Distinguished - Creates a thorough ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news. The policy is fully supported by scholarly sources.

Proficient - Creates an ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news. The policy is supported by scholarly sources but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Creates a limited ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news. The policy is partially supported by scholarly sources and is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create an ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news; however, the policy is not supported by scholarly sources and is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The creation of an ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly examines the significance of political bias in reporting. The examination is fully supported by scholarly sources.

Proficient - Examines the significance of political bias in reporting. The examination is supported by scholarly sources but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally examines the significance of political bias in reporting. The examination is partially supported by scholarly sources and is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create an ethics policy for the media in handling the reporting of criminal justice issues and news; however, the examination is not supported by scholarly sources and is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The examination of the significance of political bias in reporting is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates a thorough foundation for the accurate and ethical reporting of news about the criminal justice system.  The creation of the foundation is fully supported by scholarly sources.

Proficient - Creates a foundation for the accurate and ethical reporting of news about the criminal justice system. The creation of the foundation is supported by scholarly sources but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Creates a limited foundation for the accurate and ethical reporting of news about the criminal justice system. The creation of the foundation is partially supported by scholarly sources and is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a foundation for the accurate and ethical reporting of news about the criminal justice system; however, the creation of the foundation is not supported by scholarly sources and is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The foundation for the accurate and ethical reporting of news about the criminal justice system 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.