What is a claim?

What is a claim?

 

Claims are a statement or assertion.

 

As an AP Lang student, you’ll need to identify claims within texts. You’ll also need to write claims in your essays.

 

Types of Claims

There are three types of claims that are useful to know: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of policy.

 

What is a claim of fact?

As the name suggests, a claim of fact is a debatable claim that can be proven or disproven with factual evidence.

 

Here’s an example: The ozone layer is being depleted.

 

What is a claim of value?

A claim of value argues that something is “good” or “bad” or that one thing is better than another.

 

Here’s an example: Cheating on tests in wrong.

 

What is a claim of policy?

Claims of policy argue that certain conditions should exist or that something should or should not be done in order to solve a problem.

 

Here’s an example: Schools should provide all students with a free breakfast and lunch.

 

Want more practice? Check out this identifying claim and evidence worksheet.

 

Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

In your essays, you’ll need a thesis (the overarching claim of your essay) and topic sentences (a claim that conveys the main idea of the paragraph.)

 

For a rhetorical analysis thesis, be sure to include the specific rhetorical choices and the author’s message, argument, or purpose.

For more information about rhetorical analysis thesis statements, check out this blog post.

 

Thesis statements for argument and synthesis essays are similar. Most students write a counterargument thesis or a closed thesis. It’s okay to reference your main ideas, but don’t include your evidence in your thesis. Doing so makes your essay seem redundant.

 

Want to see some examples of how to write an effective topic sentence? Check out the video below.

 

When writing claims, try to write it as a complex sentence, meaning that there should be a dependent clause and an independent clause. While there is a time and place for simple sentences, complex sentences often lead to a more insightful thesis and a stronger argument.

 

For more information about how to do this, including some examples, check out the video below.