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History Seminar Research Paper Guide: Step 6: Final Review

Evaluate your paper!

Once you have written your paper you can evaluate it.  What does this mean? 

Read it! 

  • You can start by checking the spelling, grammar and punctuation; don't rely on the computer to do this for you.  There are many words that if spelled differently have different meanings such as "due" and "do".  The computer cannot tell you if you have the right word. 
  • Does the paper flow well? 
  • Does it say what you want it to say? 
  • Have you cited the resources you used? 

It is always a good idea to have someone else read your paper.  They will catch things like incomplete thoughts and a lack of information in areas because they have fresh eyes.  Sometimes we think we are being clear, but we really aren't...that is where someone else comes in handy.  They can tell you if your paper makes sense.

Is the result effective and complete?

If so you are done.  Remember to save your paper in at least two places and to have two copies of the finished product.

Research Paper Checklist

Research Paper Checklist

___ Is the font size 12?

___ Is the font Times New Roman?  

___ Are the margins 1 inch?

___ Does the heading include my name, teacher’s name, class, and due date in that order?

___ Is the heading double spaced?

___ Is the heading on the left side of the page?

___ Does the heading only appear on the first page?

___ Is my last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner of every page?

___ Is the title centered?

___ Do I have a thesis statement in my introduction?

___ Do the words I, Me, You, or Your appear in the paper?  REMOVE THEM

___ Did I use formal language?

___ Do I have footnotes?

___ Do footnotes appear at least once in every paragraph?

___ Are the footnotes in proper Chicago style?

___ Did I use transitions between ideas and paragraphs?

___ Did I paraphrase my sources properly instead of copying directly?  

___ Did I follow my outline?

___ Do I have a conclusion?

___ Is my Works Cited page the last page of my paper?

___ Is it double spaced and with the sources arranged in alphabetical order?

___ Is my last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner?

___ Is the Works Cited title centered at the top of the page?

___ Did I use the required amount of sources?

optional

___ Do I have a typed outline?

___ Is the outline double spaced?