Opinions are different from conclusions

“It’s just my opinion.”

Sometimes when a person is contradicted or disagreed with, they will defend their statement by saying, “It’s just my opinion.”

But this is a poor excuse, not a valid reason.

An opinion is, for example, stating your favorite flavor of ice cream. An opinion requires no evidence and no cited sources. And despite the frequency and enthusiasm with which people argue about opinions of taste, such preferences need no proof.

Opinions are different from conclusions that are supported by evidence, data, and credible sources. The answer to "what is your favorite flavor of ice cream" is an opinion. The answer to "what flavor of ice cream was the top-selling flavor in grocery stores among people ages 18-25 during the last 12 months" is a conclusion supported by data.

People can, and do, disagree about the quality of evidence, hence the need for peer-reviewed studies, and can disagree with the conclusions based on evidence.

But these disagreements share an agreement that the search for accuracy is essential.

It’s not surprising that people who don’t know the difference between an opinion and an evidence-based conclusion are among those most likely to be duped.