Information Literacy Series: How to Analyze, Evaluate, and Make Arguments

Part 2: What is a Claim?

by Blake Wollstonecraft

In this series of short articles, I hope to help readers who want to increase their information literacy, also known as their ability to better analyze what’s true, what’s right, what’s real versus what’s not.

This series is inspired by my sister, a hardworking mom of teenagers who often turns to me for quick summaries of news and events, or what we call the “TLDR summarize” – “Too Long, Didn’t Read”. Since I have more time to stay updated, she relies on me to distill the key points, sparking thoughtful conversations as she shapes her own perspective.

Like my sister, you’re probably juggling a lot and still striving to sharpen your ability to read, analyze, and navigate the flood of news, social media, and various arguments out there “in the wild”. You want to build informed opinions, feel confident, and trust your judgment — and I’m here to help make that process easier.

Opinion is today’s keyword.

It is the foundation of how we interpret, debate, and engage with the world around us, whether we’re analyzing the news, scrolling through social media, or discussing ideas with others. Let’s dive deeper into why opinions matter.

In my previous piece, I explained that the best way to analyze an argument is to begin with its foundation, which is the claim. A strong, valid claim should 1) be grounded in facts and 2) present an opinion that two rational individuals could debate in good faith, potentially arriving at different conclusions about its correctness.