Claim

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• Claim
• Also called the thesis or main point.
• The centerpiece of the essay.
• Answers the question What do I want readers to
  understand, believe, or do after they read my
  essay that they may not understand, believe, or
  do before they read my essay.

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• What a claim does
• Controls a writer includes ONLY information
  relevant (not just related to the claim).
• Obligates the writer must provide reasons and
  evidence to support the claim.
• Predicts it allows readers to know where they
  are going in this essay.

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• Features of a good claim
• It is clearly worded and focused.
• It is a statement of judgment, not a topic or
  subject description.
• It is arguable.
• It is workableyou know enough about the subject
  to support the claim.
• It should matter to you AND your audience.

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Whether or not college students should have to
abide by a dress code.Was attacking Iraq a
smart decision in the war on terror?California
residents are also residents of the United
States.Should the Social Security system be
reworked?Cosmetic surgery for pets (e.g. tail
cropping, debarking, ear clipping, etc.) should
be outlawed.The attitudes of children in urban
areas.
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• Sample claims
• US energy policy should improve.
• US energy policy should provide incentives for
  non-polluting, sustainable power development.
• The Purple Rose is a better restaurant than
  Perkos.
• The Purple Rose is a better restaurant than Café
  955.
• Violent television shows are not good for kids to
  watch.
• Violent television causes children to behave
  violently.

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College can be a nerve-wracking yet rewarding
experience.College is a good place to
be.College is a safe place to take on
intellectual challenges.Whether or not it is a
good idea to attend college.Attending college
can have both good and bad consequences.The
college should change the way it allocates
financial aid.In order to distribute limited
funds more equitably, students should receive aid
only as long as they are attending and passing
their classes.
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The Language of Claims MattersJohn Kerry is an
arrogant bastard.John Kerry is arrogant.John
Kerrys perceived arrogance may put off rural
Americans.
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Viruses are spreading all over the internet and
thats not a good thing, which is why we should
do something about it like create laws.Because
computer viruses have the potential to cripple
the online economy, the US government should
enact harsh prison penalties for convicted virus
creators.
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Rewrite the following to improve focus and
clarity The idea of paying people to act like
members of your family is a good thing sort of, I
guess, for some people, but it could be abused
and may desensitize people, but still I think it
could be good although Id never personally
myself use it.In my opinion, college is not a
very fun place to be but it should be and so to
make it such a place the college needs to create
more fun things for students.
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OJ Simpson is a murderer.George W. Bush is a
murderer.George W. Bush murders the English
language.The bureaucracy of College of the
Redwoods murders morale.
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George W. Bush is the best president America has
ever had.George W. Bush is a phenomenal
president.George W. Bush is a good
president.George W. Bush is a surprisingly good
president.George W. Bush has exceeded the
expectations of many Americans.In the aftermath
of 9/11, George W. Bush proved he possesses the
qualities of an effective president.George W.
Bush may be remembered as one of the better
presidents America has had.
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The Audience for a Claim should Affect the
Language of the ClaimConsider the audience
assumptions built into the following
claimAbortion is a sin.How might the
language of the claim change for an audience
ofacademicschildrenatheists
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A claim must be arguable. Indicate whether the
following claims are arguable and explain the
reasons for your answer.It contains
contradictions and inconsistent reasoning that
undermine the strength of the appeals to
values.I like the essay College Life vs. My
Moral Code.College Life vs. My Moral Code is
an essay written by Elisha hack and published in
The New York Times.I think the essay College
Life vs. My Moral Code is a bad essay.College
Life vs. My Moral Code by Elisha Hack offers
effective appeals to values but lacks important
specific evidence to bolster the appeals.
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