TYPES OF CLAIMSBy: haley stuckey

CLAIMS A claim is the conclusion, or idea you want

your audience to accept Three types of claims

Fact Value Policy

CLAIMS OF FACT Make statements about something real

They can be proven correct or incorrect Argumentation based on claims of

facts rely on the claim’s accuracy Can relate them to Past, Present, or

FuturePast: refers to events occuring in near or

distant pastPresent: refers to facts describing the

current state Future: refers to predictions

EXAMPLE Claims of Fact:

The price of college tuition has greatly increased in the last ten years

Airport security has tightened since September 11, 2001

Before the turn of the century the United States will no longer be dependent on foreign oil sources.

CLAIMS OF VALUE Make relative judgemets about what is good or

bad, right or wrong, just or unjust, moral or immoral. They cannot be verified

Four types of Values: Artistic Moral Political Pragmatic

Members of societies often hold similar values Some values hold more importance than others

EXAMPLE Claims of Value:

Van Gogh’s paintings were beautiful Abortion is morally wrong. Thomas Paine’s “Liberty is more precious than

life” Getting rid of open campus at U-High is

impractical To support these claims you would use other

types of claims including perhaps other claims of value.

CLAIMS OF POLICY Make a statement about what should be

done or how something should be done Suggest a course of action

Used to persuade audience Often rely on claims of fact or value for

support

EXAMPLE Claims of Policy:

The federal government should decrease taxes to improve the economy

The number of foreign language credits required to graduate needs to be increased at U-High.

Bloomington-Normal should lift the smoking ban

OVERLAP OF CLAIMS Support any claim with another to strengthen

your argument Each type of claim is dependent upon the

others for support

EXAMPLE Claim of Policy: The number of foreign

language credits required to graduate needs to be increased at U-High.

Support: The number of foreign language credits required for acceptance to most schools is greater than the two credits required at U-High. (Claim of Fact)

Reasoning: Getting into a good college is important to U-High students. (Claim of Value)

Quick Quiz

Question 1:What are the three types of claims?

Answer:Claims of fact, value, and policy

Question 2:What are the four types of claims of value?

Answer:Artistic, Moral, Political, and Pragmatic Claims of Value

Question 3:True or False, the three types of claims are never used together?

Answer:False: they are used to support each other’s reasoning.