1. Booth’s claim model:
Although I acknowledge X
I claim Y
Because of Z

2. Claims: Use specific language to give you a rich set of concepts to develop in your paper
The United States health care system is flawed.
The United States needs to develop a health care system like France.
France’s health care system pairs the National Health Insurance system while maintaining the private sector for supplementary insurance. This ideal conglomeration of public and private insurance can bring positive change to the U.S. health industry.
The third claim is most developed and uses the most specific language to state the writer’s argument. The key terms of the claims are in red above.

3. Try introducing your claim with a qualifying clause at the beginning (while, although, even though)
Genetically modified foods are not the solution to today’s food or economic problems.
While the genetically modified food industry makes the promise of genetically modified food’s advantageous nature, it is merely lulling us as consumers into a false sense of security, for GM foods are not the solution to world food problems.
Although the genetically modified food industry promises higher yields and profitability with GM foods, the biotechnical food industry is deceptive, costly, and cannot live up to its claim of holding the potential to solve world hunger.
(#2 and #3 above are more developed claims than #1, which has no specific key terms other than “(not the) solution.”)

4. Use the introductory qualifying clause to acknowledge three kinds of alternative views (any of these claims are acceptable based on writer’s intentions in her/his argument):
A point of view that conflicts with your own; an opposing view from your claim
While many in mainstream media are critical of social media’s impact on young people, social media brings exposure to new ideas and …
A condition that limits the scope or confidence of your claim
Although it’s difficult to measure the full impact of social media on adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors, social media likely brings exposure to new ideas and …
Something your readers believe but your claim challenges
While some adolescents may minimize the impact of social media on their lifestyles and attitudes, social media can, in fact, bring exposure and …

5. Inflate your claim. Say more and then cut it later
Inflate your claim. Say more and then cut it later. Saying more offers the potential to help you find the exact language for the richest concepts to develop in your argument.
Even though our culture accepts breast augmentation, women suffer emotionally because of this devastating elective surgery.
Breast augmentation has become increasingly popular for women, yet the procedure has destructive consequences and can cause women to suffer emotionally.
Although breast augmentation has become increasingly accepted in our culture, women who pursue this elective surgery are predisposed to an array of emotional problems, making the surgery a sad reflection of their devalued self-esteem, and resulting in emotional suffering for some women who have the surgery.
Claim #3 is inflated – the writer says as much as possible with specific language. Then she can go back and cut out language later.

6. Format for you claim thinking:
Research Question: How as social media changed adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors?
Tentative Claim (tentative answer to your research question): Social media has been shown to expose adolescents to attitudes and behaviors they would otherwise rarely see or hear. Some research indicates that it makes adolescents more open-minded.
Claim with helping words: Although it is difficult to measure the impact of social media on adolescents, I claim social media brings exposure to new ideas, and in doing so, influences adolescents’ perceptions about issues of social justice and politics.
Claim without helping words or “although” phrase: Social media exposes adolescents to new ideas and influences their perceptions about issues of social justice and politics.
Is claim contestable? (change to opposite): Some would say that social media is so repetitive and prevalent that it has no impact on adolescent attitudes and behaviors.

7. Now it’s your turn to write your claim.
Write your claim using the following format:
Research Question:
Tentative Claim (tentative answer to your research question):
Claim with helping words (Although.. I claim..)
Claim without helping words:
Is claim contestable? (change to opposite):