How valid should the facts be in an issue essay?

[navoneel_pal]

Hi,

I am concerned about how valid should my examples be in an AWA essay?..

For example I use an example that says a certain company's revenues rose to 100 billion, actually it rose to 80 million . or what if the company doesnot exists at all in reality...? Or if i mentioned the name of the CEO wrong.

Or Does it depends on the how famous/well known-fact my example is ?

In which of the below case it is most likely I will be graded low ?
1) if I say "A north polar country Antartica.............."
2) if I say "Vinod Krishnan , the CEO of an Indian IT firm Birla Soft..........."

Both 1 and 2 are invalid. But since No.2 is not so well known as No.1 i assume i wont be graded low for No.2

Please let me know if my assumptions are correct.

Thanks in Advance ..

[JonathanSchneider]

You're better off sticking with "true" facts. However, you are correct that the more obscure the fact, the less likely that the grader will know that your fact is incorrect. Nonetheless, they could certainly check it if they wanted to [and they might, especially if you were clearly using either: 1) other invalid facts; or 2) obscure facts throughout].

There is also a question of the degree to which you are incorrect. $100B versus $80M is a BIG difference. The mix-up between 1961 and 1962 is not so bad as that between 1961 and 1978, for example.

Long story short: if you're really unsure of a fact, you might not want to use that one at all.