environmental

Individual Paper (Term Paper) Grading Rubric

Criteria/

Weight

Failure

(69 or below)

Below Standards

(70-79)

Good

(80-89)

Excellent

(90-100)

Content

Weight: 60%

Student paper does not provide a meaningful level of understanding to the chosen topic. Many additional details are required to adequately address the paper’s content.

Student paper provides some level of understanding to the chose topic; some additional details are required to adequately address the paper’s content.

Student paper provides a good level of understanding to the chosen topic; some additional details would have enhanced the paper’s content.

Student's paper provides significant understanding to the chosen topic.

Information and Research

Weight: 20%

No external references provided.

Research sources are either somewhat or marginally relevant organization websites or open- source reference. At least two (2) of these external references are provided. All references listed must be cited within the paper.

Research sources are primarily relevant government/ organization and/or open- source websites. At least four (4) of these external references provided. All references listed must be cited within the paper.

Research sources are primarily scholarly, peer- reviewed articles and/or relevant government/ organization websites. At least six (6) of these external references provided. All references listed must be cited within the paper.

Presentation Weight 10%

Paper was not well written/ clear; therefore, reader had major problems trying to follow the paper’s logic.

Paper had some writing/ clarity problems: therefore, reader had many minor and/or few major issues that made certain areas challenging for the reader to follow the paper’s logic

Paper was fairly well written/ clear; therefore, reader had few minor issues that made certain sections of the paper challenging for the reader to follow the paper’s logic.

Paper was well written/ clear; therefore, reader had no problems in following the paper’s logic.

Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, APA/Length

Weight: 10%

Paper is not well edited and contains significant grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. In-text citations and reference list mostly does not conform to APA 6th ed. formatting; more than 6 deviations noted.

Paper is not well edited and contains several grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. In-text citations and reference list somewhat conforms to APA 6th ed. formatting; no more than 6 deviations noted.

Paper contains a few grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. In-text citations and reference list mostly conforms to APA 6th ed. formatting;

Paper contains minimal grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors In-text citations and reference list conforms to APA 6th ed. formatting.

Submitted paper deviates from the assigned length by more than 30%.

Submitted paper deviates from the assigned length by 20-30%.

no more than 3 deviations noted. Submitted paper deviates from the assigned length by 10-20%.

Submitted paper is within 10% of the assigned length.