Argumenta

tive Claims
 Argumentative Claims
 An argument is usually a main idea, often called a "claim" or "thesis statement,"
backed up with evidence that supports the idea.
 Claims backed by reasons that are supported by evidence are called arguments.
To win an argument, you first have to make a claim that is more than just an
assertion.
 This is where an author takes out a position on a certain issue and proves why it
is a good position to hold.
Four types of Claims
 Claims of Fact
 Claims of Policy
 Claims of Value
 Claims of Cause and Effect
 Claims of Fact
 s a statement about how things were in the past, how they are in the present, or how they
will be in the future.
 A fact claim is not a fact; it only claims to be a fact. What makes it arguable is that the
speaker has no direct way of establishing the truth of the claim.
 A persuasive speaker must provide arguments which build a case in favor of the claim,
showing that the claim is probably true.
For example:
1. "The Earth is round"
2. "In our righthanded world, left-handed people are discriminated against"
 Claims of Fact
 Your topic may answer the following questions:
How do Filipino students compare with students from other
countries?
Do cell phones control our relationships?
How is social media changing family relationships?
 Danger of Claims of Fact
1. Might be too obvious of a fact
2. Might not contain enough emotion (persuasion)
3. Might be too universal/broad (To Fix, add a qualifier
example: "Some teens...)
 Claims of Policy
 a statement regarding the merits of a course of action. What makes it arguable is
that, even though people may not be totally certain about the proper course of
action to take, they still must act. To argue in defense of a policy claim is to
state that, given what we know now, it’s best to act in the manner proposed.
 argues that something SHOULD/SHOULD NOT be done, believed, banned. It
also argues for a course of action. Also called the Problem Solution
technique.
 Claims of Policy
 Your topic may answer the following questions:
a. Is there a way to reduce abortions without legislation?
b. How should the country's school system be reformed?
c. How should students, whose first language is not English, be
taught in public schools?
 Claims of Policy
Examples:
 The death penalty should be abolished permanently.
 The rice tariffication law should be scrapped.
 Online class should allow late submission of works.
 There should still be class suspensions even if classes are
held online.
 Claims of Value
 makes a judgment (subjective), expresses approval or disapproval about something;
attempts to show that something is wrong or right, moral or immoral, beautiful or ugly
 arguable statements concerning the relative merits of something which is measured
subjectively (e.g., "Hawaii is a better place to go for summer vacation than Colorado.")
 What makes a value claim arguable is that different people may disagree on the criteria
used to evaluate something (e.g., weather, live entertainment, water sports).
 Defending a value claim involves offering a set of criteria for consideration, defending
the set of criteria as legitimate and showing how applying the criteria justifies the
claim.
 Claims of Value
Your topic may answer the following questions:
a. How important is it to have equal representation of genders and races in
political office?
b. What role should technology play in education?
c. How can we encourage people to recycle more?
 Claims of Value
 Examples:
1. Capital punishment is unjust.
2. Beauty pageants degrades women.
3. Religion provides direction.
 Claims of Cause and Effect
 Like the claims about fact or definition, claims about cause and effect need to be
opinionated or debatable.
 propositions based on the concept that one thing influences or causes another. For
example, "rap music makes its audience members prone to violence." To prove
such a claim your argument must define the terms of both the cause and the effect.
 Claims of Cause and Effect
 Your topic may answer the following questions:
a. Texting and cell phone use have caused young people to be less able to
concentrate and focus (or you can do the reverse-has caused them to be able to
handle multi-tasking more effectively and efficiently)
b. What causes people to migrate to the other countries illegally?
 Let’s Practice
Identify the following statements of claims or questions below as Fact, Value, Policy, or Cause and
Effect
1. What should and should not be posted on Facebook by students? Value
2. What is human trafficking? ________
3. What the is the cause of the increase in child obesity? ________
4. How do female officials differ from elected males? ________
5. Are beauty contests positive thing for young girls? ________
6. What is true beauty? ________
7. Should the minimum wage be raised or lowered? ________
8. Should we have a national high school exam? ________
9. Is video gaming good or bad? ________
10. How can human trafficking be stopped? ________
 Group Task
 Check your lined up claims and arguments.
Identify which are fact, value, policy and cause
and effect.
Argumentative Claims Classification