Distinguished - Comprehensively and clearly explains the global societal issue, the importance of further research, and ethical implications involved.

Proficient - Clearly explains the global societal issue, the importance of further research, and ethical implications involved. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Briefly explains the global societal issue, the importance of further research, and ethical implications involved. The explanation is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the global societal issue; however, the explanation of the importance of further research and ethical implications is significantly underdeveloped and entirely unclear.

Non-Performance - The introduction to the global societal issue is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a skillfully developed thesis that thoroughly addresses a solution to the global societal issue, which prepares the reader for the content, direction, and purpose of the paper.

Proficient - Provides a thesis statement that adequately addresses a solution to the global societal issue, which prepares the reader for the content, direction, and purpose of the paper. The thesis is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Provides a thesis statement that vaguely addresses a solution to the global societal issue or doesn’t prepare the reader for the content, direction, and purpose of the paper. The thesis statement is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a thesis statement; however, it does not adequately address the solution to the global societal issue, lacks direction and purpose, and is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The thesis statement is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly summarizes at least five scholarly sources, comprehensively explaining how each source contributes to the solution of the global societal issue. Each source fully addresses the purpose, content, evidence, and relation to other sources found on the topic.

Proficient - Adequately summarizes five scholarly sources, explaining how each source contributes to the solution of the global societal issue. Each source addresses the purpose, content, evidence, and relation to other sources found on the topic. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear.

Basic - Briefly summarizes some of the scholarly sources, partially explaining how each source is relevant to the global societal issue. Some of the sources do not fully address the purpose, content, evidence, and relation to other sources found on the topic. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize scholarly sources; however, less than five sources are included, and the explanation of how each source contributes to the solution to the global society issue is significantly underdeveloped and entirely unclear.

Non-Performance - The annotated bibliography is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.

Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.

Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.

Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors. 

Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements. 

Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of words.

Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of words.

Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of words.

Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of words.   

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.