READING AND

WRITING SKILLS

Ms. Arlene M. Amahan

Claim
n. an assertion open to challenge
v. to assert something that could
possibly be contradicted.
Claim
a statement that is arguable or
debatable.

used to defend our position on topics.

 Claims are synonymous to belief,
argument, assertion, or stand.

According to Tiongson 2016, 20-21, a

good claim should be argumentative and
debatable, specific and focused, interesting
and engaging, and logical.
Claim

what the writer tries to prove in the

text by providing details, explanations, and
other types of evidence.
 Claims could be implicit claims or explicit.

Explicit Claim is directly and clearly stated

in the text. It is when you can easily point out
the information in the passage and in detail.
 Examples of Explicit Statements

- The color of her shirt is black.

- I am eating an apple.
-My family and I will go to the movies
tonight.
 Implicit Claim is indirectly expressed in the
text and you need to look for clues or make
inferences to understand its meaning.
 Examples of Implicit Statements

- As soon as Georgia arrived at their house,

she immediately ran towards the fridge.

-Leo is an adorable four-legged animal.

 Characteristics of Good Claims

1. Should be argumentative and debatable.

2. Should be specific and focused.

3. Should be interesting and engaging.

4. A claim should be logical. It should result

from reasonable weighing of support provided.
Three Types of Claims
1. Claim of Fact
2. Claim of Policy
3. Claim of Value
CLAIM OF FACT
 1. Claim of Fact

- refer to a condition that has existed

(past), exists (present), or will exist (future)
- inferences made are based on data,
documents, and scientific observation, and
research.
Guide Questions for Claims of Fact

- Did it happen?
- Does it exist?
- Is it true?
- How can its truthfulness be verified?
- Is it a fact?
 Claim of Fact Examples
* The oldest known disease in the world is
leprosy. (Past Fact)

* Cancer is not contagious. (Present Fact)

* The climate will get warmer in the next
few years because of global warming.
(Future Fact)
 How to defend your claims of fact:
1. State the claim clearly.
2. Define terms that may be controversial or
ambiguous so that readers know exactly
what you mean.
3. Make sure that your evidence fulfills the
appropriate criteria.
CLAIM OF POLICY
 2. Claim of Policy

- focused on asserting what must be

or must not be done.

- it is made when you are proposing a

course of action should or should not be
done to solve a problem.
2. Claim of Policy

- are specific and measureable

actions that need to be done in order to
address issues or concerns presented in an
argument or proposition.
2. Claim of Policy

- is also called as claim of solution

because it suggests and supports policies
and solutions, and the action to be taken is
based on the results.
 2. Claim of Policy

- focused on asserting what must be

or must not be done.

- it is made when you are proposing a

course of action should or should not be
done to solve a problem.
 Example of Claim of Policy
Cyber-bullying is very rampant
nowadays, so, parents should be aware of
what their children are doing on social
media.

an action is being proposed

How to defend your Claims of Policy:
1. Convince your audience that a problem
exists.
2. Make your proposal clear.
3. Establish that there is a need for a
change.
4. Consider the opposing arguments.
How to defend your Claims of Policy:

5. Devote the major part of your essay to

providing that your proposal is an answer to
the opposing arguments and there are distinct
benefits for your readers in adopting your
proposal.
How to defend your Claims of Policy:

6. Support your proposal with solid data, but

don’t neglect the moral considerations and
the common-sense reasons, which may be
even more persuasive.
CLAIM OF VALUE
Value
- a relative worth; the relative usefulness
or importance of something as judged by specific
qualities.

- a person’s principles or standards of

behavior and one’s judgment of what is important
in life.
Claim of Value

- focused on asserting personal

judgements and biases on what is good or
bad; what is best.
- it is stating your choices or options
or your preferences.
Claim of Value
- are value judgment made based on
morals, standards, and norms.
- it requires the use of standards of
evaluation, presentation of advantages oof
moral standards used, use of example to
concretize abstractions, and use of credible
experts.
Claim of Value

- it is also called a claim of judgment

because the reader has to decide whether
the argument or proposition is right or
wrong or has to be accepted or rejected.
Example of Claim of Value

Taking vitamins is better than eating

fruits and vegetables in terms of boosting
our immune system.
- expresses that one thing is of MORE VALUE
than the other.
- debatable in a sense that, this claim may be
truthful to some but not to all.
Example of Claim of Value
If I were to choose, I would prefer the
work from home (WFH) scheme than
working in the office as it gives me more
family time.
- arguable (debatable) since benefits of WFH may
vary from one person to another.
Example of Claim of Value
Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte is the best
President.
Netflix is better than Youtube.

DRT Bulacan is the best place to go for a

summer vacation.
Example of Claim of Value
Death penalty is unjust.
It is better to have loved and lost than
never have loved at all.
Dogs are more loveable than cats.
Guide questions for Claims of Value:

• Which claims endorse what is good or bad?

• What qualities should be considered good?
Why?

• Which of these values content with others?

• Which ones are more important, and why?

• Whose standards are used?
How to defend your claims of value:
• Try to make clear that the values or principles
you are defending should have priority on any
scale of values.

• Keep in mind that you and your readers may

differ about their relative importance.
How to defend your claims of value:

• Suggest that adherence to the values you are

defending will bring about good results in
some specific situation or bad results if
respect for the values is ignored.
How to defend your claims of value:
• Since value terms are abstract, use examples
and illustrations to clarify meanings and make
distinctions.

• Comparisons and contrasts are especially

helpful.
How to defend your claims of value:

• Use testimony of others to prove that

knowledgeable or highly regarded people
share your values.
Thank you!