HudsonWild
New member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2026
- Messages
- 10
If I could go back and tell my freshman self one thing, it would be to actually learn what is a claim in writing. I spent my first two years just summarizing books and articles because I was scared to have an opinion. I thought academic writing was just reporting what other people said. I was so wrong.
A claim is your entrance into the conversation. It's you tapping the smart people on the shoulder and saying "Yeah, but have you considered this?" I love the way one writing center put it: a claim should be "revelatory," it should encourage a fresh way of thinking . It's not just about getting an A; it's about learning how to think critically. And honestly, it's the only thing that's helped me in my other classes, too.
In my marketing classes, I have to claim which strategy will boost engagement. In psych, I have to claim a certain interpretation of a study. It's everywhere. So yeah, if you're struggling with this right now, just push through it. Once it clicks, it's the most useful tool in your entire college toolbox. You'll actually start to enjoy the debate. Well, maybe not enjoy, but at least dread it less.
Good luck, underclassmen. You got this.
A claim is your entrance into the conversation. It's you tapping the smart people on the shoulder and saying "Yeah, but have you considered this?" I love the way one writing center put it: a claim should be "revelatory," it should encourage a fresh way of thinking . It's not just about getting an A; it's about learning how to think critically. And honestly, it's the only thing that's helped me in my other classes, too.
In my marketing classes, I have to claim which strategy will boost engagement. In psych, I have to claim a certain interpretation of a study. It's everywhere. So yeah, if you're struggling with this right now, just push through it. Once it clicks, it's the most useful tool in your entire college toolbox. You'll actually start to enjoy the debate. Well, maybe not enjoy, but at least dread it less.
Good luck, underclassmen. You got this.