Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the connection between nutrition and disease, including detailed information on chronic diseases, as well as malnutrition and other leading causes of death.

Proficient - Explains the connection between nutrition and disease, including information on chronic diseases, as well as malnutrition and other leading causes of death. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Briefly explains the connection between nutrition and disease, including minimal information on chronic diseases, as well as malnutrition and other leading causes of death. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the connection between nutrition and disease; however, sufficient information on either chronic diseases, malnutrition, or other leading causes of death is not included and significant details are missing.

Non Performance - The explanation on the connection between nutrition and disease is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly examines the factors, contemporary nutrition controversies, and cultural differences that drive our food choices.

Proficient - Examines the factors, contemporary nutrition controversies, and cultural differences that drive our food choices. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Examines the factors, contemporary nutrition controversies, and cultural differences that drive our food choices. Some details are incorrect and/or missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to examine the factors, contemporary nutrition controversies, and cultural differences that drive our food choices. Significant details are incorrect and/or missing.

Non Performance - The examination of the factors, contemporary nutrition controversies, and cultural differences that drive our food choices is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly analyzes the sources and functions of macro- and micronutrients and their impact on our health and well-being.

Proficient - Analyzes the sources and functions of macro- and micronutrients and their impact on our health and well-being. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Minimally analyzes the sources and functions of macro- and micronutrients and their impact on our health and well-being. Some details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the sources and functions of macro- and micronutrients and their impact on our health and well-being. Significant details are missing.

Non Performance - The analysis of the sources and functions of macro- and micronutrients and their impact on our health and well-being is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly explains the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Comprehensively appraises the parts of the body involved in these processes.

Proficient - Explains the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Appraises the parts of the body involved in these processes. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Minimally explains the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Appraises the parts of the body involved in these processes. Some details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Attempts to appraise the parts of the body involved in these processes. Details are significantly underdeveloped.

Non Performance - The explanation and/or appraisal is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly evaluates the nutritional requirements across the lifespan, focusing on each of the stages of the lifespan.

Proficient - Evaluates the nutritional requirements across the lifespan, focusing on each of the stages of the lifespan. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Evaluates the nutritional requirements across the lifespan, focusing on most of the stages of the lifespan. Some details are missing.

Below Expectations -Attempts to evaluate the nutritional requirements across the lifespan; however,  nutritional requirements for some of the stages of the lifespan are significantly underdeveloped.

Non Performance - The evaluation of the nutritional requirements across the lifespan is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively creates a personal diet modification plan by analyzing the  personal diet in terms of nutritional strengths and weaknesses. Student thoroughly discusses the changes planned to better meet the dietary guidelines.

Proficient - Creates a personal diet modification plan by analyzing the  personal diet in terms of nutritional strengths and weaknesses. Student discusses the changes planned to better meet the dietary guidelines. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Creates a personal diet modification plan by analyzing the  personal diet in terms of nutritional strengths and weaknesses. Student discusses the changes planned to better meet the dietary guidelines. Some details are missing from one of the components.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a personal diet modification plan and discusses plans for positive dietary changes in life to better meet dietary guidelines. Significant details are missing for a clear understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and/or plans.

Non Performance - The creation of a personal diet modification plan is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Distinguishes probable implications of the text for contexts, perspectives, or issues outside the assigned task or beyond the author's explicit message.

Proficient - Uses the text and/or specific knowledge of the author’s context to draw more intricate inferences about the author’s message and approach.

Basic - Considers how textual features (e.g., sentence and paragraph structure or tone) contribute to the author’s message. Draws fundamental inferences about context and rationale of text.

Below Expectations - Inadequately captures vocabulary but makes an effort to paraphrase or summarize the information the text communicates.

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

Distinguished - Clearly and comprehensively explains the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding.

Proficient - Clearly explains the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.

Basic - Briefly explains the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.

Below Expectations - Briefly explains the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding.

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

Distinguished - Creates new knowledge derived from a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Proficient - Constructs an original idea, question, format, or product.

Basic - Attempts to construct an original or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Below Expectations - Reinvents available ideas.

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

Distinguished - Demonstrates consistent use of reliable, appropriate sources and/or evidence to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing.

Proficient - Demonstrates mostly consistent use of reliable sources that are appropriate to the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources offer some support to the ideas in the writing. 

Basic - Demonstrates somewhat inconsistent use of sources that are mostly reliable to the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources offer little support to the ideas in the writing.

Below Expectations - Inconsistently utilizes sources and/or evidence that may be unrelated and offer little support to the ideas in the writing. 

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