Examine the essay for fair usage of claims and counter-claims. Search the essay for concessions to opposing viewpoints, which adds a tone of fairness to the essay.
Fact check each claim to ensure its correctness and whether it's using the latest information.
Apply a dash of skepticism while reading the essay. Ask yourself if the grounds for the argument are indeed valid. Is the basis for the argument drawn from the writer's personal experience or from the collective opinion of experts on the subject? Examine if the writer's claims are based from incorrect reasoning (logical fallacy), such as an argument based on a personal attack (ad hominem), an argument equating a lack of evidence as proof (ad ignorantium) or an argument stating something to be true because it is popular (ad populi).
Look for vague phrasing or generalizations that undermine arguments that should be based on specific evidence.