This document discusses identifying explicit and implicit claims in arguments. It defines explicit claims as those directly stated using words like "because", while implicit claims refer to underlying assumptions and values. The document provides a framework for analyzing arguments by: 1) stating the thesis, 2) identifying explicit reasons and evidence for each, 3) determining implicit reasons and contextual evidence, and 4) evaluating the logic and validity. Identifying implicit assumptions is challenging but reveals the real issues and values underlying an argument.

1. IDENTIFYING CLAIMS:
EXPLICIT & IMPLICIT
Rooney
English 207

2. Warning:
 There is MUCH in this presentation to
wrap your head around.
 Don’t panic. 

3. Parts of an Argument
 Claims
 Reasons

4. Evaluating an Argument
 Validity of the argument
 Analyzing logic and evidence

5. Analyzing an Argument
 Identify the claim: what is the single unifying idea the argument wants
you to believe?
 Separate the reasons from the other elements of the argument (such as
appeals to other Line of Argument)
 Separate the reasons from each other
 Identify and state the implicit reason behind each of these explicit
reasons (this is the hard part)
 Identify the evidence necessary to prove each reason and evaluate
whether or not the argument has adequately presented that evidence.
 Examine the logic used to connect all these elements to the claim.

6. Basic Argument Outline
Claim/Thesis: (Only one per argument)
R1) Explicit Reason Supporting Claim:
Evidence/Proof Supporting Explicit Reason:
Implicit Reason/Assumption/Warrant:
Evidence/Proof Supporting Implicit Reason:
Evaluation Of This Reason; Why Is It Valid Or Invalid?:
R2) Explicit Reason Supporting Claim:
Evidence/Proof Supporting Explicit Reason:
Implicit Reason/Assumption/Warrant:
Evidence/Proof Supporting Implicit Reason:
Evaluation Of This Reason; Why Is It Valid Or Invalid?: (and so on)

7. Explicit and Implicit Claims
Explicit Implicit
 Usually found in argument  Assumptions & context
 Easily identified by linking (when, where & why)
to “because”  Often infer values
 Example:  Values are dependent on
 Jack is guilty of murder context
 (because he killed Jill)  Example:
 what is the difference
between kill and murder?
(on purpose, self defense,
time of war?)

8. Basic Argument Outline
Claim/Thesis: Jack murdered Jill
 Explicit Reason Supporting Claim: because he shot her on the way down
the hill
 Evidence/Proof Supporting Explicit Reason: ??
 Implicit Reason/Assumption/Warrant: he shot her on purpose
 Evidence/Proof Supporting Implicit Reason: ??
 Implicit Reason/Assumption/Warrant: the shooting was not justified
 Evidence/Proof Supporting Implicit Reason: ??
 Evaluation Of This Reason; Why Is It Valid Or Invalid?

9. Determining Validity
Step 1:
State the source’s Claim or Thesis as
accurately and clearly as possible.

10. Determining Validity
Step 2:
 Locate and summarize the Explicit Reasons
(ERs); state the ER as if it followed the Claim
and the word “because”.
 Example:
“…because it is threatening the salmon
population.”

11. Determining Validity
Step 3:
 Locate the Implicit Reasons (IRs) for each Explicit Reason.
 To find the IR: write an “IF the IR (is true), THEN Claim (is true)” sentence.
 You may need or want to broaden the Explicit Reason to state a general value or rule.
 State the line of reasoning as charitably and accurately as possible.
 Example:
 “IF something threatens the salmon population, THEN it should be removed”
 or, without the “IF, THEN” formula, the Implicit Reason could also read:
 “threats to the salmon population should be removed” or, “the value of saving salmon
outweighs the value of the dams”

12. Determining Validity
Step 4:
 Now, for each ER, find two sets of information:
 a) evidence that the Explicit Reason is true and
 b) evidence that the Implicit Reason is true:
 ER Evidence = quotations and/or factual information.
For our example, you simply need to prove that the dams indeed threaten the salmon population.
Note proving this will be a matter of data, of numbers and facts.
 IR Evidence = tricky - the IR is usually implied in the overall context the source
speaks to.
Since the implicit reason usually refers to values (valuing salmon, valuing dams), and because
context refers to “who, what, where, when, why”, you will usually find there are no universal
appeals to Implicit Reasons: if your farm depends on Snake River dams, you will value the dams
more than, say, if your livelihood depends on salmon fishing.

13. Final Thoughts
 Note that this process may reveal flaws
and inconsistencies in the source’s
argument.
 More likely, though, this process will
reveal the heart of the argument and
point us to the real issues that need to
be settled.

14. Review:
Finding Explicit and Implicit Claims
1. State the source’s Claim or Thesis as accurately and
clearly as possible.
2. Locate and summarize the Explicit Reasons (ERs); state
the ER as if it followed the Claim and the word
“because”.
3. Locate the Implicit Reasons (IRs) for each Explicit
Reason.
 To find the IR: write an “IF the IR (is true), THEN Claim (is true)”
sentence.
 You may need or want to broaden the Explicit Reason to state
a general value or rule.
 State the line of reasoning as charitably and accurately as
possible.
4. Now, for each ER, find two sets of information:
 evidence that the Explicit Reason is true and
 evidence that the Implicit Reason is true