A checklist turns a task into a set of yes-or-no tests. Comparing your final output with the original checklist means testing the actual file against every requirement, not against your memory of doing the work.
This is the closing step of document editing and proofing, and it connects to the evidence habits in file organisation and evidence. It also catches faults from the earlier lessons, such as unintended find-and-replace changes and hand-made styles.
Why is a final check necessary?
Edits interact. Fixing a heading may push text onto a new page.
Replacing a word may change a line length. A requirement that was satisfied ten minutes ago can quietly stop being satisfied.
A final check is also the only point where you look at the whole document against the whole task, instead of one change at a time.
A routine, step by step
- Build the checklist before you start editing, one yes-or-no line per instruction.
- Edit the document, ticking items off in your notes as you complete them.
- Save the final version, then open it fresh.
- Test each line against the document. Mark yes, no, or unsure.
- Fix every no, then re-test the whole list, because one fix can break another item.
- Record the result, for example 7 of 9 met at first check and 9 of 9 after fixes.
Worked example
An invented club notice task has 9 requirements, written as a checklist.
| # | Requirement | First check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title “Book Sale” sits above all other text, centred | Yes |
| 2 | Date matches the note: Saturday 14 March | Yes |
| 3 | Room matches the note: Room 4 | Yes |
| 4 | All 3 headings use the heading style | No |
| 5 | Picture is present and right aligned | Yes |
| 6 | Source line is under the table | Yes |
| 7 | Table has a header row | Yes |
| 8 | Notice fits on one page | No |
| 9 | No spelling errors | Yes |
Count: 7 yes and 2 no, so 7 of 9 requirements are met.
Why the two fail: clicking inside the third heading shows the normal body style, so it was formatted by hand. The spill onto page two is caused by the extra line spacing of that hand-made heading plus two empty paragraphs.
Fix: apply the heading style to the third heading and delete the two empty paragraphs. Re-test everything: item 4 is now yes, and the notice fits on one page, so item 8 is yes. The other 7 items are still yes, giving 9 of 9.
The mistake to watch for
A student fixes item 4 and ticks it, but does not re-test the rest.
Mistaken result: Item 4 is fixed, but the heading change pushed the source line to page two, so item 6 now fails without anyone noticing.
The student trusted that a single fix affected a single item. The correction is to re-test the whole checklist after each fix, not only the line you worked on.
Check yourself
1. A checklist has 12 items. After the first check, 9 are met. How many need fixing, and how many should you re-test after the fixes?
Show answer
3 need fixing. After fixing them, re-test all 12, because a fix can disturb an item that was already met.
2. The task says “include the club name in the footer”. The footer is empty but the club name is in the title. Is the requirement met?
Show answer
No. The requirement names the footer specifically. Having the name elsewhere does not meet it.
3. Why should you open the saved file rather than check the file still open on screen?
Show answer
The saved file is what will be submitted. Opening it confirms that your changes were saved and that the layout, page count and references are as you see them.
Where this leads next
You have now covered the full editing cycle. Put it together in the document editing practice set, and use the ICT practical task and evidence checker to run a checklist on your own task. Record any slip in the mistake log and retest queue so that you retest it later.
If you would like a teacher to design a checking routine around your real tasks, our online one-to-one ICT tuition can include that.