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Quality Checkpoints
Complete verification before finalizing any content.
Claude Code Knowledge Pack7/10/2026
Overview
Quality Checkpoints
Complete verification before finalizing any content.
Pre-Draft Checkpoints
Before writing, verify:
Material Readiness
- Have concrete examples (not hypothetical)
- Have data/statistics (with sources)
- Have quotes (properly attributed)
- Have enough for claims (no fabrication needed)
Message Readiness
- Can state thesis in one sentence
- Know specific audience
- Know desired reader action
- Have differentiated angle
Draft Checkpoints
Opening (First 50 Words)
| Checkpoint | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|
| Hook type | Counterintuitive, surprising, or tension-building |
| Lead content | Most compelling insight/moment/problem |
| No chronology | Doesn't start with "Last week..." or timeline |
| No setup | Doesn't explain what you're about to say |
| No version numbers | "Version 2.0 of..." is not a hook |
| Promise made | Reader knows why to keep reading |
Test: Cover everything after the first 50 words. Would you want to read more?
Body
| Checkpoint | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|
| Promise kept | Body delivers what opening promised |
| Sensory details | At least one concrete detail per section |
| Paragraph purpose | Each paragraph advances the argument |
| Transitions | Movement between sections is smooth |
| No redundancy | No section repeats another's point |
Test: Can you summarize each paragraph's contribution in 5 words?
Strategy Compliance
| Checkpoint | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|
| Baseline strategies | All 10 applied |
| Situational strategies | 3-4 selected and visible |
| One idea per sentence | No compound thoughts cramming |
| Technical orientation | Jargon explained in context |
| Active voice | <10% passive voice |
Test: Read aloud. Does it flow? Are sentences clear?
Closing
| Checkpoint | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|
| Callback | References opening hook or promise |
| Action clear | Reader knows what to do next |
| Memorable | Last line could be quoted |
| No summary | Doesn't recap what was said |
| No apology | Doesn't hedge or qualify |
Test: Would you tweet the last line?
Style Guide Compliance
If a style guide is specified:
Voice
- Matches vocabulary patterns
- Matches sentence length targets
- Matches formality level
- Matches emotional register
Prohibitions
- No prohibited words used
- No prohibited patterns used
- No formatting violations
Requirements
- Required elements present
- Required structure followed
- Required attribution style used
Final Pass
Read Aloud Test
- Sentences sound natural when spoken
- No tongue-twisters
- Rhythm feels right
The Email Test
- Would send this to your smartest colleague
- Would feel good if it went viral
- Would stand behind every claim
The Cut Test
- Tried cutting 10%—kept only what survived
- No paragraph that could be cut without loss
- No sentence that doesn't earn its place
Checkpoint by Content Type
Blog Post
- Hook grabs in first line
- Subheads are standalone interesting
- Skimmable (bold, bullets, headers)
- CTA is clear
Newsletter
- Personal tone established
- Feels like a letter from a person
- Value delivered early
- Easy to forward
Social Post
- Works without clicking through
- Hook in first line (gets cut in feeds)
- No wasted words
- Visual element considered
Long-Form
- Reader can stop after each section and feel complete
- Sections build but also standalone
- Pacing varies (tension and release)
- Ending is earned
Red Flags
Stop and fix if you see:
| Red Flag | Fix |
|---|---|
| Opening starts with "I want to..." | Cut, start with the insight |
| Paragraph over 6 sentences | Split |
| "In this article, we will..." | Delete |
| Three or more "is/was" in a row | Activate verbs |
| Same word appears 3+ times nearby | Elegant variation |
| Quote without attribution | Add source or remove |
| Claim without evidence | Support or soften |
| Ending trails off | Find the punch |