LITC 525: Research-Based Professional Article
Assignment Checklist
Conventions & APA Format
_____ All pages clearly numbered
_____ Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation (i.e., no major problems)
_____ Correct verb tense (past, present, future)
_____ Use of numbers in the text
_____ No longer than 10 pages
_____ Paragraphs include topic sentences supported by details. Clear transitions link paragraphs together to create flow and unity.
_____ Order of paragraphs makes sense. (e.g., your ideas flow logically from one to another)
_____ All written text is the original work of the student and is not lifted or paraphrased from any other source except where properly cited.
_____ Direct quotations are used sparingly and only when the quoted material makes the point with better precision or more elegantly than the student can paraphrase. Direct quotations are cited according to APA conventions.
_____ All statements paraphrased from others’ research or expert opinion are properly cited (e.g., appropriate use of “et al.”, date of publication, and use of page numbers in citations).
Introduction
_____ The introduction has a smooth lead sentence, clearly states the question/issue, and establishes the question/issue’s importance.
_____ Introduction ends with a statement that summarizes what will follow in the rest of the paper (e.g., “This paper will review the research on …. in order to …”).
_____ Obvious and effective organization. Writing is structured so that the reader can clearly see how the issue/question relates to professional practice in a meaningful way. Clear transitions link paragraphs together to create flow and unity.
Review of Research
_____ Reviews at least three research studies that meet criteria for scientifically-based reading research (Allington, 2006, p. 24-25).
_____ Review of each study provides information on the purpose or goal of the study, subjects, method/procedure, and relevant findings. Each review contains only the information that is most pertinent to the issue/question being studied.
_____ Obvious and effective organization. Writing is structured so that the reader can clearly see how the research articles pertain to the issue/question, and how each research study relates to the others. Clear transitions link research articles together to create flow and unity.
Discussion of Research
_____ Discussion explains what professionals can do to make use of the research findings cited in the paper.
_____ Discusses the main points of the research reviewed. In other words, whatever research findings you presented in the Review of Research must also be discussed in the Discussion section.
_____ Obvious and effective organization. Writing is structured so that the reader can clearly see how the discussion relates to the issue/question and to the research studies reviewed.
Conclusion
_____ Clear synthesizing statement that reminds the reader of the issue/question, reviews what was found in the research cited, and summarizes the implications for professional practice.
_____ Engaging closing sentence/paragraph wraps up the article.
References
_____ Complete bibliographic references in appropriate APA style for all citations that appear within the body of the paper.
_____ Only those citations that appear in the paper are included in the References.
Adapted from Writing a Research Paper: Revision
by the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResearchW/revise.html
LITC 525 1
Research-Based Professional Article Checklist