Distinguished - Comprehensively explains why it is important to secure the crime scene, and provides details examples.

Proficient - Explains why it is important to secure the crime scene, and provides examples. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally explains why it is important to secure the crime scene, and provides limited examples. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain why it is important to secure the crime scene and provide examples; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The explanation of why it is important to secure the crime scene and examples are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies possible ways that evidence might be contaminated.

Proficient - Identifies possible ways that evidence might be contaminated. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Vaguely identifies possible ways that evidence might be contaminated. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify possible ways that evidence might be contaminated; however, significant details are entirely unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of possible ways that evidence might be contaminated is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies the different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene.

Proficient - Identifies the different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Vaguely identifies the different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify the different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of the different methods that might be necessary to document evidence at a crime scene is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene.

Proficient - Identifies different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Vaguely identifies different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of different collection methods that might be used at a crime scene is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively explains chain of custody and why it is important.

Proficient - Explains chain of custody and why it is important. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally explains chain of custody and why it is important. The explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain chain of custody and why it is important; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of chain of custody and why it is important is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody.

Proficient - Identifies the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody. Minor details are unclear or slightly inaccurate.

Basic - Vaguely identifies the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of the repercussions of failure to protect evidence or establish chain of custody is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively explains how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or what isn’t evidence.

Proficient - Explains how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or what isn’t evidence. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally explains how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or what isn’t evidence. The explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or what isn’t evidence; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of how an investigator or forensic expert differentiates between what is or what isn’t evidence 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.

Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.

Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.

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