Getting Started
A strong argument begins with a strong foundation, and that foundation is the claim. This topic moves beyond simple "for or against" statements to explore the different kinds of claims you can make and, just as importantly, how to make them precise and defensible. Mastering this skill solves a common problem for student writers: making overly broad, easily disproven statements that weaken an otherwise promising argument.
What You Should Be Able to Do
Distinguish between claims of fact, value, and policy in a given text.
Analyze how a writer qualifies a claim to make it more specific and defensible.
Write your own defensible claims that are appropriately qualified for a specific purpose.
Evaluate the effectiveness of an argument by examining the precision and type of its central claim.
Key Moves and Effects
The Anatomy of a Strong Claim
In argumentation, a claim is an assertion a writer makes that must be supported with evidence and reasoning. It's the core idea you are asking your audience to accept. For a claim to be the basis of a successful argument, it must be a defensible claim—a statement that is debatable and can be supported by evidence, not a statement of undisputed fact or a matter of pure personal taste.
Not a Defensible Claim (Fact): "The United States has 50 states." (This is verifiable and not debatable.)
Not a Defensible Claim (Opinion): "Vanilla is the best flavor of ice cream." (This is a personal preference with no objective criteria for support.)
A Defensible Claim: "The modern education system places too much emphasis on standardized testing, hindering genuine intellectual curiosity." (This is a debatable assertion that can be supported with evidence and logical reasoning.)
A defensible claim invites discussion and requires proof. It forms the core of your thesis statement, which is the main, overarching claim that governs your entire essay.
Three Kinds of Claims
Arguments can be categorized by the type of question they seek to answer. Understanding these three common types of claims will help you both analyze others' arguments and construct your own.
1. Claims of Fact
A claim of fact asserts that a condition has existed, exists, or will exist. These claims are not facts themselves but rather debatable interpretations of information. They often emerge from questions about data, history, or cause and effect.
What it does: Argues that something is true or untrue.
Example: "The widespread adoption of remote work has led to increased productivity for many companies."
How to defend it: You would support this with data on company output, employee surveys, and economic analyses, interpreting that evidence to prove your point.
2. Claims of Value
A claim of value makes a judgment, expressing approval or disapproval about something. It argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly, moral or immoral. These claims are based on specific criteria or standards of judgment.
What it does: Argues that something is or is not desirable.
Example: "Public art installations are a more valuable use of city funds than subsidizing sports stadiums."
How to defend it: You would need to establish the criteria for a "valuable use of city funds" (e.g., community engagement, cultural enrichment, economic impact on local artists) and then show how public art meets those criteria better than stadiums do.
3. Claims of Policy
A claim of policy argues that certain conditions or actions should exist. These claims advocate for a change in behavior or policy and are easily identified by words like "should," "must," "ought to," or "needs to."
What it does: Argues for or against a specific action.
Example: "To improve public health, local governments should invest in creating more walkable and bike-friendly urban spaces."
How to defend it: You must first prove that a problem exists (a claim of fact) and that it is significant (a claim of value). Then, you can propose your solution and argue for its feasibility and benefits.
The Power of Qualification
Sophisticated arguments are rarely absolute. A qualifier is a word or phrase that limits the scope of a claim, making it more nuanced, precise, and defensible. Using qualifiers shows that you are a careful thinker who recognizes complexity and is not prone to reckless generalization.
Compare these two claims:
Unqualified Claim: "Social media is ruining friendships."
Qualified Claim: "For some teenagers, the pressure to maintain a perfect online persona can sometimes strain real-world friendships."
The first claim is an absolute statement. A single example of a friendship strengthened by social media could disprove it. The second claim is much stronger. The qualifiers (for some teenagers, can sometimes) narrow the focus, acknowledge exceptions, and make the assertion far more reasonable and easier to support with evidence.
Common Qualifiers:
often, sometimes, frequently, in many cases, in some instances, to a certain extent, it is possible, likely, perhaps, may, might, could
Data and Organization Tools
Use this table to quickly identify the type of claim you are reading or writing.
| Type of Claim | What It Asserts | Key Question It Answers | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claim of Fact | Something is true or not true. | Did it happen? Does it exist? Is it a cause? | "Regular exercise contributes to improved mental health." |
| Claim of Value | Something is good or bad, right or wrong. | Is it moral? Is it important? What is it worth? | "Protecting the environment is the most urgent moral responsibility of our generation." |
| Claim of Policy | A specific action should be taken. | What should we do about it? What should be our policy? | "The national government should lower the voting age to sixteen." |
Key Concepts for Building Claims
Claim: The central assertion of an argument that requires evidence and reasoning for support.
Defensible Claim: A debatable assertion that is not a simple fact or personal preference. It can be reasonably challenged and requires evidence to be proven.
Thesis Statement: The main, overarching claim of an entire essay, which previews the line of reasoning.
Claim of Fact: An assertion about whether something is true or untrue, based on an interpretation of evidence.
Claim of Value: An assertion that makes a judgment about morality, beauty, or worth based on established criteria.
Claim of Policy: An assertion that proposes a specific action or a change in rules or behavior.
Qualifier: A word or phrase (e.g., often, perhaps, in some cases) that limits a claim's scope to make it more precise and defensible.
Absolute Statement: A claim made without qualifiers, suggesting it is true in all cases (e.g., "all," "never," "always"). These are often difficult to defend.
Skill Snapshots
Here are three examples showing how a basic claim can be refined and qualified to become more defensible.
1. From Broad Statement to Defensible Claim of Fact
Initial Claim: "The internet makes people less intelligent."
Qualified Claim: "An over-reliance on search engines may hinder the development of long-term memory and critical thinking skills in some students."
Commentary: The qualifiers "may," "some," and the specific focus on "long-term memory and critical thinking skills" transform a vague, absolute statement into a specific, testable, and much more defensible argument.
2. From Opinion to Defensible Claim of Value
Initial Claim: "Classic literature is better than modern literature."
Qualified Claim: "While modern literature offers valuable social commentary, the complex sentence structures and timeless themes found in many 19th-century novels provide a more rigorous training for analytical reading."
Commentary: This claim establishes clear criteria for its judgment ("rigorous training for analytical reading") and qualifies its scope ("many 19th-century novels"), making it a sophisticated argument rather than a simple preference.
3. From Demand to Defensible Claim of Policy
Initial Claim: "All schools must ban cell phones."
Qualified Claim: "Public high schools should implement a 'phones away for the day' policy to reduce classroom distractions and potentially improve student focus."
Commentary: The use of "should" clearly marks this as a policy claim. The qualifier "potentially" acknowledges that the outcome isn't guaranteed, and the specific goal ("reduce classroom distractions") makes the proposal reasonable and focused.
Common Misconceptions and Clarifications
Misconception: A claim of fact is just a fact.
- Clarification: A claim of fact is a debatable interpretation of facts or evidence. The fact might be that a company's profits rose 10%; the claim of fact is that this rise was caused by a new marketing strategy.
Misconception: Qualifying a claim makes it weak.
- Clarification: Qualifying a claim makes it more precise, sophisticated, and defensible. It demonstrates that you are a credible arguer who understands the complexity of the issue.
Misconception: All claims must fit perfectly into one of the three categories.
- Clarification: Many complex arguments blend types of claims. A claim of policy ("We should do X") is often built upon claims of fact ("Here is the problem") and value ("This problem is harmful").
Misconception: A good claim is just a strong opinion.
- Clarification: A good claim is defensible and debatable, not just a personal preference. It invites discussion and requires support from evidence and logical reasoning.
Summary
Crafting a strong argument begins with a precise, defensible, and well-supported claim. Understanding the three main types of claims—fact, value, and policy—allows you to analyze arguments more effectively and to choose the right kind of assertion for your own purpose. The most critical move for a sophisticated writer is learning to qualify claims, using language that limits their scope and acknowledges complexity. This practice transforms broad, easily challenged statements into nuanced, defensible arguments that demonstrate credibility and careful thought, setting the stage for a compelling and persuasive line of reasoning.