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■ Avoid statements that appeal only to the reader’s feelings and contain no factual information.

Baby bears are not dangerous because they are small and cute.

This statement appeals to our feelings about baby bears, rather than the actual facts. Even small bears can injure a person. Also, a mother bear who finds a human near her cubs may attack the person. The fact is, baby bears can be dangerous.

■ Avoid statements that contain parts of the truth, but not the whole truth. These statements are called half-truths.

At one time, people almost drove the coyote to extinction.

This statement is only partly true. In spite of people’s efforts to drive coyotes to extinction, the animals have actually multiplied. While coyotes used to live only in some western states, they now are found in all parts of the country.