good claim examples essay

How to Write an Effective Claim (with Examples)

Formulating a claim for your essay can be difficult even if you are already a masterful debater — especially if you are not quite sure what a claim is, and how it may differ from a counterclaim or thesis statement. This guide will make it easy to decide on your claim!

Essay Claim Basics

In essay writing, a claim can most succinctly be defined as "a debatable statement" — which the writer then defends with supporting evidence and rhetoric. It is easy to confuse a claim and a thesis statement, because the thesis is indeed a type of claim as well. Essays can contain further claims that orbit the topic of the thesis statement, however.

Claims straddle the line between opinion and fact. If you're hoping to make a strong claim that seamlessly fits into a powerful essay, you will need to make sure that your claim ticks the right boxes:

• Your claim can debated — solid arguments can be made both in favor and against. Therefore, statements such as "I live in Queens" or "Joe Biden is the President" are not claims. In an argumentative essay, "the death penalty should be abolished" is an example of a claim. Even scientific papers make claims, such as "Keyboards contain more germs than toilet seats", which can be tested. These are called hypotheses.
• You will state your claim as a matter of fact. "Many people oppose the death penalty, and with good reason" is not a good claim, but "the death penalty is no longer an appropriate punishment in modern America" can be.
• Your claim is sufficiently specific to allow you to explore all aspects that you intend to tackle. "The Victorian era was Britain's darkest era" give you more bite than you can comfortably chew. "Fast food should be taxed to reduce obesity rates" is more specific.

Types of Claim (With Examples!)

Claims are debatable statements, but there are numerous different types. If you have specifically been asked to present a claim in an essay, you may be able to choose what kind of claim you would like to work with.

1. Claim of Fact or Definition

In research essays, a claim of fact or definition is one that defines a fact, as you see it, and proceeds to lay out the evidence in favor of the claim. Here are some examples to show you how it works:

• Plant species are becoming extinct at a faster rate than animal species, yet the plight of plants has been overlooked.
• Amazon's Alexa has revolutionized many people's daily lives — but this appliance also makes us vulnerable to new forms of hacking.
• Commercial air travel transformed the way in which we do business.

2. Claim of Cause & Effect

In a claim of cause and effect, you argue that one thing causes another, such as:

• Internet gaming has a widespread negative effect on students' grades.
• Lax enforcement of preventative measures against Covid has enabled the pandemic to continue for much longer than it need have.
• Playing jigsaw puzzles leads to novel cognitive connections that help senior citizens stay sharp.

3. Claim of Value

Claims of value are more heavily opinion-based than other types of claims. If you are making a claim of value, you will usually want to compare two things. For example:

• George W Bush was a better President than George W H Bush.
• Emotional health is just as important as physical health.
• Stephen King is the best horror writer of al time.

4. Claim of Solution or Policy

Claims of solution or policy state a position on a proposed course of action. In high school and college essays, they typically focus on something that should be done, or something that should no longer be done. Examples might include:

• Depressed patients should always be offered talk therapy before they receive a prescription for antidepressants.
• The United States should not accept refugees from Afghanistan.
• First-time offenders should be given lighter sentences.

Claim vs. Counterclaim vs. Thesis Statement

If you've been told to make an essay claim, you may be confused about the differences between a claim, counterclaim, and thesis statement. That's understandable, because some people believe that there's no difference between a claim and a thesis statement.

There are important distinctions between these three concepts, however, and if you want to write a killer essay, it's important to be aware of them:

• A thesis statement is the very foundation of your essay — everything else rests on it. The thesis statement should contain no more than one or two sentences, and summarize the heart of your argument. "Regular exercise has consistently been shown to increase productivity in the workplace. Therefore, employers should offer office workers, who would otherwise be largely sedentary, opportunities to work out."
• A claim is a statement you can defend with arguments and evidence. A thesis statement is a type of claim, but you'll want to include other claims that fit neatly into the subject matter as well. For instance, "Employers should establish gyms for employees."
• A counterclaim is a statement that contradicts, refutes, or opposes a claim. Why would you want to argue against yourself? You can do so to show that arguments that oppose the claim are weak. For instance, "Many employers would balk at the idea of facilitating costly exercise classes or providing a gym space — employees can work out in their own time, after all. Why should the boss pay for workers to engage in recreational activities at work? Recent studies have shown, however, that workplaces that have incorporated aerobics classes enjoy 120% increase in productivity, showing that this step serves the bottom line."

Together, a thesis statement, claims, and some well-placed counterclaims make up the threads of your story, leading to a coherent essay that is interesting to read.

How to Write an Effective Claim

Now that you've seen some examples, you are well on your way to writing an effective claim for your essay. Need some extra tips? We've got you covered.

First things first — how do you start a claim in an essay? Your claim sentence or sentences should be written in the active voice, starting with the subject, so that your readers can immediately understand what you are talking about.

They'll be formulated as an "[Subject] should be [proposed action], because [argument]. You can stay with this general structure while making different word choices, however, such as:

• It is about time that
• We have an obligation to
• Is the only logical choice
• It is imperative that

Once you have formulated a claim, you will want to see if you can hook your readers with an interesting or provocative statement that can really get them thinking. You will want to break your argument down into sections. This will lead you to sub-claims. If your claim is your main argument, your sub-claims are smaller arguments that work to support it. They will typically appear naturally once you contemplate the subject deeply — just brainstorm, and as you research, keep considering why your claim is true. The reasons you come up with will sprout sub-claims.

Still not sure what to write? Take a look at these examples of strong claim statements:

• A lack of work experience has proven to be the main barrier to finding satisfying employment, so businesses should be incentivized to hire recent graduates.
• The rise in uncertified "emotional support animals" directly causes suffering for people suffering from severe pet dander allergies. Such pets must be outlawed in public places to alleviate the very real harm allergy patients now experience on a daily basis.
• Emerging private space exploration ventures may be exciting, but they greatly increase CO2 emissions. At a time when the planet is in crisis, private space exploration should be banned.

Additional Tips in Writing a Claim the Right Way

You now know what you need to include in a claim paragraph to leave a strong impression. Understanding what not to do is equally important, however.

• Take a stand — if you're writing an argumentative essay, it is perfectly OK to take a controversial opinion, and no matter what you write, it is bound to have the potential to offend someone . Don't sit on the fence. Even when you're defending a position you disagree with, embrace it wholeheartedly.
• Narrow your claim down. The more specific you can get, the more compelling your argument can be, and the more depth you can add to each aspect of your argument.
• Have fun! You want your essay to be interesting to read, and any genuine passion you have will be apparent.
• Choose the right subject — one about which you can find a lot of data and facts.

What should you avoid in writing a claim, you wonder? Don't:

• Use any first-person statements. The claim is about your ideas, not about you.
• Base your claim on emotional appeal. You can work some pathos in, but don't make feelings your center.
• Clutter your claim with too many separate ideas, which will make the rest of your essay harder to read, less powerful, and unwieldy for you to develop.

How do you use a claim?

When you're writing your essay, you can think of the thesis statement as the spine. The claims you make are, then, your "ribs", so to speak. If you prefer a different analogy, the thesis is your trunk, and the claims branches. You use them to build a strong final product that shows you have considered all aspects of your argument, and can back them up with evidence and logic.

What is a good way to start a claim?

You can start with a shocking fact, objective data from a reliable source, or even an anecdote — or, if you prefer, you can simply offer your argument without bells and whistles.

Can a claim be in a paragraph or is it a single sentence only?

Claims are almost always limited to a single sentence. It can be a long compound sentence, though! The claim does not have to remain all alone in the paragraph. You can immediately surround it with rhetorical punches or further facts.

What are some examples of argumentative claims?

So, you want to learn to argue like a pro? Watching speeches politicians make is a great way to look out for claims, and court transcripts and academic debates are two other places you can look for great argumentative claims.

Is there a claim generator you can use?

Yes! Some claim generators are free to use, while others require a subscription. These tools can be interesting to play with, and can serve as inspiration. However, it's always best to tweak your final claim to fit your needs.

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How to Write an Effective Claim for an Essay

Often, people use claim statements and thesis statements interchangeably. And they are not wrong because a thesis statement is a type of a claim. In most cases, essays contain further claims other than the thesis statement, depending on the topic in question. Nevertheless, claims overlap the line between fact and opinion. A strong claim leads to a powerful essay that always scores the best marks.

A good claim is debatable either for or against and must be sufficiently specific so that you explore all the aspects and angles of a given topic.

Yet even with this knowledge, people find themselves confused when asked to formulate a claim for an essay. Failure to structure an argument the right way makes it difficult to persuade an audience. Claims help structure your argument using reasoning and evidence to support your stance.

Given the confusion that sometimes surrounds claims and claim statements, we have put together this guide to take you through the process of writing claims in five steps, using examples and illustrations where necessary for you to master the art of writing claims in an essay.

What is a claim in an essay?

A claim statement is the main point or a debatable statement in the essay that asserts your argument . When you write an essay, you do it to convince or inform the reader about something. What you are trying to convince the reader about is what is referred to as a claim.

The main point or argument in an essay is its most important part. This is because it quickly informs the reader about the objective of the essay, its direction, and its scope.

It is important to note that an opinion is not a claim and cannot be used as the main argument when writing an essay. The easiest way to know if your essay's main argument is a good claim is to ask yourself if it is specific, focused, detailed, relevant, and debatable. If your answer to these questions is yes, you most probably have a good claim.

A claim is usually substantiated with evidence, research, testimony, and academic reasoning. It addresses the -so what?- question the implications of why your audience should care anyway. Unlike a subjective opinion, a claim is always objective.

In a nutshell, a claim:

• Refers to the main argument of an essay
• Defines the goals, scope, and direction of a paper
• It is supported by facts, evidence, argumentation, statistics, telling details, and quotations.
• It is specific, nuanced, detailed, complex, and focused.
• It is the starting point for your thesis and allows readers to think critically about the topic.
• Persuades, argues, and proves a point to the reader.

Types of claims with examples

With the definition of claims in mind, let's explore the different types of claims you can use when writing a paper on any topic.

1. Factual claims

Factual claims are arguments or statements that state facts. Any statement that is a fact is a factual claim. Factual claims are usually easy to support with evidence.

When writing a research essay, a claim of fact or definition defines the fact as you see it and provides evidence to back the claim.

Examples of factual claims that are easy to support:

• The United States is the world's biggest economy.
• New York is the home of the United Nations.
• Donald Trump was the 45 th President of the USA.
• The invention of computing technology has transformed every sector of the global economy.

2. Value claims

Value claims or claims of value are arguments that include a judgment. They are primarily opinion-based. A typical value claim will judge something or someone using terms such as good/bad, right/wrong, moral/immoral, and fair/unfair. A value claim is usually followed by explaining the value claim or argument to provide context.

Examples of value claims:

• Online dating is
• It is right for the West to sanction private individuals for Russian government actions.
• It is unfair for some businesses to be exempted from tax.
• Emotional health is as important as physical and mental health.

3. Definitional claims

Definitional claims are arguments defining something as one thing or the other. For example, a good value claim will define or describe something or someone as a particular thing and then provide an explanation why.

An excellent example of a definitional claim:

• Hunting is not a sport because it does not include regular competition.

4. Cause and effect claims

Cause and effect claims are arguments that are very logical in structure. A typical cause-and-effect claim argues that one thing causes something else. For a cause-and-effect claim to be successfully proven, you must show clearly how the cause leads to the effect.

An excellent example of a cause-and-effect claim:

• Wars in the Middle East caused Europe's biggest refugee crisis.

5. Descriptive claims

Descriptive claims are arguments that describe or state things. The work of proving a descriptive claim is usually quite simple and straightforward.

Here are good examples of descriptive claims:

• Peter weighs 220 pounds.
• He is the world marathon record holder.
• The house has three master en suite bedrooms.

6. Argumentative claims

All argumentative essays have an argumentative claim at the core. An argumentative claim is an argument that is clear, focused, specific, and debatable. The thing that makes argumentative claims argumentative is the fact that they are debatable. In other words, the claims usually have two clear sides. The side you have picked should be clear in the claim so the audience can read your essay to understand why you picked that side.

Here are good examples of argumentative claims:

• In light of reduced and erratic rainfalls, farmers in East Africa are increasingly abandoning agriculture for city life.
• Running provides both mental and physical health benefits.
• Increasing cases of cyberbullying can be prevented by banning anonymous social media accounts.
• Yoga improves physical, mental, and emotional strength.
• School uniforms help promote inclusive environments where students can interact without barriers.
• College students should learn new languages and skills to help them gain skills to take them through life.
• Concrete is by far the best building material for commercial houses.
• Owning a home is better compared to renting.
• Children under 12 should not be posted on social media by their parents.
• Generation Z should be taught about financial literacy.
• Cooking at home is healthier and cheaper compared to fast food.

7. Exploratory claims

Exploratory claims are very different from argumentative claims. The reason why is that they are written to explore all the different opinions or sides of a debate. No exploratory claim will focus on one position.

A typical exploratory claim will include information about the subject to be written about, the different positions or debates about the subject, and the writer's thoughts about the subject.

Here is an example of an exploratory claim:

• Marijuana was recently legalized for recreational use in New York, leading to a heated debate online on the benefits and drawbacks of the drug. It is essential to look at both sides of the debate to make a fair conclusion on the matter.

8. Assertive claims

Assertive claims are strong arguments or statements. The use of an assertive statement is to explain the thesis a bit or show the importance of the thesis. Without an assertive claim, it becomes challenging to hook the reader to try and read the rest of your essay.

Here is an excellent example of an assertive claim:

• Online driving courses are not as good as physical ones because they minimize hands-on or one-on-one training experience.

9. Policy claims

Policy claims are also known as solution claims. A characteristic policy claim will state a problem and then its solution.

Examples of policy claims:

• Western European countries are over-dependent on Russian oil and gas and, therefore, should try to be more energy-independent.
• Non-violent drug users who are caught should be rehabilitated instead of being incarcerated.

Where to use Claims when writing

As we have already discussed, academic writing has different types of claims. You can use these claims when writing different kinds of papers. Here are some types of writing that use claims:

• Argumentative essay. Claims in argumentative essays are used to support the central argument or the thesis. In this type of essay, you must focus on a controversial or debatable issue and present evidence to support your thesis statement. Your claims help to fortify the thesis in your argumentative essay.
• Literary analysis essays. In a literary analysis essay, you can make a claim about the literary work in question and then offer evidence to support the claim.
• Persuasive essays. Like the argumentative essay, you can use a claim in a persuasive essay. In this case, you will use evidence-based information to support your claim.
• Research papers. You can use evidence to support or refute the hypothesis, a type of claim.
• Persuasive speeches. Although presented orally, persuasive speeches entail providing claims and then using evidence to support the claims.
• Persuasive memos. You can write a persuasive memo to convince the audience about a claim you support with evidence.
• Compare and contrast essays . You can use claims when comparing two items or subjects.

You can also use claims when writing professional papers such as reports, letters, memos, or social media posts.

Related Article: Writing good analytical essays for better grades.

Features of a reasonable claim

Below are the features of a good claim:

1. A good claim is a statement and not a question

A good claim is usually a statement and not a question. The purpose of making a claim is to present a debate and the writer's position on the debate. Using a question, there is no way to present a debate and clarify your position.

2. A good claim challenges the status quo

The purpose of writing essays is to improve the existing body of knowledge. Simply writing another essay supporting the current beliefs, behaviors, rules, or policies does not enhance the body of knowledge. This is why it is vital to make your claim challenge the status quo so that you can write about something new that everyone doesn't already agree with.

An excellent example of a claim that challenges that status quo is that "The United States should shut down all its nuclear power plants in the next year to eliminate the chance of a disaster happening."

This statement challenges the status quo: nuclear power plants are needed in the USA for the foreseeable future to provide much-needed power.

3. A good claim is unbiased

Claims should always be put to provide an opportunity to defend or support either position. Phrasing a claim in a way that leaves no room for the audience to think that an alternative position can exist is not right. It removes objectivity and makes a claim look biased and unwise.

4. A good claim is particular

Broad claims do not provide any insight. This is because they are easy to agree with. They are also easy to prove. In contrast, specific claims narrow the focus and improve argumentation. So, to write a good essay, it is vital to make your claim specific and detailed so that whatever you write is focused and provides good insight.

5. A good claim promotes an argumentative essay

Make a claim that is easy to agree with. Your essay will not be engaging because it will be a description or a story. In contrast, you create an argumentative environment when you make a claim supporting one of two sides. In other words, you create a situation where you provide evidence to support or defend the side of the argument you have picked.

Claim vs. Claim Statement

A claim is an argument. When writing an academic paper (essay, speech, or research), you will have your main claim (main argument). In addition, you will have your sub-claims or supporting arguments throughout your paper or essay.

An essay's central claim or argument is the claim statement. It is also referred to as the thesis statement. In brief, the main difference between a claim and a claim statement is that the former is just an argument while the latter is the main argument.

The requirements for writing a claim and a claim statement are very similar. However, sub-claims or supporting arguments in the body paragraphs do not need to be debatable. In contrast, a good claim statement should always be detailed and debatable.

Claim vs. Thesis Statement vs. Counterclaim

Steps to writing the best claim in an essay.

A claim is an argument. It is pretty easy to write an argument in an essay. The most straightforward essay will include the main claim or argument in the introduction , a supporting argument beginning each body paragraph, and a conclusion.

The most important part when writing an essay is usually the main claim or argument. It is also referred to as the claim statement. A good claim statement will help you to write a good essay. A lousy claim statement will make it challenging to write a good essay.

Follow the steps below to learn how to write a good claim statement.

1. Pick a topic and find out more information about it

The first thing you need to do when writing a claim statement is to pick a topic. Even if you can choose any topic, select one that interests you and can research and write an entire essay.

Once you choose the topic, find out more information about it. This will help you narrow the topic, find something interesting to write about, and make arguments. You also develop many aspects of the topic and choose one to help you write your claim.

As an example, suppose you are writing about climate change. Then, you can focus on global warming as a subject and present why it is a top cause of climate change.

2. Phrase the exciting topic as a question

Once you find something interesting about a topic, you should frame the topic as a question. As you frame the question, ensure you answer it with your thesis.

The easiest way to write a question is to imagine you are a professor asking your students to write an easy essay on the topic. This will help you to phrase the topic as a question quickly. The question will help you to come up with the claim statement and to write a good essay.

For example, suppose your research on a topic leads you to want to write about the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls. In that case, you could phrase this topic as a question. For example, one way you can phrase this topic as a question is, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

Phrasing the topic this way makes it easy to write the claim and thesis statements.

3. Define the objective of your essay

To write a good essay, you need to set the objective. The objective of your essay will determine what type of claim statement you write. For example, suppose your objective is to convince the audience that something is good or bad. In that case, you must decide after phrasing your essay topic as a question.

4. Take a position on the issue

After deciding your essay's objective, you need to take a position on the topic now. This position or claim will be your essay's main claim or claim statement. In addition, it will inform what your supporting arguments will be.

At this stage, you should rephrase your question into a claim statement (the question you constructed in step 2). Our example question was, "What are the harmful effects of Instagram on teenage girls?"

To rephrase this question into a claim statement, state how you would answer it in detail. For example, one way you could do this is, "This paper looks at the harmful effects of Instagram on girls under 18 years of age in the USA."

This statement makes it clear what your essay will be all about. It is focused, detailed, and debatable.

5. Develop sub-claims

After creating the claim statement, you need to write an outline to help you write your essay. Your claim statement will inform the outline.

And the most critical parts of the outline will be the sub-claims. The sub-claims are the supporting arguments you will use in your essay. They are the arguments that support your main argument.

If you are writing a typical 5-paragraph essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion " the three body paragraphs will include a sub-claim at the beginning. The sub-claim will be an argument that supports your main position.

Following the five steps above, you can quickly develop a good essay with all the necessary claims and sub-claims. If, for any reason, you feel like it will be challenging for you to develop a good claim statement and sub-claims, contact us for help with your essay. We have professional essay tutors ready to help you write any essay before you hit the deadline.

Dos and don'ts when writing A claim in an Essay

You now know everything important about claims. You know all the major types of claims and how to write an eye-catching claim statement. In this section, you will learn all the critical dos and don'ts when writing any kind of claim.

• Choose a good topic. It is important to choose a good topic if you are permitted to. A good topic is interesting, has lots of facts and data, and is easy to take a stand on.
• Have fun. If essays are stressing you up, maybe you should re-evaluate your major or minor. Whatever topic you choose, you should have fun learning more about it and taking a stand. If you do this, your genuine passion will be evident to the reader.
• Take a position. It is important to take a position when writing about a topic. Writing about something without supporting or defending a position will not help you. You need to embrace a position and stick to it.
• Narrow your focus. It is crucial to narrow the focus of your writing to a particular thing or group. If your claim is too broad, it will not be compelling, and your essay won't be very informative.

Don'ts

• Avoid using first-person when writing a claim statement. Using the first-person perspective  will make your argument subjective and not very objective.
• Avoid using emotional appeal. When writing, ensure that you appeal to facts and data. So don't appeal to emotions; that will water down your arguments.
• Lose focus. Cluttering your claim with other ideas will make it challenging to support. It will also make your writing less understandable and less robust.

Final Remarks

Consider a claim as the branches and the thesis statement as the trunk that holds your paper together. It can be a compound or short sentence that asserts your position on an issue or topic.

Related Readings:

• How to write an argumentative essay.
• How to write a perfect case study paper.
• How to write counterarguments.

Using controversial claims makes essays engaging and appetizes your readers. So ensure that your claim is straightforward, specific, and contestable. And to maintain a good balance, try to rope in a counterclaim.

Now that you understand what a claim is, the different types of claims, and the steps to take when writing a claim, all we can say is all the best. Of course, you will need our wishes as you craft your essay. But in case you need any help, don't hesitate to place an order. Let our argumentative essay writers help you out!

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How to Write a Claim Paragraph: Good Examples for an Essay

• by Joseph Kenas
• January 18, 2024

Any writer presenting an argument or an assertion will have to write a claim. As an integral part of your essay writing, we seek to help you ace it well. This guide explains how to write a good claim paragraph and how to format your sentences and assertions in an essay to a claim.

The claims you provide in the essay should be arguable and provable with evidence. Claims must be presented as facts. It is these facts that need the backup of evidence to make them strong and prove a point.

What is a Claim Paragraph?

A claim paragraph explains the main focus of a paper. Claim paragraphs should always support the main arguments of your essay. This argument in your essay is usually the thesis .

Claim paragraphs should appear on the beginning paragraphs of your essay. They provide a unifying theme for the rest of your essay. They should be interpretive and analytic.

Claims need the support of credible evidence because not everyone will agree to the facts that they present. Evidence is all the information that supports your idea.

The evidence in place should be accessed first before coming up with a claim statement. A claim statement flops when there is not enough evidence to back it up.

No reader will assume that the claim you put across is true or even slightly believe it without going through the evidence provided for the claim. The evidence won’t entirely convince everyone that your claim is true but it will help every reader conclude. 

Can a Claim Be in a Paragraph or Is It a Sentence Only?

A claim can be in a full paragraph or a sentence. When in a sentence only, it is referred to as a thesis statement. The thesis statement is then defended in the whole essay. Every paragraph in the essay supports the evidence.

All the paragraphs provide the reason why the reader should believe your thesis statement. Each paragraph should have different evidence that makes your thesis statement more sensible. 

Steps How to craft a Claim Statement

Choose a topic of your interest and explore it .

Efforts put in place in coming up with a claim statement are more effective when the topic chosen is your area of interest.

When you are given the freedom to choose a topic, always chose a topic that you enjoy.

Pick a narrow subject of that topic and focus on it to make a claim.

Set a Question for the Thesis to Answer

The answers to the main question that your essay poses as the center points of your thesis. Always use the shortest and the best answer possible to your question regardless of the topic. 

Define the Goal of your Paper 

The goal of your paper determines the type of claim statement you are going to write. For argumentative essays, for example, you will have to write something that can change the opinion of your readers.

You must set up an opinion and claim it with supporting points. Also remember, you will have to rebut these points in an argumentative essay. read on how to write a counterclaim to know how to present the rebuttals for full grading.

Take a Stand for a Single Issue

Even if you will be discussing many issues and aspects of a point, you will need to address a single issue with more attention. It is the point that your whole paper will be evolving at.

That single issue is what you will be following throughout the paper. However, the issue has to be supported by different points in line with the thesis you are arguing.

Use a different Approach to the Topic 

Make arguments with a different approach to make your claim interesting and sustainable. It is important to use fresh ways to convey ideas and facts. 

Claims can also be in paragraphs. Every paragraph with its claim. The claim starts as the topic sentence and then it is backed up by evidence. Starting the sentence with a claim helps the reader know what to expect in that paragraph.

Claim topic sentences of claim paragraphs should help the reader follow the developments of the essay. The next claim is then presented in another paragraph. Therefore, claim paragraphs are used in essays with more than one claim to put across.

Every claim paragraph should support the main idea of your essay. Descriptions of events cannot be used as claims. They cannot form a basis that your arguments need to prove in the essay. 

How to Write a Claim Paragraph?

1. Start with a Hook

This is an open sentence of a paragraph. Its main aim is to grab the attention of the reader so that they want to read on.

The hook has to be related to the overall topic of the paper. A hook can be a question, statistic, or quotation. 

2. State the Topic

Stating the topic of the paragraph helps guide the reader through your argument. It also helps you keep the focus on your writing. Stating the topic of your paragraph clarifies to you and your reader what the paragraph is all about.

You can read more about choosing a topic in our lesson on writing good essays from the introduction to the last paragraph. 

3. Write the Claim

Introduce the claim. This is what the paragraph or the essay is all about. It is your idea or opinion on a certain topic. It guides the reader on what the arguments that will follow will be all about.

The claim is not your final fact. You just have to take a strong stand for the main idea that you will support using effective arguments. An affirmative tone is needed when writing down your claim. This makes it identifiable.

Words like “though” and “because” play a part I making your claims firm and definitive. The claim should not be placed far in your essay. The reader should not read much before getting to the claim. 

4. Present the Argument

Claims should be formulated about things that you can prove. It is unnecessary coming up with a claim without strong evidence and arguments that can support the claim.

The arguments should be true and well capable of backing up your claim. Statistics can form an argument that supports your claim. They convey information in numerical form and are most convincing when used sparingly combining them with an explanation of why the numbers are significant.

Regardless of statistics being considered factual, they can be presented in different ways to suggest different conclusions. Even conflicting information can be presented using statistical data. 

Arguments can also be presented using expert opinions. Although they differ from facts because they are interpretations, expert opinions are based on actual evidence. Different experts can use the same information to draw different conclusions.

This shows that the opinions may not be accurate. This does not affect the ability and the usefulness of the opinions to support an argument. The opinion of experts in your field is important in determining how to support your claim using your perspective. 

5. Include some Visuals

Chats, tables, and figures can be used to translate important information to provide visual impact and enhance readability.

They help present data that is too much to be effectively presented by text form. The purpose and the needs of your readers should dictate whether you need words, tables, words, or figures. 

6. Seek an Example

Examples can support your contention on whether a statement is true or not. The details and specifics they provide help in supporting the claim. They include vivid descriptions that help catch the attention of readers. Conclusions can easily be drawn from examples. Examples can be common or personal.

7. Be Brief

Remember your paragraph should not be too long. Write what is important briefly and move to the next paragraph. 

An example of a Claim

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

What Is a Claim in an Essay? Read This Before Writing

What is a claim in an essay?

In this article, you’ll find the essay claim definition, characteristics, types, and examples. Let’s learn where to use claims and how to write them.

Get ready for up-to-date and practical information only!

What Is a Claim in Writing?

A claim is the core argument defining an essay’s goal and direction. (1) It’s assertive, debatable, and supported by evidence. Also, it is complex, specific, and detailed.

Also known as a thesis, a claim is a little different from statements and opinions. Keep reading to reveal the nuances.

Claims vs. statements vs. opinions

Where to use claims.

To answer the “What is claim in writing?”, it’s critical to understand that this definition isn’t only for high school or college essays. Below are the types of writing with claims:

• Argumentative articles. Consider a controversial issue, proving it with evidence throughout your paper.
• Literary analysis. Build a claim about a book , and use evidence from it to support your claim.
• Research papers. Present a hypothesis and provide evidence to confirm or refute it.
• Speeches. State a claim and persuade the audience that you’re right.
• Persuasive essays and memos. State a thesis and use fact-based evidence to back it up..

What can you use as evidence in essays?

• Facts and other data from relevant and respectful resources (no Wikipedia or other sources like this)
• Primary research
• Secondary research (science magazines’ articles, literature reviews, etc.)
• Personal observation
• Expert quotes (opinions)
• Info from expert interviews

How to Write a Claim in Essays

Two points to consider when making a claim in a college paper:

First, remember that a claim may have counterarguments. You’ll need to respond to them to make your argument stronger. Use transition words like “despite,” “yet,” “although,” and others to show those counterclaims.

Second, good claims are more complex than simple “I’m right” statements. Be ready to explain your claim, answering the “So what?” question.

And now, to details:

Types of claims in an essay (2)

Writing a claim: details to consider.

What makes a good claim? Three characteristics (3):

• It’s assertive. (You have a strong position about a topic.)
• It’s specific. (Your assertion is as precise as possible.)
• It’s provable. (You can prove your position with evidence.)

When writing a claim, avoid generalizations, questions, and cliches. Also, don’t state the obvious.

• Poor claim: Pollution is bad for the environment.
• Good claim: At least 25% of the federal budget should be spent upgrading businesses to clean technologies and researching renewable energy sources to control or cut pollution.

How to start a claim in an essay?

Answer the essay prompt. Use an active voice when writing a claim for readers to understand your point. Here is the basic formula:

When writing, avoid:

• First-person statements
• Emotional appeal
• Cluttering your claim with several ideas; focus on one instead

How long should a claim be in an essay?

1-2 sentences. A claim is your essay’s thesis: Write it in the first paragraph (intro), presenting a topic and your position about it.

Examples of Claims

Below are a few claim examples depending on the type. I asked our expert writers to provide some for you to better understand how to write it.

Feel free to use them for inspiration, or don’t hesitate to “steal” if they appear relevant to your essay topic. Also, remember that you can always ask our writers to assist with a claim for your papers.

Final Words

Now that you know what is a claim in an essay, I hope you don’t find it super challenging to write anymore. It’s like writing a thesis statement; make it assertive, specific, and provable.

If you still have questions or doubts, ask Writing-Help writers for support. They’ll help you build an A-worthy claim for an essay.

References:

• https://www.pvcc.edu/files/making_a_claim.pdf
• https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/sweetland-assets/sweetland-documents/teachingresources/TeachingArgumentation/Supplement2_%20SixCommonTypesofClaim.pdf  
• https://students.tippie.uiowa.edu/sites/students.tippie.uiowa.edu/files/2022-05/effective_claims.pdf
• Essay samples
• Essay writing
• Writing tips

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Nathaniel Tower

Juggling writing and life

Understanding Claims in Writing and How to Craft Effective Ones

Last Updated on July 7, 2023 by Nathaniel Tower

In the realm of academic and persuasive writing, a claim holds significant importance. A claim serves as the central assertion or argument made by a writer to support their position or viewpoint. It is the backbone of an essay or any piece of writing, providing a clear focus and direction for the reader. Crafting a strong claim requires careful thought, analysis, and supporting evidence. In this article, we will delve into the concept of claims in writing and explore effective strategies for constructing compelling and persuasive claims.

What is a Claim? 

A claim is a declarative statement that expresses the writer’s position or viewpoint on a particular subject. It is often referred to as a thesis statement or central argument. A well-crafted claim should be concise, specific, and debatable. It presents an opinion or interpretation that can be supported or challenged through logical reasoning and evidence.

Claims can take various forms, including factual claims that present verifiable information, value claims that express opinions about what is good or bad, and policy claims that propose specific courses of action. Regardless of the type, a claim should be formulated in a way that engages the reader and compels them to consider the writer’s perspective.

How to Write an Effective Claim

• Revise and Refine : Once you have drafted your claim, review and revise it to ensure clarity and effectiveness. Check for any logical fallacies, inconsistencies, or weak points in your argument. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to gain different perspectives and improve your claim.

What is a counterclaim in writing?

In writing, a counterclaim refers to a rebuttal or opposing argument presented by the writer to challenge or refute the main claim or thesis statement. It serves as a counterargument that acknowledges the opposing viewpoint and attempts to undermine its credibility or validity. A counterclaim adds depth and complexity to an argument by considering different perspectives and engaging in a more comprehensive analysis of the topic.

When constructing a counterclaim, it is essential to present a strong and logical argument that challenges the original claim. This entails conducting thorough research, gathering evidence, and providing convincing reasoning to support the counterargument. By doing so, the writer demonstrates their ability to critically evaluate multiple viewpoints and engage in a balanced discussion.

A well-crafted counterclaim should address the opposing side’s key points, highlight any weaknesses or fallacies in their argument, and provide a compelling alternative perspective. It is crucial to maintain a respectful tone and avoid personal attacks or derogatory language while presenting the counterclaim. Instead, focus on presenting a coherent and evidence-based argument that can effectively challenge the original claim.

In addition to presenting the counterclaim, it is essential to refute the opposing viewpoint by offering counter-evidence or providing a different interpretation of the existing evidence. This helps strengthen the writer’s position and credibility by demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the topic and a willingness to engage with alternative perspectives.

By including a counterclaim in their writing, the author not only acknowledges the complexity of the issue but also shows a commitment to intellectual rigor and fairness. It encourages readers to consider multiple viewpoints, critically evaluate arguments, and arrive at a well-informed conclusion. In academic writing, including counterclaims demonstrates the writer’s ability to engage in scholarly discourse and contributes to the overall quality and credibility of the work.

Conclusion 

Crafting a strong claim is essential for writing compelling and persuasive pieces. A well-constructed claim provides a clear focus and direction, engages the reader, and supports the writer’s position or viewpoint. By understanding the purpose of your writing, conducting thorough research, formulating a clear claim, providing evidence, and considering counterarguments, you can create a robust claim that strengthens your overall argument. Remember to revise and refine your claim to ensure its effectiveness. With a well-crafted claim, you can captivate your audience and present a convincing argument in your writing.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

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What is a claim?

A claim is a statement that presents an idea or series of ideas as arguments. Arguments therefore consist of claims, or another way to put it is, to say that claims are the building blocks of a good argument.

In research writing, claims will be the backbone that form a thesis or a hypothesis (here the term ‘hypothesis’ refers to the argument that is evidenced within the scope of the work).

According to Heady (2013) “Claims are the points you want to prove, interpretations you want to offer, and assertions you want to make” (p. 74). Importantly, in academia claims are statements that can be supported by evidence.

‘Traditional classroom teaching is boring’

For example, claiming that traditional classroom teaching is boring is not a good claim because it lacks definition (what does ‘traditional classroom teaching’ actually mean? and how do we measure ‘boring’)? It may also be a ‘sweeping statement’ (meaning it’s far too general in scope). However, claiming that “traditional teaching methods, like didactic instruction, do not provide sufficient interaction with students and lead to poor learning outcomes” is a good argumentative claim, because it can be investigated and measured.

Characteristics of a good claim

In order to make effective claims it is important to understand the difference between statements  and  sentences. While a statement is also a sentence (in that it is a grammatical unit with subject, verb, object clause), not all sentences are statements (in other words, not all sentences consist of a stance or a position).

The following provides examples of the difference between sentences and statements. The statements present a stance or position about the topic under discussion. This is important to understand as all claims must consist of a stance towards the topic.

Function of claims

The function of claims in academic writing is to provoke, analyse, or interpret rather than merely describe or present facts. They can do this by affirming, acknowledging, confirming, or refuting the proposition being made. In this way, claims do the job of building an overall argument or thesis in a piece of work (i.e. each claim progresses the key argument). It is for this reason that claims will appear in topic sentences, thesis statements, introductory and concluding sentences/paragraphs.

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Developing Strong Thesis Statements

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These OWL resources will help you develop and refine the arguments in your writing.

The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable

An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

Example of a non-debatable thesis statement:

This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the word pollution implies that something is bad or negative in some way. Furthermore, all studies agree that pollution is a problem; they simply disagree on the impact it will have or the scope of the problem. No one could reasonably argue that pollution is unambiguously good.

Example of a debatable thesis statement:

This is an example of a debatable thesis because reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people might think that this is how we should spend the nation's money. Others might feel that we should be spending more money on education. Still others could argue that corporations, not the government, should be paying to limit pollution.

Another example of a debatable thesis statement:

In this example there is also room for disagreement between rational individuals. Some citizens might think focusing on recycling programs rather than private automobiles is the most effective strategy.

The thesis needs to be narrow

Although the scope of your paper might seem overwhelming at the start, generally the narrower the thesis the more effective your argument will be. Your thesis or claim must be supported by evidence. The broader your claim is, the more evidence you will need to convince readers that your position is right.

Example of a thesis that is too broad:

There are several reasons this statement is too broad to argue. First, what is included in the category "drugs"? Is the author talking about illegal drug use, recreational drug use (which might include alcohol and cigarettes), or all uses of medication in general? Second, in what ways are drugs detrimental? Is drug use causing deaths (and is the author equating deaths from overdoses and deaths from drug related violence)? Is drug use changing the moral climate or causing the economy to decline? Finally, what does the author mean by "society"? Is the author referring only to America or to the global population? Does the author make any distinction between the effects on children and adults? There are just too many questions that the claim leaves open. The author could not cover all of the topics listed above, yet the generality of the claim leaves all of these possibilities open to debate.

Example of a narrow or focused thesis:

In this example the topic of drugs has been narrowed down to illegal drugs and the detriment has been narrowed down to gang violence. This is a much more manageable topic.

We could narrow each debatable thesis from the previous examples in the following way:

Narrowed debatable thesis 1:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just the amount of money used but also how the money could actually help to control pollution.

Narrowed debatable thesis 2:

This thesis narrows the scope of the argument by specifying not just what the focus of a national anti-pollution campaign should be but also why this is the appropriate focus.

Qualifiers such as " typically ," " generally ," " usually ," or " on average " also help to limit the scope of your claim by allowing for the almost inevitable exception to the rule.

Types of claims

Claims typically fall into one of four categories. Thinking about how you want to approach your topic, or, in other words, what type of claim you want to make, is one way to focus your thesis on one particular aspect of your broader topic.

Claims of fact or definition: These claims argue about what the definition of something is or whether something is a settled fact. Example:

Claims of cause and effect: These claims argue that one person, thing, or event caused another thing or event to occur. Example:

Claims about value: These are claims made of what something is worth, whether we value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something. Example:

Claims about solutions or policies: These are claims that argue for or against a certain solution or policy approach to a problem. Example:

Which type of claim is right for your argument? Which type of thesis or claim you use for your argument will depend on your position and knowledge of the topic, your audience, and the context of your paper. You might want to think about where you imagine your audience to be on this topic and pinpoint where you think the biggest difference in viewpoints might be. Even if you start with one type of claim you probably will be using several within the paper. Regardless of the type of claim you choose to utilize it is key to identify the controversy or debate you are addressing and to define your position early on in the paper.

What Is a Claim in an Essay: Definition, Types, & Examples

22 December 2023

last updated

Essays are important academic papers that students use to present and express their thoughts. A quality essay revolves around a central claim or thesis statement, which expresses the writer’s thoughts toward a topic, problem, or research question. The term “claim” refers to an assertion that convinces, argues, demonstrates, and suggestively implies something to a reader who agrees with or disputes it using available evidence, knowledge, or experience. These assertions differ from general statements in that others may approve or disagree with arguments. Good assertions should be clear, concise, distinct, affirmative, and easy to prove. The right step in writing a claim in an essay includes exploring the topic, asking critical questions, determining the goal of writing, and taking a unique standpoint. These phases must focus on assertions to align them with the existing knowledge and evidence for justification.  

General Aspects of Writing a Claim in an Essay

Providing a claim in an essay is the main argument that determines its complexity, effectiveness, and quality. This guideline focuses on how to write a claim in an essay and contains concise examples that people should follow to create outstanding academic papers. Anyone reading this article can understand the role of an argument in defining an essay’s direction, scope, and purpose. In different types of papers , authors must use evidence, quotations, arguments, expert opinions, statistics, and details to affirm their claims. A good argumentative statement should be specific, which helps to focus on a single idea. General assertions may make an entire essay vague and boring to readers. A good essay should contain a thesis statement as a central claim. However, each body paragraph should have supporting claims related to the thesis statement. Because all types of essays are important in communicating useful information to readers, one must make specific, believable, and justifiable assertions.

Definition of What Is a Claim and Its Meaning

A claim is an assertion that convinces, argues, demonstrates, and suggests something to a reader who agrees with or disputes it based on available knowledge and understanding. Claims are useful in an essay since they define its scope and direction. In writing an argumentative essay , students use their thoughts to make claims and support them using evidence. The nature of the main assertions determines if the targeted audience can read through, agree, or disagree with the main message of an essay. In turn, a claim statement refers to a written sentence that reflects someone’s opinion. As a result, after choosing their essay topics , authors make argumentative statements to mean expressing their thoughts regarding a subject under discussion.

Claim vs. Statement

The main difference between a claim and a statement is the levels of agreeableness. For example, a claim means a debatable statement regarding a specific issue. Although readers may not disagree with statements, they can have diverse opinions regarding an argumentative claim. On the other hand, a statement may represent facts that are not debatable. An example of a general statement is: “The first African American president of the United States was Barack Obama.” One cannot dispute this statement because it represents a fact. However, an example of a claim is: “The election of Barack Obama as the American President marked the end of racism based on skin color.” In summary, some people may disagree with this argument under existing cases of racial discrimination against African Americans during and after President Obama’s tenure.

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Types of Claims

Writers can use various types of claims to make their essays more convincing. This section explains different types of assertions when writing a claim in an essay.  

• Cause and Effect . This claim contains information about two or more phenomena regarding their origin and effect.
• Argumentative . Results from reasoning and reflects people’s opinion toward a subject. However, writers must use evidence to support any argumentative claim.
• Fact . The factual statement is useful in arguing out the truth or falsity of some assertions. One must use facts to justify the correctness or invalidity of any statement.
• Definition . This claim asserts that something is the case without providing evidence. Moreover, assertions accurately describe an object, event, or situation.
• Solution . This assertion provides an answer to an existing problem or question of interest and responds directly to an inquiry or an existing doubt.
• V alue . The value argument is a statement about what people should regard as worthwhile. Such claims should show different policies, things, beliefs, and facts that humans regard as more valuable than others.
• Comparative . The comparative claim refers to an assertion that relates different objects or things to reveal their differences or similarities. Comparisons are necessary for showing the diversity of objects to enable readers to make informed choices depending on their needs.
• Importance . This claim reveals the significance of a statement, information, object, or even opinion. An assertion of importance should convince the audience that an item is better than other similar things.

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Strong Claim for an Argumentative Essay

Developing a claim for an argumentative essay should contend for a certain interpretation or understanding debate topics . For example, students must understand a specific subject and take a position to justify it. However, the main assertion may contradict popular opinions regarding the subject. In turn, one must provide justifiable evidence to affirm any position taken. The following are the necessary steps that students should take to write a suitable claim for an argumentative essay.

Step 1: Exploring a Specific Topic

The first step in writing a claim for an argumentative essay is to explore sensitive or controversial debate topics . In this case, one must do preliminary research on the selected or assigned topic to develop concrete ideas for possible arguments. The information gathered should allow writers to support and justify a specific position. For example, if the topic concerns global warming, one may gather evidence to justify why cutting down trees is a major cause of heat waves experienced in different parts of the world.

Step 2: Asking Questions

The second step of making a claim in an essay should involve narrowing it down to a specific subject by asking critical questions regarding the evidence gathered. This stage is necessary to enable authors to determine the quality of the information obtained on the subject. Interrogating the evidence allows one to determine if the selected side of the argument is valid and convincing. As a result, examining the topic may lead to identifying possible counterclaims and valid opposite arguments.

Step 3: Determining an Essay’s Goal

Reviewing the assignment briefing to understand the primary goal of the argument is an important step in developing a strong claim. In this stage, writers should develop a deeper understanding of the primary goal of making a good argument. The resulting insights are necessary to focus the essay’s scope and develop a claim that challenges the target readers’ opinions. Besides, reviewing the goals is essential in refuting what one assumes to be true. On the other hand, reviewing the essay’s goals is important in combining related and relevant ideas. Even if argumentative essays focus on multiple issues, quality papers should address a central theme guided by a clear thesis statement. In turn, writers must connect related ideas to make refutable claims demonstrating a clear stand on the main subject.

Step 4: Taking a Unique Standpoint

The fourth step should involve a unique standpoint to make a refutable argument. Most students need to start stating arguable facts followed by straightforward claims. A quality essay should contain a unique argument that convinces the audience to develop an alternative thought on the subject. Moreover, students should critically evaluate the obtained evidence and deduce a unique position to argue about. As a result, all sides taken should rebut popular beliefs and truths and affirm a distinctive position.

Types of Essays, Use of Claims, and Difference

Different academic articles should have unique claims. In this case, students should identify the type of essay to make a suitable assertion, including a hook . The most common types of academic work encountered during academic studies include a research paper , an argumentative essay, a persuasive speech , a literary analysis , a persuasive essay , a rhetorical analysis, and a memo . This section contains information on the type of assertions one should make when writing these papers.  

• Research Paper . Claims used in this work should provide insights into specific research topics by informing readers more about the main idea or argument. Assertions used in research papers should lead to a greater understanding of the subject instead of presenting different viewpoints.
• Argumentative Essay . Central claims used in this paper should take a clearly defined stance on a subject to allow writers to build an evidence-based case to support all positions. The most unique feature of argumentative claims is that they should be questionable.  
• Persuasive Speech . Students should present convincing opinions, ideas, or assertions. Such claims are useful in swaying or influencing people’s beliefs, attitudes, values, or behaviors.  
• Literary Analysis . Possible assertions used in literary analysis papers should affirm a certain position as truthful. Writers can make factual or judgmental claims to express their point of view, interpretation, evaluation, or critical assessment of a literary work.
• Persuasive Essay . Claims used in this type of paper should convince the audience to accept a certain point of view. A persuasive assertion should openly communicate the central theme or idea presented in an essay and affirm its credibility.
• Rhetorical Analysis . The claim used in rhetorical analysis should reflect the evidence or appeals used in a piece of work to convince readers. One should mention the rhetorical devices and appeals used in the specific work under evaluation.
• Memo . The primary purpose of writing a memorandum is to inform a group of professionals about a specific problem, solution, event, or situation relevant to their institution. The claim used in a memo should state the proposed solution to a problem and important points on the identified course of action.

Types of Evidence for Writing Claims

• Expert Opinions . Professionals in various areas of specialists give opinions regarding issues that contain credible information. Such views are important in shaping claims for an essay focusing on current issues.  
• Interviews . Researchers gather first-hand evidence by interviewing participants affected by a problem under investigation. Analysis of obtained views and opinions of participants should inform the formation of a central claim in an essay.
• Direct Observation . Scholars may observe how humans behave in their natural settings without informing them. The findings may lead to the development of convincing claims regarding social behaviors.  
• Examples of Past Experience . Examples from past incidents allow people to gain unique insights regarding real-life issues. One may use the information to develop an argumentative claim for an essay.  
• Primary Research . Through primary research, students obtain first-hand evidence and knowledge, contributing to understanding real-life issues. The conclusion drawn from such studies is good for developing credible assertions for research papers.  
• Synthesis of Secondary Research . Scholars present their research findings in journal articles and reports. One can draw evidence from secondary sources to develop a claim for argumentative or persuasive essays on specific issues or topics of interest.   
• Facts, Statistics, or Other Data . Historical facts, statistics obtained from primary research, and other forms of credible sources are crucial in justifying an assumption, a hypothesis , or a theory under analysis. Critical evaluation of these reliable sources of information can lead to claims for memos, persuasive speeches, and various types of essays.

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Topic Examples for Making Claims in an Essay

Research Paper Topics

• Excessive Use of Social Media Platforms Enhances Academic Performance Among Teenagers
• Children From Divorced Families Demonstrate Greater Psychological Resilience
• Low Salaries Are the Primary Cause of Corruption in Modern Societies

Argumentative Essay Topics

• Impacts of Technology on Society
• The Ethical Implications of Gene Editing: A Paradigm Shift in Medicine
• Roles of Parental Attachment in Child Development
• Balancing School Curriculum: Is Art Education as Important as Science?
• Pros and Cons of Self-Driving Vehicles: Evaluating Safety and Efficiency
• It Is Ethical for Doctors to Modify Unborn Fetuses to Meet Their Parents’ Desires Genetically
• The Government Should Ban Social Media Platforms That Collect Users’ Data Without Consent
• Abortion Is a Fundamental Right for Women

Persuasive Speech Topics

• Reimagining the Role of Technology in Enhancing Sports Performance
• Martin Luther King’s Speech “I Have a Dream” Changed People’s Lives
• Doctors Should Embrace Art and Music Therapy to Enhance the Healing Process
• Students Should Learn an Instrument in School to Boost Their Creativity
• Introverts Make Great Leaders Than Extroverts

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Great Gatsby Essay: The American Dream, Pursuit, and Corruption
• Gender Roles in “The Great Gatsby”
• Flower Symbolism in “A Rose for Emily”
• Endurance in “The Old Man and the Sea”

Persuasive Essay Topics

• Childhood Vaccinations and Their Importance in Society
• Local Governments Should Regulate Gambling and Betting
• Teenagers Should Be Allowed to Acquire Driving Licenses
• Poverty Lowers Academic Achievement

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

• Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”
• Problems in Education and Ken Robinson’s “Do Schools Kill Creativity”
• Analysis Essay of Volodymyr Zelensky’s Speech “I Call for You to Do More”
• Evaluating the Speech Writing Power in President Obama’s Inaugural Speech
• Analyzing the Ise of Rhetorical Devices in Harry Porter

Memo Topics

• Explaining Human Resource Policy Change
• Company Budget Cuts
• Summary of the 2023 Action Plan

Examples of Claims for Essays

• Abortion is a fundamental right for women – Although some scholars argue that abortion is unethical because it terminates the life of an innocent fetus, women have a fundamental right to make decisions regarding their bodies, especially when they face terminal health risks.
• Children from divorced families demonstrate greater psychological resilience – Because kids experience social and economic challenges, they develop greater psychological resilience as a coping mechanism.  
• Doctors should embrace art and music therapy to enhance the healing process – Doctors should include a method as an intervention to lower stress among admitted patients and enhance recovery because art and music create a soothing effect to enhance psychological well-being.
• Gender roles in “The Great Gatsby” – The novel “The Great Gatsby” reflects on opposing values of social models through different female characters who become objectified by men.  
• Poverty lowers academic achievement – Because parents from low-income families cannot afford quality education, academic achievement among their children remains lower than those from middle- or high-income backgrounds.
• Evaluating the rhetorical devices in Harry Porter – J. K. Rowling used literary devices, such as irony, symbolism, contrasting characters, pathos, and ethos, to present the theme of death.
• Explaining human resource policy change – The board of directors agreed that employees must take their scheduled annual leave without fail to promote psychological resilience.

What to Include in a Claim Paragraph

A claim paragraph should contain adequate information to explain the focus of an essay or research paper. One should include an attention-getter or start with a quote to attract readers’ attention to go through the information provided. The passage should contain background information about the topic presented in the paper to provide the target audience with a glimpse of the main ideas. Other important details include the main argument of the essay’s thesis statement.

Thesis Statement as a Claim in an Essay

A central claim may serve as a thesis statement in an essay. Academic papers should have an introduction with an argumentative thesis statement, which serves as a central claim. In this case, the main assertions should be last sentences of a college essay introduction , which provide the paper’s overview and focus when used as a thesis statement.  

A hypothesis in a research paper represents a statement that requires testing for validation. Such a claim represents an unvalidated relationship between independent and dependent variables. Researchers state their assumptions or predictions about what their research results will confirm. This statement represents a tentative answer to the research question. In this case, hypotheses do not represent claims because they indicate unjustified answers that may be correct or wrong.

The results from a research paper refer to the confirmed and justified findings. Scholars use available evidence, theories, and results to test and affirm hypotheses. In turn, conclusion examples made become the findings in specific research work. Besides, these results may take a form of claims since they represent a justifiable or debatable position on a topic of interest.  

Body Paragraphs

A typical paragraph should have a topic sentence or claim, supporting evidence, and explanations. For example, any claim in an essay should begin with a statement followed by supporting evidence. One must provide a clear explanation linking the evidence to the assertion. In turn, justifications provided should link all claims to a central thesis statement.

What Is a Counter Claim and Its Meaning for an Essay

A counterclaim refers to a statement that refutes a central argument in an essay. Different scholars have unique views regarding a specific topic. Such opposing thoughts reveal an alternative way of understanding the subject. For instance, opposers in a debate make counterclaims to contest the motion, while proposers make assertions and rebuttals to counter opposing statements. In this case, rebuttals are unique counterclaims that allow debaters to justify their arguments.  

20 Tips to Write a Good Claim in an Essay

Claims used in essays should be clear and easy to prove. Basically, one should choose a statement that is easy to justify using available evidence. Because assertions convey the main points in a paper or paragraph, writers should include a strong supporting statement. Besides, any claim should have a definitive and affirmative tone.

10 Things to Do When Making a Claim:

• Choose a justifiable claim.
• Use simple terms.
• Cover a decisive tone.
• Maintain a positive tone.
• Take a single-issue stand.
• Define a narrow and clear scope in logical order .
• Create a unique approach to the topic.
• Describe the issue clearly.
• Follow active voice.
• Include a short statement.

10 Things Not to Do:

• Selecting a broad scope.
• Implementing negative language.
• Including complex vocabulary.
• Writing first-person statements.
• Basing claims on emotional appeal.
• Cluttering arguments with multiple ideas.
• Presenting wordy sentences with multiple fill-up words.
• Using passive voice.
• Placing claims in illogical order.
• Covering ambiguous statements that are hard to prove.

Summing Up of What Is a Strong Claim in an Essay

• Claims are important in an essay since they reflect the writer’s perspective.
• All arguments should be clear and justifiable statements about a topic.
• A central assertion must provide the accurate scope of an essay.
• Some types of claims include cause and effect, argumentative, fact, definition, solution, value, comparative, and importance assertions.
• Claim paragraphs are important in outlining the scope of an essay.
• Good claims should be clear, specific, justifiable, and presented in a simple, assertive, and distinctive tone.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

Impacts of social media on society: progress or peril, roles of ethics in artificial intelligence.

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Writing Arguable Claims in Argumentative Essays (+Examples)

• March 18, 2023 January 23, 2024
• What You Should Know
• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Argumentative Claims
• Counterarguments & Rebuttals
• Deductive Arguments
• Inductive Arguments
• Abductive Arguments
• Analogical Arguments
• Syllogistic Arguments
• Aristotelian (Classical) Arguments
• Toulmin Arguments
• Rogerian Arguments
• Causal Arguments
• Evaluation Arguments
• Rebuttal Arguments
• Proposal Arguments
• Definition Arguments
• Narrative Arguments
• Persuasive Arguments
• Historical Arguments
• Literary Arguments
• Identifying and Avoiding Fallacies
• Logical Fallacies
• Emotional Fallcies
• Ethical Fallacies
• Moral Equivalence Fallacy
• 5-Paragraph Argumentative Essay on Euthanasia
• Aristotelian Argument Essay on Marijuana
• Toulmin Argument Essay on Artificial Intelligence
• Rogerian Argument Essay on Gun Control
• Rebuttal Argument Essay on Renewable Energy
• Sample Historical Argument Essay on the Industrial Revolution
• Literary Argument Essay on 'The Cask of Amontillado'
• Persuasive Argument Essay: Financial Literacy
• Persuasive Argument Essay: Social Media and Politics
• Proposal Argument Essay on Reusable Containers
• Proposal Argument Essay on Workplace Wellness
• Rhetorical Evaluation Argument Essay: MLK's "I Have a Dream"
• Literary Evaluative Argument Essay: "To Kill a Mockingbird"
• Narrative Argument Essay on Resilience
• Definition Argument Essay on Privacy
• Causal Argument Essay on Education

Key Components

• Claim: A claim is a statement or proposition that expresses a viewpoint, assertion, or belief. It is an assertion that can be supported, challenged, or debated with evidence and reasoning. Claims are used to present arguments, make judgments, or convey opinions on various topics. They serve as the foundation for discussions, debates, and critical thinking, as they can be analyzed, evaluated, and either accepted or refuted.
• Evidence: Evidence refers to the factual information, data, examples, research findings, or expert opinions that support your claim. It provides concrete support and validity to your argument. When making a claim, you will need to present evidence throughout your essay to convince your readers of the credibility and reliability of your position.
• Logical Reasoning: Reasoning refers to the logical and rational connections between your claim and the evidence you present. It explains how the evidence supports and substantiates your claim. Reasoning helps readers understand the logical progression of your argument and how the evidence reinforces your stance.

Arguable claims are not self-evident or universally accepted truths. They often involve complex issues, controversial topics, or subjective matters where reasonable people can hold different opinions. The key characteristic of an arguable claim is that it can be supported or refuted with evidence, reasoning, and logical argumentation.

Developing Effective Arguable Claims

• Identify your topic: Choose a specific topic that you want to write or argue about. The more focused your topic is, the easier it will be to develop a clear and arguable claim.
• Research your topic: Gather information and evidence related to your topic. This can include books, articles, data, statistics, expert opinions, and personal experiences.
• Analyze your topic:  Consider the different perspectives and viewpoints on the topic. Are there varying opinions, theories, or interpretations related to the subject matter?
• Determine your stance:  Based on your research and analysis, decide where you stand on the issue. What is your main argument or position? Are you in favor of something, against it, or proposing a new solution?
• Make it specific:  Your claim should be clear and specific. Avoid vague, broad, or general statements. Instead, focus on a narrow aspect of the topic that can be effectively discussed in your essay or argument.
• Make it debatable:  An arguable claim is one that invites debate or discussion. It should not be an obvious fact or something that everyone agrees with. Consider counterarguments and differing viewpoints on the topic.
• Craft a concise and clear statement:  Write a one or two-sentence statement that encapsulates your argument. This is your thesis statement, which should appear in the introduction of your essay.
• Use strong and precise language:  Ensure your claim is expressed in clear, direct language that conveys your position with conviction. Avoid vague terms or weak qualifiers.
• Support with evidence:  A strong arguable claim is only as good as the evidence supporting it. Ensure you have credible and relevant evidence to back up your position. This might include data, examples, quotes, or research findings.
• Revise and refine:  Review and refine your claim as you work on your argument. It’s okay to make adjustments based on new information or insights that arise during your writing process.

Here’s an example of a non-arguable claim and its transformation into an arguable one:

Non-Arguable Claim: “Climate change is real.”

Arguable Claim: “Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, are the primary drivers of climate change, and addressing these issues is crucial for mitigating its impacts.”

The arguable claim is specific, debatable, and supported by the assertion that human activities are the primary cause of climate change, which can be debated with counterarguments and evidence.

Remember that the strength of your argument depends on the quality of your claim and the evidence you provide to support it. An effective thesis statement will guide your readers and help them understand the core of your argument.

• Factual/Existence Claims: These claims are based on objective evidence and can be verified by facts, statistics, or research. Examples of factual claims might include “smoking causes lung cancer” or “climate change is caused by human activity.”
• Interpretive Claims: These claims involve an interpretation or analysis of evidence, rather than just presenting objective facts. Examples of interpretive claims might include “the protagonist in the novel is a symbol of society’s struggle for justice” or “the painting is a critique of capitalism.”
• Evaluative Claims : These claims involve a value judgment or evaluation of something, such as an idea, object, or action. Examples of evaluative claims might include “capital punishment is immoral” or “online education is more effective than traditional classroom instruction.”

Overall, claims are a crucial component of argumentative essays as they provide the foundation for the writer’s argument and persuade the reader to accept the writer’s point of view.

Examples of Arguable Claims of Fact

Here are some examples of arguable claims of fact that can be applied in argumentative essays with each component identified:

• Claim: Vaccinations are safe and effective.
• Evidence: Studies have shown that vaccines significantly reduce the incidence of diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend vaccinations for individuals of all ages.
• Reasoning: Vaccinations work by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies that can fight off specific diseases. By vaccinating individuals, the spread of diseases can be prevented, thus promoting public health.
• Claim: Climate change is real and is caused by human activity.
• Evidence: The Earth’s temperature has increased by approximately 1 degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, and there is evidence of melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events. Research has also shown that greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, contribute significantly to climate change.
• Reasoning: The burning of fossil fuels and deforestation release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and contributing to the Earth’s warming. The impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events, have significant consequences for human health and the environment.
• Claim: The death penalty does not effectively deter crime and is applied disproportionately to marginalized groups.
• Evidence: Studies have shown that the death penalty does not effectively deter crime and that the risk of being sentenced to death is often determined by factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and location. In addition, there have been cases of innocent individuals being sentenced to death.
• Reasoning: The use of the death penalty as a form of punishment is controversial and raises questions about its effectiveness as a deterrent to crime. The disproportionate application of the death penalty to marginalized groups also raises concerns about its fairness and equity in the criminal justice system.
• Claim: The use of plastic bags and straws contributes to environmental pollution and harm to marine life.
• Evidence: Single-use plastics such as bags and straws are major sources of plastic pollution in the environment. They are not biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems. In addition, plastic pollution has been found in the food chain, with potential impacts on human health.
• Reasoning: The use of plastic bags and straws is a significant contributor to environmental pollution and has significant consequences for the health of the planet and its inhabitants. Alternatives such as reusable bags and biodegradable straws can help reduce the impact of plastic pollution on the environment.

Examples of Arguable Interpretive Claims

Here are some examples of arguable interpretive claims that can be applied in argumentative essays with each component identified:

• Claim: Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” explores the theme of revenge and its destructive consequences on both the individual and society.
• Evidence: Throughout the play, Hamlet seeks revenge for his father’s murder, which ultimately leads to the deaths of multiple characters and the destabilization of the Danish kingdom. Additionally, the character of Fortinbras, who seeks revenge for his father’s death, is presented as a foil to Hamlet, highlighting the destructive nature of revenge.
• Reasoning: Shakespeare’s exploration of revenge in “Hamlet” critiques the idea of vengeance as a means of justice and highlights its negative impact on individuals and society as a whole.
• Claim: The character of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” embodies the theme of ambition and the corrupting influence of power.
• Evidence: Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to murder King Duncan in order to fulfill their ambition of becoming king and queen. As Macbeth becomes increasingly ruthless and paranoid, Lady Macbeth also suffers from guilt and madness, ultimately leading to her suicide.
• Reasoning: Through the character of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare explores the theme of ambition and the corrupting influence of power, highlighting the dangerous consequences of unchecked ambition.
• Claim: In George Orwell’s novel “1984,” the theme of government control and manipulation of language is a commentary on totalitarianism and its dangers to individual freedom.
• Evidence: In the novel, the government of Oceania uses Newspeak, a language designed to limit free thought and expression, and manipulates historical records to control the population. The protagonist, Winston, rebels against the government’s control of language and information, ultimately facing severe consequences for his dissent.
• Reasoning: Through its exploration of government control and manipulation of language, “1984” serves as a warning against the dangers of totalitarianism and the importance of individual freedom and autonomy.
• Claim: The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee critiques racism and prejudice in the American South during the 1930s.
• Evidence: The novel depicts the trial of Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of rape, and the racism and prejudice he faces in the criminal justice system. The character of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer who defends Tom, is presented as a moral exemplar and an ally in the fight against racism and injustice.
• Reasoning: Through its critique of racism and prejudice in the American South, “To Kill a Mockingbird” highlights the need for empathy, understanding, and social justice.
• Claim: The film “Get Out” directed by Jordan Peele uses the horror genre to comment on racism and the appropriation of Black culture in contemporary society.
• Evidence: The plot revolves around a Black protagonist who visits his white girlfriend’s family, only to discover a sinister conspiracy involving the exploitation and commodification of Black individuals. This storyline allows the film to explore themes of racism, cultural appropriation, and the dynamics of power between races.
• Reasoning: The claim that “Get Out” uses the horror genre to comment on racism and the appropriation of Black culture can be supported by examining the evidence mentioned above. The film’s intentional use of symbolism, the storyline that revolves around racial themes, and the portrayal of characters all contribute to the interpretation of its underlying message.

Examples of Arguable Evaluative Claims

• Claim: The use of social media has had a negative impact on interpersonal communication and relationships.
• Evidence: Studies have shown that excessive use of social media can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, and can also contribute to a decline in face-to-face communication skills.
• Reasoning: The negative impact of social media on interpersonal communication and relationships can be attributed to the fact that it often promotes a superficial, curated version of oneself that is not reflective of one’s true self. This can lead to a lack of authenticity and meaningful connection in relationships.
• Claim: Online learning is a more effective and efficient method of education than traditional classroom learning.
• Evidence: Online learning has been shown to increase accessibility to education, improve flexibility for students, and provide more opportunities for individualized learning.
• Reasoning: Online learning is more effective and efficient than traditional classroom learning because it allows students to learn at their own pace, provides access to a wider range of resources, and encourages more active engagement in the learning process.
• Claim: The legalization of marijuana would have significant economic and social benefits for society.
• Evidence: Legalization of marijuana would generate revenue from taxes, reduce the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and create jobs in the legal marijuana industry.
• Reasoning: The legalization of marijuana would have significant economic and social benefits for society because it would remove the stigma associated with its use and reduce the harm caused by its criminalization. It would also provide a safer, regulated market for marijuana and reduce the risks associated with purchasing from unregulated sources.
• Claim: The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports is unethical and undermines the integrity of athletic competition.
• Evidence: The use of performance-enhancing drugs can give athletes an unfair advantage over others, and can also have harmful health effects on the user.
• Reasoning: The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports is unethical and undermines the integrity of athletic competition because it is a form of cheating that undermines the principles of fair play and equal opportunity. It also sends a negative message to young athletes and fans, and can lead to a culture of drug use in sports.
• Claim: The death penalty is an ineffective and unjust form of punishment that should be abolished.
• Evidence: Studies have shown that the death penalty does not effectively deter crime, and that it is often applied in a racially biased manner. Additionally, there is a risk of executing innocent people.
• Reasoning: The death penalty is an ineffective and unjust form of punishment that should be abolished because it violates human rights, fails to effectively deter crime, and is often applied unfairly. Additionally, the risk of executing innocent people is too high to justify its use as a form of punishment.

Techniques of Development

• Implementing stricter gun control laws will reduce gun-related violence.
• Implementing a four-day workweek will increase employee productivity.
• Introducing stricter penalties for texting while driving would decrease the number of accidents caused by distracted driving
• Implementing a universal basic income would reduce income inequality.
• Legalizing recreational marijuana would generate tax revenue and reduce drug-related crime.
• Excessive sugar consumption leads to an increased risk of developing diabetes.
• Regular exercise decreases the risk of developing heart disease.
• Higher education is correlated with higher lifetime earnings.
• Excessive screen time is linked to decreased attention span in children.
• Electric cars are more environmentally friendly than gasoline-powered cars.
• Public transportation is a more sustainable option than individual car ownership.
• Online shopping offers greater convenience compared to traditional retail stores.
• Implementing universal healthcare in the United States is financially viable.
• Implementing a colony on Mars is a feasible long-term goal for human exploration.
• Introducing high-speed rail networks across the country is economically viable.
• Transitioning to a completely renewable energy grid by 2050 is feasible.
• Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level under standard atmospheric conditions.
• The Earth revolves around the sun.
• Triangles have three sides.
• Vegan diets are not nutritionally adequate for human health.
• Vaccines can have adverse side effects in a small percentage of individuals.
• Gun ownership can enhance personal safety and protection against potential threats.
• Raising the minimum wage could lead to job losses and reduced employment opportunities.
• Failure to address climate change will result in severe environmental degradation.
• Increased automation in industries may lead to significant job displacement.
• Failure to invest in early childhood education can lead to long-term societal consequences.

By recognizing and understanding these various techniques used in developing arguable claims, writers can effectively structure their arguments to suite a particular purpose in different sections of their argumentative essays. Remember to support each arguable claim/argument with sufficient, relevant, and credible evidence and logical reasoning to illustrate validity and persuade the reader to agree with your position.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 50 great argumentative essay topics for any assignment.

General Education

At some point, you’re going to be asked to write an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay is exactly what it sounds like—an essay in which you’ll be making an argument, using examples and research to back up your point.

But not all argumentative essay topics are created equal. Not only do you have to structure your essay right to have a good impact on the reader, but even your choice of subject can impact how readers feel about your work.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of writing argumentative essays, including what argumentative essays are, how to write a good one, and how to pick a topic that works for you. Then check out a list of argumentative essay ideas to help you get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is one that makes an argument through research. These essays take a position and support it through evidence, but, unlike many other kinds of essays, they are interested in expressing a specific argument supported by research and evidence.

A good argumentative essay will be based on established or new research rather than only on your thoughts and feelings. Imagine that you’re trying to get your parents to raise your allowance, and you can offer one of two arguments in your favor:

You should raise my allowance because I want you to.

You should raise my allowance because I’ve been taking on more chores without complaining.

The first argument is based entirely in feelings without any factual backup, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven. Your parents are more likely to respond positively to the second argument because it demonstrates that you have done something to earn the increased allowance. Similarly, a well-researched and reasoned argument will show readers that your point has a basis in fact, not just feelings.

The standard five-paragraph essay is common in writing argumentative essays, but it’s not the only way to write one. An argumentative essay is typically written in one of two formats, the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

The Toulmin model is the most common, comprised of an introduction with a claim (otherwise known as a thesis), with data to support it. This style of essay will also include rebuttals, helping to strengthen your argument by anticipating counterarguments.

The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Both essay styles rely on well-reasoned logic and supporting evidence to prove a point, just in two different ways.

The important thing to note about argumentative essays as opposed to other kinds of essays is that they aim to argue a specific point rather than to explain something or to tell a story. While they may have some things in common with analytical essays, the primary difference is in their objective—an argumentative essay aims to convince someone of something, whereas an analytical essay contextualizes a topic with research.

What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

To write an effective argumentative essay, you need to know what a good one looks like. In addition to a solid structure, you’ll need an argument, a strong thesis, and solid research.

An Argument

Unlike other forms of essays, you are trying to convince your reader of something. You’re not just teaching them a concept or demonstrating an idea—you’re constructing an argument to change the readers’ thinking.

You’ll need to develop a good argument, which encompasses not just your main point, but also all the pieces that make it up.

Think beyond what you are saying and include how you’re saying it. How will you take an idea and turn it into a complex and well thought out argument that is capable of changing somebody’s mind?

A Strong Thesis

The thesis is the core of your argument. What specific message are you trying to get across? State that message in one sentence, and that will be your thesis.

This is the foundation on which your essay is built, so it needs to be strong and well-reasoned. You need to be able to expand on it with facts and sources, not just feelings.

A good argumentative essay isn’t just based on your individual thoughts, but research. That can be citing sources and other arguments or it can mean direct research in the field, depending on what your argument is and the context in which you are arguing it.

Be prepared to back your thesis up with reporting from scientific journals, newspapers, or other forms of research. Having well-researched sources will help support your argument better than hearsay or assumptions. If you can’t find enough research to back up your point, it’s worth reconsidering your thesis or conducting original research, if possible.

How to Come Up With an Argumentative Essay Topic

Sometimes you may find yourself arguing things you don’t necessarily believe. That’s totally fine—you don’t actually have to wholeheartedly believe in what you’re arguing in order to construct a compelling argument.

However, if you have free choice of topic, it’s a good idea to pick something you feel strongly about. There are two key components to a good argumentative essay: a strong stance, and an assortment of evidence. If you’re interested and feel passionate about the topic you choose, you'll have an easier time finding evidence to support it, but it's the evidence that's most important. 

So, to choose a topic, think about things you feel strongly about, whether positively or negatively. You can make a list of ideas and narrow those down to a handful of things, then expand on those ideas with a few potential points you want to hit on.

For example, say you’re trying to decide whether you should write about how your neighborhood should ban weed killer, that your school’s lunch should be free for all students, or that the school day should be cut by one hour. To decide between these ideas, you can make a list of three to five points for each that cover the different evidence you could use to support each point.

For the weed killer ban, you could say that weed killer has been proven to have adverse impacts on bees, that there are simple, natural alternatives, and that weeds aren’t actually bad to have around. For the free lunch idea, you could suggest that some students have to go hungry because they can’t afford lunch, that funds could be diverted from other places to support free lunch, and that other items, like chips or pizza, could be sold to help make up lost revenue. And for the school day length example, you could argue that teenagers generally don’t get enough sleep, that you have too much homework and not enough time to do it, and that teenagers don’t spend enough time with their families.

You might find as you make these lists that some of them are stronger than others. The more evidence you have and the stronger you feel that that evidence is, the better the topic.  Of course, if you feel that one topic may have more evidence but you’d rather not write about it, it’s okay to pick another topic instead. When you’re making arguments, it can be much easier to find strong points and evidence if you feel passionate about our topic than if you don't.

50 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re struggling to come up with topics on your own, read through this list of argumentative essay topics to help get you started!

• Should fracking be legal?
• Should parents be able to modify their unborn children?
• Do GMOs help or harm people?
• Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
• Should world governments get involved in addressing climate change?
• Should Facebook be allowed to collect data from its users?
• Should self-driving cars be legal?
• Is it ethical to replace human workers with automation?
• Should there be laws against using cell phones while driving?
• Has the internet positively or negatively impacted human society?

• Should college athletes be paid for being on sports teams?
• Should coaches and players make the same amount of money?
• Should sports be segregated by gender?
• Should the concept of designated hitters in baseball be abolished?
• Should US sports take soccer more seriously?
• Should religious organizations have to pay taxes?
• Should religious clubs be allowed in schools?
• Should “one nation under God” be in the pledge of allegiance?
• Should religion be taught in schools?
• Should clergy be allowed to marry?
• Should minors be able to purchase birth control without parental consent?
• Should the US switch to single-payer healthcare?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Should dietary supplements and weight loss items like teas be allowed to advertise through influencers?
• Should doctors be allowed to promote medicines?

Government/Politics

• Is the electoral college an effective system for modern America?
• Should Puerto Rico become a state?
• Should voter registration be automatic?
• Should people in prison be allowed to vote?
• Should Supreme Court justices be elected?
• Should sex work be legalized?
• Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
• Should the death penalty be legal?
• Should animal testing be allowed?
• Should drug possession be decriminalized?

• Should unpaid internships be legal?
• Should minimum wage be increased?
• Should monopolies be allowed?
• Is universal basic income a good idea?
• Should corporations have a higher or lower tax rate?
• Are school uniforms a good idea?
• Should PE affect a student’s grades?
• Should college be free?
• Should Greek life in colleges be abolished?
• Should students be taught comprehensive sex ed?

Arts/Culture

• Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
• Should books with objectionable words be banned?
• Should content on YouTube be better regulated?
• Is art education important?
• Should art and music sharing online be allowed?

How to Argue Effectively

A strong argument isn’t just about having a good point. If you can’t support that point well, your argument falls apart.

One of the most important things you can do in writing a strong argumentative essay is organizing well. Your essay should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, better known as the introduction, body and opposition, and conclusion.

This example follows the Toulmin model—if your essay follows the Rogerian model, the same basic premise is true, but your thesis will instead propose two conflicting viewpoints that will be resolved through evidence in the body, with your conclusion choosing the stronger of the two arguments.

Introduction

Your hook should draw the reader’s interest immediately. Questions are a common way of getting interest, as well as evocative language or a strong statistic

Don’t assume that your audience is already familiar with your topic. Give them some background information, such as a brief history of the issue or some additional context.

Your thesis is the crux of your argument. In an argumentative essay, your thesis should be clearly outlined so that readers know exactly what point you’ll be making. Don’t explain all your evidence in the opening, but do take a strong stance and make it clear what you’ll be discussing.

Your claims are the ideas you’ll use to support your thesis. For example, if you’re writing about how your neighborhood shouldn’t use weed killer, your claim might be that it’s bad for the environment. But you can’t just say that on its own—you need evidence to support it.

Evidence is the backbone of your argument. This can be things you glean from scientific studies, newspaper articles, or your own research. You might cite a study that says that weed killer has an adverse effect on bees, or a newspaper article that discusses how one town eliminated weed killer and saw an increase in water quality. These kinds of hard evidence support your point with demonstrable facts, strengthening your argument.

In your essay, you want to think about how the opposition would respond to your claims and respond to them. Don’t pick the weakest arguments, either— figure out what other people are saying and respond to those arguments with clearly reasoned arguments.

Demonstrating that you not only understand the opposition’s point, but that your argument is strong enough to withstand it, is one of the key pieces to a successful argumentative essay.

Conclusions are a place to clearly restate your original point, because doing so will remind readers exactly what you’re arguing and show them how well you’ve argued that point.

Summarize your main claims by restating them, though you don’t need to bring up the evidence again. This helps remind readers of everything you’ve said throughout the essay.

End by suggesting a picture of a world in which your argument and action are ignored. This increases the impact of your argument and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

A strong argumentative essay is one with good structure and a strong argument , but there are a few other things you can keep in mind to further strengthen your point.

When you’re crafting an argument, it can be easy to get distracted by all the information and complications in your argument. It’s important to stay focused—be clear in your thesis and home in on claims that directly support that thesis.

Be Rational

It’s important that your claims and evidence be based in facts, not just opinion. That’s why it’s important to use reliable sources based in science and reporting—otherwise, it’s easy for people to debunk your arguments.

Don’t rely solely on your feelings about the topic. If you can’t back a claim up with real evidence, it leaves room for counterarguments you may not anticipate. Make sure that you can support everything you say with clear and concrete evidence, and your claims will be a lot stronger!

What’s Next?

No matter what kind of essay you're writing, a strong plan will help you have a bigger impact. This guide to writing a college essay is a great way to get started on your essay organizing journey!

Brushing up on your essay format knowledge to prep for the SAT? Check out this list of SAT essay prompts to help you kickstart your studying!

A bunch of great essay examples can help you aspire to greatness, but bad essays can also be a warning for what not to do. This guide to bad college essays will help you better understand common mistakes to avoid in essay writing!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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• Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks

Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks

Published on February 9, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023 by Shona McCombes.

This example guides you through the structure of an essay. It shows how to build an effective introduction , focused paragraphs , clear transitions between ideas, and a strong conclusion .

Each paragraph addresses a single central point, introduced by a topic sentence , and each point is directly related to the thesis statement .

As you read, hover over the highlighted parts to learn what they do and why they work.

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Table of contents

Other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay, an appeal to the senses: the development of the braille system in nineteenth-century france.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

In France, debates about how to deal with disability led to the adoption of different strategies over time. While people with temporary difficulties were able to access public welfare, the most common response to people with long-term disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, was to group them together in institutions (Tombs, 1996). At first, a joint institute for the blind and deaf was created, and although the partnership was motivated more by financial considerations than by the well-being of the residents, the institute aimed to help people develop skills valuable to society (Weygand, 2009). Eventually blind institutions were separated from deaf institutions, and the focus shifted towards education of the blind, as was the case for the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, which Louis Braille attended (Jimenez et al, 2009). The growing acknowledgement of the uniqueness of different disabilities led to more targeted education strategies, fostering an environment in which the benefits of a specifically blind education could be more widely recognized.

Several different systems of tactile reading can be seen as forerunners to the method Louis Braille developed, but these systems were all developed based on the sighted system. The Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris taught the students to read embossed roman letters, a method created by the school’s founder, Valentin Hauy (Jimenez et al., 2009). Reading this way proved to be a rather arduous task, as the letters were difficult to distinguish by touch. The embossed letter method was based on the reading system of sighted people, with minimal adaptation for those with vision loss. As a result, this method did not gain significant success among blind students.

Louis Braille was bound to be influenced by his school’s founder, but the most influential pre-Braille tactile reading system was Charles Barbier’s night writing. A soldier in Napoleon’s army, Barbier developed a system in 1819 that used 12 dots with a five line musical staff (Kersten, 1997). His intention was to develop a system that would allow the military to communicate at night without the need for light (Herron, 2009). The code developed by Barbier was phonetic (Jimenez et al., 2009); in other words, the code was designed for sighted people and was based on the sounds of words, not on an actual alphabet. Barbier discovered that variants of raised dots within a square were the easiest method of reading by touch (Jimenez et al., 2009). This system proved effective for the transmission of short messages between military personnel, but the symbols were too large for the fingertip, greatly reducing the speed at which a message could be read (Herron, 2009). For this reason, it was unsuitable for daily use and was not widely adopted in the blind community.

Nevertheless, Barbier’s military dot system was more efficient than Hauy’s embossed letters, and it provided the framework within which Louis Braille developed his method. Barbier’s system, with its dashes and dots, could form over 4000 combinations (Jimenez et al., 2009). Compared to the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, this was an absurdly high number. Braille kept the raised dot form, but developed a more manageable system that would reflect the sighted alphabet. He replaced Barbier’s dashes and dots with just six dots in a rectangular configuration (Jimenez et al., 2009). The result was that the blind population in France had a tactile reading system using dots (like Barbier’s) that was based on the structure of the sighted alphabet (like Hauy’s); crucially, this system was the first developed specifically for the purposes of the blind.

While the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009), realizing that access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Although Blind people remained marginalized throughout the nineteenth century, the Braille system granted them growing opportunities for social participation. Most obviously, Braille allowed people with vision loss to read the same alphabet used by sighted people (Bullock & Galst, 2009), allowing them to participate in certain cultural experiences previously unavailable to them. Written works, such as books and poetry, had previously been inaccessible to the blind population without the aid of a reader, limiting their autonomy. As books began to be distributed in Braille, this barrier was reduced, enabling people with vision loss to access information autonomously. The closing of the gap between the abilities of blind and the sighted contributed to a gradual shift in blind people’s status, lessening the cultural perception of the blind as essentially different and facilitating greater social integration.

The Braille system also had important cultural effects beyond the sphere of written culture. Its invention later led to the development of a music notation system for the blind, although Louis Braille did not develop this system himself (Jimenez, et al., 2009). This development helped remove a cultural obstacle that had been introduced by the popularization of written musical notation in the early 1500s. While music had previously been an arena in which the blind could participate on equal footing, the transition from memory-based performance to notation-based performance meant that blind musicians were no longer able to compete with sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997). As a result, a tactile musical notation system became necessary for professional equality between blind and sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997).

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Bullock, J. D., & Galst, J. M. (2009). The Story of Louis Braille. Archives of Ophthalmology , 127(11), 1532. https://​doi.org/10.1001/​archophthalmol.2009.286.

Herron, M. (2009, May 6). Blind visionary. Retrieved from https://​eandt.theiet.org/​content/​articles/2009/05/​blind-visionary/.

Jiménez, J., Olea, J., Torres, J., Alonso, I., Harder, D., & Fischer, K. (2009). Biography of Louis Braille and Invention of the Braille Alphabet. Survey of Ophthalmology , 54(1), 142–149. https://​doi.org/10.1016/​j.survophthal.2008.10.006.

Kersten, F.G. (1997). The history and development of Braille music methodology. The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education , 18(2). Retrieved from https://​www.jstor.org/​stable/40214926.

Mellor, C.M. (2006). Louis Braille: A touch of genius . Boston: National Braille Press.

Tombs, R. (1996). France: 1814-1914 . London: Pearson Education Ltd.

Weygand, Z. (2009). The blind in French society from the Middle Ages to the century of Louis Braille . Stanford: Stanford University Press.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

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