Grade: 12 Subject: ELA Unit: Research Project SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading, English

Unit Checkpoint: Research Project

Instructions

This checkpoint assesses your mastery of research skills including thesis development, source evaluation, citation, and synthesis. Complete all sections.

  • Section A: Research Concepts (6 questions)
  • Section B: Source Evaluation (3 questions)
  • Section C: Thesis and Synthesis (3 questions)

Section A: Research Concepts

1. What distinguishes a primary source from a secondary source?

A) Primary sources are always older
B) Primary sources provide firsthand evidence; secondary sources analyze or interpret
C) Secondary sources are more reliable
D) Primary sources are only found in libraries

2. Which citation style is most commonly used in humanities disciplines?

A) APA   B) MLA   C) Chicago   D) IEEE

3. What is the CRAAP test used for?

A) Testing reading comprehension
B) Evaluating source credibility
C) Checking grammar errors
D) Formatting citations

4. Which element is NOT typically part of a strong thesis statement?

A) A clear claim
B) Specific scope
C) Personal opinion phrases like "I think"
D) Arguable position

5. Paraphrasing requires:

A) Using quotation marks
B) No citation needed
C) Restating ideas in your own words with citation
D) Copying sentences exactly

6. An annotated bibliography includes:

A) Only citation information
B) Citations plus summaries and evaluations
C) Just the source titles
D) Direct quotes from each source

Section B: Source Evaluation

7. A website ends in .org. This domain suffix:

A) Guarantees the source is reliable
B) Indicates a non-profit organization but requires further evaluation
C) Means it's a government source
D) Should never be used for research

8. You find an article on climate change from 2005. When would this source be most appropriate to use?

A) Never—it's too old
B) For historical context or showing how understanding has evolved
C) As your primary source of current data
D) Only if you can't find newer sources

9. Which source would be MOST reliable for medical research claims?

A) A popular health blog
B) A peer-reviewed journal article
C) A pharmaceutical company website
D) A social media post by a doctor

Section C: Thesis and Synthesis

10. Revise this weak thesis into a strong one: "Social media is bad for teenagers."

11. You have three sources that disagree about the effectiveness of online learning. How should you handle this in your research paper?

12. Write a brief synthesis paragraph (3-4 sentences) that integrates the following two claims:
Source A: "Remote work increases employee productivity by 13%."
Source B: "Remote workers report higher rates of isolation and burnout."

Answer Key

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  1. B — Primary sources provide firsthand evidence (diaries, original research, historical documents); secondary sources analyze or interpret them
  2. B — MLA (Modern Language Association) is standard for humanities; APA is used in social sciences
  3. B — CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) helps evaluate source credibility
  4. C — Strong thesis statements avoid "I think/believe" and state claims directly
  5. C — Paraphrasing means restating in your own words; citation is still required to credit the original idea
  6. B — Annotated bibliographies include full citations plus brief summaries and evaluations of each source
  7. B — .org indicates non-profit but doesn't guarantee reliability; still evaluate using CRAAP criteria
  8. B — Older sources can show historical context or how scientific understanding has changed over time
  9. B — Peer-reviewed journals undergo expert evaluation; other sources may have bias or lack verification
  10. Sample strong thesis: "Excessive social media use among teenagers correlates with increased anxiety and decreased face-to-face social skills, suggesting schools should implement digital literacy programs that teach healthy usage habits."
  11. Sample response: Present all perspectives, analyze their methodologies and evidence, identify points of agreement/disagreement, and explain which argument is most convincing based on evidence quality. Use synthesis to build your own informed conclusion.
  12. Sample synthesis: "While remote work offers measurable productivity gains, with studies showing increases of up to 13%, this benefit must be weighed against psychological costs. Research indicates that remote workers experience higher rates of isolation and burnout, suggesting that hybrid models may better balance efficiency with employee wellbeing."