The document discusses different types of claims that can be made in academic arguments. It defines a claim as the main argument of an essay that must be supported by evidence. Descriptive thesis statements that merely describe a text rather than make an argument are noted as insufficient. The document then provides examples of different types of arguable claims, including claims of fact, definition, cause, resemblance, value, and policy. It emphasizes that a good claim is specific, complex, and invites debate on the issue.

2. A claim persuades, argues,
convinces, proves, or provocatively
suggests something to a reader who
may or may not initially agree with
you.

3. What most non-academics mean by argument is usually a
polar opposition or heated debate: I win/you lose; you‟re a
Democrat/I‟m a Republican; I‟m for the death
penalty/you‟re a bleeding-heart liberal against the death
penalty; I‟m pro-choice/you‟re against choice. Though
academic arguments can be just as heated and draw on
political, social, cultural, or personal positions and
experiences, academic claims are different—often more
complex, nuanced, specific, and detailed. Most academic
argument is bounded by what is considered debatable or up
for inquiry within a discipline, acknowledging that some
questions are already settled (though that too may end up
being debatable).

4. The „rules‟ of academic argument exclude the
following as support:
—Because it is my personal opinion
—Because my friends or relatives think so or
most people think so
—Because it‟s always been, it‟s tradition
—Because it‟s obvious
—Because it‟s morally right

5. A claim is the main argument of an essay. It is
probably the single most important part of an
academic paper. The complexity, effectiveness, and
quality of the entire paper hinges on the claim. If
your claim is boring or obvious, the rest of the paper
probably will be too.
A claim defines your paper‟s goals, direction, scope,
and exigence and is supported by evidence,
quotations, argumentation, expert opinion, statistics,
and telling details.

6. A claim must be argumentative. When you make a
claim, you are arguing for a certain interpretation
or understanding of your subject.
A good claim is specific. It makes a focused
argument (MTV‟s popularity is waning because it
no longer plays music videos) rather than a general
one (MTV sucks).

7. Following are examples of descriptive thesis
statements students write in high school. Each is
drawn from the top-scoring AP English Language
and Composition papers posted on the College
Board website:

8. “To be a writer, one must have an elite
understanding of diction, syntax and tone. These
literary devices are utilized by writers, including
Eudora Welty, as a method for expressing the
message that they wish to convey to readers.”
“In the excerpt from One Writer‟s Beginnings,
Eudora Welty conveys a positive tone toward her
childhood experience. She accomplishes this
through the use of descriptive diction,
impressionable images, and unusual syntax.”

9. “The two passages given describe the swamp in
very different lights. Although they are in some
ways familiar, the styles of the authors of these
paragraphs are very different.”
These are NOT argumentative claims because the
writers‟ strategy here is to create a thesis
statement that is DESCRIPTIVE. The writer is
describing some aspect of the main text, and that‟s
all their doing. It‟s like saying, “Shakespeare‟s
Romeo and Juliet is a play about two star crossed
lovers and two warring families.”

10. Descriptive theses do not investigate anything,
critique anything, or analyze anything. Descriptive
claims also do not invite support and argument
from outside of the central text nor do descriptive
papers apply what has been learned in the central
text to other texts.

11. Opinion Argument/Arguable Claim
Twinkies are delicious. Twinkies taste better than
other snack cakes because
of their texture, their
creamy filling, and their
golden appearance.

12. Opinion Argument/Arguable Claim
I like dance music. Dance music has become
popular for reasons that
have nothing to do with the
quality of the
music;rather, the clear, fast
beats respond to the need of
people on amphetamines to
move, and to move quickly.

13. Opinion Argument/Arguable Claim
I think Virginia Woolf is
better than James Joyce.
Virginia Woolf is a more
effective writer than James
Joyce because she does not
rely on elaborate
language devices that
ultimately confuse and
alienate the reader.

14. Opinion Argument/Arguable Claim
The governor is a bad man. The governor has
continually done the
community a disservice by
mishandling money,
focusing on frivolous causes,
and failing to listen to his
constituents.

15. —An argument is supported by evidence, which
can be debated/challenged. Opinion is
supported by more opinion (and ultimately you end
up with something along the lines of “Well, just
because, okay?”).
—A claim can be substantiated with research,
evidence, testimony, and academic reasoning.

16. —A claim is something more than statement and
support: an arguable claim also goes on to
address the “so what?” question, the implications
and why we should care in the first place.
—Remember that not all claims are created equal,
and though a claim may be arguable, the best
claims are focused, specific, complex, and relevant.

17. In arguing a claim, you should always consider
potential counterclaims and counterarguments.
For instance, in response to the above claim about
the Seahawks, someone might say: “You‟re wrong.
The Hawks defensive problems last year were a
result of poor coaching on the part of the defensive
coordinator.” This counterclaim denies the validity
of my claim. Usually, it‟s important to address
counterclaims in your writing.

19. Did it happen? Is it true? Does it exist?
Claims of fact appear to be statements of
fact, but remember that your claim needs to
be argumentative, so you want to make a
claim about which not everyone would
agree. Some claims of fact are not arguable
(e.g. The earth orbits the sun).

20. Consider what it is that makes the following
claims arguable:
 NASA and the US government have spent more than
30 billion dollars to fake the Apollo moon landings
and to perpetuate this hoax.
(A claim of fact made by Bill Kaysing in his self-
published We Never Went to the Moon: America's Thirty
Billion Dollar Swindle)

21. A digital divide (inequitable access to technology)
between students from wealthier school districts
and students from poorer ones has added to the
problem of educational success among students
from the lower socioeconomic classes and students
from ethnic minorities.

22. Categorical Arguments: is X a Y?—where you and your
audience agree on the meaning of Y
Example: Frying or baking starchy foods can create high
levels of a potentially cancer-causing chemical called
acrylamide, so those French fries that you had at lunch today
(X) may be carcinogenic (Y).
Explanation: When you make a categorical claim, it’s
important that the majority of your audience agrees on the
meaning of the category. In the example above, the meaning
of the category (Y) should be easily agreed upon by most; a
carcinogen is something that causes cancer. Whether or not a
specific item (starchy foods; X) belongs in that category,
however, is open for debate.

23. What is it? (Is X a Y?, where the meaning of Y is
contested)
Unlike a categorical claim, in a true claim of
definition, the arguer can assume that the audience
agrees on the meaning of a term (X) that is being
placed into a certain category (Y), but it is the
definition of the category (Y) that is controversial or
arguable.

24. Example: Zygotes and embryos are human beings.
Explanation: The definition of a zygote (a diploid cell
resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes; a fertilized
ovum) has been vastly agreed upon by members of the
community of biological scientists. Unless you’re a biological
scientist, making claims of definition about the meaning of
the terms zygote or embryo are not good choices for
argumentative topics.

25. The definition that is being called into question in the
example above is the meaning (definition) of the term
“human being” or the meaning of the concept of “life.”
Rather than requiring the author to make a scientific
judgment, defining the meaning of the term human or
the concept of life is more of a moral or philosophical
question—one that is much better suited to a college-
freshman-level composition assignment. (Please note:
this example came from an argument about embryonic
stemcell research rather than the overly common topic
of abortion about which so many college freshmen are
fond of writing and so many college writing teachers are
tired of reading.)

26. What caused it?
Is there a disagreement about a cause related to
your issue? Claims of cause seek to argue a cause
and effect relationship. Again, remember that
your claim needs to be arguable. Making a claim
that cigarette smoking often leads to lung cancer
is a causal claim, but not really an arguable one
by today’s standards. Consider the following
examples of causal claims that are still (at least
somewhat) debated.

27. Example: The widespread prescription of
antidepressants is directly responsible for an
increase in teen suicide rates.
Example: The popularity of Barbie among grade-
school-aged girls has contributed to the unrealistic
standards for beauty and thinness among teen girls
and young women.

28. How is it like something else?
Compare your topic to something that you believe your
audience will relate to easily as a way for your
audience to better understand your argument. It’s
often a successful strategy to argue that a truth about
something that so closely resembles your topic must
also be true for your topic. Resemblance arguments
are most often developed as a sub-claim that supports
the overall claim or thesis of an argument. At times,
however, one might choose to develop a resemblance
claim as the primary claim or thesis of an argument.

29. Example: As one admires the complex purpose, parts,
and motion of a wristwatch, knowing that it is the
watchmaker who is responsible for its design, so too we
should, when admiring the vastly more complex
purpose, parts, and motion of the universe, understand
that it too has an intelligent maker. (a paraphrase of
William Paley’s argument for intelligent design, 1802)

30. Is it good or bad?
Making a claim of value requires that
you evaluate your topic or an aspect of
your topic. Is it good or bad?
valuable or not valuable? desirable or
undesirable? and, of course, why?

31. Example: Global warming is the most pressing challenge
facing the world today.
Example: The right to bear arms in the US is an
important one.
Example: Physician assisted suicide is immoral.

32. What should we do about it?
Claims of policy suggest a solution to a
problem that has been defined or
described by an argument.

33. Example: Increased tax dollars for education of
prisoners will result in a decrease in the number of
released prisoners who re-offend.
Example: The sale of assault weapons should be
banned in the U.S.