Claims

Writers convey their positions through one or more claims. Because these claims are not necessarily factual but instead are asserted to be true, they need to be backed up with evidence. 

Stating Positions

Often, as you begin digging into a subject, you will find information that causes you to think about the subject in a certain way. You begin to ask questions about the subject. As you answer these questions, you develop a position and, ultimately, a specific claim about the subject.

When writers formulate a position, they gather and arrange their ideas about an issue and determine how their views relate to others’ positions on the same issue in the “unending conversation.” For others in the conversation to understand them, writers need to convey their positions clearly. They express their positions through claims—statements asserted to be true that are not obviously facts. Because a claim is not true by itself, it must be defended. 

Suppose, for example, you are on an ASB (Associated Student Body) team trying to decide if implementing a new student mentorship program is a good initiative. Before you attend the meeting, you give some thought to the topic and do some research. You might begin with some general ideas and then gradually develop a more specific position. You might arrive at the claim that a student mentorship program could significantly improve peer relationships and academic performance.

The way the claim is worded implies that the idea is true. However, without any evidence or logical reasoning to back it up, the members of the ASB team will likely see this claim as merely a suggested idea. Convincing them to accept this claim will require you to defend it. 

The best claims are usually those that are interesting and somewhat provocative—those that make the audience really take notice.

Remember: Writers convey their positions through one or more claims that require a defense.

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