1
FACT, VALUE, AND POLICY CLAIMS
A fact claim is a statement about how things were in the past, how they are in the present, or how they will be in
the future. A fact claim is not a fact; it only claims to be a fact. What makes it arguable is that the speaker has no
direct way of establishing the truth of the claim. For example, "The Earth is round" is a fact claim. "In our right-
handed world, left-handed people are discriminated against" is a fact claim. A persuasive speaker must provide
arguments which build a case in favor of the claim, showing that the claim is probably true.
Value claims are arguable statements concerning the relative merits of something which is measured subjectively
(e.g., "Hawaii is a better place to go for summer vacation than Colorado."). What makes a value claim arguable is
that different people may disagree on the criteria used to evaluate something (e.g., weather, live entertainment,
water sports). Defending a value claim involves offering a set of criteria for consideration, defending the set of
criteria as legitimate and showing how applying the criteria justifies the claim. Often value claims are comparative.
A policy claim is a statement regarding the merits of a course of action. What makes it arguable is that, even
though people may not be totally certain about the proper course of action to take, they still must act. To argue in
defense of a policy claim is to state that, given what we know now, it’s best to act in the manner proposed.
Samples:
Fact claim (causality): The death penalty does not deter crime.
Value claim: Capital punishment is unjust.
Policy claim: The death penalty should be abolished in Illinois.
Fact claim (existence): Heartland relies less on state taxpayer funding than ISU.
Value claim: Heartland is a better school than ISU.
Policy claim: Students in Heartland’s district should do their first two years there before transferring to a two year
school.
Examine each statement to determine whether it is an appropriate working thesis for a question of FACT, VALUE,
POLICY, or none.
A fact claim is an argumentative thesis which makes a quantifiable assertion; in other words, it is an
argument (claim) about a measurable topic (fact).
A value claim is an argumentative thesis which makes a qualifiable assertion; in other words, it is an
argument (claim) about a moral, aesthetic, or philosophical topic (value).
A policy claim is an argumentative thesis which makes an assertion about a course of action the reader
should take; in other words, it is an argument (claim) about an actionable topic (policy).
1. President Roosevelt knew in advance about the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor and allowed it to happen.
2. If Roosevelt knew in advance about the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor, he was wrong in allowing it to happen.
3. Using lie detector tests as screening devices for jobs in private business is a violation of the employee’s right to privacy.
4. The use of lie detector tests for screening employees in private business should be banned by law.
5. A federal law should be passed requiring that trunk safety releases be standard on all new cars sold in the United States.
6. If trunk safety releases were standard equipment on all cars, we could save several hundred lives in the US every year.
7. Colorizing classic movies such as Casablanca violates the artistic integrity of such movies.
8. Congress should protect the artistic integrity of movies like Casablanca by prohibiting the colorization of classic films.
