Card 1 of 20
EasyStudy card 1
Prompt
What is a central claim?
Answer
The passage's controlling arguable assertion about its topic.
Reading & WritingChapter 1: Central Ideas and Details
Flashcards
Identifying the Central Claim Flashcards
Twenty concise recall cards for Topic 1-2: Identifying the Central Claim.
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Card 2 of 20
EasyStudy card 2
Prompt
Claim vs topic
Answer
The topic is what the passage discusses; the claim is the position it advances.
Card 3 of 20
EasyStudy card 3
Prompt
Claim vs evidence
Answer
The claim is what the author wants accepted; evidence is why the reader should accept it.
Card 4 of 20
EasyStudy card 4
Prompt
Claim vs background
Answer
Background establishes context but does not necessarily express the author's position.
Card 5 of 20
EasyStudy card 5
Prompt
Stance-language clues
Answer
Words such as should, better, important, more effective, and necessary can signal a claim.
Card 6 of 20
MediumStudy card 6
Prompt
Must a claim appear first?
Answer
No. It can occur at the beginning, middle, or end, or be restated across sentences.
Card 7 of 20
MediumStudy card 7
Prompt
Why preserve qualifiers?
Answer
Words like may, often, and under some conditions define the claim's actual scope.
Card 8 of 20
MediumStudy card 8
Prompt
Concession
Answer
A point the author acknowledges before maintaining or refining the main claim.
Card 9 of 20
MediumStudy card 9
Prompt
Concession trap
Answer
A conceded point may be true but still not be the position the passage ultimately advances.
Card 10 of 20
MediumStudy card 10
Prompt
Intensified-language trap
Answer
An answer changes ‘can help’ to ‘will solve’ or ‘some’ to ‘all.’
Card 11 of 20
MediumStudy card 11
Prompt
Reason-as-claim trap
Answer
A supporting reason is selected instead of the conclusion it supports.
Card 12 of 20
MediumStudy card 12
Prompt
Issue-first strategy
Answer
Identify the problem or question the author is addressing before naming the position.
Card 13 of 20
MediumStudy card 13
Prompt
Evidence test
Answer
Ask, ‘Evidence for what?’ The answer often points to the central claim.
Card 14 of 20
HardStudy card 14
Prompt
Neutral descriptive passage
Answer
If no arguable stance exists, identify the central idea rather than inventing a claim.
Card 15 of 20
HardStudy card 15
Prompt
Qualified recommendation
Answer
A recommendation limited by priority, setting, or condition; every limit matters.
Card 16 of 20
EasyStudy card 16
Prompt
Author's position vs your opinion
Answer
Your agreement is irrelevant; report the position the text advances.
Card 17 of 20
MediumStudy card 17
Prompt
Counterpoint clue
Answer
Although and while often introduce a view that the main claim then answers or limits.
Card 18 of 20
HardStudy card 18
Prompt
Claim paraphrase frame
Answer
‘The author argues that [subject] should/is [precise position], given [important limit].’
Card 19 of 20
HardStudy card 19
Prompt
Unsupported motive trap
Answer
An answer assigns the author a goal or belief the text never states.
Card 20 of 20
HardStudy card 20
Prompt
Final claim audit
Answer
Check position, subject, degree, and qualification against the passage.
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