3

From Identifying Claims

to Analyzing Arguments

A

claim is an assertion of fact or belief that needs to be supported with

evidence — the information that backs up a claim. A main claim, or

thesis, summarizes the writer’s position on a situation and answers the

question(s) the writer addresses. It also encompasses all of the minor

claims, along with their supporting evidence, that the writer makes

throughout the argument.

As readers, we need to identify a writer’s main claim, or thesis, because

it helps us organize our own understanding of the writer’s argument. It

acts as a signpost that tells us, “This is what the essay is about,” “This is

what I want you to pay attention to,” and “This is how I want you to think,

change, or act.”

When you evaluate a claim, whether it is an argument’s main claim

or a minor claim, it is helpful to identify the type of claim it is: a claim of

fact, a claim of value, or a claim of policy. You also need to evaluate the

reasons for and the evidence that supports the claim. Because academic

argument should acknowledge multiple points of view, you also should be

prepared to identify what, if any, concessions a writer offers his or her

readers, and what counterarguments he or she anticipates from others in

the conversation.

IdentIfyIng types of ClaIms

To illustrate how to identify a writer’s claims, let’s take a look at a text by

educators Myra and David Sadker that examines gender bias in schools.

The text is followed by our analyses of the types of claims (fact, value, and

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