Distinguished - Clearly provides the names, a URL, and brief background on the history and mission and/or values of the universities.

Proficient - Provides the names, a URL, and brief background on the history and mission and/or values of the universities. Minor details are missing. 

Basic - Minimally provides the names, a URL, and brief background on the history and mission and/or values of the universities. Relevant details are missing. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide the names, a URL, and brief background on the history and mission and/or values of the universities; however, significant details are missing. 

Non-Performance - The names, a URL, and brief background on the history and mission and/or values of the universities are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the reasons for and significance of the Carnegie Classifications of the universities.

Proficient - Assesses the reasons for and significance of the Carnegie Classifications of the universities. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally assesses the reasons for and significance of the Carnegie Classifications of the universities. The assessment is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the reasons for and significance of the Carnegie Classifications of the universities; however, the assessment is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The assessment of the reasons for and significance of the Carnegie Classifications of the universities is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the universities’ governance processes.

Proficient - Assesses the universities’ governance processes. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally assesses the universities’ governance processes. The assessment is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to assesses the universities’ governance processes; however, the assessment is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The assessment of the universities’ governance processes is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes the financing of the universities and the financing in the state or states in which the universities are located.

Proficient - Analyzes the financing of the universities and the financing in the state or states in which the universities are located. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally analyzes the financing of the universities and the financing in the state or states in which the universities are located. The analysis is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the financing of the universities and the financing in the state or states in which the universities are located; however, the analysis is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The analysis of the financing of the universities and the financing in the state or states in which the universities are located is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the community connections of the universities.

Proficient - Assesses the community connections of the universities. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally assesses the community connections of the universities. The assessment is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the community connections of the universities; however, the assessment is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The assessment of the community connections of the universities is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes the universities’ community relations or giving back to the communities, or thoroughly discusses why this may not be provided.

Proficient - Analyzes the universities’ community relations or giving back to the communities, or discusses why this may not be provided. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped, or minor details are missing from the discussion. 

Basic - Minimally analyzes the universities’ community relations or giving back to the communities, or partially discusses why this may not be provided. The analysis is underdeveloped, or relevant details are missing from the discussion.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the universities’ community relations or giving back to the communities or discuss why this may not be provided; however, the analysis is significantly underdeveloped, or significant details are missing from the discussion. 

Non-Performance - The analysis of the universities’ community relations or giving back to the communities, or discussion of why this may not be provided is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the accreditation of the universities, including why each may have selected its accreditor and how this choice has shaped the development of the institutions.

Proficient -Assesses the accreditation of the universities, including why each may have selected its accreditor and how this choice has shaped the development of the institutions. The assessment is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally assesses the accreditation of the universities, including why each may have selected its accreditor and how this choice has shaped the development of the institutions. The assessment is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the accreditation of the universities; however, does not include why each may have selected its accreditor and how this choice has shaped the development of the institutions, and/or the assessment is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The assessment of the accreditation of the universities, including why each may have selected its accreditor and how this choice has shaped the development of the institutions is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively explains how comparing two universities and their overarching components provides useful knowledge and a unique perspective on higher education.

Proficient - Explains how comparing two universities and their overarching components provides useful knowledge and a unique perspective on higher education. The explanation is slightly underdeveloped. 

Basic - Minimally explains how comparing two universities and their overarching components provides useful knowledge and a unique perspective on higher education. The explanation is underdeveloped. 

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how comparing two universities and their overarching components provides useful knowledge and a unique perspective on higher education; however, the explanation is significantly underdeveloped. 

Non-Performance - The explanation of how comparing two universities and their overarching components provides useful knowledge and a unique perspective on higher education 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.