Distinguished - Thoroughly analyzes how the organization uses public relations to create a brand and influence public opinion.

Proficient - Analyzes how the organization uses public relations to create a brand and influence public opinion. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally analyzes how the organization uses public relations to create a brand and influence public opinion. The analysis is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze how the organization uses public relations to create a brand and influence public opinion; however, the analysis is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The analysis of how the organization uses public relations to create a brand and influence public opinion is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the messaging in the organization’s press releases or internal communications.

Proficient - Assesses the messaging in the organization’s press releases or internal communications. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally assesses the messaging in the organization’s press releases or internal communications. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the messaging in the organization’s press releases or internal communications; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The assessment of the messaging in the organization’s press releases or internal communications is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly compares a news article about an event involving the organization with an official press release on the same event.

Proficient - Compares a news article about an event involving the organization with an official press release on the same event. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally compares a news article about an event involving the organization with an official press release on the same event. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to compare a news article about an event involving the organization with an official press release on the same event; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The comparison of a news article about an event involving the organization with an official press release on the same event is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses how the selected organization is adapting to social media sites and other venues in the 21st century.

Proficient - Assesses how the selected organization is adapting to social media sites and other venues in the 21st century. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally assesses how the selected organization is adapting to social media sites and other venues in the 21st century. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess how the selected organization is adapting to social media sites and other venues in the 21st century; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The assessment of how the selected organization is adapting to social media sites and other venues in the 21st century is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly examines the organization’s use of social media to communicate with its audience.

Proficient - Examines the organization’s use of social media to communicate with its audience. The examination is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally examines the organization’s use of social media to communicate with its audience. The examination is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations -Attempts to examine the organization’s use of social media to communicate with its audience; however, the examination is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The examination of the organization’s use of social media to communicate with its audience is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively evaluates how the organization addresses public opinion on social media.

Proficient - Evaluates how the organization addresses public opinion on social media. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally evaluates how the organization addresses public opinion on social media. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to evaluate how the organization addresses public opinion on social media; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The evaluation of how the organization addresses public opinion on social media is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly summarizes how public opinion on social media influences decisions. 

Proficient - Summarizes how public opinion on social media influences decisions. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally summarizes how public opinion on social media influences decisions. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize how public opinion on social media influences decisions; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The summary of how public opinion on social media influences decisions is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly analyzes the organization’s communication style with special publics such as employees, management, and the media and comprehensively determines what communication channel(s) to use to communicate with stakeholders.

Proficient - Analyzes the organization’s communication style with special publics such as employees, management, and the media and determines what communication channel(s) to use to communicate with stakeholders. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally analyzes the organization’s communication style with special publics such as employees, management, and the media and partially determines what communication channel(s) to use to communicate with stakeholders. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the organization’s communication style with special publics such as employees, management, and the media and determine what communication channel(s) to use to communicate with stakeholders; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The analysis of the organization’s communication style with special publics such as employees, management, and the media and determination of what communication channel(s) to use to communicate with stakeholders are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly analyzes a crisis that the organization has faced or is facing and how it was or is being handled by the organization and comprehensively discusses the decision-making process of the organization when addressing the issue.

Proficient - Analyzes a crisis that the organization has faced or is facing and how it was or is being handled by the organization and discusses the decision-making process of the organization when addressing the issue. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally analyzes a crisis that the organization has faced or is facing and how it was or is being handled by the organization and partially discusses the decision-making process of the organization when addressing the issue. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze a crisis that the organization has faced or is facing and how it was or is being handled by the organization and discuss the decision-making process of the organization when addressing the issue; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The analysis of a crisis that the organization has faced or is facing and how it was or is being handled by the organization and discussion of the decision-making process of the organization when addressing the issue are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively summarizes the company’s communication models used when addressing the crisis and thoroughly analyzes the long-range and short-range public relations plans around this crisis.

Proficient - Summarizes the company’s communication models used when addressing the crisis and analyzes the long-range and short-range public relations plans around this crisis. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally summarizes the company’s communication models used when addressing the crisis and partially analyzes the long-range and short-range public relations plans around this crisis. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize the company’s communication models used when addressing the crisis and analyze the long-range and short-range public relations plans around this crisis; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The summary of the company’s communication models used when addressing the crisis and analysis of the long-range and short-range public relations plans around this crisis are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly compares and contrasts the public relation campaigns of the selected organization with another organization.

Proficient - Compares and contrasts the public relation campaigns of the selected organization with another organization. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Partially compares and contrasts the public relation campaigns of the selected organization with another organization. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to compare and contrast the public relation campaigns of the selected organization with another organization; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The comparison and contrast of the public relation campaigns of the selected organization with another organization 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.