Distinguished - Identifies one individual or group to contact for support of the issue, and provides a clear rationale for choosing this individual/group.

Proficient - Identifies one individual or group to contact for support of the issue, and provides a rationale for choosing this individual/group. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear.

Basic - Identifies one individual or group to contact for support of the issue, and provides a limited rationale for choosing this individual/group. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Identifies one individual or group to contact for support of the issue, and attempts to provide a  rationale for choosing this individual/group; however,  significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The identification of one individual or group and rationale for choosing the individual/group are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through individual advocacy.

Proficient - Describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through individual advocacy. The description is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through individual advocacy. The description is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through individual advocacy; however, only one strategy is described, and/or the description is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of the strategies for individual advocacy is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through collective advocacy.

Proficient - Describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through collective advocacy. The description is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially describes two strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through collective advocacy. The description is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe strategies that will be used to gain the support needed for this issue through collective advocacy; however, only one strategy is described, and/or the description is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of the strategies for collective advocacy is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates two comprehensive talking points using one concrete example for each point to demonstrate the importance of the issue. Both talking points are clear and fully appropriate to use when talking to legislators or the media about the issue.

Proficient - Creates two talking points using one concrete example for each point to demonstrate the importance of the issue. Both talking points are appropriate to use when talking to legislators or the media about the issue. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Creates two limited talking points using one concrete example for each point to demonstrate the importance of the issue. One of the talking points is appropriate to use when talking to legislators or the media about the issue and the other is slightly unclear. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create two talking points using one concrete example for each point to demonstrate the importance of the issue; however, both talking points are not appropriate to use when talking to legislators or the media about the issue, and significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The talking points are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly describes how to advocate on behalf of young children, their families, and the profession.

Proficient - Describes how to advocate on behalf of young children, their families, and the profession. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally describes how to advocate on behalf of young children, their families, and the profession. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe how to advocate on behalf of young children, their families, and the profession; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The description of advocacy for young children, their families, and the profession is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively describes how to support the development of future practitioners and leaders in the field.

Proficient - Describes how to support the development of future practitioners and leaders in the field. The description is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Briefly describes how to support the development of future practitioners and leaders in the field. The description is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe how to support the development of future practitioners and leaders in the field; however, the description is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of the developmental support of future practitioners is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly describes how these advocacy efforts will support the field from unskilled workers and towards paradigm professionals.

Proficient - Describes how these advocacy efforts will support the field from unskilled workers and towards paradigm professionals. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally describes how these advocacy efforts will support the field from unskilled workers and towards paradigm professionals. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe how these advocacy efforts will support the field from unskilled workers and towards paradigm professionals; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The description of supporting professionals in the field is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - States ethical issues when presented in a complex, ambiguous context and recognizes interrelationships among the various issues.

Proficient - States ethical issues when they are presented in an ambiguous context or recognizes cross-relationships among the issues.

Basic - States basic and apparent ethical issues and understands the complexities or interrelationships among the issues.

Below Expectations - States apparent ethical issues but fails to recognize their complexity or interrelationships.

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

Distinguished - Develops a logical, consistent plan to solve a problem. Identifies consequences of the solution and clearly communicates the reason for choosing the solution.

Proficient - Carefully chooses among alternatives and develops a logical, consistent approach to problem solving.

Basic - Takes into account and eliminates less acceptable approaches to problem solving.

Below Expectations - Takes into account a single approach and uses the approach to problem solve.

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.