composition

Types of Claims for Argument

Claims of Fact or Definition:

• People disagree about some “facts” or “truths”

• People disagree about definitions, especially of abstract terms like “discrimination”

• These claims are about facts that are not easily determined or about definitions that are debatable.

• Here are some examples of claims of fact or definition:

• A polygraph test is an accurate way to reveal when a person is lying.

• Grades are not legitimate measurements of student progress.

o Claim of Fact or Definition: “This is/is not this.”

Claims about Cause and Effect

• People disagree about some causal relationships

• These claims about cause and effect are debatable

• Most of the time there are reasonable arguments for both sides.

• Here are some examples:

o Testing in schools improves the quality of education. o Capital punishment does not deter violent crime.

▪ Claim about Cause and Effect: “This does/does not do this.”

Claims about Value

• Claims about value typically lead to evaluative essays

• Should sum up both positive and negative judgments you make for your criteria

• Must anticipate and respond to alternate or opposing arguments

• Here are some examples:

o Kurt Vonnegut is the greatest American novelist. o Boxing is a dehumanizing sport.

▪ Claim about Value: “This is good/bad because…”

Claims about Solution or Policy

• Typically combined with one of the other types of claims

• Need to demonstrate that there is a problem first; then provide the solution or policy

• Identifiable typically by the word “should”

• Here are some examples:

o Violent images on the Internet should be censored. o To reduce exploitation and sensationalism, the news

media should not be allowed to interview victims of

crime or disaster.

▪ Claim about Solution or Policy: “This should/should not be this.”