Your paper should be well-focused with few deviations from the main topics or main points. As part of this, you will need to create an arguable thesis that takes a stand on what steps an individual should use to evaluate a source.

Purpose: This assignment is designed to help students practice evaluating the reliability of sources while they
write expository essays using process-analysis, thesis statements, effective paragraph construction, supporting
research, and analytical thinking.
Task: Write a 3-4 page essay that analyzes the process of how sources should be evaluated. To succeed at this
assignment, you will need to do the following:
 Outline the individual steps that one should take in order to determine whether a source can be trusted.
 Your paper should be well-focused with few deviations from the main topics or main points. As part of this,
you will need to create an arguable thesis that takes a stand on what steps an individual should use to
evaluate a source.
 In addition, your paper should include examples taken from at least 4 sources. Your use of sources should
demonstrate your ability to conduct basic research while evaluating the reliability of library and Internet
sources. You must mention each of these sources at least once in the body of your essay, and each step
should be supported with numerous example as well as in-depth analysis of those examples to demonstrate
your ability to elaborate on your main points and engage in meaningful, critical thought.
 Assume that your audience is made up of readers who are initially skeptical about your argument. To
convince them to change their minds, you need to have an argument that is free of logical fallacies, over
generalizations, and unsupported assumptions.
 Your paper should appropriately incorporate and cite any examples or evidence you use. Please use
APA citation for in-text citations and your references page. You can find guidelines for this style in
Rules for Writers. You must include a references page and in-text citations with each draft of each paper
unless the instructor specifies otherwise. Any paper that uses outside sources of information and does
not include quotation marks, in-text citations, and a references page will not meet basic submission
requirements and may receive a score of 0%. In addition, any paper that presents wording, information,
or ideas from an existing source as one’s own work may be viewed as plagiarism.
 The essay’s introduction, body, and conclusion should total approximately 3-4 pages in length. While
you should include a title page and a reference page, these features do not count towards the length of
the paper.
 The wording should be clear, concise, and detailed. You will want to adopt diction (or vocabulary) that
is appropriate to our specific audience as well as a formal, balanced, academic tone that shows an
awareness of the power of words.
 You will want to proofread the paper to ensure that it demonstrate an effective use of grammar, spelling,
punctuation, and capitalization. The paper should also use effective and varied sentence structure.
 Your paper should be typed. Please double-space your essay, and use 12-point Times New Roman font
as well as 1-inch margins.
 Finished essays must be submitted to the “assignments” section of Canvas by the start of class on the
due date.
Criteria: This essay will be evaluated using a rubric, which can be found in Canvas by clicking on the
Assignments icon, selecting Paper 3, and scrolling down.