Distinguished - Comprehensively explains the basic steps in the planning process. The explanation includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text.

Proficient - Explains the basic steps in the planning process. The explanation includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially explains the basic steps in the planning process. The explanation includes some supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text, but is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the basic steps in the planning process; however, the explanation does not include supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text and/or is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the basic steps in the planning process is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively describes the steps in the decision-making process and predicts how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making. The description includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text.

Proficient - Describes the steps in the decision-making process and predicts how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making. The description includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text. The description is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially describes the steps in the decision-making process and somewhat predicts how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making. The description includes some supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text. The description is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe the steps in the decision-making process and predict how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making; however, the description does not include supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text and/or the description is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of the steps in the decision-making process and the prediction of how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision making are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly predicts how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality productivity profitability link. The prediction includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text.

Proficient - Predicts how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality productivity profitability link. The prediction includes supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text but is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Somewhat predicts how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality productivity profitability link. The prediction includes some supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text and is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to predict how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality productivity profitability link; however, the prediction does not include supportive scholarly sources and concepts from the text and/or is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The prediction of how the steps of the strategic planning process and the environmental factors that influence decision making impact the quality productivity profitability link is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

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

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

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

Below Expectations - Briefly recognizes 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 - 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.