1. June 16, 2015 ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry
Rhetorical Claims
June 16, 2015
ENG 111: Writing and Inquiry

2. Review: What is a claim?
Campbell and Huxman: claim = assertion; involves inference
Generally, a claim is a statement we make to an audience with a reasonable chance that they should agree with it.
It is a statement
awareness of an audience 
anticipation of audience agreement. 

3. Review: Types of Claims
Fact, value, policy
Claims of fact: statement is or is not empirically true
Claims of value: something is more/less good or more/less desirable
Claims of policy: Action A is better or more desirable than Action B 

4. Today’s Learning Objectives
Identify claims of fact, value, and policy (review)
Evaluate aspects of strong and weak claims
Investigate how specificity affects a claim
Practice revising claims to strengthen them

5. Activity A

6. Activity A, Task 1 Dr. Broome will assign you a number.
Write your number on the top of a piece of blank paper.

7. Activity A, Task 2 Time: 2-3 minutes; DO NOT USE technology
Number 1: Draw a map of the United States
Number 2: Draw a map of North Carolina
Number 3: Draw a map that includes this building and the parking lot you use

8. Activity A, Task 3 Pass your map to the person to your left
Use the map you now have in front of you.
If you have Map 1, locate Troy, NY
If you have Map 2, locate Cashiers, NC
If you have Map 3, locate a parking lot

9. Activity A, Task 4 Pass your current map to the person on your left.
Use the map you now have in front of you.
If you have Map 1, locate Deseret, UT
If you have Map 2, locate Misenheimer, NC
If you have Map 3, locate a parking lot

10. Activity A, Discussion Which map was the easiest to use? Why?
A generally focused map can’t be used to locate a very specific site; 
A map’s scale must match its purpose; 
The task is completely dependent upon the level of scale
Level of detail must be appropriate for the kind of navigation being done ( Ex: Are you trying to get a location for a mountain range or someone’s house?) 

11. Activity A, Connections
The level of focus in a claim will establish (or fail to establish) the purposes of the writer.
In general, it is far more effective to write a map from the class to the parking lot—that is, to use a more specific claim—than to stay in generalities.
Readers, like map users, need to know where they’re going and how to get from here to there. 

12. Evaluating Claims

13. Activity B The ad text says: “HOW SOON IS TOO SOON?
Not soon enough. Laboratory tests over the last few years proves that babies who start drinking soda during that early formation period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and “fitting in” during those awkward pre-teen and teen years.
“So, do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen of sodas and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness”
Source: The Soda Pop Board of America 1515 W. Hart Ave, Chicago; ILL

14. Answer questions in small groups
List the claim or claims that are being made
For each instance of a claim, determine:
What type (fact, value, or policy) the claim is
Is the claim specific or general?
What supporting evidence is provided to support the claim?
Is the claim credible (believable?) Why or why not?

15. Whole Class Discussion
Small groups report out to entire class
Instructor fills any gaps in information

16. Investigating and Revising Claims

17. Activity C, Task 1 Take one sheet of paper from Dr. Broome
Look at the advice quoted on the bottom of the paper
Mentally paraphrase the quotation

18. Activity C, Task 2 At the top of the page, write
Your first name
What type of claim you think the quote is making (fact, value, policy)
Next, revise the claim to make it stronger

19. Activity C, Task 3 Trade papers with a neighbor
Underneath the first entry, write
Your first name
What type of claim you think the quote is making (fact, value, policy)
Next, revise the claim to make it stronger

20. Activity C, Task 4 Trade papers with a different neighbor
Underneath the second entry, write
Your first name
What type of claim you think the quote is making (fact, value, policy)
Next, revise the claim to make it stronger

21. Activity C, Task 5 Trade papers with a third student
Review the three revised claims on the sheet you have now
Select the strongest claim and circle it
At the bottom of the page, jot notes about what makes the claim you chose the strongest

22. Activity C, Discussion What did you notice about the quotations?
Imperative mood
Claims of value
Level of specificity impacts strength of claims
Best claims are specific and are joined with factual evidence that is easily substantiated
Why did you choose the circled claim as the best revision?

23. Writing Assignment Full directions available at livedidactic.com
Choice A: rewrite the advertisement copy using only strong, credible claims. (For example, you could remove the baby and talk about benefits for adults, or market the soda as an adult beverage like beer)
Choice B: Write advertising copy for a competitor in the industry that refutes the Soda Pop Board’s claims (Examples might be water, seltzer, coconut water, tea, etc.)
Your assignment will be graded on the strength and specificity of your claims
HAVE FUN with this assignment

24. Sources Cartoon on title slide: licensed from author
Idea for Activity A adapted from
Vintage ads for slide 12 (public domain):
Cartoon on slide 17 licensed from The New Yorker Cartoon Bank
Cola ad for Activity B (public domain): co.uk/blog/10-old-hilarious-health-ads/