Distinguished - Clearly and thoroughly examines contemporary themes and topics found in both the academic and professional literature.

Proficient - Examines contemporary themes and topics found in both the academic and professional literature. The examination is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally examines contemporary themes and topics found in both the academic and professional literature. The examination is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to examine contemporary themes and topics found in both the academic and professional literature; however, the examination is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The examination of contemporary themes and topics found in both the academic and professional literature is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly speculates why these themes and topics engage the practitioner community in the field.

Proficient - Speculates why these themes and topics engage the practitioner community in the field. The speculation is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Partially speculates why these themes and topics engage the practitioner community in the field. The speculation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to speculate why these themes and topics engage the practitioner community in the field; however, the speculation is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The speculation of why these themes and topics engage the practitioner community in the field is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly examines some of the contemporary challenges that confront practitioners in the field citing relevant literature to fully support ideas.

Proficient - Examines some of the contemporary challenges that confront practitioners in the field, citing relevant literature to support ideas. The examination is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally examines some of the contemporary challenges that confront practitioners in the field, citing relevant literature to support ideas. The examination is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to examine some challenges that confront practitioners in the field; however, the challenges are not contemporary, and/or the examination is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The identification of some of the contemporary challenges that confront practitioners in the field is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly examines the kind of information that would improve service to clients or advance the understanding of practitioners in the field.

Proficient - Examines the kind of information that would improve service to clients or advance the understanding of practitioners in the field. The examination is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally examines the kind of information that would improve service to clients or advance the understanding of practitioners in the field. The examination is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to examine the kind of information that would improve service to clients or advance the understanding of practitioners in the field; however, the examination is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The examination of the kind of information that would improve service to clients or advance the understanding of practitioners in the field is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly assesses what the student, as a scholar practitioner, wants to know about the field of study.

Proficient - Assesses what the student, as a scholar practitioner, wants to know about the field of study. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Minimally assesses what the student, as a scholar practitioner, wants to know about the field of study. The assessment is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess what the student, as a scholar practitioner, wants to know about the field of study; however, the assessment is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The assessment of what the student, as a scholar practitioner, wants to know about the field of study is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly and clearly justifies a topic of interest and a specific research focus the student would like to pursue for purposes of work in this class.

Proficient - Justifies a topic of interest and a specific research focus the student would like to pursue for purposes of work in this class. The justification is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Partially justifies a topic of interest and a specific research focus the student would like to pursue for purposes of work in this class. The justification is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to justify a topic of interest and a specific research focus the student would like to pursue for purposes of work in this class; however, the justification is significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The justification of a topic of interest and a specific research focus the student would like to pursue for purposes of work in this class 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.