Checkpoint Self evaluation checklist:

Research question:
​Have I avoided having a double barreled research question as my title?
Example: How does social media affect teenagers’ relationships and wellbeing?
​Have I included a question mark for my research question?

1.​ Introduction:

✅ 1. Hook (Engaging Start)

​Have I grabbed the reader’s attention with an interesting fact, statistic, or
thought-provoking statement?
​Have I avoided overly emotional or opinion-based language?
​Is my hook relevant to my research topic?

✅ 2. Focus (Clear Topic & Scope)

​Have I clearly introduced the issue I am exploring?
​Have I briefly explained the problem at both a global and national level?
​Have I avoided adding solutions in my introduction?

✅ 3. Thesis (Clear Purpose & Formal Tone)

​Have I clearly stated the focus of my report (what my research will explore)?
​Have I avoided using first-person pronouns (e.g., "I think" or "In my opinion")?
​Does my introduction lead logically into my global and national perspectives?

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2.​ Global Perspective:

✅ 1. Have I clearly explained the global causes of the issue?

​Have I identified at least two or more global causes of the issue?
​Have I explained why these causes are happening instead of just listing them?
​Have I considered wider contributing factors (e.g., political, economic,
environmental)?

✅ 2. Have I clearly explained the global consequences of the issue?

 ​Have I identified at least two or more global consequences?
​Have I explained how these consequences create a domino effect?
​Have I connected the short-term effects to long-term impacts on societies,
economies, or the environment?

✅ 3. Have I used statistics to show the severity of the issue?

​Have I included at least one relevant statistic (percentage, number, trend)?
​Have I explained what this statistic means and why it is important?
​Have I ensured my statistics are directly related to the global issue (not just general
information)?

✅ 4. Have I clearly explained why my perspective is global?

​Have I made it clear that this issue is not just affecting one country but multiple
regions worldwide?
​Have I included evidence from multiple countries or global organizations (e.g., UN,
World Bank, WHO)?
​Have I avoided focusing too much on just one country, which would make the
paragraph too narrow?
​Have I avoided including a solution to the issue in this paragraph as this paragraph
should be focussed on the issue on a global scale without discussing any solutions
yet?

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3.​ National Perspective:

✅ 1. Have I chosen an appropriate country?

​Have I selected one country where the issue is still a major problem?
​Have I avoided choosing a country where the issue has already been resolved?

✅ 2. Have I clearly explained the causes of the issue in my chosen country?

​Have I identified at least two or more key causes of the issue?
​Have I explained why these causes are happening rather than just listing them?
​Have I considered wider factors (e.g., economic, environmental, political)
contributing to the issue?

✅ 3. Have I clearly explained the consequences of the issue in my chosen country?

​Have I identified at least two or more consequences?
 ​Have I explained how these consequences create a domino effect?
​Have I linked short-term consequences to long-term economic, social, or
environmental impacts?

✅ 4. Have I included relevant statistics and explained them?

​Have I included at least one statistic (percentage, number, trend) that demonstrates
the severity of the issue?
​Have I explained what this statistic means and how it relates to the issue?
​Have I ensured my statistics are directly connected to the causes or consequences of
the issue in my chosen country?

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4.​ Comparing perspectives

✅ 1. Have I directly compared my global and national perspectives?

​Have I identified at least one similarity or difference between my global and national
perspectives?
​Have I avoided introducing new information or examples that were not previously
discussed?

✅ 2. Have I explained the similarity or difference clearly?

​Have I explained why the similarity or difference exists instead of just stating it?
​Have I used comparative language (e.g., "Similarly," "However," "While," "In
contrast") to show the relationship between the two perspectives?

✅ 3. Have I supported my comparison with evidence?

​Have I linked my comparison to specific causes, consequences, or statistics
mentioned in my previous paragraphs?
​Have I avoided vague statements such as "Both perspectives are affected by the
issue" without further explanation?

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5.​ Course of action:

✅ 1. Is the solution clearly explained?

​Have I described ONE specific course of action?
 ​Have I explained how this solution would be implemented in my chosen country?
​Have I avoided vague statements like “Governments should take action” without
specifying what action?

✅ 2. Have I addressed funding?

​Does my solution require funding?
​If so, where would the money come from (e.g., government budgets, taxes,
international aid, private investment)?
​Have I realistically explained how much investment is needed and how it would be
managed?

✅ 3. Have I explained the government’s role?

​Have I clearly stated which government bodies or agencies would be responsible?
​Have I identified specific actions the government would take (e.g., creating policies,
enforcing laws, providing subsidies, launching awareness campaigns)?

✅ 4. Have I provided a research-based comparison?

​Have I compared my solution to a country that has already implemented something
similar?
​Have I explained how successful or unsuccessful this solution was in that country?
​Have I avoided introducing entirely new locations or ideas that were not mentioned
in the global or national perspectives paragraphs?

✅ 5. Have I analyzed the long-term impact?

​Have I explained how my solution will reduce the issue in the long term?
​Have I discussed any potential challenges or limitations of my solution?
​Have I avoided weak conclusions like "This solution has potential but needs careful
planning"?

✅ Final Check:
​Is my paragraph based on research, not opinion?
​Have I used specific examples, data, or expert sources to support my claims?
​Does my paragraph directly address the research question?

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6.​ Evaluation of sources:

✅ 1. Have I evaluated two sources without mentioning the CRAAP test?
​Have I avoided directly stating “I used the CRAAP test” and instead focused on
analyzing the reliability of the sources?
​Have I naturally incorporated some aspects of currency, relevance, authority,
accuracy, and purpose, rather than trying to cover all of them? (The word limit likely
won’t allow you to cover all of them, but if it does, then include all of them)

✅ 2. Have I commented on the date of each source and explained its impact?
​Have I mentioned when the source was published?
​If the source is outdated, have I explained what relevant recent information might
be missing?
​If the source is recent, have I explained why that makes it more reliable for my
research?

✅ 3. Have I evaluated the authority of the source?

​Have I stated who wrote the source (if an author is available)?
​If the author is an expert, have I explained how their background makes the source
more reliable?
​If no author is mentioned, have I explained how this affects the credibility of the
source?

✅ 4. Have I discussed potential bias or objectivity?

​Have I commented on whether the source is neutral or biased?
​If the source is biased, have I explained how this could affect the information
presented?
​If the source is objective, have I explained why this makes it more credible?
(objective = not influenced by personal feelings, not opinionated)

✅ 5. Have I explained how the source impacted my research?

​Have I clearly stated how this source helped me understand my topic?
​Have I mentioned whether the information was useful, reliable, or needed further
verification?
​Have I linked my evaluation back to my research question?

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7.​ Reflection:
✅ 1. Have I clearly explained how my perspective has changed or developed?
​Have I stated what I originally thought about the issue before conducting research?
​Have I explained how my understanding has changed based on what I learned?
​Have I avoided vague statements like "I learned a lot" or "This research was
interesting"?

✅ 2. Have I referenced my research to support my reflection?

​Have I referred to at least one research finding that influenced my perspective?
​Have I mentioned specific information from my global or national perspective
paragraphs to show how my research shaped my thinking?
​Have I avoided making generalized statements without evidence (e.g., "Food prices
have gone up")?

✅ 3. Have I explained why this new understanding is important?

​Have I explained why the information I learned matters beyond just stating facts?
​Have I discussed how this issue affects people, communities, or policies?
​Have I avoided making opinion-based or emotional statements that are not
supported by research?

✅ 4. Have I clearly explained how this research will influence my future thinking or
actions? (If your word count allows for it)

​Have I stated how this research has impacted the way I think about the issue in the
future?
​Have I provided a specific example of how I might apply this knowledge (e.g.,
changing behaviors, making informed decisions, or considering different viewpoints)?
​Have I avoided weak conclusions like "This research was eye-opening" without
explanation?

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8.​ Conclusion:

✅ 1. Have I clearly restated my research question and provided a direct answer?

​Have I rephrased my research question in the conclusion?
​Have I provided a clear, research-based answer to the question?
​Have I avoided vague statements like "This issue is a big problem" without explaining
why?
✅ 2. Have I summarized the key points from my report?
​Have I summarized the global perspective without introducing new information?
​Have I summarized the national perspective without adding new details?
​If my report includes a course of action (solution), have I briefly referenced it?
​Have I avoided mentioning countries or examples that were not discussed in the
report?

✅ 3. Have I provided a strong final thought?

​Have I included a final statement that reinforces my research findings?
​Have I explained why the issue is important for the future or how it might develop
over time?
​Have I avoided overly broad or vague statements like "Governments should do more
to fix this issue."?

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9.​ Bibliography:

✅ 1. Have I formatted my bibliography consistently?

​Have I used the same citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) for all my sources?
​Have I avoided mixing different citation formats in my bibliography?

✅ 2. Is my bibliography properly aligned?

​Is my bibliography left-aligned instead of centered?
​Have I used a hanging indent (where the second and following lines of each citation
are indented)?

✅ 3. Have I arranged my bibliography correctly?

​Are my sources listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name (or title if no
author is available)?

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10.​Grammar, Spelling & Structure Self-Check

✅ Is my report ready for final submission?

​Grammar & Spelling – Have I checked for typos, punctuation errors, and incorrect
verb tenses?
​Sentence Structure – Are my sentences clear, varied, and grammatically correct?
​Clarity & Flow – Have I avoided repetition and ensured my report follows a logical
structure?
​Have I used the same font and the same size for my entire report?
​Does my report follow a clear structure (introduction → global perspective →
national perspective → comparison → solution → source evaluation → reflection →
conclusion → bibliography)?
​Have I removed all subtitles for each paragraph and double checked my word count
is below 1,000 words?