Distinguished - Selects four peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last 10 years that support thesis statement/professional recommendation. All of the articles are from peer-reviewed psychology journals obtained from the Ashford University Library databases.

Proficient - Selects four articles but one of the articles is not from a peer-reviewed source and/or may be more than 10 years old. Articles support thesis statement/professional recommendation, but minor details are missing or inaccurate.

Basic - Selects at least three articles, but one of the articles is not from a peer-reviewed source and/or may be more than 10 years old. Articles may not support thesis statement/professional recommendation. Relevant details are missing or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Selects fewer than three articles. Articles are not from peer-reviewed sources, are more than 10 years old, and significant details are missing and inaccurate.

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

Distinguished -Thesis statement/professional recommendation is stated clearly and is fully supported by scholarly evidence throughout the paper.

Proficient - Thesis statement/professional recommendation is stated and is supported by scholarly evidence throughout the paper. Minor details are missing or unclear.

Basic - Thesis statement/professional recommendation is vaguely stated and somewhat supported by scholarly evidence. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Thesis statement/professional recommendation is not clearly stated and/or is not supported with scholarly evidence. Significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The thesis statement/professional recommendation is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Identifies and thoroughly explains controversies in the literature on the chosen topic. Uses scholarly evidence to clearly explain the controversy.

Proficient -Identifies and explains any controversies in the literature on the chosen topic. Uses scholarly evidence to explain the controversy. Minor details are missing or unclear.

Basic - Identifies and partially explains controversies in the literature on the chosen topic. Minimally uses scholarly evidence to explain the controversy. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Identifies and attempts to explain controversies in the literature on the chosen topic; however, the explanation is not supported with scholarly evidence and significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The identification and explanation of the controversy in the scholarly literature on the chosen topic is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Includes a clear and thorough discussion of at least one article that opposes the thesis statement/professional recommendation.

Proficient - Includes a discussion of at least one article that opposes the thesis statement/professional recommendation. Minor details are missing and unclear.

Basic - Includes a limited discussion of at least one article that opposes the thesis statement/professional recommendation. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to include a discussion of at least one article that opposes the thesis statement/professional recommendation; however, significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The discussion of an article that opposes the thesis statement/professional recommendation is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Clearly and thoroughly describes the studies and includes details that provide the reader with a general sense of each study’s hypothesis, method, and results.

Proficient - Describes the studies and includes details that provide the reader with a general sense of each study’s hypothesis, method, and results. Minor details may be missing or unclear.

Basic - Partially describes the studies and includes some details that provide the reader with a general sense of each study’s hypothesis, method, and results. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe the studies and include details of each study’s hypothesis, method, and results; however, significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The descriptions of the studies are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a detailed scholarly analysis of each study by thoroughly evaluating the strengths and limitations of the research.

Proficient - Provides a scholarly analysis of each study by evaluating the strengths and limitations of the research. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Provides a limited scholarly analysis of each study by partially evaluating the strengths and limitations of the research. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Provides a scholarly analysis of each study by attempting to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the research; however, significant details are missing.

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

Distinguished - Thoroughly discusses the implications of each study and its contribution to the field of social psychology. 

Proficient - Discusses the implications of each study and its contribution to the field of social psychology. Minor details are missing. 

Basic - Partially discusses the implications of each study and its contribution to the field of social psychology. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to discuss the implications of each study and its contribution to the field of social psychology; however, significant details are missing.

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

Distinguished - Restates professional recommendation clearly. Includes a concise concluding paragraph that ties together the evidence in the paper that supports the overall professional recommendation.

Proficient - Restates professional recommendation and includes a concluding paragraph. Connection is made to the evidence in the paper that supports the overall professional recommendation, but minor details may be missing.

Basic - Restates professional recommendation. Concluding paragraph to connect the evidence in the paper to the professional recommendation lacks depth and clarity. Relevant details may be missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to restate professional recommendation and/or draw a connection between the evidence in the paper and the overall professional recommendation; however, significant details are missing.

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

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

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

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

Below Expectations - Briefly explains 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 - Renovates ideas or solutions into entirely new forms.

Proficient - Conceives ideas or solutions into a coherent whole.

Basic - Associates ideas or solutions in novel ways. 

Below Expectations - Recognizes existing connections among ideas or solutions.

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

Distinguished - Uses appropriate, pertinent, and persuasive content to discover and develop sophisticated ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.

Proficient - Uses appropriate and pertinent content to discover ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.

Basic - Uses appropriate and pertinent content but does not apply it toward discovering or developing ideas. Overall, content assists in shaping the written work.

Below Expectations - Uses content, though it may be unrelated or inappropriate to the topic. Content does not contribute toward the development of the written work and may distract the reader from its purpose.

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.