ResearchUnboxed / Original worksheet
Critical reading checklist
Slow down a persuasive claim and examine what actually supports it.
Working title: __________________________________ Date: ______________
01 / Claim
State the main claim in one sentence. Separate it from the author’s opinion.
02 / Evidence
Identify the figure, quotation or observation supporting the claim. Is the source traceable?
03 / Methods
Does the design fit the question? Who or what is missing from the sample?
04 / Uncertainty
Record measurement limits, ambiguous passages or competing interpretations.
05 / Alternative explanation
Name a confounder or another reading that could account for the evidence.
06 / Follow-up question
What evidence would most change your judgement?
07 / Reliability check
Check author expertise, publication context, date, citations and potential conflicts.
Use locally; this worksheet does not submit or store your answers. Seek faculty guidance before sensitive, human-participant or laboratory work.