There are three types of claims that serve different argumentative purposes: claims of fact, which assert something quantifiable exists or will exist; claims of value, which make qualitative judgments about people, events, or things; and claims of policy, which assert something should or should not be done. Arguments have burdens of proof assigned to different participants, and if the participant with the burden fails to meet it, their argument is dismissed. Claims are statements, not questions, and represent the focus and conclusion of an argument.

2. CLAIMS
1. There are three types of claim. Each type of claim
have a unique purpose and explores a different
argumentative topic.
2. Each person in an argument has distinct
responsibilities in an argument known as burdens. If
you know what burden you have in an argument then
others' can't take advantage of you. When you go to
court for a traffic ticket. What happens when the
police officer who issued you the ticket does not
show up? That's right, the case is dismissed. Why?
The burden of proof was not met. You never had to
prove you were innocent. The State failed to fulfill
their burden.

3. IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
A claim is a statement not a question. A
questions is the focus of a discussion.
A claim is a statement not a question.
The claim is the focus of the argument. It is the
conclusion the arguer is trying to convince his or her
audience to believe.

4. CRITICAL THINKING

6. A claim is any
single statement
of controversy
advanced for the
purpose of
argument. Both
pro and the con in
a debate should
be arguing over
the same claim.
Claims
represent
both the
starting and
the ending of
an argument.
REMEMBER

7. TYPES OF CLAIMS
Each type of claim argues something different.

8. A CLAIM OF FACT
Asserts that something quantifiable has existed, does exist, or will exist.

9. Asserts
qualitative
judgments along
a good to bad
continuum
relating to
person’s, event’s,
and things in
one’s
environment.
A CLAIM OF VALUE

10. Asserts that
something
should or
should not be
done by
someone about
something.
A CLAIM OF POLICY

11. The "facts" we
accept today
can be
replaced with
new "facts"
tomorrow.
Therefore,
never think of a
"fact" as a
"Truth."
REMEMBER

12. NOT A QUESTION

13. POLICY, FACT, VALUE