Evaluating Sources To An Argument Analysis

Sources are very important to an argument, not having anything to back up your statement can set you up for failure. But, it is very important to have reliable sources, and to cite them. Without citing sources you could also be penalized for plagiarism, which is not good for an argument because it makes you and your information look irrelevant.

An argument usually depends on the quality of the sources used. The majority of sources have some sort of bias and they present evidence that helps their objective. Chapter 18 says that before using a source to find the author’s place in the issue. The way to avoid being biased in your writing is to find as many reliable sources as possible, but avoid selective choosing sources because you could miss

important issues and perspectives. Checking the date of publication is also good to do, because newer sources will be more relevant compared to older sources. When assessing field research (experiments, surveys, interviews, observations) in arguments make sure to go over the results very carefully.
Chapter 20 deals with plagiarism, both intentional and unintentional. A way to avoid plagiarism is to give full credit to the sources. Citing sources helps in many ways. It helps increase your ethos, shows your “due diligence”, and it helps remind you to think critically when it comes to citing sources and using the evidence collected. When using the internet to try and find information to use in your work, you are subjected to the same regulations as other types of sources. When you are in a project with people, usually the participants are acknowledged in the beginning of the presentation, report, and/or essay.