The author's position or conclusion, developed and supported with reasons and evidence.
Argument
The lens through which someone understands an issue, shaped by experience, values, or position.
Perspective
How trustworthy a source is — author expertise, publisher, evidence, citations, date, bias.
Credibility
A weakness affecting how confidently a claim, study, or solution can be applied.
Limitation
Combining ideas from multiple sources into new understanding — not summarizing one, then the other.
Synthesis
A statement presented as true and supported with evidence — a main claim/thesis or a subclaim.
Claim
The specific opinion a person holds about an issue — what they actually believe.
Point of View
How directly a source connects to the research question. A source can be credible but not relevant.
Relevance
A possible consequence or meaning that follows from evidence: “This finding suggests that…”
Implication
When one source supports or confirms information from another source.
Corroboration
Claim → Evidence → Reasoning → Next Claim → Conclusion.
Line of Reasoning
A broad category for examining an issue: economic, political, social, cultural, ethical, and more.
Lens
A preference or tendency that shapes how information is presented — it doesn't make a source useless.
Bias
A direct result or outcome of an action, decision, or situation.
Consequence
When sources present conflicting claims, evidence, or conclusions.
Contradiction
Statistics, studies, expert testimony, historical examples, or case studies that support a claim.
Evidence
A person or group affected by, or with an interest in, an issue.
Stakeholder
The expertise, qualifications, or experience that make someone knowledgeable on a subject.
Authority
Why a finding, argument, or issue matters — why anyone should care.
Significance
When a source agrees with an idea but adds conditions or exceptions.
Qualification
The explanation of how or why evidence supports a claim — evidence is “what,” commentary is “so what?”
Commentary / Reasoning
How realistic a solution is: cost, time, resources, support, and implementation.
Feasibility
How recent or up-to-date the information is.
Currency
An argument or position that challenges the author's claim.
Counterargument
Sources may agree, disagree, extend, qualify, complicate, or corroborate one another.
Connection