Distinguished – Thoroughly and clearly introduces the paper and what the paper will include. 

Proficient - Introduces the paper and what the paper will include. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear. 

Basic - Minimally introduces the paper and what the paper will include. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to introduce the paper and what the paper will include; however, significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The introduction of the paper and what the paper will include are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly defines what a project is, comprehensively outlines five process groups, and thoroughly emphasizes the importance of project management.

Proficient - Defines what a project is, outlines five process groups, and emphasizes the importance of project management. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear. 

Basic - Vaguely defines what a project is, partially outlines five process groups, and minimally emphasizes the importance of project management. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to define what a project is, outline five process groups, and emphasize the importance of project management; however, significant details are missing and unclear. 

Non-Performance - The definition of what a project is, outline of five process groups, and the importance of project management are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle, including the project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage.

Proficient - Explains the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle, including the project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle, including the project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle, including the project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the pre-planning stage of the project management lifecycle, including the project management terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the elements of the project selection form and inserts an updated and corrected copy of the project selection form from Week 1.

Proficient - Explains the elements of the project selection form and inserts an updated and corrected copy of the project selection form from Week 1. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally explains the elements of the project selection form and inserts an updated and corrected copy of the project selection form from Week 1. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain elements of the project selection form and insert an updated and corrected copy of the project selection form from Week 1; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the elements of the project selection form and copy of an updated and corrected project selection form from Week 1 are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the elements of the planning process of the project management lifecycle, including the terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage.

Proficient - Explains the elements of the planning process of the project management lifecycle, including the terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the elements of the planning process of the project management lifecycle, including the terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the elements of the planning process of the project management lifecycle, including the terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the elements of the planning process of the project management lifecycle, including the terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to the planning stage is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the purpose of the project scope statement and all terms used in the project scope template and inserts corrected screenshots of the project scope template from Week 2. 

Proficient - Explains the purpose of the project scope statement and all terms used in the project scope template and inserts corrected screenshots of the project scope template from Week 2. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the purpose of the project scope statement and all terms used in the project scope template and inserts corrected screenshots of the project scope template from Week 2. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the purpose of the project scope statement and all terms used in the project scope template and insert corrected screenshots of the project scope template from Week 2; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the purpose of the project scope statement and all terms used in the project scope template and corrected screenshots of the project scope template from Week 2 are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, critical path and how these elements relate to the project’s status and includes a corrected screenshot of the WBS and Gantt chart.

Proficient - Explains the work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, critical path and how these elements relate to the project’s status and includes a corrected screenshot of the WBS and Gantt chart. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, critical path and how these elements relate to the project’s status and includes a corrected screenshot of the WBS and Gantt chart. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, critical path and how these elements relate to the project’s status and includes a corrected screenshot of the WBS and Gantt chart; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, critical path and how these elements relate to the project’s status and inclusion of a corrected screenshot of the WBS and Gantt chart are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the executing process group of the project management lifecycle and associated terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project.

Proficient - Explains the executing process group of the project management lifecycle and associated terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the executing process group of the project management lifecycle, and associated terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the executing process group of the project management lifecycle and associated terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the executing process group of the project management lifecycle and associated terms, tools, and techniques that are applicable to executing the project are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the change control process.

Proficient - Explains the change control process. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the change control process. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the change control process; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the change control process is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains how projects are monitored and controlled within the project management lifecycle, including related terms, tools, and techniques.

Proficient - Explains how projects are monitored and controlled within the project management lifecycle, including related terms, tools, and techniques. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains how projects are monitored and controlled within the project management lifecycle, including related terms, tools, and techniques. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how projects are monitored and controlled within the project management lifecycle, including related terms, tools, and techniques; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of how projects are monitored and controlled within the project management lifecycle, including related terms, tools, and techniques is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the closing process and the importance of 'Lessons Learned' report within the organization.

Proficient - Explains the closing process and the importance of 'Lessons Learned' report within the organization. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally explains the closing process and the importance of 'Lessons Learned' report within the organization. The explanation is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the closing process and the importance of 'Lessons Learned' report within the organization; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the closing process and the importance of 'Lessons Learned' report within the organization is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly concludes the paper with how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project's objectives. 

Proficient - Concludes the paper with how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project's objectives.  The conclusion is slightly underdeveloped.  

Basic - Minimally concludes the paper with how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project's objectives. The conclusion is underdeveloped.  

Below Expectations - Attempts to conclude the paper with how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project's objectives; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The conclusion of the paper with how project management improves an organization’s success and highlighting the importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a project's objectives 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.