English 8: Quarter 2- Week 3

Topic 1: Evaluate persuasive texts for clarity of meaning and

validity of information
Subtopics:
1. Facts vs. Opinions
2. Types of Claims
Unlocking Content Vocabulary
The Persuasion Puzzle
Directions: Below, you'll find scrambled terms related to evaluating persuasive texts.
Unscramble the jumbled words and define each.
1. FCATS
2. OINIONPS
3. CAMILS
4. EICNEDVE
5. AMNUERGT
A fact is a proven piece of information. It is a statement that can be verified in a reference
source such as an encyclopedia, a dictionary, a map, or a history book. Facts are things that
happened in the past or are happening now. It can be supported by evidence.
Examples:
 The Philippines is an archipelago composed of over 7,600 islands. (This is a verifiable
statement about the country's geography.)
 Sinigang, a sour soup dish, is a national favorite in the Philippines, with various regional
variations. (This is a confirmed fact about Filipino cuisine.)
 The Philippines is the world's largest producer of abaca, a natural fiber used in textiles.
(This can be verified through agricultural production statistics.)

An opinion is a belief, judgment, or a way of thinking about something. Statements that

express that something is good or bad in some ways are usually opinions.
Examples:
 Adobo is the best Filipino dish. (This expresses a personal preference for a
particular dish.)
 Wearing shorts to school is disrespectful. (This reflects a belief about appropriate
school attire, which can vary depending on the school's policies.)
 Studying abroad is the only way to get a good job. (This expresses a personal
viewpoint on career opportunities, which may not be universally true.)

Ways to Recognize the Differences

1. Words that show extreme positives or negatives are clues to opinions.
everyone, never, most, always, nobody, ever, all, really, none, very
2. Descriptive words are subjective. Sentences with descriptive words are mostly opinions.
beautiful, ugly, smart, foolish, joyful, lucky, gloomy
3. Language intended to appeal emotions is opinionated. Read this example of an emotional
appeal:
Have you ever driven down a road and seen all the garbage alongside the road? People
should wake up and realize how much this harms the environment. The unsightly mess contains
toxic substance that damage the earth and kill wildfire.

Tools for Verification

Here's where evidence comes in. It's the information used to support a claim, either factual or
opinion-based. But not all evidence is created equal. These are the common types:
 By understanding different types of evidence, we can critically evaluate the information
we encounter and make informed decisions. Remember, facts require strong, verifiable
evidence, especially empirical evidence, while opinions can be supported by various types, but
should be recognized as personal viewpoints.
A Claim is any single statement of controversy advanced for the purpose of argument. Both
sides of an argument, the pro- side and the con-side in a debate, should argue the same Claim.
The Claim is a statement much like the topic of an argument, but it does much more. There are
seven key characteristics of Claims:
1. Claims are phrased as statements and not questions. The goal of a claim is to promote a pro
versus con debate-style environment.
2. Claims are phrased against the status quo in order to create the potential for controversy.
3. Claims should be phrased in an unbiased manner so that both sides have an equal opportunity
to advocate, support, and defend their positions.
4. Properly phrased claims should be as specific as possible.
5. Effective claims promote a pro/con argumentative environment.
6. The claim should be phrased so that the burdens (obligations and responsibilities of each
arguer) are clear to both sides involved in the debate.
7. Both sides debate the same claim.
Types of Claims
1. Claims of Fact are often qualified by such terms as generally, probably, or as a
rule. And, to verify whether these statements are claim of fact or not, ask these
questions:

Types of factual claims (generally "objective")

1. Factual / historical
2. Relational - causal connections
3. Predictive
Proof requires:
• sufficient and appropriate grounds
• reliable authority
• recent data
• accurate, typical data
• clearly defined terms -no loaded language
• a clear distinction between fact and inference
EXAMPLES OF CLAIMS OF FACT
“The Earth revolves around the sun." (This is a well-established scientific fact supported by
a vast amount of evidence.)
"The population of the world is over 8 billion people." (This is a demographic fact
supported by data from international organizations.)
"The unemployment rate in this country is currently 5%." (This is an economic fact based
on official government statistics.)

2. The Claim of Policy advocates a specific course of action. It asserts that specific policies
should be instituted as solutions to problems. It argues that certain conditions should exist.
Almost always "should" or "ought to" or "must" are included in this claim.
Claims of Policy are specific statements on procedures or laws that need to be modified based on
certain issues or conditions. Most of the time, claims of policy ask for plans of action to solve
current problems.
Proof requires:
Making proposed action (clear), need (justification), plan (must be workable), benefit
(advantages), consider opposition / counter arguments.

Consider this statement, for example:

To attract more non-traditional students, this college must review and revise its course offerings.

The given statement above is an example of a claim of policy. It calls on action for the college
referred to, regarding its course offerings to arrive at a workable conclusion which is to attract
more non-traditional students. The author may choose to elaborate on this course of action to
prove that this claim can work for the college.
EXAMPLES OF CLAIMS OF POLICY
"All schools should require students to take a foreign language class."
"We should ban single-use plastic bags to reduce pollution."
"The government should provide universal healthcare for all citizens."

3. Claims of Value involve judgments and evaluations. It judges whether something is

good/bad, right/wrong, just/unjust, ethical/non-ethical, and others. We judge the worth of
something. It attempts to prove that some things are more or less desirable than others.
Some claims of value are simply expressions of taste, preferences, and prejudices. The most
important in proving claim of value is by establishing standards of evaluation.
Proof requires:
Establishing standards of evaluation (i.e. a warrant that defines what constitutes instances
of the relevant value)
note the priority of the value in this instance
Establish the advantage (practical or moral) of your standards
 Use examples to clarify abstract values
Use credible authorities for support

The famous saying, honesty is the best policy, is one good example of a claim of value. To prove
the statements validity, the author may elaborate on the examples that show how honesty holds
advantage over other policies and how it has been proven to be effective.
EXAMPLES OF CLAIMS OF VALUE
 “It is better to be feared than loved.” (expresses a belief that fear inspires obedience,
while love might lead to manipulation)
 “Cheating is not good.” (expresses the belief that cheating is wrong because it gains an
unfair advantage and undermines the spirit of competition or task completion)
 “Helping others in need is the most important thing in life.” (This is a moral value
judgment about the importance of compassion.)

Activity 4: Claim Detective!

Directions: Read and identify the types of claims used in each statement. Write COF for Claim of
Fact, COP for Claim of Policy and COV for Claim of Value. Write your answer on the space
provided before each sentence.
_____ 1. The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world.
_____ 2. All students should wear uniforms to school.
_____ 3. Chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookie.
_____ 4. The Amazon rainforest is vital to the health of the planet.
_____ 5. We should invest more resources in renewable energy sources.
_____ 6. Honesty is the best policy.
_____ 7. The population of the Earth is over 8 billion people.
_____ 8. Video games can improve problem-solving skills.
_____ 9. Recycling is a waste of time.
_____ 10. Wearing a seatbelt is the law.
Activity 5: Claim Crafter

Directions: Based on the given premise, complete the table by composing an example
for each missing type of claim.