3.5 Reading and Writing Response: Evaluating Sources

Readings

To complete this assignment, you’ll need to have decided on the “bad argument” you’ll use for . If you have emailed me to ask whether you can use an argument but have not yet received a response, it’s still okay to use that argument here; if I end up telling you you’ll need to use a different one for your essay, you will not need to recomplete this assignment.

Response

Evaluate the source you’ve chosen in a response of one page or more, MLA format. Analyze at least three quotes from the source to support your claims. As you draft your evaluation, consider the following: how is the source structured? Who is its intended audience? How does (or doesn’t) it convince that audience? Are there any misleading statements, errors, or otherwise untruthful parts of the argument? What would lead someone to trust (or not trust) the author of this source? 

Writing Expectations

• This assignment should be formatted in accordance with MLA standards. If you need  .
• Writing should be largely free from grammar, spelling, typing, and formatting errors and should use proper capitalization and punctuation. You can see a refresher on  . Some slang, contractions, or informal language is okay.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve evaluated the source, consider how you would avoid these pitfalls in your own writing. How can you defend the same stance in a way that will be more convincing to an educated audience?