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How to Write an Effective Claim for an Essay

Often, people use claim statements and thesis statements interchangeably. And they are not wrong because a thesis statement is a type of a claim. In most cases, essays contain further claims other than the thesis statement, depending on the topic in question. Nevertheless, claims overlap the line between fact and opinion. A strong claim leads to a powerful essay that always scores the best marks.

A good claim is debatable either for or against and must be sufficiently specific so that you explore all the aspects and angles of a given topic.

Yet even with this knowledge, people find themselves confused when asked to formulate a claim for an essay. Failure to structure an argument the right way makes it difficult to persuade an audience. Claims help structure your argument using reasoning and evidence to support your stance.

Given the confusion that sometimes surrounds claims and claim statements, we have put together this guide to take you through the process of writing claims in five steps, using examples and illustrations where necessary for you to master the art of writing claims in an essay.

What is a claim in an essay?

A claim statement is the main point or a debatable statement in the essay that asserts your argument . When you write an essay, you do it to convince or inform the reader about something. What you are trying to convince the reader about is what is referred to as a claim.

The main point or argument in an essay is its most important part. This is because it quickly informs the reader about the objective of the essay, its direction, and its scope.

It is important to note that an opinion is not a claim and cannot be used as the main argument when writing an essay. The easiest way to know if your essay's main argument is a good claim is to ask yourself if it is specific, focused, detailed, relevant, and debatable. If your answer to these questions is yes, you most probably have a good claim.

A claim is usually substantiated with evidence, research, testimony, and academic reasoning. It addresses the -so what?- question the implications of why your audience should care anyway. Unlike a subjective opinion, a claim is always objective.

In a nutshell, a claim:

Refers to the main argument of an essay
Defines the goals, scope, and direction of a paper
It is supported by facts, evidence, argumentation, statistics, telling details, and quotations.
It is specific, nuanced, detailed, complex, and focused.
It is the starting point for your thesis and allows readers to think critically about the topic.
Persuades, argues, and proves a point to the reader.

Types of claims with examples

With the definition of claims in mind, let's explore the different types of claims you can use when writing a paper on any topic.

1. Factual claims

Factual claims are arguments or statements that state facts. Any statement that is a fact is a factual claim. Factual claims are usually easy to support with evidence.

When writing a research essay, a claim of fact or definition defines the fact as you see it and provides evidence to back the claim.

Examples of factual claims that are easy to support:

The United States is the world's biggest economy.
New York is the home of the United Nations.
Donald Trump was the 45 th President of the USA.
The invention of computing technology has transformed every sector of the global economy.

2. Value claims

Value claims or claims of value are arguments that include a judgment. They are primarily opinion-based. A typical value claim will judge something or someone using terms such as good/bad, right/wrong, moral/immoral, and fair/unfair. A value claim is usually followed by explaining the value claim or argument to provide context.

Examples of value claims:

Online dating is
It is right for the West to sanction private individuals for Russian government actions.
It is unfair for some businesses to be exempted from tax.
Emotional health is as important as physical and mental health.

3. Definitional claims

Definitional claims are arguments defining something as one thing or the other. For example, a good value claim will define or describe something or someone as a particular thing and then provide an explanation why.

An excellent example of a definitional claim:

Hunting is not a sport because it does not include regular competition.

4. Cause and effect claims

Cause and effect claims are arguments that are very logical in structure. A typical cause-and-effect claim argues that one thing causes something else. For a cause-and-effect claim to be successfully proven, you must show clearly how the cause leads to the effect.

An excellent example of a cause-and-effect claim:

Wars in the Middle East caused Europe's biggest refugee crisis.

5. Descriptive claims

Descriptive claims are arguments that describe or state things. The work of proving a descriptive claim is usually quite simple and straightforward.

Here are good examples of descriptive claims:

Peter weighs 220 pounds.
He is the world marathon record holder.
The house has three master en suite bedrooms.

6. Argumentative claims

All argumentative essays have an argumentative claim at the core. An argumentative claim is an argument that is clear, focused, specific, and debatable. The thing that makes argumentative claims argumentative is the fact that they are debatable. In other words, the claims usually have two clear sides. The side you have picked should be clear in the claim so the audience can read your essay to understand why you picked that side.

Here are good examples of argumentative claims:

In light of reduced and erratic rainfalls, farmers in East Africa are increasingly abandoning agriculture for city life.
Running provides both mental and physical health benefits.
Increasing cases of cyberbullying can be prevented by banning anonymous social media accounts.
Yoga improves physical, mental, and emotional strength.
School uniforms help promote inclusive environments where students can interact without barriers.
College students should learn new languages and skills to help them gain skills to take them through life.
Concrete is by far the best building material for commercial houses.
Owning a home is better compared to renting.
Children under 12 should not be posted on social media by their parents.
Generation Z should be taught about financial literacy.
Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper compared to fast food.

7. Exploratory claims

Exploratory claims are very different from argumentative claims. The reason why is that they are written to explore all the different opinions or sides of a debate. No exploratory claim will focus on one position.

A typical exploratory claim will include information about the subject to be written about, the different positions or debates about the subject, and the writer's thoughts about the subject.

Here is an example of an exploratory claim:

Marijuana was recently legalized for recreational use in New York, leading to a heated debate online on the benefits and drawbacks of the drug. It is essential to look at both sides of the debate to make a fair conclusion on the matter.

8. Assertive claims

Assertive claims are strong arguments or statements. The use of an assertive statement is to explain the thesis a bit or show the importance of the thesis. Without an assertive claim, it becomes challenging to hook the reader to try and read the rest of your essay.

Here is an excellent example of an assertive claim:

Online driving courses are not as good as physical ones because they minimize hands-on or one-on-one training experience.

9. Policy claims

Policy claims are also known as solution claims. A characteristic policy claim will state a problem and then its solution.

Examples of policy claims:

Western European countries are over-dependent on Russian oil and gas and, therefore, should try to be more energy-independent.
Non-violent drug users who are caught should be rehabilitated instead of being incarcerated.

Where to use Claims when writing

As we have already discussed, academic writing has different types of claims. You can use these claims when writing different kinds of papers. Here are some types of writing that use claims:

Argumentative essay. Claims in argumentative essays are used to support the central argument or the thesis. In this type of essay, you must focus on a controversial or debatable issue and present evidence to support your thesis statement. Your claims help to fortify the thesis in your argumentative essay.
Literary analysis essays. In a literary analysis essay, you can make a claim about the literary work in question and then offer evidence to support the claim.
Persuasive essays. Like the argumentative essay, you can use a claim in a persuasive essay. In this case, you will use evidence-based information to support your claim.
Research papers. You can use evidence to support or refute the hypothesis, a type of claim.
Persuasive speeches. Although presented orally, persuasive speeches entail providing claims and then using evidence to support the claims.
Persuasive memos. You can write a persuasive memo to convince the audience about a claim you support with evidence.
Compare and contrast essays . You can use claims when comparing two items or subjects.

You can also use claims when writing professional papers such as reports, letters, memos, or social media posts.

Related Article: Writing good analytical essays for better grades.

Features of a reasonable claim

Below are the features of a good claim:

1. A good claim is a statement and not a question

A good claim is usually a statement and not a question. The purpose of making a claim is to present a debate and the writer's position on the debate. Using a question, there is no way to present a debate and clarify your position.

2. A good claim challenges the status quo

The purpose of writing essays is to improve the existing body of knowledge. Simply writing another essay supporting the current beliefs, behaviors, rules, or policies does not enhance the body of knowledge. This is why it is vital to make your claim challenge the status quo so that you can write about something new that everyone doesn't already agree with.

An excellent example of a claim that challenges that status quo is that "The United States should shut down all its nuclear power plants in the next year to eliminate the chance of a disaster happening."

This statement challenges the status quo: nuclear power plants are needed in the USA for the foreseeable future to provide much-needed power.

3. A good claim is unbiased

Claims should always be put to provide an opportunity to defend or support either position. Phrasing a claim in a way that leaves no room for the audience to think that an alternative position can exist is not right. It removes objectivity and makes a claim look biased and unwise.

4. A good claim is particular

Broad claims do not provide any insight. This is because they are easy to agree with. They are also easy to prove. In contrast, specific claims narrow the focus and improve argumentation. So, to write a good essay, it is vital to make your claim specific and detailed so that whatever you write is focused and provides good insight.

5. A good claim promotes an argumentative essay

Make a claim that is easy to agree with. Your essay will not be engaging because it will be a description or a story. In contrast, you create an argumentative environment when you make a claim supporting one of two sides. In other words, you create a situation where you provide evidence to support or defend the side of the argument you have picked.

Claim vs. Claim Statement

A claim is an argument. When writing an academic paper (essay, speech, or research), you will have your main claim (main argument). In addition, you will have your sub-claims or supporting arguments throughout your paper or essay.

An essay's central claim or argument is the claim statement. It is also referred to as the thesis statement. In brief, the main difference between a claim and a claim statement is that the former is just an argument while the latter is the main argument.

The requirements for writing a claim and a claim statement are very similar. However, sub-claims or supporting arguments in the body paragraphs do not need to be debatable. In contrast, a good claim statement should always be detailed and debatable.

Claim vs. Thesis Statement vs. Counterclaim

Claim	Thesis Statement	Counterclaim
The main argument for a paragraph. It is sometimes the topic sentence of the paragraph that announces the focus of a paragraph.	The main argument for the essay	An argument that negates, refutes, or contradicts the main argument in a paragraph
Every claim should support the thesis	Everything should support the thesis statement	The counterclaim should come after the claim in an argumentative essay
Every claim should be clear and specific	The should be detailed and focused	The counterclaim should focus on the claim, and its weaknesses should be addressed
An essay can have multiple claims	An essay can only have one claim	Every claim in an argumentative essay can have a counterclaim

Steps to writing the best claim in an essay

A claim is an argument. It is pretty easy to write an argument in an essay. The most straightforward essay will include the main claim or argument in the introduction , a supporting argument beginning each body paragraph, and a conclusion.

The most important part when writing an essay is usually the main claim or argument. It is also referred to as the claim statement. A good claim statement will help you to write a good essay. A lousy claim statement will make it challenging to write a good essay.

Follow the steps below to learn how to write a good claim statement.

1. Pick a topic and find out more information about it

The first thing you need to do when writing a claim statement is to pick a topic. Even if you can choose any topic, select one that interests you and can research and write an entire essay.

Once you choose the topic, find out more information about it. This will help you narrow the topic, find something interesting to write about, and make arguments. You also develop many aspects of the topic and choose one to help you write your claim.

As an example, suppose you are writing about climate change. Then, you can focus on global warming as a subject and present why it is a top cause of climate change.

2. Phrase the exciting topic as a question

Once you find something interesting about a topic, you should frame the topic as a question. As you frame the question, ensure you answer it with your thesis.

The easiest way to write a question is to imagine you are a professor asking your students to write an easy essay on the topic. This will help you to phrase the topic as a question quickly. The question will help you to come up with the claim statement and to write a good essay.

For example, suppose your research on a topic leads you to want to write about the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls. In that case, you could phrase this topic as a question. For example, one way you can phrase this topic as a question is, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

Phrasing the topic this way makes it easy to write the claim and thesis statements.

3. Define the objective of your essay

To write a good essay, you need to set the objective. The objective of your essay will determine what type of claim statement you write. For example, suppose your objective is to convince the audience that something is good or bad. In that case, you must decide after phrasing your essay topic as a question.

4. Take a position on the issue

After deciding your essay's objective, you need to take a position on the topic now. This position or claim will be your essay's main claim or claim statement. In addition, it will inform what your supporting arguments will be.

At this stage, you should rephrase your question into a claim statement (the question you constructed in step 2). Our example question was, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

To rephrase this question into a claim statement, state how you would answer it in detail. For example, one way you could do this is, "This paper looks at the harmful effects of Instagram on girls under 18 years of age in the USA."

This statement makes it clear what your essay will be all about. It is focused, detailed, and debatable.

5. Develop sub-claims

After creating the claim statement, you need to write an outline to help you write your essay. Your claim statement will inform the outline.

And the most critical parts of the outline will be the sub-claims. The sub-claims are the supporting arguments you will use in your essay. They are the arguments that support your main argument.

If you are writing a typical 5-paragraph essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion " the three body paragraphs will include a sub-claim at the beginning. The sub-claim will be an argument that supports your main position.

Following the five steps above, you can quickly develop a good essay with all the necessary claims and sub-claims. If, for any reason, you feel like it will be challenging for you to develop a good claim statement and sub-claims, contact us for help with your essay. We have professional essay tutors ready to help you write any essay before you hit the deadline.

Dos and don'ts when writing A claim in an Essay

You now know everything important about claims. You know all the major types of claims and how to write an eye-catching claim statement. In this section, you will learn all the critical dos and don'ts when writing any kind of claim.

Choose a good topic. It is important to choose a good topic if you are permitted to. A good topic is interesting, has lots of facts and data, and is easy to take a stand on.
Have fun. If essays are stressing you up, maybe you should re-evaluate your major or minor. Whatever topic you choose, you should have fun learning more about it and taking a stand. If you do this, your genuine passion will be evident to the reader.
Take a position. It is important to take a position when writing about a topic. Writing about something without supporting or defending a position will not help you. You need to embrace a position and stick to it.
Narrow your focus. It is crucial to narrow the focus of your writing to a particular thing or group. If your claim is too broad, it will not be compelling, and your essay won't be very informative.
Avoid using first-person when writing a claim statement. Using the first-person perspective will make your argument subjective and not very objective.
Avoid using emotional appeal. When writing, ensure that you appeal to facts and data. So don't appeal to emotions; that will water down your arguments.
Lose focus. Cluttering your claim with other ideas will make it challenging to support. It will also make your writing less understandable and less robust.

Final Remarks

Consider a claim as the branches and the thesis statement as the trunk that holds your paper together. It can be a compound or short sentence that asserts your position on an issue or topic.

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Elements of Argument

10 Types of Claims

By jim marteney.

There are three types of claims: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of policy . Each type of claim focuses on a different aspect of a topic. To best participate in an argument, it is beneficial to understand the type of claim that is being argued.

Claim of Fact

A c laim of f act asserts that something quantifiable has existed, does exist, or will exist. The center of controversy in a factual claim is over the reasonableness of the fact in question. In other words, a claim of fact debates whether the statement of the claim is correct or incorrect, valid or invalid, true or false. In making such implications, we reason from something that is known to something that is unknown. Claims of fact also focus on cause-to-effect relationships.

The goal in arguing for a claim of fact is to gain audience acceptance that something that is currently not accepted as fact or that something that is currently considered a fact should no longer be considered as such. The goal in arguing against a claim of fact is to get your audience to deny acceptance of some proposed new fact or to defend the status quo that something that is a fact should remain so. Claims of fact may be assertions about the past, present, or future.

Past claims of fact tend to deal with the assigning of motive or responsibility for historical actions. Examples are “ General Custer was responsible for the massacre at the Battle of the Little Big Horn ,” or “ Democrat policies caused the rise of terrorism .”

Present claims of fact tend to deal with events of current importance. Examples are “ There is a God ,” “ Divorce is causing increased juvenile crime ,” “Video games lead to the increase of violence among teens,” or “Climate change is exacerbated by people.”

Future claims of fact deal with making predictions about the nature of future events; such as “ Tuition at community colleges will be increased next year ,” “ Oil prices will continue to rise ” or “ The Tesla Model 3 will become the best-selling sedan in the United States .”

Claims of fact are quantifiable. That is, establishing the correctness of factual claims depends heavily on empirical verification. Such verification, or evidence, usually consists of using some combination of sensory data (sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste).

Claim of Value

A c laim of v alue asserts qualitative judgments along a good-to-bad continuum relating to persons, events, and things in one’s environment. If you construct a position claiming that something is good or bad or one thing is better than another, you’ve made a claim of value. Examples of claims of value are “ The Wizard of Oz is the greatest movie of all time ,” “ Snowboarding is the greatest way to spend a vacation ,” or “ Indian food is the best food of all .”

The center of argument in a value claim is over the criteria used in making the judgment. Value claims call into question a standard of comparison: bad as compared to what, good as compared to what, superior as compared to what? All judgments we make are opinions that compare two or more items and assert that one of the items is, by comparison, the better one. For instance, “ Coke is better than Pepsi ,” “ Natural gas is our best energy source ,” and “ George Washington is the greatest President of all time .” How do you define words like “ better ,” “ best ,” and “ greatest ”? And more importantly, do you and the person you are arguing with define them identically? If not, that difference must be resolved first with agreed-upon definitions of these key terms. Then you can begin your argument.

In our everyday decisions, we make many kinds of value judgments. Our own experiences reveal how difficult it often is to empirically quantify these judgments. Your parents ask you not to associate with a certain person because they are a “ bad influence .” You go to a certain college to get a “good” education. You buy a certain car because it is “ better ” than other similar cars. What is a “bad” influence, a “good” education, a “better” car? These words have no universality or common understanding. This puts you in the position of having to define how value judgments are made in a particular situation, to argue for that definition, and to assess how well the person/thing being judged meets that definition.

For example, with the claim “Abraham Lincoln is the greatest president ever,” the advocate would have to prove either or both that Lincoln meets the criteria for a great president, which involves arguing for the criteria as well as judging his play against that criteria AND that he meets the criteria better than any other president, which involves comparing and contrasting his presidency to other presidents.

A person’s values are often called into play when a person is arguing morality. Since value claims cannot be empirically supported, our arguments with others tend to be qualitative and without much factual support. One significant problem in social argumentation is that we tend to view claims of value as claims of fact, and thus we shift the focus of argument from good and bad to true or false. Value claims are the hardest on which to reach consensus because of the lack of objective criteria.

A major problem we often face is that we frequently argue claims of value as if they are claims of fact. Look at the following claims:

Law and Order is the best program on television.
Barack Obama was a great president.
Abortion is morally wrong.
The Lakers are better than the Celtics.

All of these claims are claims of value. We tend, however, to often debate them as if they were claims of fact, or “true or false” statements. Instead of getting others to accept our position as having the same validity as theirs does, successful conflict resolution demands that one of us abandon our “false” position and accept the other’s “true” position.

We do this without the universal criteria necessary for such “truthfulness” to be argued. We expect that others will accept our value judgments as “true,” without the empirical data necessary to prove such judgments. This is why social argumentation occasionally breaks down into quarreling and bickering, and why we have such a difficult time getting along with others who see the world differently than we do. Because most values are personal, and because the process of argumentation calls for one side or the other to abandon a value, constructive conflict resolution is hard to achieve when debating value claims.

Claim of Policy

A c laim of p olicy asserts that something should or should not be done by someone about something. It proposes that some specific course of action should, but not necessarily will, be taken. The key word in a claim of policy is the conditional verb “should” which implies that some action ought to be taken, but not that it must or will be taken. For instance, “The United States should send a manned expedition to Mars,” or “Students should read the assigned text material before the instructor lectures on it.” Policy claims are analyzed by locating the sub-claims of fact (the need for a policy change in the status quo) or value claims (the desirability of making such a change) inherent in the policy claim.

For example, the following claim has been advanced, “All professional athletes should be randomly drug-tested . ” We can analyze this claim by first finding the sub-claims of fact, which center around the need for drug testing of athletes. We might discover the following: drug use among athletes has increased, drug use affects athletic performance, athletes are role models for youth, and other methods to discourage drug use have not worked. In order to discover the sub-claims of value, we need to discuss the desirability of drug testing on athletes. We might discover the following: athletic performance will be greatly improved if we have mandatory drug testing, fans will have greater respect for athletes if they submit to drug tests, or random drug testing is the best way to deal with drug use in sports. We can now debate the original claim using these sub-claims as the major arguments that will determine pro or con adherence.

With a claim of policy, the pro-side in a debate must establish a need in the system for a change and desirability of their approach. The con-side only needs to defeat one of the two to defeat the claim.

Claims of fact are quantifiable statements that focus on the accuracy, correctness, or validity of such statements and can be verified using some objective evidence.
Claims of value are qualitative statements that focus on judgments made about the environment and invite comparisons.
Claims of policy are statements that focus on actions that should be taken to change the status quo.

Attributions

“Types of Claims” by Jim Marteney is licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0

Writing Arguments in STEM Copyright © by Jason Peters; Jennifer Bates; Erin Martin-Elston; Sadie Johann; Rebekah Maples; Anne Regan; and Morgan White is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What Is a Claim in Writing? [Explained + 30 Examples]

Ever wondered what gives a piece of writing its backbone? It’s the claim!

A claim is what sets the stage for your argument, providing a clear and compelling statement that you’ll back up with evidence. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about claims in writing, from the different types to how to create them step-by-step.

But first, let’s fully answer the main question, What is a claim in writing?

Here Is the Definition of a Claim in Writing:

A claim is a debatable statement that forms the core of your argument. Unlike a fact, which is indisputable, a claim requires evidence and justification. It’s the statement around which the rest of the essay or piece revolves. In essence, a claim is what you’re trying to prove to your reader.

Person writing in a notebook on a cozy desk - What Is a Claim in Writing

Table of Contents

Types of Claims

There are many different types of claims you need to know:

Example : “Climate change is caused by human activities.”
Support : Temperature records, scientific studies.
Example : “Social media negatively impacts mental health.”
Support : Psychological studies, expert opinions.
Example : “The government should implement stricter gun control laws.”
Support : Crime statistics, case studies of other countries.
Example : “Regular exercise improves mental health.”
Support : Health studies, testimonials.
Example : “Freedom of speech includes the right to criticize the government.”
Support : Legal precedents, philosophical arguments.
Example : “Electric cars are more efficient than gasoline cars.”
Support : Efficiency studies, environmental impact reports.

How to Write Effective Claims

To write effective claims, start with a clear statement, support that statement, and apply the best practices below.

Clarity and Precision

An effective claim is clear and precise. It should be specific enough to be arguable and focused enough to be manageable within the scope of your essay. Ambiguous or overly broad claims can confuse readers and weaken your argument.

Example of a weak claim : “Technology is bad.”

Example of a strong claim : “The overuse of technology in classrooms can hinder students’ social skills and critical thinking abilities.”

Debatable and Supportable

A good claim is debatable, meaning that it presents a point that some people might disagree with.

If everyone agrees with your claim, there’s no argument to be made. Additionally, your claim must be supportable with evidence. You should be able to back up your claim with facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples.

Example : “Lowering the voting age to 16 would lead to more informed and engaged citizens.”

Strategies for Writing Effective Claims

Example : Instead of “Pollution is bad,” say “Air pollution in urban areas increases respiratory health issues.”
Example : “Implementing renewable energy sources will reduce carbon emissions.”
Example : For a local audience, “Banning plastic bags in our city will reduce local waterway pollution.”
Example : “School uniforms improve student discipline and focus.”
Example : “Universal healthcare will decrease overall healthcare costs.”

Supporting Your Claims

One of the most important parts of how to write a claim is to come up with good support.

You’ll want to explore the evidence, counterclaims, and rebuttals.

Types of Evidence

Supporting a claim involves providing evidence and analyzing how that evidence backs up your claim. Different types of evidence include:

Example : “According to the CDC, smoking is responsible for over 480,000 deaths per year in the U.S.”
Example : “Dr. Smith, a renowned cardiologist, states that regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Example : “My friend quit smoking and noticed significant improvements in his health within months.”
Example : “Just as a balanced diet is essential for physical health, a balanced curriculum is vital for educational success.”

Counterclaims and Rebuttals

Addressing counterclaims is crucial in strengthening your argument. Acknowledging opposing viewpoints and then refuting them shows that you have considered different perspectives and have a well-rounded understanding of the issue.

Example : “While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the maturity to vote responsibly, studies indicate that younger voters are just as capable of making informed decisions as older voters, especially when given the appropriate civic education.”

Developing the Argument

Each body paragraph should focus on a single supporting point for your claim.

Start with a topic sentence that introduces the point, followed by evidence and analysis that supports it. Include a counterclaim and rebuttal to demonstrate critical thinking and thorough understanding.

Topic Sentence : “Mental health education helps reduce stigma and promotes awareness.”
Evidence : Studies showing decreased stigma in schools with mental health programs.
Analysis : Explain how awareness leads to early intervention and better outcomes.
Counterclaim : “Some argue that discussing mental health in schools could lead to increased anxiety among students.”
Rebuttal : “However, research indicates that education reduces anxiety by providing students with coping strategies and support.”

Structuring Your Argument

People often overlook the power of structure — yet, a good structure can make or break your claim.

As a quick overview, the structure is:

Introduction
Development

Introduction of a Claim

In the introduction, present your claim clearly and concisely. It should be part of your thesis statement, which outlines the main argument of your essay.

Example : “To address the growing mental health crisis among adolescents, schools should implement mandatory mental health education, which has been shown to improve students’ well-being and academic performance.”

Summarize your main points and restate your claim in a way that underscores its importance.

Highlight the broader implications of your argument and suggest areas for further research or action.

Example : “In conclusion, mandatory mental health education in schools is a crucial step towards addressing the mental health crisis among adolescents. By reducing stigma and providing essential support, these programs can lead to a healthier, more informed student population.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Over the years, I’ve noticed patterns of mistakes when it comes to writing claims.

Avoid these common claim writing mistakes to level up your persuasive prowess.

Overly Broad Claims

Claims that are too broad can be difficult to support with evidence. Narrow your focus to a specific aspect of the issue.

Example of a broad claim : “Technology affects education.”

Revised claim : “The integration of artificial intelligence in education can enhance personalized learning experiences.”

Unsupported Claims

Claims without evidence are simply opinions. Ensure that every claim is backed up with solid evidence.

Example of an unsupported claim : “Social media is bad for teenagers.”

Supported claim : “Social media usage among teenagers is linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression, according to multiple studies.”

Vague Language

Avoid vague language that can confuse readers. Be specific and clear in your assertions.

Example of vague language : “People should be healthier.”

Revised language : “Regular exercise and a balanced diet are essential for maintaining physical health and preventing chronic diseases.”

Lack of Counterarguments

Ignoring counterarguments can weaken your position.

Addressing and refuting counterclaims shows that you have considered multiple perspectives.

Example : “While some argue that electric cars are too expensive, government incentives and falling battery costs are making them more affordable.”

Check out this popular and helpful video about claims in writing:

Examples of Claims in Writing

In this section, I’ve put together 100 examples of claims in writing.

Read through them and see if you can spot the different tips and techniques that we’ve covered throughout his guide.

Fact Claims

“The global population has surpassed 8 billion people.”
“Renewable energy sources are now cheaper than fossil fuels.”
“Honey never spoils and can last indefinitely.”
“The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world’s oxygen.”
“Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system.”
“Human brains continue to develop until the age of 25.”
“Eating too much sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes.”
“The Great Wall of China is visible from space.”
“Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer.”
“More people die from car accidents than plane crashes.”

Value Claims

“A vegetarian diet is healthier than a meat-based diet.”
“Classical literature is more enriching than modern fiction.”
“Handwritten letters are more personal than emails.”
“Watching too much television is bad for children’s development.”
“Recycling is the best way to combat waste.”
“Public libraries are essential to community development.”
“High school should start later in the morning.”
“Art is a vital part of human culture.”
“Learning a second language is crucial in today’s global society.”
“Exercise is the best way to maintain mental health.”

Policy Claims

“Governments should invest more in renewable energy sources.”
“The legal drinking age should be raised to 21.”
“Schools should require students to wear uniforms.”
“The use of plastic bags should be banned worldwide.”
“Healthcare should be free for all citizens.”
“Public transportation should be expanded in urban areas.”
“Corporations should be held accountable for their carbon emissions.”
“Voting should be mandatory for all eligible citizens.”
“There should be stricter regulations on data privacy.”
“The minimum wage should be increased to reflect the cost of living.”

Definition Claims

“Success is defined by personal happiness, not wealth.”
“Freedom of speech includes the right to offend.”
“Art encompasses all forms of creative expression.”
“Patriotism means supporting your country but also criticizing it.”
“Leadership is about inspiring others, not commanding them.”
“Intelligence includes emotional awareness and interpersonal skills.”
“Justice means equality for all, regardless of background.”
“Democracy requires active participation from its citizens.”
“Innovation is the process of creating new and useful ideas.”
“Beauty is subjective and varies across cultures.”

Cause and Effect Claims

“Deforestation leads to loss of biodiversity.”
“Excessive screen time can cause eye strain and headaches.”
“A lack of exercise can lead to obesity.”
“Poor nutrition can affect cognitive development in children.”
“Climate change causes more frequent and severe weather events.”
“Social isolation can lead to mental health issues.”
“Pollution contributes to respiratory problems.”
“Lack of sleep negatively impacts academic performance.”
“Economic inequality leads to social unrest.”
“Regular physical activity reduces the risk of chronic diseases.”

Additional Fact Claims

“Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health threat.”
“Sharks have existed for over 400 million years.”
“The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth.”
“The human genome contains approximately 20,000-25,000 genes.”
“Electric cars have lower lifetime carbon emissions than gasoline cars.”
“Mount Everest is the tallest mountain above sea level.”
“The Earth’s atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen.”
“The average human body temperature is approximately 98.6°F (37°C).”
“Water is a universal solvent.”
“Venus spins in the opposite direction to most other planets.”

Additional Value Claims

“Music education should be a part of every school curriculum.”
“Reading daily improves cognitive function.”
“Volunteering is a rewarding and valuable experience.”
“Traveling broadens one’s perspective and understanding of the world.”
“Meditation is beneficial for mental and emotional well-being.”
“Healthy relationships are key to a fulfilling life.”
“Supporting local businesses strengthens communities.”
“Sustainable living is crucial for future generations.”
“Outdoor activities are essential for a healthy lifestyle.”
“Creativity is an important skill in any profession.”

Additional Policy Claims

“The government should subsidize renewable energy projects.”
“Education reform is necessary to improve public schools.”
“There should be stricter gun control laws.”
“Mental health services should be more accessible.”
“The use of fossil fuels should be heavily taxed.”
“Public parks should be preserved and maintained.”
“There should be incentives for companies to reduce their carbon footprint.”
“Urban planning should prioritize green spaces.”
“Sex education should be mandatory in schools.”
“The criminal justice system needs significant reform.”

Additional Definition Claims

“Work-life balance means prioritizing personal time as much as work.”
“Friendship is based on mutual respect and understanding.”
“Success in life is achieving one’s personal goals and happiness.”
“Innovation is the application of better solutions to meet new requirements.”
“Equality means providing the same opportunities for all individuals.”
“A hero is someone who acts selflessly for the benefit of others.”
“Integrity is adhering to moral and ethical principles.”
“Creativity is the ability to generate original ideas.”
“Education is the process of facilitating learning and acquisition of knowledge.”
“Respect means acknowledging the worth and dignity of others.”

Additional Cause and Effect Claims

“Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver disease.”
“Lack of parental involvement can affect a child’s academic performance.”
“Air pollution contributes to global warming.”
“Regular exercise improves mental health.”
“Stress can lead to high blood pressure.”
“Deforestation can cause soil erosion.”
“Smoking during pregnancy can harm fetal development.”
“High sugar intake can lead to cavities.”
“Prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause hearing loss.”
“Inadequate sleep can impair immune function.”

Final Thoughts: What Is a Claim in Writing?

Writing a strong claim is like laying the foundation for a great argument. It’s the starting point that guides your entire piece.

Remember, a good claim is clear, specific, and backed by solid evidence. Don’t be afraid to take a stance and make your argument compelling. Happy writing, and may your claims always be strong and persuasive!

Issue Analysis / Logical Argument

Types of claims.

Claims usually fall into one of three types:

Claims of fact
Claims of value
Claims of policy

Claims of Fact

A claim of fact makes an assertion about something that can be proved or disproved with factual evidence. However, keep in mind the basic quality of claims, that they have to be debatable, and offer an assertion about an issue. So a claim of fact for a logical argument cannot simply consist of a statistic or proven fact. It needs, instead, to focus on an assertion which uses facts to back it up, but for which the evidence might still be debatable.

Inappropriate claim of fact – a statistic or fact that is not debatable:

“the month of March 2017 was 1.03°C (1.9°F) above the 20th century average—this marked the first time the monthly temperature departure from average surpassed 1.0°C (1.8°F) in the absence of an El Niño episode in the tropical Pacific Ocean.” (from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration, NOAA, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201713 )

Appropriate claim of fact – makes a claim that is debatable using factual evidence

Decreasing carbon dioxide emissions from car exhaust, manufacturing processes, fertilizers, and landfills, while slowing deforestation, may help slow the process of global warming.

Claims of Value

Sample claims of value:

It’s better to apply good nutritional choices at home than teach them at school, because good nutrition then becomes ingrained in the child’s experience.

Although immunotherapy has produced some good results in fighting cancer, overall it is less effective than chemotherapy.

Claims of Policy

Sample claims of policy:

The city’s board of education should institute an honors program not only for high school students, but for elementary and junior high school students as well.

Just as smoking ads have been banned in order to decrease the urge to engage in an unhealthy behavior, soda ads should be banned for the same reason.

No matter the type of claim, you will usually combine many types of support for that claim in order to write a logical argument, including facts, case studies, reasons, personal interviews, and more, as appropriate.

To strengthen your understanding of types of claims, take this nine question self-test. See if you can identify which type of claim the statement is making, then check the answer.

Vaping can lead to increased blood pressure, lung disease, and insulin resistance. Show Answer Claim of fact
The basic keys to success are perseverance and discipline. Show Answer Claim of value
Studies have shown that exposure to violent media is a risk factor for violent behaviors. Show Answer Claim of fact
The Career Support Network is an excellent resource for people who are considering a mid-life career change. Show Answer Claim of value
In order to insure that graduates are competitive for top jobs in their fields, the college must put additional resources into its career services office and internship programs. Show Answer Claim of policy
Although the International Astronomical Union announced that Pluto is not actually a planet, experts disagree on what characteristics define a planet. Show Answer Claim of fact
Increased investments in solar power will benefit national security by reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Show Answer Claim of policy
Parents should not only be aware of how their children are using social media, but also understand the potential positive and negative impacts of social media use. Show Answer Claim of policy
Advances in computer modeling have made it possible to create completely new types of architectural structures. Show Answer Claim of fact
Types of Claims. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Provided by : Empire State College, SUNY OER Services. Project : College Writing. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
image of magnifying glass over multiple iterations of the word Fact. Authored by : geralt. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/magnifying-glass-facts-examine-1607160/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
image of a hand and three emoticon faces, one neutral, one positive, and one negative. The hand is pointing to the positive one.. Authored by : Tumisu. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/feedback-opinion-customer-1977986/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
image of four people, each holding an idea bubble. Authored by : rawpixel. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/woman-man-group-office-teamwork-3365370/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved

What Is a Claim in Writing? Definition, Types, & Examples

February 20, 2024
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What is a claim in writing, claim of fact, claim of value, claim of policy, types of writing with claims, examples of claims in writing, what is the difference between claims, opinions and facts, why do we use claims in writing, what is a counterclaim in writing, faqs on claim in writing, we also recommend.

When it comes to writing, making a claim is a crucial aspect of building a strong argument. But what exactly is a claim? Essentially, a claim is a statement that asserts a particular point or position on a specific topic. Claims serve as the foundation for persuasive writing and are essential for effectively making your case to your audience.

Understanding the different types of claims and how to effectively use them can greatly enhance the persuasiveness of your writing. Whether you are writing an essay, a research paper, or a persuasive speech, knowing how to craft strong claims is key to convincing your audience of your point of view.

In this article, we will explore the definition of a claim in writing, the various types of claims you can make, and provide examples to help you better understand how claims function in different contexts. By mastering the art of making compelling claims, you can elevate the quality of your writing and make a more convincing argument every time.

A claim in writing is the core argument defining an essay’s goal and direction. It’s assertive, debatable, and supported by evidence. Also, it is complex, specific, and detailed.

Think of a claim as a specific, debatable statement you, the writer, intend to prove or support. It’s the central argument in your essay, the core message of your blog post , and the foundation of your persuasive pitch. Unlike opinions, which are subjective beliefs without the burden of proof, claims demand justification. They’re the battle cry, the call to action, inviting your reader to join you on a quest for understanding and agreement.

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What Are The Types Of Claims In Writing?

A claim of fact declares the existence, current presence, or future occurrence of something measurable. The core issue within a factual claim revolves around the reasonableness of the stated fact. To put it differently, a claim of fact engages in a discussion about the accuracy or inaccuracy, validity or invalidity, truth or falsehood of the statement. When making such assertions, our reasoning typically progresses from the known to the unknown. Claims of fact also center on examining cause-and-effect relationships.

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A claim of value makes qualitative assessments of people, things, and events in one’s surroundings on a good-to-bad continuum. You have made a valuable claim if you formulate an opinion that says something is good, terrible, or superior to another. Claims of worth include things like “Indian food is the best food of all,” “The Wizard of Oz is the greatest movie of all time,” and “Snowboarding is the greatest way to spend a vacation.”

A claim of policy makes the assertion that someone should or shouldn’t do a certain action. It suggests that a certain course of action ought to be followed, however, it’s not a given that it will. The conditional verb “should,” which indicates that a certain action ought to be taken but not that it must or will be taken, is crucial when making a claim about policy. For example, “Students should read the assigned text material before the instructor lectures on it,” or “The United States should send a manned expedition to Mars.”

Here’s a list of the types of writing with claims:

Argumentative articles. Consider a controversial issue, proving it with evidence throughout your paper.
Literary analysis. Build a claim about a book, and use evidence from it to support your claim.
Research papers. Present a hypothesis and provide evidence to confirm or refute it.
Speeches. State a claim and persuade the audience that you’re right.
Persuasive essays and memos. State a thesis and use fact-based evidence to back it up..

What can you use as evidence in essays?

Facts and other data from relevant and respectful resources (no Wikipedia or other sources like this)
Primary research
Secondary research (science magazines’ articles, literature reviews, etc.)
Personal observation
Expert quotes (opinions)
Info from expert interviews

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Here’s a rundown of examples of claims based on types:


Fact	The moon landing occurred in 1969 is a fact-based claim that can be supported by historical records
Definition
Value
Cause
Comparison
Policy

Here’s how claims differentiate themselves from their close cousins:

Opinions: These are personal beliefs, unsupported by evidence. Saying “Pizza is the best food ever” is an opinion, not a claim.
Facts: These are verifiable truths, independent of interpretation. “The Earth revolves around the Sun” is a fact, not a claim.
Claims: These are debatable propositions that require evidence to be convincing. “Eating spicy food boosts metabolism” is a claim, as it needs proof to be accepted.

All forms of writing rely on claims to maintain the interest of the reader, give characters more nuance and depth, and convey the author’s own viewpoint on the issues covered.

The objective of a claim in writing is to persuade the reader of anything. Claims drive the reader towards a specific solution, even when they may not agree with the author’s statement at first or may need more information to come to their own opinion. If a reader already concurs with an author’s assertion, the material offered just strengthens and validates the reader’s position.

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When someone presents an alternative argument to your claim, that is a counterclaim. Another word for a counterclaim is a rebuttal. When someone presents a counterclaim, they are making a claim of their own. It will be up to them to state their counterclaim, and then seek to back it up with evidence (just as you did when making the initial claim).

A claim is a statement that asserts a particular stance or viewpoint, while an opinion is a subjective expression of personal beliefs or preferences.

Make your claims more persuasive by providing clear evidence, avoiding overgeneralization, and addressing potential counterarguments.

Writers should be cautious when making claims without sufficient evidence or in areas where the topic is highly subjective and lacks objectivity.

It depends on the nature of the evidence and the claims. In some cases, a well-supported piece of evidence may contribute to multiple related claims.

Claims in writing showcase the diverse ways in which writers express their perspectives and influence their audience. Whether rooted in facts, values, or policies, claims form the bedrock of effective communication. Crafting and evaluating claims require a thoughtful approach, ensuring that writers engage their readers with clarity, evidence, and nuance.

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What Is a Claim in an Essay? Read This Before Writing

What is a claim in an essay?

In this article, you’ll find the essay claim definition, characteristics, types, and examples. Let’s learn where to use claims and how to write them.

Get ready for up-to-date and practical information only!

What Is a Claim in Writing?

A claim is the core argument defining an essay’s goal and direction. (1) It’s assertive, debatable, and supported by evidence. Also, it is complex, specific, and detailed.

Also known as a thesis, a claim is a little different from statements and opinions. Keep reading to reveal the nuances.

Claims vs. statements vs. opinions


– Debatable – Supported by evidence – Answering the “So what?” question	– No criticism, investigation, or analysis – Support and argument aren’t necessary – Not going beyond the info from a core text	– More opinion than academic reasoning – No need for evidence – Stating support, not necessarily the reason behind the support

Where to use claims

To answer the “What is claim in writing?”, it’s critical to understand that this definition isn’t only for high school or college essays. Below are the types of writing with claims:

Argumentative articles. Consider a controversial issue, proving it with evidence throughout your paper.
Literary analysis. Build a claim about a book , and use evidence from it to support your claim.
Research papers. Present a hypothesis and provide evidence to confirm or refute it.
Speeches. State a claim and persuade the audience that you’re right.
Persuasive essays and memos. State a thesis and use fact-based evidence to back it up..

What can you use as evidence in essays?

Facts and other data from relevant and respectful resources (no Wikipedia or other sources like this)
Primary research
Secondary research (science magazines’ articles, literature reviews, etc.)
Personal observation
Expert quotes (opinions)
Info from expert interviews

How to Write a Claim in Essays

Two points to consider when making a claim in a college paper:

First, remember that a claim may have counterarguments. You’ll need to respond to them to make your argument stronger. Use transition words like “despite,” “yet,” “although,” and others to show those counterclaims.

Second, good claims are more complex than simple “I’m right” statements. Be ready to explain your claim, answering the “So what?” question.

And now, to details:

Types of claims in an essay (2)

	Your position on: – What happened? – Does it exist?
	Your position on: – What is it? – How does its usual meaning change in different contexts?
	Your position on: – Is it good or bad? – Who thinks so? – What criteria should I use to evaluate it?
	Your position on: – Why did it happen? – What are the effects? – What will be the results on a long-term basis?
	Your position on: – What can we learn by this comparison? – How can we understand one thing by looking at another?
	Your position on: – What should we do? – How can we solve this problem? – What should be future policy?

Writing a claim: Details to consider

What makes a good claim? Three characteristics (3):

It’s assertive. (You have a strong position about a topic.)
It’s specific. (Your assertion is as precise as possible.)
It’s provable. (You can prove your position with evidence.)

When writing a claim, avoid generalizations, questions, and cliches. Also, don’t state the obvious.

Poor claim: Pollution is bad for the environment.
Good claim: At least 25% of the federal budget should be spent upgrading businesses to clean technologies and researching renewable energy sources to control or cut pollution.

How to start a claim in an essay?

Answer the essay prompt. Use an active voice when writing a claim for readers to understand your point. Here is the basic formula:

When writing, avoid:

First-person statements
Emotional appeal
Cluttering your claim with several ideas; focus on one instead

How long should a claim be in an essay?

1-2 sentences. A claim is your essay’s thesis: Write it in the first paragraph (intro), presenting a topic and your position about it.

Examples of Claims

Below are a few claim examples depending on the type. I asked our expert writers to provide some for you to better understand how to write it.

Feel free to use them for inspiration, or don’t hesitate to “steal” if they appear relevant to your essay topic. Also, remember that you can always ask our writers to assist with a claim for your papers.


Fact
Definition
Value
Cause
Comparison
Policy

Final Words

Now that you know what is a claim in an essay, I hope you don’t find it super challenging to write anymore. It’s like writing a thesis statement; make it assertive, specific, and provable.

If you still have questions or doubts, ask Writing-Help writers for support. They’ll help you build an A-worthy claim for an essay.

References:

https://www.pvcc.edu/files/making_a_claim.pdf
https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/sweetland-assets/sweetland-documents/teachingresources/TeachingArgumentation/Supplement2_%20SixCommonTypesofClaim.pdf
https://students.tippie.uiowa.edu/sites/students.tippie.uiowa.edu/files/2022-05/effective_claims.pdf
Essay samples
Essay writing
Writing tips

How to Write an Effective Claim (with Examples)

Formulating a claim for your essay can be difficult even if you are already a masterful debater — especially if you are not quite sure what a claim is, and how it may differ from a counterclaim or thesis statement. This guide will make it easy to decide on your claim!

Essay Claim Basics

In essay writing, a claim can most succinctly be defined as "a debatable statement" — which the writer then defends with supporting evidence and rhetoric. It is easy to confuse a claim and a thesis statement, because the thesis is indeed a type of claim as well. Essays can contain further claims that orbit the topic of the thesis statement, however.

Claims straddle the line between opinion and fact. If you're hoping to make a strong claim that seamlessly fits into a powerful essay, you will need to make sure that your claim ticks the right boxes:

Your claim can debated — solid arguments can be made both in favor and against. Therefore, statements such as "I live in Queens" or "Joe Biden is the President" are not claims. In an argumentative essay, "the death penalty should be abolished" is an example of a claim. Even scientific papers make claims, such as "Keyboards contain more germs than toilet seats", which can be tested. These are called hypotheses.
You will state your claim as a matter of fact. "Many people oppose the death penalty, and with good reason" is not a good claim, but "the death penalty is no longer an appropriate punishment in modern America" can be.
Your claim is sufficiently specific to allow you to explore all aspects that you intend to tackle. "The Victorian era was Britain's darkest era" give you more bite than you can comfortably chew. "Fast food should be taxed to reduce obesity rates" is more specific.

Types of Claim (With Examples!)

Claims are debatable statements, but there are numerous different types. If you have specifically been asked to present a claim in an essay, you may be able to choose what kind of claim you would like to work with.

1. Claim of Fact or Definition

In research essays, a claim of fact or definition is one that defines a fact, as you see it, and proceeds to lay out the evidence in favor of the claim. Here are some examples to show you how it works:

Plant species are becoming extinct at a faster rate than animal species, yet the plight of plants has been overlooked.
Amazon's Alexa has revolutionized many people's daily lives — but this appliance also makes us vulnerable to new forms of hacking.
Commercial air travel transformed the way in which we do business.

2. Claim of Cause & Effect

In a claim of cause and effect, you argue that one thing causes another, such as:

Internet gaming has a widespread negative effect on students' grades.
Lax enforcement of preventative measures against Covid has enabled the pandemic to continue for much longer than it need have.
Playing jigsaw puzzles leads to novel cognitive connections that help senior citizens stay sharp.

3. Claim of Value

Claims of value are more heavily opinion-based than other types of claims. If you are making a claim of value, you will usually want to compare two things. For example:

George W Bush was a better President than George W H Bush.
Emotional health is just as important as physical health.
Stephen King is the best horror writer of al time.

4. Claim of Solution or Policy

Claims of solution or policy state a position on a proposed course of action. In high school and college essays, they typically focus on something that should be done, or something that should no longer be done. Examples might include:

Depressed patients should always be offered talk therapy before they receive a prescription for antidepressants.
The United States should not accept refugees from Afghanistan.
First-time offenders should be given lighter sentences.

Claim vs. Counterclaim vs. Thesis Statement

If you've been told to make an essay claim, you may be confused about the differences between a claim, counterclaim, and thesis statement. That's understandable, because some people believe that there's no difference between a claim and a thesis statement.

There are important distinctions between these three concepts, however, and if you want to write a killer essay, it's important to be aware of them:

A thesis statement is the very foundation of your essay — everything else rests on it. The thesis statement should contain no more than one or two sentences, and summarize the heart of your argument. "Regular exercise has consistently been shown to increase productivity in the workplace. Therefore, employers should offer office workers, who would otherwise be largely sedentary, opportunities to work out."
A claim is a statement you can defend with arguments and evidence. A thesis statement is a type of claim, but you'll want to include other claims that fit neatly into the subject matter as well. For instance, "Employers should establish gyms for employees."
A counterclaim is a statement that contradicts, refutes, or opposes a claim. Why would you want to argue against yourself? You can do so to show that arguments that oppose the claim are weak. For instance, "Many employers would balk at the idea of facilitating costly exercise classes or providing a gym space — employees can work out in their own time, after all. Why should the boss pay for workers to engage in recreational activities at work? Recent studies have shown, however, that workplaces that have incorporated aerobics classes enjoy 120% increase in productivity, showing that this step serves the bottom line."

Together, a thesis statement, claims, and some well-placed counterclaims make up the threads of your story, leading to a coherent essay that is interesting to read.

How to Write an Effective Claim

Now that you've seen some examples, you are well on your way to writing an effective claim for your essay. Need some extra tips? We've got you covered.

First things first — how do you start a claim in an essay? Your claim sentence or sentences should be written in the active voice, starting with the subject, so that your readers can immediately understand what you are talking about.

They'll be formulated as an "[Subject] should be [proposed action], because [argument]. You can stay with this general structure while making different word choices, however, such as:

It is about time that
We have an obligation to
Is the only logical choice
It is imperative that

Once you have formulated a claim, you will want to see if you can hook your readers with an interesting or provocative statement that can really get them thinking. You will want to break your argument down into sections. This will lead you to sub-claims. If your claim is your main argument, your sub-claims are smaller arguments that work to support it. They will typically appear naturally once you contemplate the subject deeply — just brainstorm, and as you research, keep considering why your claim is true. The reasons you come up with will sprout sub-claims.

Still not sure what to write? Take a look at these examples of strong claim statements:

A lack of work experience has proven to be the main barrier to finding satisfying employment, so businesses should be incentivized to hire recent graduates.
The rise in uncertified "emotional support animals" directly causes suffering for people suffering from severe pet dander allergies. Such pets must be outlawed in public places to alleviate the very real harm allergy patients now experience on a daily basis.
Emerging private space exploration ventures may be exciting, but they greatly increase CO2 emissions. At a time when the planet is in crisis, private space exploration should be banned.

Additional Tips in Writing a Claim the Right Way

You now know what you need to include in a claim paragraph to leave a strong impression. Understanding what not to do is equally important, however.

Take a stand — if you're writing an argumentative essay, it is perfectly OK to take a controversial opinion, and no matter what you write, it is bound to have the potential to offend someone . Don't sit on the fence. Even when you're defending a position you disagree with, embrace it wholeheartedly.
Narrow your claim down. The more specific you can get, the more compelling your argument can be, and the more depth you can add to each aspect of your argument.
Have fun! You want your essay to be interesting to read, and any genuine passion you have will be apparent.
Choose the right subject — one about which you can find a lot of data and facts.

What should you avoid in writing a claim, you wonder? Don't:

Use any first-person statements. The claim is about your ideas, not about you.
Base your claim on emotional appeal. You can work some pathos in, but don't make feelings your center.
Clutter your claim with too many separate ideas, which will make the rest of your essay harder to read, less powerful, and unwieldy for you to develop.

How do you use a claim?

When you're writing your essay, you can think of the thesis statement as the spine. The claims you make are, then, your "ribs", so to speak. If you prefer a different analogy, the thesis is your trunk, and the claims branches. You use them to build a strong final product that shows you have considered all aspects of your argument, and can back them up with evidence and logic.

What is a good way to start a claim?

You can start with a shocking fact, objective data from a reliable source, or even an anecdote — or, if you prefer, you can simply offer your argument without bells and whistles.

Can a claim be in a paragraph or is it a single sentence only?

Claims are almost always limited to a single sentence. It can be a long compound sentence, though! The claim does not have to remain all alone in the paragraph. You can immediately surround it with rhetorical punches or further facts.

What are some examples of argumentative claims?

So, you want to learn to argue like a pro? Watching speeches politicians make is a great way to look out for claims, and court transcripts and academic debates are two other places you can look for great argumentative claims.

Is there a claim generator you can use?

Yes! Some claim generators are free to use, while others require a subscription. These tools can be interesting to play with, and can serve as inspiration. However, it's always best to tweak your final claim to fit your needs.

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Writing Center

Define your argument, introduction.

For many college papers, especially in the humanities, the most important part of the assignment is your argument. Here, we will walk you through some key terms to help you construct and define your argument.

Species of Argument

Aristotle delineated three different species (or purposes) of argument that are still relevant today: judicial arguments, demonstrative arguments, and deliberative arguments. Judicial arguments are concerned with the past and with just or unjust actions – statements in a court of law are examples of judicial arguments. Demonstrative arguments are concerned with the present and with honor and dishonor – a eulogy at a funeral is an example of a demonstrative argument. Deliberative arguments are concerned with the future, and with the potential consequences of actions in the present – many political speeches are examples of demonstrative arguments (On Rhetoric 47-49).

Types of Proof

Aristotle also delineated three modes of proof: ethos, pathos, and logos. According to Aristotle: “for some [proofs] are in the character [ethos] of the speaker, and some in disposing the listener in some way [pathos], and some in the argument itself [logos]” (On Rhetoric 37). Ethos is concerned with the speaker or writer’s credibility or character; pathos is concerned with values and emotion and how they resonate with the audience; and logos is concerned with a sense of logic within the argument itself. All speakers and writers wishing to persuade their audience need to build credibility, arouse emotion, and use logic.

Types of Claim

The claim is the position being taken in the argument – the thesis. Three types of claims are as follows: fact, value, and policy. Claims of fact attempt to establish that something is or is not the case. Claims of value attempt to establish the overall worth, merit, or importance of something. Claims of policy attempt to establish, reinforce, or change a course of action. The position being takin in an argument should be demonstrated with evidence. A speaker or writer needs to use a specific claim and stay consistent with the use of that claim throughout their argument.

Audience Analysis

Analyzing and understanding a specific audience involves demographic analysis, psychological profiling, and environmental scanning. Demographic analysis includes considering the age, gender, ethnic, socio-economic, and racial background of the audience. Psychological profiling involves considering attitudes, values, and belief systems. Environmental scanning involves considering the size of the room (if speaking) or the visual layout of the media (if writing). The speaker or writer needs to understand the audience to appeal to their needs and desires and avoid offending them.

Patterns of Reasoning

A speaker or writer can structure their message multiple ways – three common ways are deductively, inductively, and analogically. In a deductive structure the claim is presented at the beginning of the argument, with the remaining information in the form of support strategies and materials bearing out that claim. In an inductive structure, the claim is presented at the end of the argument with examples and other reasoning strategies from particular cases leading up to that claim. In an analogical structure, the claim is usually presented near the end of the argument, and the information takes the form of a comparison between two cases. Generally, a deductive structure is most effective when the audience is inclined to agree with the writer’s claim, and an inductive structure is most effective when the audience is likely to disagree.

Methods of Organization

The structure and form of information has as much to do with persuasion as the information itself. Six common methods of organization for persuasive writing and speaking are as follows: basic argument, comparative advantages, invitational, motivated sequence, problem-solution, and refutation (Sellnow 358-375). A speaker or writer needs to use the method or organization that fits best with their claim, the disposition of their audience, and the pattern of their argument.

The most common method – basic argument – looks something like this:

I. Introduction and Thesis A. Support Strategy B. Support Strategy

II. Good reason #1 A. Support Strategy B. Support Strategy

III. Good reason #2 A. Support Strategy B. Support Strategy

IV. Good reason #3 A. Support Strategy B. Support Strategy

V. Conclusion

Note, though, that this is not the only or the most persuasive form that your argument can take.

Types of Support Strategies

Arguments are more interesting and more persuasive when a variety of support strategies are used. The most basic arguments consist of description and explanation. More sophisticated speakers and writes look for more ways to use a comprehensive repertoire of support strategies. The speaker or writer needs to implement a variety of support strategies to demonstrate their claim. Here is a list of common support strategies from Sellnow’s Confident Public Speaking (154-167):

Facts: accurate, established information
Statistics: numerical data, collected and arranged
Definitions: statements that clarify meaning
Descriptions: creates a picture in the reader’s mind
Explanations: demonstrates how and why
Examples: specific cases that illustrate a point, can be brief or extended
Hypothetical examples: imaginary cases that illustrate a point
Narratives: stories that illustrate a point
Personal narratives: individual narratives that illustrate a point
Testimonies: communication from another person that supports a point
Expert testimonies: communication from a professional that supports a point
Drawing on personal experiences: supporting a point with your own experience
Research interviews: communication with an expert to gather information
Surveys: information from tools designed to gather information

Of course, the sources from which you draw these support strategies will vary as well. Some common types of sources include:

Library resources: academic sources used to support your point
Books: sources that cover topics in-depth
Reference works: sources used to cover topics periodically such as encyclopedias
Magazines and newspapers: sources that cover current information
Government documents: sources published by the federal, state, or local government
Journal articles: sources published by professional researchers, educators, and scholars
Internet documents: sources from the internet that do not fall into any of the above categories

Fallacies are the result of flaws in the logic of an argument. These flaws could be related to reasoning, evidence, emotions, or other dynamics. Fallacies can be found in nearly every argument at some level, and they can also be remarkably rhetorically effective. However, a reliance or overuse of logical fallacies will damage your credibility and make readers less likely to accept your argument. Seven common fallacies are: ad hominem attacks (attacking the character of your opponent rather than responding to their argument), appeals to pity (using strong emotional language to make up for a lack of factual support), appeals to popular beliefs (assuming that because most people agree on something then it must be true), appeals to tradition (assuming that the only correct way to do something is the way it has always been done), faulty analogy (comparing two things that are not actually comparable), faulty use of authority (appealing to authorities whose expertise is unrelated to the subject matter at hand), and trivial objections (nitpicking unimportant parts of an opponent’s argument rather than engaging the ideas themselves).

Arguments are forever present. Understanding the terminology of argument is like understanding the formulas for an algebra test, the playbook for a football team, or the lines for a play: the person who understands the terminology will be a more effective speaker or writer than the person who does not. The terminology of argument provides a bag of tools for those who use words in productive ways and a shield of protection against those who manipulate them.

Aristotle. On Rhetoric: A Theory of Civic Discourse. Trans. George A. Kennedy. New York: Oxford Press, 1991. Borchers, Timothy A. Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2006. Huglen, Mark E., and Norman E. Clark. Argument Strategies from Aristotle’s Rhetoric. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004. Sellnow, Deanna. Confident Public Speaking. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2005.

By Mark E. Huglen, PhD. Last edited October 2016 by Allison Haas

Encyclopedia

Writing with artificial intelligence.

Learn how to use logical reasoning methods when making a claim.

What is a Claim?

Claims are assertions , arguments, and conclusions about something. For instance, claims can be about definitions, causes and effects, claims of fact, or policies. A claim may me a macro-claim —i.e., a major claim that informs an entire text . Or a claim may be a micro-claim —a subclaim attached to a larger claim. Logical reasoning may require proof of a number of smaller claims to reach a larger claim.

Key Concepts: Argument ; Toulmin Heuristic; Organizational Scenario; Direct

Types of Claims

In written discourse , writers, speakers, and knowledge workers . . . engage in rhetorical reasoning and rhetorical analysis so that they know how to best craft claims for particular rhetorical situations . Claims , like rhetorical situations , may be nuanced and complex. Examples of typical types of claim include the following.

Cause & Effects

Example: “Learning to write well helps people achieve financial independence.”

Claims of Fact

Example: “U.S. literacy levels are ranked #13 in the world, after countries like Japan, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, according to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies .”

Definitions

Example: “Literacy is ‘the ability to use printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential’ ( National Center for Education Statistics ).”

Example: “Students should be given opportunities to write frequently and receive critical feedback.”

Example: “Learning to write well is the best way to prepare people for future challenges.”

Two Women foregrounded @ Women's March 2018, CC BY-SA 2.0 by Mobilus

Knowledge claim, recommended.

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What is a claim?

A claim is a statement that presents an idea or series of ideas as arguments. Arguments therefore consist of claims, or another way to put it is, to say that claims are the building blocks of a good argument.

In research writing, claims will be the backbone that form a thesis or a hypothesis (here the term ‘hypothesis’ refers to the argument that is evidenced within the scope of the work).

According to Heady (2013) “Claims are the points you want to prove, interpretations you want to offer, and assertions you want to make” (p. 74). Importantly, in academia claims are statements that can be supported by evidence.

‘Traditional classroom teaching is boring’

For example, claiming that traditional classroom teaching is boring is not a good claim because it lacks definition (what does ‘traditional classroom teaching’ actually mean? and how do we measure ‘boring’)? It may also be a ‘sweeping statement’ (meaning it’s far too general in scope). However, claiming that “traditional teaching methods, like didactic instruction, do not provide sufficient interaction with students and lead to poor learning outcomes” is a good argumentative claim, because it can be investigated and measured.

Characteristics of a good claim

In order to make effective claims it is important to understand the difference between statements and sentences. While a statement is also a sentence (in that it is a grammatical unit with subject, verb, object clause), not all sentences are statements (in other words, not all sentences consist of a stance or a position).

The following provides examples of the difference between sentences and statements. The statements present a stance or position about the topic under discussion. This is important to understand as all claims must consist of a stance towards the topic.

sentences	statements
Bulldogs are a common breed of dog. They originated in the British isles.	Bulldogs are a dangerous breed and should be regulated.
Fat is one of three macronutrients. The others being carbohydrate and protein.	Fat has been misrepresented as a leading cause of heart disease. New research challenges this finding.

Function of claims

The function of claims in academic writing is to provoke, analyse, or interpret rather than merely describe or present facts. They can do this by affirming, acknowledging, confirming, or refuting the proposition being made. In this way, claims do the job of building an overall argument or thesis in a piece of work (i.e. each claim progresses the key argument). It is for this reason that claims will appear in topic sentences, thesis statements, introductory and concluding sentences/paragraphs.

Check your understanding

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5 Chapter 5: Types of Arguments

The types of arguments that college students will encounter can seem endless. Nearly everyone has a different way of categorizing arguments and their types. However, the basic argumentative types included here should be loose and general enough to give most students a sense of where to start with an assignment or writing project.

ARGUMENTS OF DEFINITION

Agreeing on what terms even mean is one of the fundamental arguments in academic writing, and it is one of the more basic skills involved in critical thinking. Many conflicts exist because of disagreement on what ‘X’ even means. An important task of all academic writers is to define terms clearly and fairly. Sometimes, however, definitions need to be presented in a persuasive and compelling manner.

Overview: Definitional arguments attempt to establish that the focus of discussion fits into a broader category (that ‘X is a type of Y’ is a typical phrasing of the argument). In order for a definitional argument to work, the writer must establish the traits that define the category—the criteria. For example, an argument that a national chain of coffee shops is a restaurant franchise might rely on a definition of restaurant that involves serving food.

Many times, the argument itself needs to focus on the definition. Not everyone will agree with all definitions, and so writers must argue for their definitions or accept those of their readers. Then, they will need to establish that the focus of the discussion meets the definition. Even an argument like “murder is morally wrong” will, largely, come down to the definitions of murder and wrong .

Application: Many college-level arguments hinge on definitions. Many times, college students need to practice explaining their criteria, because those criteria are not commonly assumed or shared. Therefore, they need to build common ground in the course of creating their arguments.

Consider an argument over the ethics of the death penalty. One student might be tempted to argue that the death penalty is or is not a deterrent to crime. The question now becomes ‘what do we mean by deterrent?’ Likewise, arguments over abstract concepts like fairness, justice, and truth all need concrete definitions in place in order to function.

What to Avoid: Obviously, student writers need to avoid assuming that their definitions are universally accepted. On another level, student writers also need to be careful to apply all criteria and not just those that are convenient. For example, if a ‘passing’ student is a student who turns in all assignments on time, completes all of the required reading, attends all classes, and submits all required revisions, then a student who does almost all of those things but who fails to attend class does not meet the criteria for ‘passing,’ even though a majority of the traits are present.

ARGUMENTS OF FACT

At some point, most arguments come down to what is or is not true. Arguments of fact attempt to establish whether or not a specific ‘truth claim’ happens to be valid.

Overview: An argument of fact is basically a claim about what is or is not the case in the real world. While some claims of fact take on meaning outside of this, few of them are academic arguments. Many times, claims of fact need to go beyond what can be directly observed; academic claims of fact deal with inference and conclusion—they tend to involve a lot of analysis of evidence.

In order to argue a claim of fact, the writer needs to have access both to evidence and to clear definitions of all of the terms that might be used in the argument. For example, an argument about the population of the United States would need to establish who is and who is not to be included in that number, as well as what forms of estimation and sampling are acceptable. After all, simply going around and counting people is not practical.

Most of the time, arguments of fact come down to matters of ethos . In other words, we are more likely to accept the support given for fact claims if we trust the source of that support.

Application: Even if the paper is not primarily about claims of fact, college writers need to remember that facts are up for discussion. Some directly observable phenomena (the color of the sky, the presence of chairs in a classroom) are functionally settled, but for most other issues, facts are debatable. It is the student writer’s responsibility to suggest why one version of the truth is preferable to another.

Note that the ability to debate facts does not mean that the facts themselves are malleable. The earth is not actually a flat plate with four corners, no matter how much some people might ‘argue’ that this is the case.

What to Avoid: Student writers need to avoid making sweeping generalizations and assuming that these generalizations are true. Even if the underlying claim is valid, readers will often want to be able to read the evidence that validates the claim. Additionally, writers should also be careful when making claims of fact that they are not constructing a circular argument. For example, imagine a student argues that a claim is true because “Source A says it”, and the student then argues “Source A is right because Person B says it is never wrong”. Meanwhile, “Person B knows Source A is never wrong because xe read it in Source A.” This argument proves nothing, except that Person B really trusts Source A.

Additionally, student writers need to avoid the two most common ‘traps’ of academic fact claims. The first mistake is too assume that all facts are matters of opinion (remember, no amount of opinion will cause gravity to turn off, so be careful where you test your opinion that you can fly!). Another mistake is to argue clearly demonstrable facts with those that are unwilling to consider contradictory evidence. In virtually every discussion, there is a small portion of a potential audience that will not listen to any evidence that contradicts their own position. Such close-minded potential readers should be handled carefully, but should not be allowed to dictate the terms of the entire argument.

ARGUMENTS OF VALUE

While claims of fact are relatively straightforward, claims of value involve comparison and evaluation. Most claims of value come in the form of arguments like “X is better than Y” or “X is a good Y.” Claims of value are frequently the trickiest form of academic argument, because they often come down to issues that cannot be resolved factually.

Overview: Value claims are statements about what should or should not be valued. As such, they require a level of justification beyond fact, making appeals to emotion (or pathos ). For example, a claim such as ‘privacy is more important than security’ cannot appeal only to evidence, so it must instead deal with how readers react, emotionally, to the evidence. Many claims of value are based in a set of personally held criteria (e.g. I prefer salty food to sweet food, so potato chips are a better snack than a candy bar). As a consequence, arguments that involve value claims frequently must establish the facts first and then must add an additional step—arguing for how those facts should be weighed.

Values are almost always subjective, meaning that arguments over values need to reach out to the beliefs and opinions of the readers. Emotional appeals need to be presented in a way that is persuasive. Equally important, writers need to consider the beliefs that their readers are likely to hold on related issues.

Application: Most college students will eventually find themselves writing a comparison paper of some kind. A political science class might require a comparison between two forms of government, a philosophy class could ask for students to decide between two systems of ethics, or an economics class might ask students to compare the merits of two possible investments.

However, comparison papers are simply one form of value claim. Many times, value claims are built into other, more complex arguments. In such circumstances, students must be ready to explain the reasons their audience should prefer one outcome or justification to another, even when the two both have advantages and disadvantages in the real world.

What to Avoid: Try not to assume that others value the same things that you do. However, beyond this now-familiar advice, student writers need to avoid thinking that just because something comes down to emotion and belief that it cannot be argued at all. It is possible to change a reader’s mind on emotional issues; doing so simply requires patience and realistic goals.

ARGUMENTS OF POLICY

Claims of policy are arguments that urge action. Typically, a claim of policy ends up as a relatively straightforward proposition—“X should be done”, but a lot of different paths might need to be taken to reach that kind of conclusion.

Overview: A basic policy claim is an argument that something should or should not be done. For example, arguing that marijuana should be legalized or that a friend should try a new food are both claims of policy. Because policy claims argue for an action, they imply a value claim—that taking the recommended action is better than not taking it. This, in turn, means that claims of fact and definition become involved. Consequently, policy claims are some of the most complex arguments that exist.

Many academic policy arguments put forward a specific problem, and they then solve that problem with a course of action (i.e. you should do X because it makes Y better). Such arguments have an additional level of complexity, because they require that writers prove that the solution actually works.

Because policy arguments actually ask people to act in the real world, they frequently depend upon whether or not things ‘work’ in the same way that the author claims. In other words, they must make use of logos in order to demonstrate that they have validity.

Application: College students frequently write policy arguments. Typically, a policy argument at the college level involves grappling with a single issue or justifying a single course of action. This argument must then be placed into a meaningful context. The student has to argue that the relative merits of the policy outweigh the relative costs.

It might be possible to reduce the problem of shoplifting rather dramatically, for example, if all shoplifters are simply executed. Are the merits of this approach worth the costs? The answer will vary from reader to reader, and a student’s essay on the subject would have to consider how readers will weigh the implications of such a policy.

Finally, policy arguments need to identify who has the power to take meaningful action in a situation. They must then make an argument that suggests why those with the power should, in fact, take the action.

What to Avoid: One of the biggest reasons policy arguments fall apart is that they fail to distinguish between doing something and doing something that matters . Students should avoid thinking that all solutions are created equal. Sometimes, a supposed solution actually just makes things worse (e.g. the fabled ‘I’ll help you deal with your stubbed toe by hitting you with a hammer – chances are you aren’t worried about the toe anymore, even if nothing is improved).

Another reason that policy arguments fall apart is that they fail to identify an entity (an agent) that could take the desired action. A simple, personal argument (eat less and exercise) at least attempts to convince individual readers to take action. However, an argument about lowering tuition or gas prices has no clear person or group who is supposed to do the lowering.

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The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.

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How to Support a Claim in an Essay: The Complete Guide

by Antony W

February 16, 2023

how to support a claim in an essay explained

Making a claim in an essay isn’t enough to get people to agree with your stance in an argument. You also have to support your statement with objective reasons and evidence to make your essay convincing enough. That’s why in this guide, you’ll learn how to support a claim in an essay without trying so hard.

Remember, someone reading your essay won’t necessarily agree with your position on an issue and will often try to throw in an opposing point of view to challenge your stand.

By making a claim, and using the strongest evidence to handle counterclaims, you can easily prove to your audience that you’ve done in-depth research on the topic and, if possible, make them consider your stance even if they didn’t agree with you initially.

Before we look at how to support a claim in an essay, it’s important to note that a claim isn’t the same as a descriptive statement or an opinion. A claim is debatable, it needs support for evidence, and it gives a concise answer to the “so what” question.

With that out of the way, let’s look at the different ways to support the claim you make in an argumentative essay .

What Makes A Claim in an Essay?

Before we look at the different ways to support a claim in any type of essay that you write, it’s important to learn what makes a claim in an essay.

We define a claim as a statement of truth subject to debate. With this respect, the claim you make in your essay should invite debate while defining your writing’s goals, direction, and scope. Unlike personal opinion packed with emotions and subjective ideas, the claim you make will require inquiry and evidence.

More importantly, a claim can’t be broad. It needs to be specific in kind to assert a focused argument that you can easily explore and defend.

Types of Claims in an Essay

To take this even further, we strongly believe that it’s important to touch on the different types of claims in brief so you write this part of the assignment with clarity and precision.

So here we go:

Claims of definition or facts: Here, your intention is to argue the definition of an issue or to find out whether the issue is an already established fact.
Claims about value: The requirement in this case is that you present an argument that show someone, something, or an issue is of a certain value and you should therefore rate it in a given way.
Claim of cause and effect: The claim you make in this case suggests that you intend to argue how one person, thing, or event is the cause of an issue.
Claims about policies or solutions: This one is simple. It’s where one gives a declarative statement for or against a certain policy or solution.

How to Write a Claim

Before you learn how to support a claim in an essay, we need to be sure you know exactly how to write the claim in the first place.

So here’s how you should write a claim in your essay:

1. Start with a Question

Pose a question you can comfortably answer based on the positon you take. The question you ask should be clear, concise, and debatable.

Here’s an example:

Are cellphone bad?
Should 12-year-old kids have smartphones?

From an academic standpoint, you don’t have to look at the first question to know that it’s plain vague. That’s not the kind of question to ask when you want to write a claim for your essay.

Go with the second question instead. It’s clear, focused, concise, and current. What’s more? It even invites an argument because not everyone can agree with what the question suggests.

2. Convert the Question into a Statement

This is a no brainer.

Really all you have to do is to take the relevant question and convert it into an arguable statement.

You need to do two thing to get this right:

First, answer the question you just asked. Your answer describes the stance you take on the issue. Second, give reasons why you believe your position is valid. Remember, your reason shouldn’t be any specific evidence that can justify your stance. Rather, it should be a generic statement.

Different Ways to Support a Claim in an Essay

You’ve learned quite a lot already in this guide. At least, you now know what a claim is, what makes a good claim, types of claims you can make, and the best way to write a claim for your essay.

The question is:

How exactly do you support a claim in an essay?

Here’s how:

1. Use Statistics to Support Your Declarative Statement

Even when used sparingly with written explanations of why the data is significant for your argument, statistics can defend your position in a way mere explanations of your claim never can. Statistics are factual, and they can be incredibly helpful if you can provide the full context of the data.

Including the data isn’t going to make your audience reconsider their stand on issue if you can’t show the source of your data. With this respect, it’s important that you credit the source of the data, and then state the conclusion the reader can draw from your analysis.

2. Use Relevant Examples to Support Claims in Your Essay

There are many examples you can use to support a claim in your essay, but it’s important that you choose something that’s relevant to the topic you’re investigating.

Examples are good for a reason.

They convince your reader that the statement you’ve presented is true by providing details that support your claim. More often than not, examples easily capture readers’ attention and can help to convince them to reconsider their position on the issue and accept your opposing point of view in the argument.

3. Include Expert Opinion in Your Essay

We strongly recommend including expert opinions in your essay because they’re factual evidence that can support your claim.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Claim Definition

Types of claim, claim examples, interpretive claims, example #1: animal farm (by george orwell), evaluative claims, example #2: animal farm (by george orwell), function of claim, post navigation.

How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

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APA Style Guidelines

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Abbreviations
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Full index of topics

IMAGES

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PPT
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What is a claim?
What Is A Claim In Writing? Statement vs. Claim Examples • 7ESL
What Is a Claim in Writing? Examples of Argumentative Statements

COMMENTS

Claim Statements: Guide, examples, and tips to write effectively
You can use these claims when writing different kinds of papers. Here are some types of writing that use claims: Argumentative essay. Claims in argumentative essays are used to support the central argument or the thesis. In this type of essay, you must focus on a controversial or debatable issue and present evidence to support your thesis ...
Types of Claims
10. Types of Claims. by Jim Marteney. There are three types of claims: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of policy. Each type of claim focuses on a different aspect of a topic. To best participate in an argument, it is beneficial to understand the type of claim that is being argued.
What Is a Claim in Writing? [Explained + 30 Examples]
Types of Claims. There are many different types of claims you need to know: Fact Claims: Assert that something is true or false.. Example: "Climate change is caused by human activities."; Support: Temperature records, scientific studies.; Value Claims: Argue that something is good or bad, right or wrong.. Example: "Social media negatively impacts mental health."
Types of Claims
No matter the type of claim, you will usually combine many types of support for that claim in order to write a logical argument, including facts, case studies, reasons, personal interviews, and more, as appropriate. Try It. To strengthen your understanding of types of claims, take this nine question self-test. See if you can identify which type ...
What Is a Claim in Writing? Definition, Types, & Examples
A claim in writing is the core argument defining an essay's goal and direction. It's assertive, debatable, and supported by evidence. Also, it is complex, specific, and detailed. Think of a claim as a specific, debatable statement you, the writer, intend to prove or support. It's the central argument in your essay, the core message of ...
What Is a Claim in an Essay? Definition and Examples
A claim is the core argument defining an essay's goal and direction. (1) It's assertive, debatable, and supported by evidence. Also, it is complex, specific, and detailed. Also known as a thesis, a claim is a little different from statements and opinions. Keep reading to reveal the nuances.
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In essay writing, a claim can most succinctly be defined as "a debatable statement" — which the writer then defends with supporting evidence and rhetoric. It is easy to confuse a claim and a thesis statement, because the thesis is indeed a type of claim as well. Essays can contain further claims that orbit the topic of the thesis statement ...
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In written discourse, writers, speakers, and knowledge workers . . . engage in rhetorical reasoning and rhetorical analysis so that they know how to best craft claims for particular rhetorical situations. Claims, like rhetorical situations, may be nuanced and complex. Examples of typical types of claim include the following.
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The basic format for the Toulmin Method is as follows: Claim: In this section, you explain your overall thesis on the subject. In other words, you make your main argument. Data (Grounds): You should use evidence to support the claim. In other words, provide the reader with facts that prove your argument is strong.
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Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic. Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:
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The six most common types of claim are: fact, definition, value, cause, comparison, and policy. Being able to identify these types of claim in other people's arguments can help students better craft their own. The types of claim can also be used to brainstorm possible arguments students might make about an issue they have decided to examine.
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aper probably will be too.A claim defines your paper‟s goals, direction, scope, and exigence and is supported by evidence, quotations, argumentation, expert opinion, stat. tics, and telling details.A. laim must be argumentative. When you make a claim, you are arguing for a certain interpretation or un. rstanding of your subject.
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Each question type has a different purpose or point of view. What are the 6 types of claims? 1. claim of fact. 2. claim of definition (or classification) 3. claim of value. 4. claim of cause (and effect) 5. claim of comparison (analogy) 6. claim of policy.
How to cite ChatGPT
The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

How to Write an Effective Claim for an Essay

What is a claim in an essay?

Types of claims with examples

1. Factual claims

2. Value claims

3. Definitional claims

4. Cause and effect claims

5. Descriptive claims

6. Argumentative claims

7. Exploratory claims

8. Assertive claims

9. Policy claims

Where to use Claims when writing

Features of a reasonable claim

1. A good claim is a statement and not a question

2. A good claim challenges the status quo

3. A good claim is unbiased

4. A good claim is particular

5. A good claim promotes an argumentative essay

Claim vs. Claim Statement

Claim vs. Thesis Statement vs. Counterclaim

Steps to writing the best claim in an essay

1. Pick a topic and find out more information about it

2. Phrase the exciting topic as a question

3. Define the objective of your essay

4. Take a position on the issue

5. Develop sub-claims

Dos and don'ts when writing A claim in an Essay

Final Remarks

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10 Types of Claims

Claim of Fact

Claim of Value

Claim of Policy

Attributions

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What Is a Claim in Writing? [Explained + 30 Examples]

Here Is the Definition of a Claim in Writing:

Types of Claims

How to Write Effective Claims

Clarity and Precision

Debatable and Supportable

Strategies for Writing Effective Claims

Supporting Your Claims

Types of Evidence

Counterclaims and Rebuttals

Developing the Argument

Structuring Your Argument

Introduction of a Claim

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overly Broad Claims

Unsupported Claims

Vague Language

Lack of Counterarguments

Examples of Claims in Writing

Fact Claims

Value Claims

Policy Claims

Definition Claims

Cause and Effect Claims

Additional Fact Claims

Additional Value Claims

Additional Policy Claims

Additional Definition Claims

Additional Cause and Effect Claims

Final Thoughts: What Is a Claim in Writing?

Issue Analysis / Logical Argument

Claims of Fact

Claims of Value

Claims of Policy

What Is a Claim in Writing? Definition, Types, & Examples

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What Are The Types Of Claims In Writing?

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