Which question ends the research process in the Pitts/Stripling model?

The final check: Is my paper satisfactory? How the Pitts/Stripling idea shapes your media research

If you’re exploring media topics—from how a news story is built to how audiences engage with content—you’ll find the Pitts/Stripling approach surprisingly helpful. It treats research like a journey with small, meaningful stopovers. Instead of sprinting from question to conclusion, you pause, reflect, and steady your course. And there the big, defining question sits at the end: Is my paper satisfactory? It’s the moment when you decide whether you’ve told a clear, well-supported story or if you still have work to do.

Here’s the thing about this concluding question: it isn’t a buzzkill. It’s a compass. It nudges you to compare what you produced against the goals you set at the start, the questions you meant to answer, and the needs of your audience. In media work, that means your final piece should not only be accurate; it should also be persuasive, accessible, and ethically solid. When you ask, “Is this satisfactory?” you’re asking whether you’ve earned the trust of readers, listeners, or viewers.

What the Pitts/Stripling model gives you, in plain terms,

Think of the model as four checkpoints you walk through as you shape your project:

• What is the problem or question? You begin with a clear aim. What are you trying to understand or prove?

• What sources exist? You gather credible voices, data, and perspectives that illuminate the topic.

• What is the evidence? You analyze and organize the information so your argument is grounded, not just described.

• Is my paper satisfactory? You step back and judge the overall quality—does the work meet the initial goals, does it communicate clearly, and does it hold up under scrutiny?

If you can honestly answer yes to that last question, you’ve earned a solid result. If not, you know exactly where to revise. That clarity is the beauty of this framework, especially for media-focused work where audience, context, and ethics matter.

Why this final question matters for media study

Media specialists juggle several demands at once: accuracy, fairness, storytelling, and impact. A piece can be technically sound yet fail to speak to readers. Or it can be engaging but skim over important sources. The ending question helps you balance those forces. It’s not about puffing up your ego; it’s about ensuring your message is robust and useful.

In practice, this means asking:

• Does the work align with the purpose I set out at the start? If your goal was to compare two reporting styles, does your conclusion clearly reflect which approach worked better and why?

• Are the key arguments logical and well supported? Do the sources you cite actually justify the claims you make?

• Is the presentation clear enough for a diverse audience? In media, readers come from many backgrounds. A solid piece explains terms, avoids jargon overload, and uses concrete examples.

• Have I treated sources ethically and transparently? Proper attribution, credible sourcing, and fair representation of differing views are non-negotiable.

A practical way to judge satisfaction

Here’s a straightforward way to approach the final check without turning it into a mystery:

1. Revisit your goals. Open your draft and compare it with the original prompt or the research brief. Do the main questions get addressed? Do the conclusions flow from the evidence?

2. Read with a critical lens. Imagine you’re a skeptical editor. Do the arguments feel fair and persuasive? Are there gaps that need more data or a clearer tie between claim and proof?

3. Test the presentation. If someone unfamiliar with the topic reads it, do they get your point? Is the structure intuitive? Are the visuals, captions, or data excerpts clear and accurate?

4. Check evidence quality. Are sources up-to-date and credible? Have you balanced primary and secondary sources where appropriate? Are quotations placed to support, not clutter, your argument?

5. Reflect on impact. What should a reader do after finishing? Does the piece prompt responsible action, further inquiry, or a shift in understanding?

A quick, friendly checklist you can pull out anytime

• Clear goal: Is the purpose stated and met?

• Coherent argument: Do claims build logically from evidence?

• Source credibility: Are sources varied, reliable, and properly cited?

• Audience accessibility: Is terminology explained? Are examples concrete?

• Ethical handling: Is attribution transparent? Are perspectives fairly represented?

• Polished delivery: Is the writing tight, the formatting consistent, and the visuals accurate?

• Room for growth: Are there clear next steps or limitations acknowledged?

If you can answer yes to these, you’re probably looking at a piece that feels complete and responsible. If you find a no somewhere, that’s your signal to revise that area.

A newsroom analogy to keep it human

Picture this: a reporter finishes a draft of a feature about how communities use local libraries in the digital age. The newsroom boss asks: does this tell a true story, and can readers trust it? The reporter goes back to check the ledes, the sources, and the data visuals. Does the conclusion tie back to the opening question? When the piece finally lands, readers feel informed, not sold, and the newsroom earns credibility all around.

That same idea translates beautifully to your work. The final question—Is my paper satisfactory?—acts like a quality check you’d want a reader to apply before publishing. It’s about integrity as much as it is about polish.

Common traps and how to avoid them

Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to slip into habits that weaken the final result. Here are a few to watch out for, plus quick fixes:

• Overemphasizing style at the expense of substance. It’s tempting to craft lively prose, but if the central claims aren’t solid, the piece won’t withstand scrutiny. Fix: ensure every assertion is tethered to a source or data point, and keep paragraphs focused on one idea at a time.

• Relying too heavily on a single source. A lone voice can skew perspective. Fix: widen your reading; seek contrasting viewpoints and acknowledge limitations.

• Jargon without explanation. Technical terms can alienate readers. Fix: define terms the first time you use them and pepper in plain-language examples.

• Vague conclusions. If you end with a shrug of uncertainty, readers aren’t guided to what matters. Fix: restate what was learned and what this means for practice or further inquiry.

Grounding the idea in real skills you’ll carry forward

The ending question isn’t a one-off move for a single piece of work. It’s a habit of mind that serves you across media studies—from analysis of a film’s messaging strategy to an investigative report on information sources in a digital era. It encourages you to stay curious, but also honest with yourself about what you know and what you still need to learn.

As you gain experience, you’ll notice a gentle shift: you’ll start drafting with the end in mind, not as a bolt-on afterthought. You’ll structure your sources so they naturally support your conclusions. You’ll signal to readers how your findings matter in practical terms—whether for educators shaping curricula, journalists shaping coverage, or designers planning user experiences.

A few parting thoughts to carry along

• Don’t fear the final check. It’s not a verdict that shuts doors; it’s a doorway to better work.

• Let the audience guide you. If your target readers care about clarity, balance, and usefulness, your final question will naturally push you toward stronger, more responsible writing.

• Build a tiny support system. A brief peer review, a mentor’s note, or even a self-imposed rubric can illuminate gaps you might miss on your own.

In the end, the question Is my paper satisfactory? is more than a closing line. It’s a promise to yourself and your readers that you’ve done the hard work of weighing evidence, honoring sources, and presenting ideas with care. It’s the moment where research meets responsibility—and where your growth as a media thinker begins to show.

So next time you finish a piece, pause for a breath, walk through that final check, and ask the question with honest eyes. If the answer is yes, you’ve earned something worthwhile. If not, you’ve just found your next lane for improvement. Either way, you’re practicing good research—the kind that sticks, travels well, and helps you tell better stories.