Ask critical thinking questions to explore an idea for a report Knowledge in the social and natural sciences and technical fields is often focused on data and ideas that can be verified by observing, measuring, and testing.

Accordingly, writers in these fields place high value on neutral and objective case analysis and inferences based on the careful examination of data. Put another way, writers describe and analyze results as they understand them.

Be able to distinguish between fact and opinion; recognize bias in reading and in yourself; determine the writer’s purpose. Is the writer simply informing you or trying to persuade you?.