Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes why nutrition is important and how it impacts physical and mental health as well as increases our risk for disease if inadequate diets are consumed. 

Proficient - Analyzes why nutrition is important and how it impacts physical and mental health as well as increases our risk for disease if inadequate diets are consumed. Minor details may be missing.

Basic - Analyzes why nutrition is important and how it impacts physical and mental health as well as increases our risk for disease if inadequate diets are consumed. Some details are incorrect and/or missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze why nutrition is important and how it impacts physical and mental health as well as increases our risk for disease if inadequate diets are consumed. Significant details are incorrect and/or missing.

Non Performance - The analysis of why nutrition is important and how it impacts physical and mental health as well as increases our risk for disease if inadequate diets are consumed is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly distinguishes the six classes of nutrients and comprehensively explains how they individually and collectively help to maintain health status. Provides extensive details using information from scholarly sources and the required materials.

Proficient - Distinguishes the six classes of nutrients and explains how they individually and collectively help to maintain health status. Provides details using information from scholarly sources in addition to the required materials.

Basic - Partially distinguishes the six classes of nutrients and somewhat explains how they individually and collectively help to maintain health status. Provides minimal details using information from scholarly sources and the required materials.

Below Expectations - Attempts to distinguish the six classes of nutrients and explains how they individually and collectively help to maintain health status; however, sufficient detail using information from scholarly sources or the required materials is not provided.

Non Performance - The distinction of the six classes of nutrients and the explanation of how they individually and collectively help to maintain health status are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly discusses the five characteristics of a healthy diet and provides detailed and  realistic dietary examples for each.

Proficient - Discusses the five characteristics of a healthy diet and provides mostly realistic dietary examples for each. Minor details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Basic - Partially discusses the five characteristics of a healthy diet and provides somewhat realistic dietary examples for each. Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations -Attempts to discuss the five characteristics of a healthy diet; however, dietary examples are not provided for each, and/or significant details are missing.

Non Performance - The discussion of the five characteristics of a healthy diet and provisions of dietary examples are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished -Thoroughly explains how nutrition is a science and how the scientific method is used in the field. Applies information from scholarly sources and required materials to the explanation.

Proficient - Explains how nutrition is a science and how the scientific method is used in the field. Applies information from scholarly sources and required materials to the explanation. Minor details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Basic - Partially explains how nutrition is a science and how the scientific method is used in the field. Minimally applies information from scholarly sources or the required materials to the explanation. Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to explain how nutrition is a science and how the scientific method is used in the field; however, information from scholarly sources or the required materials is not applied and significant details are missing.

Non Performance - The explanation of nutrition as a science and the use of the scientific method in the field is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished -Thoroughly summarizes the four different types of studies and comprehensively explains the use of research in the development of dietary guidelines.

Proficient - Summarizes the four different types of studies and explains the use of research in the development of dietary guidelines. The summary or explanation is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Partially summarizes the four different types of studies and explains the use of research in the development of dietary guidelines. The summary and/or explanation are underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize the four different types of studies and explains the use of research in the development of dietary guidelines; however, the summary and/or explanation are significantly underdeveloped.

Non Performance - The summary of the four different types of studies and the explanation of the use of research in the development of dietary guidelines are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively appraises the six stages of behavior change and provides a diet-related example for each of the stages. Supports the research with scholarly sources.

Proficient - Appraises the six stages of behavior change and provides a diet-related example for each of the stages. Minor details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Basic - Appraises the six stages of behavior change and provides a diet-related example for each of the stages.  Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations -Attempts to appraise the six stages of behavior change and provides a diet-related example for each of the stages.  Significant details incorrent and /or missing.

Non Performance -The appraisal of the six stages of behavior change 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 - 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.

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 - 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 - 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.