This document provides a checklist for evaluating a research paper. It includes questions about the structure and format of the paper, the clarity and support of the thesis, use of evidence, citation style, logical flow of ideas, and conclusion. The checklist examines elements like whether the paper has an abstract, page numbers, indented paragraphs, and 1-inch margins. It also evaluates whether the thesis is clear, if sufficient evidence is provided to support the thesis through at least four credible sources cited in APA style, and if the conclusion synthesizes the discussion without leaving unanswered questions.

1. 1.
Is there an abstract with a list of keywords preceding the
research paper?
Cover page?
Page numbers?
Indented paragraphs?
1” margins?
A total of 5 pages, not including the cover page, abstract and
references page?
2. Introduction: Is the thesis clear? What is it?
Does it appear soon enough in the paper?
What questions does the thesis promise to answer? There are
usually three, sometimes two, sometimes four or more.
1
2
3

2. Introduction: Is there some background given in the
introduction that gives you some idea of why this topic is
important or timely or relevant? What is it?
Introduction: Is there an engaging first sentence?
Is it an interesting fact,
alarming statistic,
question,
quote,
story
Introduction: Is there any terminology you need defined sooner
to better understand the discussion that follows?
Body: In which paragraphs has each of the thesis questions been
answered?
1
2

3. 3
Body: Evidence: Has evidence been given to back up the claims
made the research paper?
Since the research paper is required to have four sources, you
should find at least
four different sources
cited in APA style as in-text citations (also called parenthetical
citations).
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Body: Evidence: What type of evidence is each of the above –
data, studies, expert opinion?

4. Body: Evidence: Is there enough evidence given to be
convincing? Could it be improved?
i.
How?
updated statistics, any statistics, an explanation for conflicting
statistics
a quote from an expert,
a more credible source, a primary source,
a case history or example
Body: Evidence: Are the in-text citations done properly in APA
style?
Were you able to easily match up the in-text citation with the
first word(s) in the References page?
Body: Evidence: In each paragraph, does the writer explain how
each piece of evidence is pertinent to the thesis? If not, where?

5. Remember paragraph structure:
i.
Topic sentence
ii.
Support sentences
iii.
Closing sentence to help integrate the information in the support
sentences with the topic sentence
and with the paper’s thesis
.
Body: Evidence: Are there any in-text (parenthetical) citations
missing for quotations, expert opinion or data? Where?
i.
Were there any citations given for paraphrasing? Where?

6. ii. Are there any claims made that don't have
evidence for them? That are based solely on the writer's
opinion?
Body: Evidence: Are the cited sources credible and
convincing?
Do any of the quotations or opinions or data need a signal
phrase
i.
to explain who the author is and why the author is credible
ii.
or where the data comes from?
Body: Is there a logical progression of ideas?
Did each idea help support the thesis, or is something missing
that would help you better understand the writer’s points?
Are there transitions missing that would help you understand

7. how an idea, paragraph or sentence is connected to the one
before it? Where?
Body: Are there any sentences that are too long and convoluted
to be easily understood? Where could they be broken down into
more than one sentence?
Are there any personal pronouns (“I, me, mine, you/your”)?
Where?
If “you/your/yours“ is used, is it being used strategically to
directly address the reader?
Is it always clear who” they” are or what “it is? If not, where?
Conclusion: Is there a conclusion?
What does the conclusion do? What type of conclusion is it?
Does it ask something of the reader? Of some other group or
institutions?
Does it make a recommendation or give advice?
Does it inform the reader of proposed or possible solutions to a
problem?

8. Is it a call to action? Tor awareness, education?
Does it speculate about the future?
Or does it make an observation based on what has been learned
in the course of reading the research paper?
Conclusion: Are you left with any questions about the
subject/argument?
No more than 20% of the paper is quotes (80/20 rule).
References: Is there a References page in proper APA style?
Is the heading bold and centered?
Is the list alphabetized?
Are hanging indents used?
Are there at least four sources?
Are about half of them primary?
Are the names of the publications included in primary source
citations?

9. Is each electronically accessed source followed by a doi: or
URL?
you may work off the essay provided. add to it. this needs to be
done within 4 hours!