Claim: The Assertion
Every argument starts with a claim — the one-sentence assertion you want the judge to believe. You will be able to write a clear, specific claim and distinguish it from vague filler.
What a Claim Is
A claim is a short, declarative statement of what you are arguing, such as 'Raising the minimum wage reduces poverty' or 'Banning the practice increases black-market activity.' A claim by itself is just an opinion — it carries no persuasive weight until it is backed by a warrant.
Specific Beats Vague
Weak claims are broad and unfalsifiable, like 'This policy is bad for society.' Strong claims name a mechanism and a direction, like 'This policy increases youth unemployment by removing entry-level jobs.' Specificity makes a claim easier to prove and easier for the judge to remember.
A debater is drafting a contention tag line for a case on plastic bag bans.
Weak claim: 'Plastic bag bans are good.' Strong claim: 'Plastic bag bans reduce marine plastic pollution by eliminating the single largest source of coastal litter.' The strong version tells the judge exactly what mechanism to expect proof for.
1. Which of the following is the strongest claim?
2. True or False?
"A claim alone, without support, is enough to win an argument on the flow."
Answer all 2 to check.
A claim is your argument's headline — make it specific enough to be provable.