n t i f y i n g

Id e
A I M S
CL

Reading & Writing

Lesson 4
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Our discussion will focus on enhancing your skill in
identifying claims while you contend with these 2
essential questions:

What is the author’s

What is the
position regarding
author’s point?
it?

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to

define, identify, eveluate claims.
 IMPLICIT VS EXPLICIT INFORMATION

EXPLICIT INFORMATION
clearly stated (direct)
Readers do not have to infer because
information being delivered is stated using
the exact words.

IMPLICIT INFORMATION
implied, suggested (indirect)
Requires readers to make inference based
on the text.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?

A claim is what the writer tries to

prove in the text by providing details,
explanations, and other types of
evidence. As such, it is usually found in
the introduction or in the first few
paragraphs of texts.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?

A claim persuades, argues, convinces,

proves, or provocatively suggests
something to a reader who may or may
not initially agree with you.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?

A claim is the main argument of an

essay. It is probably the single most
important part of an academic paper.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?

A claim defines an academic paper’s

goal, direction, scope, and exigence and
is supported by evidence, quotation,
argumentation, expert opinion, statistics
and telling details.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?

A claim must be argumentative. When

you make a claim, you are arguing for a
certain interpretation or understanding
of your subject.
 WHAT IS CLAIM?
A claim is also known as the central
argument or thesis statement of the
text. It is a sentence that summarizes
the most important thing that the
writer wants to say as a result of
his/her thinking, reading or writing.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF A GOOD CLAIM
1. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
ARGUMENTATIVE AND
DEBATABLE.

A writer is arguing for a specific

viewpoint on the subject when they
make a claim. Readers are likely to
able to object to your claim, but
they can only do so if it is one that
is open to a legitimate debate.
Therefore, statements that are
opinion-based cannot be disputed.
1. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
ARGUMENTATIVE AND
DEBATABLE.

Example:

Men are better than women.

2. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
SPECIFIC AND FOCUSED.

If the claim is not well-defined,

the paper will have an overly
broad scope, lack focus, and
have an unclear relationship to
the supporting evidence. It
could also result in broad
inferences and inaccurate
claims.
3. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
INTERESTING AND ENGAGING

The reader, who may or

may not agree with you,
should be engaged by your
argument, and encouraged
to think critically and learn
something new from you.
4. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
LOGICAL.

It needs to come from an

accurate evaluation of the
support that was provided.
 4. A CLAIM SHOULD BE
LOGICAL.

When you are reading a text,

you can use the following
questions to figure out the
writer's claim:

· What is the author’s main point?

· What is the author’s position
regarding it?
TYPES OF CLAIM
 1. CLAIMS OF FACT
It is a measureable subject.
They assert something has existed, exists, or will
exist based on data.
They differ from inferences in that they require
systematic methods or dependable sources for
validation.
A "what" question is typically addressed with
claims of fact.
 1. CLAIMS OF FACT

Helpful questions in figuring out whether something

is a claim of fact:
- Did it happen?
- Does it exist?
- IS it true?
- How can its truthfulness be verified?
- Is it a fact?
 EXAMPLE

Over the last

century, the average
global temperature
has increased by 1
degree Celsius.
 EXAMPLE

It can be proven
Over the last through collected
century, the average data that the average
global temperature temperature of the
has increased by 1 Earth has risen by 1
degree Celsius. degree Celsius in the
past hundred years.
HOW TO DEFEND THE CLAIM OF FACT

State the Claim clearly.

Make sure that your evidence
fulfills the appropriate criteria.
Make your Conclusions clear.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF FACT?

Snowboarding is
Climate change is
the greatest way
exacerbated by
to spend a
people.
vacation.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF FACT?

Snowboarding is
Climate change is
the greatest way
exacerbated by
to spend a
people.
vacation.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF FACT?

Snowboarding is
Climate change is
the greatest way
exacerbated by
to spend a
people.
vacation.
CLAIM
OF VAL
UE
 2. CLAIMS OF VALUES

They consist of arguments about moral,

philosophical, or aesthetic topics.
They render decisions about what is
excellent or terrible, right, or wrong, or
something similar, based on set standards.
Value claims try to clarify how issues, or
difficulties should be valued.
 2. CLAIMS OF VALUES

Helpful questions in figuring out whether something is a

claim of values:

- Which claims support right or good?

- What characteristics are worthy of validation? Why?
- Which of these principles’ conflicts with the rest?
- What are the more significant ones, and why?
 EXAMPLE

Death penalty is
unjust.

It is better to be loved
and lost, than never to
have love at all.
HOW TO DEFEND THE CLAIM OF VALUE

Try to make clear that the values or

principles you are defending should have
priority on any scale of values.
Keep mind that you and your readers may
differ about their realtive importance.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF VALUE?

The death penalty

Filipino food is should be abolished
the best food of because it does
all. nothing to prevent
murder.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF VALUE?

The death penalty

Filipino food is should be abolished
the best food of because it does
all. nothing to prevent
murder.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF VALUE?

The death penalty

Filipino food is should be abolished
the best food of because it does
all. nothing to prevent
murder.
P O L I C Y
I M O F
CLA
 3. CLAIMS OF POLICY

Suggest that specific actions should be

chosen as solutions to a particular
problem.
You can easily identify a claim of policy
because they begin with ‘should,’ ‘ought,’
or ‘must’.
It is usually answers “how” questions.
 4. CLAIMS OF POLICY

Helpful questions in figuring out whether

something is a claim of policy:

· Does the claim suggest a specific remedy to solve

the problem?
· Is the policy clearly defined?
· Is the need for the policy established?
 EXAMPLE

It is necessary for
the government to
establish a system of
universal healthcare
coverage.
 EXAMPLE

The government should

It is necessary for
create a healthcare
the government to
system that ensures all
establish a system of
citizens have access to
universal healthcare
medical services
coverage. without facing
financial obstacles.
HOW TO DEFEND THE CLAIM OF POLICY

Convince your audience that a

problem exists.
Make your proposal clear.
Establish that there is a need for a
change.
Consider the opposing arguments.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF POLICY?

The death penalty

should be abolished Crime is caused
because it does by lack of family
nothing to prevent
values.
murder.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF POLICY?

The death penalty

should be abolished Crime is caused
because it does by lack of family
nothing to prevent
values.
murder.
C A U S E
A I M O F
C L
 4. CLAIMS OF CAUSE

Statement that asserts a relationship

between two phenomena, suggesting that one
is the reason or cause for the other.
 EXAMPLE

The increase in
greenhouse gas
emissions is causing
global temperature
to rise.
 EXAMPLE

The increase in The rise in global

greenhouse gas temperatures can be
emissions is causing attributed to the
global temperatures increase in emissions
to rise. of greenhouse gases.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF CAUSE?

Marriage as an Sending infants to

institution needs to
day care results in
be redefined to
psychological
include modern
problems later in
variations on the
life.
traditional family.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF CAUSE?

Marriage as an Sending infants to

institution needs to
day care results in
be redefined to
psychological
include modern
problems later in
variations on the
life.
traditional family.
 WHICH IS A CLAIM OF CAUSE?

Marriage as an
Sending infants to
institution needs to
be redefined to
day care results in
include modern psychological
variations on the problems later in
traditional family. life.
D E F I N I T I O N
CLAIM O F
 5. CLAIMS OF DEFINITION

An argumentative statement where

someone asserts or defines the meaning of a
term or concept in a particular context.
 EXAMPLE

The fetus is a human

being, not just a
group of cells.
 Let us recall the

5 TYPES OF
CLAIMS
 BAD AND BETTER
STATEMENTS OF CLAIM
In his article Stanley Fish shows
that we don’t really have the right
to free speech.

Stanley Fish’s argument that free speech

exists more as a political prize than as a legal
reality ignores the fact that even as a
political prize it still serves the social end of
creating a general cultural atmosphere of
tolerance that may ultimately promote free
speech in our nation just as effectively as any
binding law.
 BAD AND BETTER
STATEMENTS OF CLAIM

The government has the right to

limit free speech.

The government has the right to limit

free speech in cases of overtly racist or
sexist language, because our failure to
address such abuses would effectively
suggest that our society condones such
ignorant and hateful views.
QUIZ TIME
I.GIVE THE DEFINITION

1. CLAIM
2. CLAIM OF VALUE
3. CLAIM OF FACT
4. CLAIM OF CAUSE
5. CLAIM OF POLICY
6. CLAIM OF DEFINITION
I.IDENTIFY WHETER THE TEXT IS CLAIM OF FACT,
CLAIM OF DEFINITION, CLAIM OF CAUSE, CLAIM OF
VALUE, AND CLAIM OF POLICY.

7. COVID-19 is considered as highly contagious disease that killed

millions of people.
8. Sex education should be part of the public-school curriculum.
9. Jeepney phase-out caused a lot of Filipino Jeepney drivers to
lose their job.
10. Video games are a valuable addition to modern education.
11. Marriage as an institution needs to be redefined to include
modern variations on the traditional family.
III. WRITE AT LEAST 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD CLAIM