Take a Critical Stance toward Sources

The key idea

Choose how strongly to support, qualify, challenge, refute, or extend each source's claim before presenting your own view.

What is it for?

Learn to assess other writers fairly, explain their strengths and limits, and develop an independent position.

What you need to know

State the claim made by each source and explain its relevance.
Acknowledge useful evidence before pointing out weaknesses.
Choose stance verbs that match the strength of your evidence.
Use short quotations or accurate paraphrases, followed by your own commentary.
Connect the sources to a clear position of your own.
Credit every borrowed idea and exact quotation.

1. Choose the right strength of stance

Stance verbs show how you respond to another person's claim. Each verb signals a different level of agreement or disagreement. Choose the verb that matches your evidence, not your feelings.

Endorse means you support a claim.
Qualify means you accept a claim with limits.
Challenge means you question a claim or its support.
Refute means you show that a claim is wrong.
Extend means you develop a claim with an extra idea.

I endorse Lee's view that meal planning reduces waste.

Endorse shows clear support for the claim.

I qualify Lee's claim because the savings depend on family size.

Qualify accepts the idea but sets a limit.

I extend Lee's argument by examining shopping habits.

Extend adds a useful point to the original argument.

2. Criticise fairly before reaching a judgement

A fair critique recognises what a source does well. It then identifies a real weakness and explains why it matters. This makes your judgement more convincing.

Name the source's strongest point first.
Identify a specific gap, limit, or unsupported claim.
Explain how that weakness affects the conclusion.
Avoid attacking the writer's character or motives.

Lee uses clear cost figures, but the sample includes only ten families.

The sentence recognises useful evidence and identifies a clear limit.

The survey is informative, yet its narrow sample limits wider conclusions.

The criticism focuses on the evidence, not the writer.

3. Position yourself within a debate

Writers often disagree because they use different evidence or study different groups. Show the main views before stating your own position. Your view should answer the debate, not merely repeat it.

Use some argue that to introduce one position.
Use others contend that to present a different view.
Use I contend that to state your own reasoned position.
Use I partly accept that when your agreement has limits.
Explain which evidence makes your position stronger.

Some argue that online shopping saves time, while others stress delivery costs.

The sentence presents two views without choosing a side.

I contend that the savings depend on delivery fees and shopping habits.

The writer states a clear position with specific limits.

4. Quote, paraphrase, and comment

A quotation gives a source's exact words. A paraphrase gives the same idea in your own words. Both need credit. Your commentary explains why the borrowed material matters to your argument.

Quote only words that need close attention.
Use quotation marks around exact borrowed words.
Change the wording and sentence structure when paraphrasing.
Name the source beside the borrowed idea.
Follow each quotation or paraphrase with your own analysis.
Never present another writer's ideas as your own.

Lee (2025) calls meal planning a 'simple cost-saving habit'.

The quotation is brief, credited, and relevant.

Lee (2025) links planned meals with lower food costs.

The idea is paraphrased and the source is credited.

This finding supports planning, but it does not prove that every family saves money.

The commentary explains both the value and the limit.

5. Build a paragraph with a clear line of thought

A critical paragraph should move from the source to your judgement. Each sentence needs a clear job. The order helps readers follow your reasoning.

Start with the issue and your main position.
Present the first source's claim fairly.
Recognise its strongest evidence.
Identify a limit or compare another source.
Explain your own judgement and its importance.

Lee's survey supports meal planning as a way to reduce waste.

The opening states the claim being examined.

Patel's wider survey suggests that income also affects food waste.

The second source introduces a useful contrast.

Taken together, the studies support planning, but not as a complete solution.

The final judgement combines both sources.

How to do it, step by step

Identify the issue and state your main position.
Present the first source's claim accurately.
Acknowledge its strongest evidence before discussing its limits.
Introduce the second source and explain where it agrees or differs.
Reach your own judgement using both sources and their evidence.
Check quotations, paraphrases, source credits, and the strength of your claims.

Formulas and key language

Use it for	Example	Another example
I endorse [source]'s claim that [idea].	I endorse Lee's claim that meal planning reduces waste.	I endorse Patel's view that clear prices help shoppers.
I qualify this claim because [limitation].	I qualify this claim because the survey covers few families.	I qualify this conclusion because delivery fees vary.
[Source] offers useful evidence, but [limitation].	Lee offers useful figures, but the sample is small.	Patel provides detailed records, but only for one town.
Some argue that [view], while others contend that [alternative].	Some argue that online shopping saves time, while others stress delivery costs.	Some argue that meal plans reduce waste, while others stress changing schedules.
I contend that [position] because [reason].	I contend that meal planning helps because it limits unnecessary purchases.	I contend that price labels matter because shoppers need clear information.
[Source] states that [claim]; this suggests [commentary].	Lee states that waste fell; this suggests planning may help.	Patel reports lower costs; this suggests prices deserve closer attention.
Although [strength], [source] does not establish [limit].	Although Lee records less waste, the survey does not establish the cause.	Although Patel compares many shops, the report does not track every household.
I extend [source]'s argument by considering [extra point].	I extend Lee's argument by considering storage habits.	I extend Patel's argument by considering delivery charges.
This evidence supports [limited claim], rather than [broader claim].	This evidence supports careful planning, rather than guaranteed savings.	This evidence supports clearer labels, rather than lower prices everywhere.

UK / US: British and American English may differ in spelling and punctuation. Follow the style required by your course or publication. Keep it consistent.

Level up: Replace basic words (good, very, nice) with stronger ones. See our A2 to C2 upgrades page.

Model text

Do Meal Plans Really Reduce Food Waste?

1. Main position

Meal planning can reduce household food waste, but its success depends on shopping habits and daily routines. The available evidence supports planning as a useful tool, rather than a complete solution.

The opening gives a clear position and limits its strength.

2. First source and fair acknowledgement

In a fictional 2025 report, Lee examines twenty families and records less discarded food after they begin planning meals. Lee describes planning as a 'simple cost-saving habit'. This evidence supports the view that organised shopping can prevent unnecessary purchases, and the report connects a practical change with a measurable result.

The writer presents the source fairly and uses one short quotation.

3. Critical qualification

However, Lee's small sample limits the findings. The report also fails to separate the effects of planning from changes in household income or shopping frequency. I therefore qualify Lee's conclusion: the results suggest a useful link, but they do not prove that planning alone caused the reduction.

The writer identifies specific limits and explains their effect.

4. Comparison and independent judgement

A second fictional study by Patel (2026) examines 180 households and finds that storage habits also affect waste. Patel's wider sample strengthens the case for examining everyday routines, although it does not show that planning is unimportant. I contend that both sources support a balanced conclusion. Meal plans can help families buy only what they need, while sensible storage protects food already purchased. Lee identifies one practical benefit, and Patel extends the discussion by showing why planning cannot explain every result. Together, their findings support meal planning as one useful measure, not a guaranteed answer for every household.

The final section compares both sources and develops a measured conclusion.

Common mistakes

✗ Lee's survey proves that meal planning always works.

✓ Lee's survey suggests that meal planning can reduce waste.

A small survey cannot prove that a method always works.

✗ Patel's report is useless because its results differ.

✓ Patel's report is useful, but its results differ.

Different results deserve careful comparison, not automatic rejection.

✗ I totally refute Lee's argument.

✓ I partly challenge Lee's argument.

Challenge is more suitable when some evidence remains useful.

✗ Lee states, food waste fell after planning.

✓ Lee states that food waste fell after planning.

The word that connects the source's claim to your sentence.

✗ Meal planning reduces waste. This is a proven fact.

✓ Meal planning may reduce waste. This is a supported possibility.

The stronger claim needs stronger evidence than a limited study provides.

✗ Lee says planning saves money, and planning saves money.

✓ Lee argues that planning saves money, a claim supported by the reported figures.

Repeating a source's claim adds little unless you explain its value.

Plan it, then check it

Plan

Write your main position in one sentence.
Record each source's claim and strongest evidence.
Note one strength and one limitation for each source.
Decide whether to endorse, qualify, challenge, refute, or extend each claim.
Plan your own conclusion and choose any short quotation carefully.

Check

Have I represented both sources fairly?
Does each stance verb match the evidence?
Have I explained why each strength or weakness matters?
Have I credited quotations and paraphrases?
Does my final judgement add my own reasoning?

Practice

EXERCISE:

Choose a precise stance

Choose the phrase that best matches the evidence and the writer's position.

1.A study supports the claim that planning reduces waste. You agree with its main finding.

Endorse shows support for a claim that the evidence backs.

2.A survey supports meal planning, but it includes only eight families.

Qualify accepts a claim while recognising its limits.

3.A report claims that all shops have lower prices, but it checks one shop.

Challenge questions a conclusion that the evidence cannot fully support.

4.A writer argues that meal planning reduces waste. You add evidence about food storage.

Extend means adding a relevant idea to an existing argument.

5.A reliable test directly contradicts a claim that a product contains no sugar.

Refute is suitable when strong evidence shows that a claim is wrong.

6.Two reports support different parts of an argument. You accept only the supported points.

Partial acceptance shows agreement with limits rather than complete support.

Now write

Your task

Write a paragraph of 120-160 words about whether meal planning reduces food waste. Use these two fictional sources. Source A: Lee's 2025 survey examined twenty families. It recorded less discarded food after meal planning began. Lee says planning is a simple way to reduce waste. Source B: Patel's 2026 study examined 180 households. It found that storage habits and household routines also affected waste. Patel says planning alone cannot explain every result. Present both sources fairly. Acknowledge at least one strength and one limitation. Use two stance verbs and explain your own position. Include one short quotation or one clear paraphrase, with source credit. Finish with a judgement that follows from the evidence.

Target: 120-160 words

Word bank

endorsequalifychallengeextendconcedeevidencelimitationsamplefindingssuggests thatin contrastto some extentsupports the viewtaken togetherindependent judgement

Sentence starters

The question of food waste depends partly on...
Lee's survey offers useful evidence because...
One limitation of this study is...
Patel extends the discussion by showing that...
I qualify the first claim because...
Taken together, the findings suggest that...

Use the fictional sources and made-up details provided here. Do not share private family or financial information.

Instant feedback on your own text is part of Premium.

Check your writing

Have I stated my own position clearly?
Have I represented each source fairly?
Have I chosen stance verbs that match my evidence?
Have I explained the strengths and limits of both sources?
Have I credited borrowed ideas and added my own judgement?

← Build a Sustained Critical Argument Write Abstracts, Syntheses and Policy Briefs →