Distinguished - Thoroughly describes the selected company, brand, and a brief history.

Proficient - Describes the selected company, brand, and a brief history. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally describes the selected company, brand, and a brief history. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe the selected company, brand, and a brief history; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The description of the selected company, brand, and a brief history is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately lists the core products and services the company offers.

Proficient - Lists the core products and services the company offers. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Partially lists the core products and services the company offers. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to list the core products and services the company offers; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The list of the core products and services the company offers is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies the key current competitors.

Proficient - Identifies the key current competitors. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Partially identifies the key current competitors. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify the key current competitors; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The identification of the key current competitors is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Completes a comprehensive and accurate SWOT analysis.

Proficient - Completes a SWOT analysis. Minor details are missing or inaccurate.

Basic - Completes a limited SWOT analysis. Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to complete a SWOT analysis; however, significant details are missing and inaccurate.

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

Distinguished - Proposes a comprehensive product or service line for development of a marketing plan and thoroughly justifies the proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment.

Proficient - Proposes the product or service line for development of a marketing plan and justifies the proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Proposes a limited product or service line for development of a marketing plan and minimally justifies the proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to propose the product or service line for development of a marketing plan and justify the proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The proposal of the product or service line for development of a marketing plan and justification of the proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly describes the core product, extended product, and the product concept.

Proficient - Describes the core product, extended product, and the product concept. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Partially describes the core product, extended product, and the product concept. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe the core product, extended product, and the product concept; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The description of the core product, extended product, and the product concept is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in the four areas: Branding, Packaging, Support, and Quality.

Proficient - Explains the plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in the four areas: Branding, Packaging, Support, and Quality. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally explains the plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in the four areas: Branding, Packaging, Support, and Quality. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in the four areas: Branding, Packaging, Support, and Quality; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in the four areas: Branding, Packaging, Support, and Quality 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 - 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.

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.