ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN READING AND WRITING SKILLS

Claims of Text
(Additional Information)

Name of Learner: ______________________________________

Grade Level: 11____________________________________
Strand/Track: STEM/ ABM/ HUMSS/ GMAW/ TLIM_________
Section: ______________________________________
Date: WEEK 8
______________________________________________________________________
I. Directions: Read and understand the additional information on claims of text. Then
answer all given questions comprehensively.

Let’s Reflect
When reading texts critically, it is imperative that you identify the type of claims, or
the approach to the topic, to see the main argument. Although we focus on critical reading,
it is useful to note that these claims may also be used when you write your own paper.
To identify the claims, focus on the first and last sentences of a paragraph. The
details in each paragraph will also guide you as to whether a text supports or opposes a
certain claim or argument. Take note of the transitional devices used. The three general
types of claims are claim of fact, claim of policy and claim of value.
Guide Questions for Claims:
1. Are the claims presented in the text supported by evidence?
2. Are these pieces of evidence valid and sufficient?
3. Are the pieces of evidence anecdotal or scientific? How does this nature affect the
overall credibility of the text?
4. Does the text have references? Are they reliable and recent?
5. How does the writer present facts and opinions?

In the study of claims, it is important to be guided by the following concepts in determining

effective claims.
1. Logos or logical appeal. It is focused on the message content transmitted. It refers
to factual and reasonable support for the claim. This could be verified by the
relevance of the example, the accurate and relevant statistics, valid logic and
plausible premise.
2. Pathos or emotional appeal. It is focused on the audience’s reception of the
message transmitted. It refers to the use of positive or negative emotions to gain
the approval of the reader on an argument presented.
3. Ethos or ethical appeal. It is focused on the readers’ perception on the credibility
and reputation of the writer. It refers to the use of fair and exemplary judgment in
 presenting the argument resulting in high moral character impression towards the
writer. A good reputation is established based on the manner of writing, choice of
words, evidence cited and worldview of the writer.

Claim of Fact
- It is an argument about a quantifiable topic. Note that a claim of fact is not fact. It
only asserts a stand regarding a debatable topic. For ex., a claim of fact may argue
that climate change does not exist because these are simply natural cycles of
weather change.
- It is based on data, documents and scientific observation result and research.
Factual claims could be founded in historical facts, in relational-causal
events/concepts and prediction based on plausible evidence. This requires
grounds that are sufficient and appropriate, recent and accurate data, clearly-
defined terminologies.
- A well-argued claim of fact clearly states the main argument and defines vague
and controversial terms. It is supported with factual information such as statistics,
testimony and observation.
- Another characteristic of a text with a good claim of fact is the use of sufficient,
accurate and recent evidence which are organized to emphasize the main
argument.
- Ex. The capital punishment does not determine.
- Smoking marijuana is less harmful to one’s health than smoking cigarettes.

Study the given example:

Despite the seemingly marked difference of today’s songs from those of the
past decades, the current pop music scene does not offer something new that can
progress music. In fact, one of the findings from the research of a group of
scientists reports that the timber palette of songs from 1955 to 2010 has been more
or less homogenous (Serra et.al., 2012). Timbre is the property of music which
distinguishes one sound from another, even when the pitch and the loudness are
the same. This means that songs from 1955 until 2010 have more or less the same
sound. Since music evolves through the development of new techniques and
exploration of new sound elements, this trend of timbre homogenization indicates
that today’s music scene does not offer a fresh contribution that can advance the
growth of the field.

Information source: Serra, J., Corral, A., Boguna, M., Huyo, M. & Arcos, J.L.
(2012). Measuring the Evolution of Contemporary Western Popular Music.
Scientific Reports (2). Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep00521
Claim of Value
- It argues whether something is good or bad. It is based on judgment and evaluation
on a philosophical, aesthetic or moral standpoint. However, note that it is not
merely a statement of subjective judgment; a claim of value is also assessed based
on accurate information.
- A well-defended claim of value may assert that the value being defended will
produce good results, as long as it is backed up by reliable information. A text with
a good claim of value cites experts on the field who support the claim to make the
argument more effective. Moreover, a claim of value draws on real-world examples
and illustrations to make the abstract values clear.
- It is a value judgement made based on morals, standards and norms. It requires
the use of standards of evaluation, presentation of advantages or moral of
standards used, use of examples to concretize abstractions and use of credible
authority/experts for support.
- Ex. Since it is inequitably administrated, capital punishment is unjust.
- The prejudices about the social conditions that lead to current marijuana legislation
are outdated.

Study the given example:

Euthanasia, which is also known as mercy killing, is an act to end a person’s
life to alleviate the suffering brought about by a terminal or grave illness. While it
may be supported by some, euthanasia is not only an unethical medical practice,
it is also a crime. After all, on the most basic level, this practice takes a life. In fact,
majority of the countries in the world consider it as homicide. Aside from being a
crime, euthanasia is unethical in the medical context because it violates the one of
the tenets of the Physician’ Oath, namely that of “primum non nocore” which
means “first, do no harm.” In the Declaration of Geneva, doctors have the
responsibility of saving lives, not destroying them. In essence, euthanasia is a
violation of life and it can never be an acceptable procedure.

Claim of Policy
- It is an argument which asserts the implementation of a certain policy. This is
driven by the need to present a solution to problems that have arisen; sometimes
it is given as a response to claims of fact.
- It generally states solutions and plans that are procedural and organized.
- It also incorporates judgment coupled with supporting information.
- It is specific and measurable actions that need to be done in order to address
issues or concerns presented in an argument or proposition.
- It requires proposal of clear and measurable actions or steps, justification of the
proposed action, advantages of the proposed action, possible counter arguments.
 - Ex. Because it does not determine, inequitably administrated and unjust, the
capital punishment should be abandoned by civilized societies.

Study the given example:

Alternative sources of energy and conservation efforts must be applied to
preempt potential energy problems. Today, most of the energy resources we have
are generated from limited resources like coal, oil and natural gas. If continuously
consumed at an alarming rate, fossil fuels necessary for generating power to
operate vehicles and factories will run out before long. Nonetheless, this problem
can be addressed by using alternative sources of energy and by emphasizing
conservation. First, using alternative sources of energy such as solar energy and
fusion energy would lessen pollution. These alternatives are actually more
accessible and cost-efficient. Although there are some potential risks in using
fusion energy, these risks can be mitigated by implementing strict safety
measures. The second solution that governments can adopt is the enhancement
of conservation efforts. To do this, governments need to make the public more
aware of the benefits of conservation as well as ways of conserving energy, such
as recycling. Laws can also be passed to mandate the public and all stakeholders
to recycle energy.

Activity:
I. Read the given article from New York Times and answer the questions that follow.
You may directly access on this article by accessing on the given link.

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/opinion/zeynep-tufekci-why-smart-
objects-may-be-a-dumb-idea.html
1. What is the main claim of the author?
2. What is the main purpose of the author?
3. What is her tone in delivering the message and how is this tone shaped by the
language she used?
4. What is the background of the author?
5. Who are the target readers of the article?
 6. What was the context for writing the article? What was the current sociopolitical,
economic and cultural situation when it was written?
7. Do you think there is sufficient and valid evidence that supports the main claim of
the author? Justify your answer.
8. What are the other important pieces of information that might probably be missing?
How would these missing pieces of information influence the overall structure, tone
and message of the article?
9. What is the nature of the hyperlinks in the article? Are they leading toward a certain
interpretation? Justify your answer.
II. The K to 12 Program was introduced in the Philippines with the aim of providing
sufficient time to master concepts and skills, prepare graduates for higher education,
produce lifelong learners and prepare students for middle level skills development,
entrepreneurship and employment (Republic of the Philippines Official Gazette).
Hence, the program added two years of Senior High School (SHS). The courses
that can be learned from SHS include accounting, welding, machinist work,
agriculture, music, medical technology and culinary and hospitality work.
Although the intention of adding SHS is commendable, some critics claim
that there is still a mismatch between our schooling system and working
system. As regards the implementation of SHS, some people are concerned
about the lack of learning materials provided to the schools. For example,
during the school year 2013-2014, learning materials for one school in Tondo
arrived during the last two quarters of the school year. The lack of sufficient
facilities, such as classrooms, chairs and computer laboratories, is also a
problem. Moreover, more students require more teachers that they will be
losing revenues with the implementation of SHS since there will be no enrollees
for the first year in 2016.
Despite these observations, DepEd is optimistic that these shortages and
problems will be overcome as they claim that these are being addressed.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations
(COCOPEA) lauds DepEd’s implementation of the K to 12 Program. According
to its chairman, additional two years of education should not be seen as a
burden.
1. What do you think is the stand of the author? Is he/she for or against the
implementation of SHS? Justify your answer.
2. What is the central claim of the text?
3. Who do you think is the target reader of the text? Why?
4. What was currently happening when the text was written? What prompted the
author to write the text?
5. Do you think there is sufficient and valid evidence against and for SHS? Justify
your answer.
 6. Based on your own experience, should SHS continue to be implemented?

References:
Books:
Barrot, Jessie S. Academic Reading and Writing for Senior High School. Quezon City:
C&E Publishing Inc., 2016.

Gabelo, Nerissa and Cristina DT. Geron, et.al. Reading and Writing Connection for the
21st Century Learners for Senior High School. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing
House Inc, 2016.

Sandagan, Luzviminda D. Reading and Writing Skills. Manila: JFS Publishing Services,
2016.
Online Reference
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/opinion/zeynep-tufekci-why-smart-objects-may-
be-a-dumb-idea.html

SUMMATIVE TEST IN READING AND WRITING SKILLS

II. Directions: Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the correct answer.
Write it in your answer sheet.
1. Which text focuses on presenting point of view and seeks on encouraging its readers to
accept a particular argument or act in a particular way?
A. Persuasive C. Cause and Effect
B. Problem-Solution D. Comparison and Contrast
2. Which would best suit a text that aims to discuss the taxonomy of a group of fossils that were
recently discovered by a palaeontologist?
A. Comparison and Contrast C. Narration
B. Classification D. Problem-Solution
3. It is one of the properties of a well-written text that means being able to describe the technical
aspects of writing which focuses more on the specificity and clarity for words that you use—
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.
A. Mechanics C. Organization
B. Language Use D. Coherence and cohesion
4. “Let me tell you about my experience when I lost myself in an unexpected situation.” This line
is a part what part of a narrative?
A. End C. Middle
B. Beginning D. Conclusion
5. What is cohesion?
A. Cohesion introduces new ideas in a text.
B. A special type of argument used in a text.
C. Cohesion is a special type of glue that writers use to make ideas stick together.
D. The way in which an author uses sentence structure to make the text more
understandable to the reader.
6. What is the nature of the underlined transition in the given sentence?
“ A total lockdown in the entire city was implemented, so, several businesses had stopped
operating for a month.”
A. Time C. Addition
B. Comparison D. Cause and Effect
7. Which of the following sentences has a precise and clear language?
A. Killer sentenced to die for second time in ten years.
B. The movie is a classic example of a horror movie because it incorporates all the elements
of a horror film.
C. He is an interesting individual.
D. The practice of theory of politics are studied in the classroom but political habits on
campus do not seem to benefit from such labor.
8. Which of the following is referred to as the language used by groups of lik-minded
individuals?
A. Jargon C. Slang
B. Idiom D. Euphemism
9. Corona Virus is now classified as a pandemic. What type of claim is this?
A. Claim of judgment C. Claim of Policy
B. Claim of value D. Claim of fact
10. What specific claim asserts some empirical (experience/observation-based) truth?
A. Claim of fact C. Claim of value
B. Claim of policy D. Claim of judgment
11. Which among the following is a claim of policy?
A. Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Corona Virus 2 is the reason behind the existence of
respiratory ailment called corona virus disease 2019 (COVID 19).
B. With what is happening in the world now, we should send more on research.
C. Corona Virus disease is now considered as a pandemic.
D. Corona Virus disease was first discovered in China.
12. All characteristics are TRUE about a claim of fact EXCEPT:
A. Something that can be proven or disproven by facts.
B. Argues about the definition of something.
C. Argues for or against a solution or policy.
D. Argues whether something is a settled fact.
13. This question is intended for a claim of value.
A. What action can be taken? C. Is it right or wrong?
B. Is it true or untrue? D. Is it yes or no?
14. In a claim of policy, which modal verb should not be used?
A. have to C. Should
C. must D. Could
15. Which of the following statements is an example of a claim?
A. Ruiz believes that change has come.
B. Filipinos need o exercise their right to vote.
C. Annie thinks that we should have a universal health care system.
D. All of the above
II. Paragraph Development
Directions: Write a 300 word paragraph on the topic: Common problems faced by learners in the
time of pandemic.” Identify the method of paragraph development you used and make sure to
follow the necessary mechanics in writing a paragraph.
A. Method of Paragraph Development: __________________________________________
B. Paragraph:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Rubric for Writing a Paragraph

Criteria Very Good Good Average Needs
(10 Points) (6 Points) (4 Points) Improvement
(2 Points)
Complete details are stated to
make the theme or ideas
complete.
Coherence in paragraph is
observed. The use of
connectives or transitions is
observed.
The mechanics in paragraph
writing is observed.
The ideas in the paragraph run
smoothly.
Total Points

III. Types of Claim

Directions: Analyze this claim: Public officials say different things from what they are
doing, trying to mislead people on the reality of what is happening.” What kind of claim is
it? Write a paragraph with a minimum of 300 words about your contentions for the statement. Be
sure to support it with enough evidence.
A. Type of Claim: _____________________________________________________
B. Paragraph:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Rubric for a Paragraph on a Claim
Criteria Very Good Good Average Needs
(10 Points) (6 Points) (4 Points) Improvement
(2 Points)
The paragraph is arranged
in a logical manner.
The kind of claim as
answered is correct.
There is enough
explanation for why the
claim is appropriate to the
statement.
There is enough evidence
as stated in the
explanation.
Total Points