Writing Claims

An author's central argument in their writing is the _____.

• claim

• evidence

• supporting details

• reasons

Claim: Schools should not have a later start time for the students.
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Evidence: According to a study done by the University of Minnesota, students have 1.1 hours less a day to do homework when school starts later.
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Which of the following is a GOOD example of REASONING?

• Less time during the day to do homework means that students will have to stay up later to finish it. Schools shouldn't start later because homework will get pushed back and cause kids to lose sleep anyway.

• Schools shouldn't have a later start time because students have less time during the day to get their homework done, 1.1 hours less to be exact.

• Later start times are a bad idea because parents will have trouble getting their kids to school in the mornings. Parents have jobs that start early, even if schools start late.

If Cinderella's fairy godmother had not arrived to help her get ready for the ball, she never would have married Prince Charming.

• Statement

• Claim

Which of the following is the BEST definition of a claim?

• a statement of fact

• a paper that presents an argument

• a position that can be argued

How do you write a claim

• Copy the first sentence, edit the second

• copy the first sentence of the text

• Copy the end sentence

What is a claim?

• The position you take on a topic/prompt.

• Your intro sentence.

• Your conclusion paragraph

What is another word for Thomas Crane and Selena Smith's different opinions, which you could use in writing?

• claim

• counterclaim

• fact

• opposing claim

A strong claim is debatable. How do we know it is debatable?

• It is interesting.

• It can be supported with evidence.

• It isn't a fact.

Strong claims identify the author's stance. What is a "stance"?

• something that is unclear

• the sentence stem

• the position

• a fact

What should you avoid when writing a claim?

• including your stance

• words like "I think" or "I feel"

• using evidence