Distinguished - Selects a comprehensive and appropriate research topic and creates a thesis statement. Provides in-depth reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Proficient - Selects an appropriate research topic and creates a thesis statement. Provides reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Basic - Selects a somewhat appropriate research topic and creates a thesis statement. Provides some reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Below Expectations - Attempts to select a research topic and create a thesis statement; however, the research topic is inappropriate and/or reasoning is not sufficiently supported by evidence from the required readings.

Non-Performance - The selection of a research topic and the creation of a thesis statement are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Creates a thorough literature review of five scholarly articles that comprehensively summarizes how the research articles support the thesis statement. Provides detailed reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Proficient - Creates a literature review of five scholarly articles that summarizes how the research articles support the thesis statement. Provides reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Basic - Creates a partial literature review of five scholarly articles that minimally summarizes how the research articles support the thesis statement. Provides some reasoning supported by evidence from the required readings.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a literature review of five scholarly articles; however, the literature review does not summarize how the research articles support the thesis statement and/or reasoning is not sufficiently supported by evidence from the required readings.

Non-Performance - The creation of a literature review of five scholarly articles that summarizes how the research articles support the thesis statement is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes the findings from the articles, pointing out the instances of agreement and disagreement, resonating points, clarification points, and educational psychology theory that exist in the articles.

Proficient - Analyzes the findings from the articles, pointing out the instances of agreement and disagreement, resonating points, clarification points, and educational psychology theory that exist in the articles. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Partially analyzes the findings from the articles, pointing out the instances of agreement and disagreement, resonating points, clarification points, and educational psychology theory that exist in the articles. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the findings from the articles, pointing out the instances of agreement and disagreement, resonating points, clarification points, and educational psychology theory that exist in the articles; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The analysis of the findings from the articles 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 basic 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 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 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.