Business and Entrepreneurship

Criteria

Formative

Developing

Competent

Mature

Exemplary

Context

Addresses the audience’s needs and expectations; conveys the topic’s relevance to the audience

Lacks language that addresses audience’s needs and expectations and that conveys the topic’s relevance to them

Overall the document does not address the audience’s needs and expectations or convey the relevance of the topic to them

Language generally addresses the audience’s needs and expectations and the relevance of the topic to them, but could do so with greater specificity

Addresses the audience’s needs and expectations well; explains with specificity the relevance of the topic to them

Speaks explicitly to the audience’s needs and expectations; explains with specificity the relevance of the topic to them; anticipates their questions

Content

Thoroughly answers the questions in the assignment

Concludes with a show of goodwill

Missing basic information audience must have; significant points of assigned information are missing; closing does not connect with reader

Covers minor points of the assignment; needs further development for remaining points of information; closing needs greater goodwill and a forward look

Covers the main points of the assignment; could address other issues related to audience situation; general closing, but could create greater goodwill and forward look

Addresses all main points and some additional areas important to audience; closing creates goodwill

Provides all information required and additional information is relevant to the audience; closing creates goodwill, is forward looking, and cements a positive relationship with the audience

Organization

Orders information effectively for audience’s understanding

Groups topics into coherent paragraphs

Paragraphs lack effective order or coherence; paragraphs mix topics

Paragraphs mainly lack an effective order; paragraphs often mix topics

Effective order used with most paragraphs; some paragraphs mix topics

Paragraphs are effectively ordered; paragraphs are mainly coherent

Paragraphs are optimally ordered for audience’s understanding and retrieval of information; paragraphs are coherent

Style

States ideas clearly and concisely

Employs correct grammar

Avoids biased language (builds goodwill with the audience)

Lacks clarity throughout; numerous and various types of errors in grammar; wordy throughout; uses language that will break goodwill

Some paragraphs are unclear; sections are wordy and need correction in grammar; some language may break goodwill

Paragraphs are generally clear and concise; a few grammar errors; some goodwill with the audience is built

Paragraphs are mostly clear and concise; grammar is correct; strong goodwill is built

Paragraphs are maximally clear and concise; grammar is correct and elegant; strong goodwill is built

Delivery

Follows the memo format correctly

Uses correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization

Employs professional document design (e.g., set on one page, uses white space, uses headings)

Follows APA format

Does not follow memo format; lacks basic proofreading; design makes finding information difficult; document design lacks professional characteristics; No attempt is made to follow APA formatting

Follows memo format but with errors; contains multiple proofreading errors; lacks some characteristics of professional document design; APA formatting is not clearly followed

Follows memo (not email) format; contains some proofreading errors; document design is mainly professional and usable; APA formatting is followed but with errors

Follows memo (not email) format; careful proofreading is evident, though an error may be present; document design is professional and usable overall; APA formatting is mostly followed correctly

Follows memo (not email) format; very careful proofreading is evident; document design conveys professionalism and creates usability; APA formatting is followed correctly