Arguable v. Easily Verifiable
1. SUV owners
should be required to pay an energy surcharge.
This statement is a claim because it is arguable. It takes a
position on an issue, essentially arguing that SUV owners should be charged for
the fossil fuels their cars burn. These funds would probably go toward
expanding alternative energy industries.
2. Charter
schools are an alternative to public schools.
This statement is not a claim, but rather a topic sentence
expressing a fact. As such it is easily verifiable.
§ REVISED: Charter schools are a better alternative to public
schools because they have more flexibility in their curriculums than do
traditional public schools.
3. Ronald
Reagan was the most charismatic president of the twentieth century.
This statement is too easily verifiable. It does not make an
argument but rather points out one of Reagan’s characteristics. With a little
bit of research, anyone could verify this statement’s factual accuracy. For a
good bulk of his life Reagan was an actor, a people person. Charm and charisma
are naturally in the job description.
§ REVISED: Ronald Reagan’s charisma not only contributed to
his victory in the presidential elections but also made him one of the best
presidents of the twentieth century in the United States.
4. Requiring
students to wear uniforms improves school spirit.
This statement is arguable because it expresses an opinion,
arguing that uniforms are linked to increased school spirit. In wearing
uniforms students feel united as one student body and do not feel singled out
because of clothing.
5. The terms global warming and climate
change describe different perspectives on
this complex issue.
This statement is arguable because it takes a position,
arguing that the terms global warming and
climate change describe different, as
opposed to similar perspectives on an issue. While some could argue that the
terms are interrelated, the statement argues that they are separate.
6. Students
graduating from college today can expect to have more debt than any previous
generation.
This statement is easily verifiable because it makes a
projection about debts from college expenses based on a fact – a college
education today is more expensive than ever before.
§ REVISED: Due to the fact that the quality of higher level
education has improved drastically, students graduating from college today can
expect to have more debt than any previous generation.
7. People who
read novels are more likely to attend sports events and movies than those who
do not.
This statement is arguable. It expresses an opinion, stating
that reading novels has a correlation to the likelihood of people attending
sports events and movies.
8. Print
newspapers will not survive another decade.
This statement is easily verifiable. It does not take a
position on the issue but makes a projection.
§ REVISED: Print newspapers will not survive another decade
because online publications of newspapers are making the physical copies
obsolete.
9. The
competition among countries to become a site for the Olympic Games is fierce.
This statement is easily verifiable. It does not make an
argument or take a position for or against an issue, but rather qualifies the
competition among countries to become an Olympic Games site as being fierce.
§ REVISED: The competition among countries to become a site
for the Olympic Games is fiercely preposterous as they should be investing
their time and money into more pressing issues, like world hunger.
10. Plagiarism
is a serious problem in today’s schools.
This statement is arguable. It expresses an opinion and
takes a position against plagiarism, emphasizing that it is a problem in
today’s schools that should be addressed.
Meh
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