Distinguished - Creates a comprehensive outline clearly organizing the facts compiled from researching the product and prioritizing the most important or compelling information. 

Proficient - Creates an outline organizing the facts compiled from researching the product and prioritizing the most important or compelling information. Minor details are slightly unclear or missing.

Basic - Creates a limited outline vaguely organizing the facts compiled from researching the product and prioritizing the most important or compelling information. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create an outline organizing the facts compiled from researching the product and prioritizing the most important or compelling information; however significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The outline organizing the facts compiled from researching the product and prioritizing the most important or compelling information are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Writes a clear and accurate introduction of the product.

Proficient - Writes an introduction of the product. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.

Basic - Writes a minimal introduction of the product. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to write an introduction of the product; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The introduction of the product is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Composes a thorough news release lead that answers the reader’s questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Proficient - Composes a news release lead that answers the reader’s questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Composes a limited news release lead that answers the reader’s questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to compose a news release lead that answers the reader’s questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The composition of a news release lead that answers the reader’s questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished – Clearly and accurately includes the all of the information such as identification (fictitious name and telephone number(s) of the release writer), release date, length, headlines, punctuation and spelling, email protocol, and multimedia releases in the news release.

Proficient - Includes most of the information such as the identification (fictitious name and telephone number(s) of the release writer), release date, length, headlines, punctuation and spelling, email protocol, and multimedia releases in the news release. Minor details are slightly unclear, inaccurate, or missing.

Basic - Includes some of the information such as the identification (fictitious name and telephone number(s) of the release writer), release date, length, headlines, punctuation and spelling, email protocol, and multimedia releases in the news release. Relevant details are unclear, inaccurate, and/or missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to include the identification (fictitious name and telephone number(s) of the release writer), release date, length, headlines, punctuation and spelling, email protocol, and multimedia releases in the news release; however, significant details are unclear, inaccurate, and missing.

Non-Performance - The identification (fictitious name and telephone number(s) of the release writer), release date, length, headlines, punctuation and spelling, email protocol, and multimedia releases in the news release is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies the platform(s) for the news release.

Proficient - Identifies the platform(s) for the news release. Minor details are slightly unclear, inaccurate, or missing.

Basic - Vaguely identifies the platform(s) for the news release. Relevant details are unclear, inaccurate, and/or missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to identify the platform(s) for the news release; however, significant details are unclear, inaccurate, and missing.

Non-Performance - The identification of the platform(s) for the news release is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment 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.