Distinguished - Thoroughly analyzes the literary work from the approved list of prompts.

Proficient - Analyzes the literary work from the approved list of prompts. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Minimally analyzes the literary work from the approved list of prompts. The analysis is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the literary work from the approved list of prompts; however, the analysis is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The analysis of the literary work from the approved list of prompts is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Fully and clearly applies knowledge of literary elements and other concepts.

Proficient - Applies knowledge of literary elements and other concepts. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear.

Basic - Partially applies knowledge of literary elements and other concepts. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to apply knowledge of literary elements and other concepts; however, significant details are missing and entirely unclear.

Non-Performance - The application of knowledge of literary elements and other concepts is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Thoroughly revises the working thesis, fully incorporating instructor feedback from Week 2.

Proficient - Revises the working thesis, incorporating instructor feedback from Week 2. The working thesis requires minimal improvement.

Basic - Partially revises the working thesis, somewhat incorporating instructor feedback from Week 2.  The working thesis requires some improvement.

Below Expectations - Attempts to revise the working thesis; however, does not incorporate instructor feedback from Week 2, and the working thesis requires significant improvement.  

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

Distinguished - Develops cohesive, detailed body paragraphs and topic sentences that clearly relate to the working thesis.

Proficient - Develops body paragraphs and topic sentences that relate to the working thesis. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear.

Basic - Develops limited body paragraphs and topic sentences that somewhat related to the working thesis. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop body paragraphs and topic sentences; however, the body paragraphs and topic sentences do not relate to the working thesis, and/or significant details are missing and entirely unclear.

Non-Performance - The body paragraphs and topic sentences are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a comprehensive conclusion that fully reaffirms the working thesis and includes a thorough summary of the key ideas in essay.

Proficient - Develops a conclusion that reaffirms the working thesis and includes a summary of the key ideas in essay. The conclusion is slightly underdeveloped.

Basic - Develops a limited conclusion that somewhat reaffirms the working thesis and includes a partial summary of the key ideas in essay. The conclusion is underdeveloped.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop a conclusion; however, the conclusion does not reaffirm the working thesis and/or include a summary of the key ideas in essay, and/or the conclusion is significantly underdeveloped.

Non-Performance - The conclusion that reaffirms the working thesis and includes a summary of the key ideas in essay is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Fully incorporates research including appropriate paraphrases and/or quotations from primary and/or secondary sources.

Proficient - Incorporates research including paraphrases and/or quotations from primary and/or secondary sources. Minor details are missing or slightly inappropriate.

Basic - Partially incorporates research including somewhat appropriate paraphrases and/or quotations from primary and/or secondary sources. Relevant details are missing and/or inappropriate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to incorporate research; however, does not include paraphrases and/or quotations from primary and/or secondary sources, and/or significant details are missing and inappropriate.

Non-Performance - The incorporation of research including paraphrases and/or quotations from primary and/or secondary sources is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Appraises tactics for relating ideas, text structure, or other textual features in order to gain knowledge or insight within and across texts and disciplines.

Proficient - Recognizes connections among ideas, text structure, or other textual features to analyze how they support a sophisticated understanding of the text as a whole.

Basic - Recognizes the connections among portions of a text in considering how these connections contribute to a fundamental understanding of the text as a whole.

Below Expectations - Makes an effort to recognize portions of a text as needed to respond to inquiries posed in the assignment.

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.