Distinguished - Presents a thorough and clear thesis statement of aligning standards to instruction.

Proficient - Presents a thesis statement of the role of aligning standards to instruction. Minor details are needed as the thesis statement is slightly unclear.

Basic - Presents a limited thesis statement of the role of aligning standards to instruction and instruction. Relevant details are needed as the thesis statement is unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to present a thesis statement of the role of aligning standards to instruction; however, significant details are needed as the thesis statement is unclear.

Non-Performance - The thesis statement of the role of aligning standards to instruction is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively and clearly summarizes how alignment will exist within one’s instruction by describing steps to ensure alignment and using NEU’s group system.

Proficient - Summarizes how alignment will exist within one’s instruction by describing steps to ensure alignment and using NEU’s group system. Minor details are needed as the summary is slightly unclear.

Basic - Minimally summarizes how alignment will exist within one’s instruction by describing steps to ensure alignment and using NEU’s group system. Relevant details are needed as the summary is unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize how alignment will exist within one’s instruction by describing steps to ensure alignment and using NEU’s group system; however, significant details are needed as the summary is unclear.

Non-Performance - The summary of how alignment will exist within one’s instruction by describing steps to ensure alignment and using NEU’s group system is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively explains how a system of “Exceptional Collaboration,” as described by NEU, promotes quality standards alignment.

Proficient - Explains how a system of “Exceptional Collaboration,” as described by NEU, promotes quality standards alignment. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally explains how a system of “Exceptional Collaboration,”as described by NEU, promotes quality standards alignment. The explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how a system of “Exceptional Collaboration,”as described by NEU, promotes quality standards alignment; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of how a system of “Exceptional Collaboration,” as described by NEU 2, promotes quality standards alignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively explains the concept of pacing versus alignment.

Proficient - Explains the concept of pacing versus alignment. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally explains the concept of pacing versus alignment. The explanation is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the concept of pacing versus alignment; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The explanation of the concept of pacing versus alignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively and clearly summarizes how standards alignment might be used in one’s future work and educational endeavors.

Proficient - Summarizes how standards alignment might be used in one’s future work and educational endeavors. Minor details are needed as summary is slightly unclear.

Basic - Minimally summarizes how standards alignment might be used in one’s future work and educational endeavors. Relevant details are needed as summary is unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize how standards alignment might be used in one’s future work and educational endeavors; however, significant details are needed as summary is unclear.

Non-Performance - The summary of how standards alignment might be used in one’s future work and educational endeavors 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 correctly formatted pages. 

Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

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

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

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.