What ARGUMENTS does the author make?

Does the author present a number of different

positions, or does he or she argue for a particular position? Do you need to ANALYZE THE
A!"#ENT?
How persuasive do you find the arument? $hat reasons and e%idence does the author
pro%ide in support of any position&s'? Are there citations or lin(s)and if so, are they credible?
*s any e%idence presented +ithout citations? Do you find any of the author,s assumptions
-uestionable? Ho+ thoroughly does he or she consider opposing arguments?
What is the author!s STAN"E? Does the author stri%e for ob.ecti%ity, or does the language
re%eal a particular bias? *s the author associated +ith a special interest that might signal a
certain perspecti%e? Does he or she consider opposing %ie+s? Do the sources cited reflect
multiple %ie+points, or only one?
#oes the pu$%isher $rin a &ertain stan&e to the work? /oo( publishers, periodicals, or
$eb sites that are clearly liberal or conser%ati%e or ad%ance a particular agenda +ill li(ely
e0press %ie+s reflecting their 1TAN2E3
#o you re&oni'e ideas you!ve run a&ross in other sour&es? Does it lea%e out any
information that other sources include?
#oes this sour&e support or &ha%%ene your own position(or does it do $oth? Does it
support your thesis? offer a different argument altogether? Does it represent a position you
may need to A24N5$LED!E or E6"TE? Don7t re.ect a source that challenges your %ie+s8
your sources should reflect a %ariety of %ie+s on your topic, sho+ing that you7%e considered
the sub.ect thoroughly3
What &an you te%% a$out the intended AU#)EN"E and *UR*+SE? Are you a member of
the audience addressed)and if not, does that affect the +ay you interpret +hat you read? *s
the main purpose to inform readers about a topic or to argue a certain point?