<aside> 👉 We highly recommend using this checklist to self-review your Research job before submitting it.

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• [ ] Ensure the entire report is well-organized, i.e., includes Key Takeaways, an Introduction section, bullets and headers, in-line citations, helpful images/charts/graphs (if any), and a Research Strategy section.
• [ ] Key Takeaways: Capture 3-5 Key Takeaways from the research in bullet points at the top of the report under the “Key Takeaways” header. Consider the main points of interest that directly address the client’s question.
• [ ] Introduction: In 1-2 short paragraphs, provide an outline of your research and a high-level overview of your findings under the “Introduction” header. If applicable, cite any shared documents (e.g., spreadsheets) created for the client in this section in a separate, bolded row at the end of the introduction.
• [ ] Findings: Only include relevant information in your findings.
  • [ ] Answer/address all parts of the client’s ask. Meet the full project expectations as outlined in the Research Criteria.
  • [ ] Cite all statistics, quotes, and findings pulled from an external source. Include at least one in-line citation per bullet point. Avoid citing full sentences, i.e., limit citations to 1-5 words.
  • [ ] Cite a direct link to quotes, text, and statistics obtained from the source.
  • [ ] Use credible/reliable sources. Avoid sources that are biased, unsubstantiated, significantly out-of-date, or "open source," i.e., editable by anyone (e.g., Wikipedia, Medium, and Quora).
• [ ] Research Strategy: In 1-2 short paragraphs, detail the research paths you took in producing the report. Define any criteria used and/or provide a logical explanation of the reasoning behind any assumptions made. If a triangulation/calculation was performed, outline the math for the client.
• [ ] Client Updates: If the research was a Client Update (partial or full), follow the requirements and format on the Client Updates page.
  • [ ] If it is a FULL Client Update, the first Key Takeaway should let the client know that the information was not available.
  • [ ] Address what we could not find in the Introduction and tell the client what we provided instead. State they can find more information on the logic in the Research Strategy Section.
  • [ ] In the Research Strategy, share three unique strategies used to obtain the information and what we found instead.
  • [ ] Provide a hypothesis as to why the information was unavailable in the Research Strategy.
  • [ ] Note: If the Research Criteria contain the words "as available" or "if available", the client is aware that we may not be able to provide the specific information requested. In these cases, a PCU/FCU is not required, but a brief explanation is. This explanation may be 1 - 2 sentences and must be supported by at least one source. (Example of an acceptable explanation: Due to this industry's involvement in a lot of transnational companies, we found that reports [supporting link] analyze the market on a global or regional basis, so we have provided global rather than US figures.)
• [ ] Avoid spelling/grammar mistakes, awkward phrasing, and plagiarism. Check your work using a free spell-checker (e.g., Grammarly) and this free plagiarism tool.
• [ ] Propose at least one Follow Up Request. Scope Follow Up Requests as single research paths and write them using the Interpret Research Criteria structure (use action verb as an opener and quantify research expectations). Only propose research path(s) for which data is available.

<aside> 💡 "Curiosity and creativity aren't just important; they are among the essential human activities."

• Glenn Kelman, American businessman

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