Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly critiques each of the three sources from the gray literature that fully address the research topic or research focus, providing a complete and accurate APA citation for each source; clearly identifying the owner/sponsor of the source; and comprehensively describing the relationship between the mission or purpose of the institution, organization, or agency and the topic of interest.

Proficient - Critiques each of the three sources from the gray literature that address the research topic or research focus, providing a APA citation for each source; identifying the owner/sponsor of the source; and describing the relationship between the mission or purpose of the institution, organization, or agency and the topic of interest. Minor details are missing, slightly unclear, inaccurate.

Basic - Minimally critiques each of the three sources from the gray literature that address the research topic or research focus, providing a complete APA citation for each source; identifying the owner/sponsor of the source; and describing the relationship between the mission or purpose of the institution, organization, or agency and the topic of interest. Relevant details are missing, unclear, and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to critique each of the three sources from the gray literature that address the research topic or research focus; however, does not provide a complete APA citation for each source; identify the owner/sponsor of the source; and/or describe the relationship between the mission or purpose of the institution, organization, or agency and the topic of interest, and/or significant details are missing, unclear, and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The critiques of each of the three sources from the gray literature that address the research topic or research focus, providing a complete APA citation for each source; identifying the owner/sponsor of the source; and describing the relationship between the mission or purpose of the institution, organization, or agency and the topic of interest are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly analyzes the information from each institutional, organizational, or governmental agency source, reporting how the various sources relate or link to one another and how the information is congruent or contradictory across the sources.

Proficient - Analyzes the information from each institutional, organizational, or governmental agency source, reporting how the various sources relate or link to one another and how the information is congruent or contradictory across the sources. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally analyzes the information from each institutional, organizational, or governmental agency source, reporting how the various sources relate or link to one another and how the information is congruent or contradictory across the sources. The analysis is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the information from each institutional, organizational, or governmental agency source; however, does not report how the various sources relate or link to one another and how the information is congruent or contradictory across the sources, and/or the analysis is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The analysis of the information from each institutional, organizational, or governmental agency source, reporting how the various sources relate or link to one another and how the information is congruent or contradictory across the sources is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly evaluates the evidence of quality of each source, clearly indicating whether there is evidence of lack of consistency or bias in the found information and identifying any ethical concerns one may have about each source.

Proficient - Evaluates the evidence of quality of each source, indicating whether there is evidence of lack of consistency or bias in the found information and identifying any ethical concerns one may have about each source. The evaluation is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally evaluates the evidence of quality of each source, vaguely indicating whether there is evidence of lack of consistency or bias in the found information and identifying any ethical concerns one may have about each source. The evaluation is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Evaluates the evidence of quality of each source; however, does not indicate whether there is evidence of lack of consistency or bias in the found information and identify any ethical concerns one may have about each source, and/or the evaluation is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The evaluation of the evidence of quality of each source, indicating whether there is evidence of lack of consistency or bias in the found information and identifying any ethical concerns one may have about each source is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly explains how the information from these three sources can be used to reinforce the relevance or importance of the research topic or research focus, clearly indicating how the sources will help to make a compelling case for studying the identified topic. 

Proficient - Explains how the information from these three sources can be used to reinforce the relevance or importance of the research topic or research focus, indicating how the sources will help to make a compelling case for studying the identified topic. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped or unclear. 

Basic - Minimally explains how the information from these three sources can be used to reinforce the relevance or importance of the research topic or research focus, vaguely indicating how the sources will help to make a compelling case for studying the identified topic. The explanation is underdeveloped and/or unclear. 

Below Expectations - Explains how the information from these three sources can be used to reinforce the relevance or importance of the research topic or research focus; however, does not indicate how the sources will help to make a compelling case for studying the identified topic, and/or the explanation is significantly underdeveloped and unclear. 

Non-Performance - The explanation of how the information from these three sources can be used to reinforce the relevance or importance of the research topic or research focus, indicating how the sources will help to make a compelling case for studying the identified topic 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.