove a cause. Check the group, date and wording before drawing a conclusion.
Recognize factual claims, opinions and mixed statements, and avoid treating a small survey as everyone’s view.
60 Prozent der Befragten means 60% of respondents, not 60% of all residents unless the source justifies that wider claim. Ich finde introduces an evaluation, not proof.
Checkable claim ≠ automatically proven truth. Opinion = evaluation. Survey results describe the stated respondents and question.
Write 100–120 words about a fictional survey. Give the sample and one result, distinguish one factual claim from your own opinion, and name a limit to the conclusion.