Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly analyzes the over-arching topic and what justifies the proposed research question, citing sources gathered throughout the course that explore, study, or debate critical aspects of the topic or question.

Proficient - Analyzes the over-arching topic and what justifies the proposed research question, citing sources gathered throughout the course that explore, study, or debate critical aspects of the topic or question. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally analyzes the over-arching topic and what justifies the proposed research question, citing sources gathered throughout the course that explore, study, or debate critical aspects of the topic or question. The analysis is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the over-arching topic and what justifies the proposed research question; however, does not cite sources gathered throughout the course that explore, study, or debate critical aspects of the topic or question, and/or the analysis is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The analysis of the over-arching topic and what justifies the proposed research question, citing sources gathered throughout the course that explore, study, or debate critical aspects of the topic or question is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates a compelling argument that thoroughly and clearly reinforces why the topic is relevant to the student’s field of study and why the research question is important to answer, using principles of persuasive writing.

Proficient - Creates an argument that reinforces why the topic is relevant to the student’s field of study and why the research question is important to answer, using principles of persuasive writing. The argument is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Creates a limited argument that partially reinforces why the topic is relevant to the student’s field of study and why the research question is important to answer, using principles of persuasive writing. The argument is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create an argument that reinforces why the topic is relevant to the student’s field of study and why the research question is important to answer; however, does not use principles of persuasive writing, and/or the argument is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The argument that reinforces why the topic is relevant to the student’s field of study and why the research question is important to answer, using principles of persuasive writing is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly assesses the audience for a research study on the topic of interest, comprehensively describing who might be interested in the answer to the research question and thoroughly analyzing how practitioners might use the answer to improve client service or to advance understanding in the field of study.

Proficient - Assesses the audience for a research study on the topic of interest, describing who might be interested in the answer to the research question and analyzing how practitioners might use the answer to improve client service or to advance understanding in the field of study. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally assesses the audience for a research study on the topic of interest, partially describing who might be interested in the answer to the research question and minimally analyzing how practitioners might use the answer to improve client service or to advance understanding in the field of study. The assessment is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the audience for a research study on the topic of interest; however, does not describe who might be interested in the answer to the research question and/or analyze how practitioners might use the answer to improve client service or to advance understanding in the field of study, and/or the assessment is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The assessment of the audience for a research study on the topic of interest, describing who might be interested in the answer to the research question and analyzing how practitioners might use the answer to improve client service or to advance understanding in the field of study is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly predicts how the results of a study to address the research question might be used.

Proficient - Predicts how the results of a study to address the research question might be used. The prediction is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially predicts how the results of a study to address the research question might be used. The prediction is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to predict how the results of a study to address the research question might be used; however, the prediction is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The prediction of how the results of a study to address the research question might be used is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly appraises how a researcher might overcome any ethical concerns that could be associated with conducting a study to address the research question.

Proficient - Appraises how a researcher might overcome any ethical concerns that could be associated with conducting a study to address the research question. The appraisal is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally appraises how a researcher might overcome any ethical concerns that could be associated with conducting a study to address the research question. The appraisal is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to appraise how a researcher might overcome any ethical concerns that could be associated with conducting a study to address the research question; however, the appraisal is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The appraisal of how a researcher might overcome any ethical concerns that could be associated with conducting a study to address the research question 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.