Question

read the steps in identifying a claim.

1. read the argument.
2. identify the topic of the argument.
3. determine what the author believes about the topic.

which step should come next?
read about the authors background.
find opposing arguments for the sake of comparison.
think about what you already know about the topic.
locate a statement that explains the authors opinion.

Explanation:

The steps to identify a claim build from understanding the argument, its topic, the author's stance, then formalizing that stance by finding the explicit statement of their opinion. The other options are not part of the direct sequential process of identifying the author's own claim.

Answer:

D. Locate a statement that explains the author's opinion.