Which term describes a claim that aims to explain why a phenomenon occurs?

• A. Explanatory
• B. Empirical verification
• C. Transmissible
• D. General

Answer: (A)

An explanatory claim is a statement that tries to tell us why a phenomenon occurs. It goes beyond simply describing that something happens and offers a cause, mechanism, or rationale that accounts for the observed outcome. For example, a claim that higher education reduces political cynicism because education exposes people to diverse perspectives and critical thinking explains the process behind the effect.

Empirical verification, by contrast, focuses on gathering data to support or test a claim, but doesn’t itself specify the reason why the phenomenon happens. Transmissible and general describe other properties—whether something can be spread, or the breadth of applicability—rather than the purpose of explaining the underlying cause.