Types of Claims

Question 1

Implicit claims

Answer 1

unexpressed; implied; potential; in the essence without being openly revealed

Question 2

Explicit claims

Answer 2

fully revealed; not vague; no questions about intent/meaning

Question 3

Claim of Definition

Answer 3

explains what something means. (i.e., The government’s role is to serve its people. Here, I’ve defined the role of gov.)

Question 4

Claim of Value

Answer 4

judges something’s quality (pretty, healthy, new). It expresses approval or disapproval of standards of taste and morality.

Question 5

Claim of Cause

Answer 5

links effects with reasons for it. (i.e., The sporadic stock market is the reason I can no longer afford to eat lobster every evening.)

Question 6

Claim of Policy

Answer 6

suggests a course of action as a solution to a problem. (i.e., If there is ever going to be peace in the Middle East, the U.S. must …)

Question 7

Claim of Fact

Answer 7

asserts that a condition has existed, exists, or will exist and is based on facts that the audience will accept as being objectively verifiable. (i.e., The Earth’s surface temperature has never been higher than it is today.)

Question 8

Facts

Answer 8

something that can be verified or validated by a number of reliable sources.

Question 9

Data

Answer 9

numbers, statistics, percentages, etc.

Question 10

Analogy

Answer 10

a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar.

Question 11

Anecdote

Answer 11

a short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event.