WHAT’S YOUR POINT

Mini-lesson on Claims

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Based on NoRedInk Claims Tutorial

Claims

• ​A reader should have no trouble determining what the author is arguing for or against.
• A claim usually appears in the introduction of the argument and is restated and readdressed in the conclusion.

CLAIMS MINI LESSON

2

MAIN CLAIM = THESIS

1. SPECIFIC (especially for task)
• 1 page vs 8 pages.
2. ARGUABLE
3. SUPPORTABLE

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GOOD

• Sleep deprivation can have serious side effects on academic performance, especially for teens.

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NEEDS WORK

• Divorce rates have skyrocketed in our country, and action needs to be taken to reduce the rate of divorce.

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3

Rewrite this Ineffective Claim

• People should eat only free-range chickens and eggs because the way in which standard commercial chickens are treated is really bad.

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• general, vague, and sounds biased.
• “really bad” = the opinion of someone uninformed, with only emotional reasoning, as opposed to a solid argument.

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• Might need to add, remove, or change pieces of this sentence. �

4

Rewritten Claim

• Because free-range chickens and eggs are raised in a more humane and healthy way than commercial chickens, we consumers should support the free-range industry.

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• Hey, notice this awesome complex sentence structure.�
• formal language and introduces
• the specific key points—“humane” and “healthy”—which will be expanded on in detail in the argument.�

5

BRAIN DUMP

What do claims need to be?

CLAIMS MINI LESSON

6

Planning/Brainstorming

• Break the 5 paragraph essay. It’s dumb… okay it’s not dumb. It’s just boring. I’m bored.

7

Organize 4-6 argument options using the following ideas; make sure to include an option that states your thesis.