Research Paper Writing Checklist

A student taking notes.
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A research paper checklist is an essential tool because the task of putting together a quality paper involves many steps. Nobody writes a perfect report in one sitting!

Before you get started on your project, you should review the checklist on ​research ethics.

Later, once you have finished the final draft of your research paper, you can use this checklist to make sure that you have remembered all the details.

Research Paper Checklist

First Paragraph and Introduction Yes Needs Work
Introductory sentence is interesting
The thesis sentence is specific
The thesis statement makes a clear declaration that I back up with examples
Body Paragraphs Yes Needs Work
Does each paragraph begin with a good topic sentence?
Do I provide clear evidence to support my thesis?
Have I used examples with citations evenly throughout the work?
Do my paragraphs flow in a logical manner?
Have I used clear transition sentences?
Paper Format Yes Needs Work
Title page meets assignment requirements
Page numbers are in the right location on the page
Page numbers start and stop on the right pages
Each citation has a bibliography entry
In-text citations checked for proper formatting
Proofreading Yes Needs Work
I've checked for confusing word errors
I've checked for logical flow
My summary restates my thesis in different words
Meeting the Assignment Yes Needs Work
I mention previous research or positions on this topic
My paper is the right length
I've used enough sources
I've included the required variety of source types
Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Fleming, Grace. "Research Paper Writing Checklist." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/research-paper-checklist-1857263. Fleming, Grace. (2023, April 5). Research Paper Writing Checklist. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/research-paper-checklist-1857263 Fleming, Grace. "Research Paper Writing Checklist." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/research-paper-checklist-1857263 (accessed March 29, 2024).