Distinguished - Comprehensively and accurately explains the validity of the business opportunity, the market trends over the past five years, and the market size. Effectively applies vocabulary and course concepts from the text and/or additional scholarly sources to support the explanation.

Proficient - Explains the validity of the business opportunity, the market trends over the past five years, and the market size. Applies vocabulary and course concepts from the text and/or additional scholarly sources to support the explanation, but minor details are missing or inaccurate.

Basic - Partially explains the validity of the business opportunity, the market trends over the past five years, and the market size. Somewhat applies vocabulary and course concepts from the text and/or additional scholarly sources to support the explanation, and relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain the validity of the business opportunity, the market trends over the past five years, and market size; however, vocabulary and course concepts are not applied, and significant details are missing and are inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The explanation of the validity of the business opportunity, market trends, and market size is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Effectively describes the product or service and the range of coverage and comprehensively summarizes the price and decision-making process for determining price.

Proficient - Describes the product or service and the range of coverage and summarizes the price and decision-making process for determining price. The description or summary is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Marginally describes the product or service and the range of coverage and summarizes the price and decision-making process for determining price. The description and/or summary are underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe the product or service and the range of coverage and summarize the price and decision-making process for determining price; however, the description and summary are significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of the product or service and the range of coverage and the summary of the price and decision-making process for determining price are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly defines the market as a business or customer market and clearly explains how the product or service appropriately meets the needs of the targeted customer.

Proficient - Defines the market as a business or customer market and explains how the product or service appropriately meets the need of the targeted customer. The explanation or definition is slightly underdeveloped or unclear.

Basic - Vaguely defines the market as a business or customer market and partially explains how the product or service appropriately meets the need of the targeted customer. The definition or explanation is underdeveloped and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to define the market as a business or customer market and explain how the product or service appropriately meets the needs of the targeted customer; however, the definition and explanation are significantly underdeveloped and unclear.

Non-Performance - The definition of the market as a business or customer market and the explanation of how product or service appropriately meets the needs of the targeted customer are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Adapts and employs, independently, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to new situations. Solves difficult problems or explores complex issues in original ways.

Proficient - Utilizes skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to new situations, contributing to an understanding of problems or issues.

Basic - Attempts to utilize, in a basic way, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation, in a new situation.

Below Expectations - Attempts to utilize, in a basic way, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation in a new situation. Such attempts may be ineffective.

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.