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activity Identifying Arguable Claims
For each of the following statements, evaluate whether it is arguable or too easily verifi-
able to develop into an effective argument. Try revising the ones you consider too easily
Argument
verifiable to make them into arguable claims.
1. Charter schools are a cost-effective alternative to public schools.
2. Ronald Reagan was the most charismatic president of the twentieth century.
3. Students graduating from college today can expect to have more debt than any pre-
vious generation.
4. Print newspapers will not survive another decade.
5. Plagiarism is the most serious problem in today’s schools.

Types of Claims
There are three major types of claims: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of
policy. While it is helpful to separate the three for analysis, in practice it is not always that
simple. Indeed, it is quite common for an argument to include more than one type of
claim, as you will see in the following examples.

Claims of Fact
Claims of fact assert that something is true or not true. You can’t argue whether Nigeria
is in Africa or whether restaurants on Main Street serve more customers at breakfast
than at lunch. These issues can be resolved and verified — in the first case by checking a
map, in the second through observation or by checking sales figures. You can, however,
argue that Nigeria has a vibrant movie industry or that restaurants on Main Street are
more popular with older patrons than with younger ones. Those statements are arguable:
What does “vibrant” mean? What does “popular” mean? Who is “older” and who is
“younger”?
Arguments of fact often pivot on what exactly is “factual.” Facts become arguable
when they are questioned, when they raise controversy, when they challenge people’s
beliefs. “The Social Security program will go bankrupt by 2025” is a
claim that could be developed in an argument of fact — in this case,
®
AP TIP
statistical analysis. Often, though, so-called facts are a matter of
Try to avoid making claims interpretation. At other times, new “facts” call into question older
that begin with “I believe” or
“I feel”; these don’t tend to ones. The claim that the chemicals in sunscreen are just as harmful
help establish your credibility. as exposure to the sun’s rays, for instance, requires figuring out
A confident, matter-of-fact who is stating this “fact,” assessing their credibility, sifting through
tone lets your chosen medical research, scrutinizing who is carrying out that research,
evidence and commentary
shine. who is supporting it financially, and so on. Whenever you are evalu-
ating or writing an argument of fact, it’s important to approach your
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