Distinguished - Comprehensively and describes thoughts about statement and thoroughly explains why it may be true in some cases but not others using evidence that entirely supports the position.

Proficient - Describes thoughts about statement and explains why it may be true in some cases but not others. The description or explanation may be slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially describes some thoughts about statements and minimally explains why it may be true in some cases but not others.  The description and/or explanation is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to describe thoughts about statement and explain why it may be true in some cases but not others; however, the description and explanation are significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The description of thoughts on this statement and explanation of why it make be true in some cases but not others are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly addresses why it is important to utilize developmental theory to explain child development. Provides fully relevant examples to clearly address the question.

Proficient - Addresses why it is important to utilize developmental theory to explain child development.  Provides relevant examples to address the question. Minor details are missing or unclear.

Basic - Minimally addresses why it is important to use developmental theory to explain child development.  Provides somewhat relevant examples to address the question. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to address why it is important to use developmental theory to explain child development; however, does not provide relevant examples to address the question and significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The importance of utilizing developmental theory is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively addresses the difference between scholarly and anecdotal evidence.  This is clearly supported with substantial evidence from both scholarly sources and personal experience.

Proficient - Addresses the difference between scholarly and anecdotal evidence. This is supported with sufficient evidence from both scholarly sources and personal experience. Minor details are missing or unclear.

Basic -Minimally addresses the difference between scholarly and anecdotal evidence.  This is supported with limited evidence from scholarly sources and/or personal experience. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to address the difference between scholarly and anecdotal evidence; however, this is not supported with evidence from scholarly sources and personal experience, and significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The difference between scholarly and anecdotal evidence is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Identifies and thoroughly describes one of the major theories and why that theory applies to child and/or adolescent development using fully relevant scholarly support and examples.

Proficient - Identifies and describes one of the major theories and why that theory applies to child and/or adolescent development using relevant scholarly support and examples. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Identifies and minimally describes one of the major theories and why that theory applies to child and/or adolescent development using somewhat relevant scholarly support and/or examples. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Identifies and attempts to describe one of the major theories and why that theory applies to child and/or adolescent development; however, does not use relevant scholarly support and examples, and significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The identification and description of one major developmental theory is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Provides a thorough conclusion reflecting on why we should incorporate both personal experience and scholarly research in this course, with clear connections to evidence provided throughout the assignment.

Proficient - Provides a thorough conclusion reflecting on why we should incorporate both personal experience and scholarly research in this course with some connections to evidence provided throughout the assignment.

Basic - Provides a limited conclusion reflecting on why we should incorporate both personal experience and scholarly information in this course with vague connections to evidence provided throughout the assignment.

Below Expectations - Attempts to provide a conclusion reflecting on why we should incorporate both personal experience and scholarly information in this course; however, the conclusion lacks relevant connections to the assignment.

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

Distinguished - Creates meaningful correlations among experiences outside of the classroom to demonstrate an understanding of the given field of study and to broaden one's own viewpoints.

Proficient - Compares life experiences and academic knowledge to distinguish differences and similarities while acknowledging perspectives other than one's own.

Basic - Recognizes correlations between life experiences, academic texts, and ideas perceived as similar and related to one's own interests.

Below Expectations - Briefly comments about the connections between one's life experiences and academic texts.

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 - Creates new knowledge derived from a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Proficient - Constructs an original idea, question, format, or product.

Basic - Attempts to construct an original or unique idea, question, format, or product.

Below Expectations - Reinvents available ideas.

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.