Exemplary	Proficient	Developing	Beginning	Not Yet
Comprehension of Assignment (30% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 30-27 pts. The essay presents a convincing and insightful analysis of an article. The author focuses on the rhetoric used in the article and identifies many of the strategies used by the author.	Drop down menu: 26-24 pts. The essay presents a well-defined analysis. The author focuses on the rhetoric and provides sufficient evidence and examples.	Drop-down menu: 23-21 pts. The essay presents a minimally defined analysis. The writer attempts to identify rhetorical devices, but the evidence is underdeveloped or only partially explained.	Drop-down menu: 20-18 pts. The essay presents a weakly developed analysis. The writer attempts to identify rhetorical devices but offers minimal and/or inappropriate evidence.	Drop-down menu: 17-0 pts. The essay presents an ineffective analysis. The writer fails to identify rhetorical devices or offers inappropriate evidence.
Application of Course Knowledge and Content (20% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 20-18 pts Quotes, paraphrases and summaries from the article enhance the analysis and are cited correctly.	Drop down menu: 17-16 pts. Quotes, paraphrases and summaries are included. Citations are mostly accurate.	Drop-down menu: 15-14 pts. An effort to use borrowed material is made, but the quotes may be “dropped into” the essay without connecting them to the surrounding material. Citations are attempted.	Drop-down menu: 13-12 pts. Little effort is made to borrow material from the source, or there is little separation between the writer’s ideas and the author’s ideas. Citations are attempted.	Drop-down menu: 11 – 0 pts. Little or no effort is made to borrow material from the source. Citations are few, inaccurate, or incomplete.
Organization of Ideas (20% of grade)	Drop-down menu: : 20-18 pts Organization is coherent with appropriate transitions between and within paragraphs to create a cohesive whole.	Drop down menu: 17-16 pts. Organization is generally clear with transitions between paragraphs. A competency with language is apparent.	Drop-down menu: 15-14 pts. Organization is clear enough to follow. A limited control of language is apparent.	Drop-down menu: 13-12 pts. Organization is unclear. Writing demonstrates weak control of language.	Drop-down menu: 11 – 0 pts. The essay lacks organization, making the writer’s ideas difficult to follow. Writing demonstrates weak control of language.
Writing Skills (20% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 20-18 pts Word choice is precise, sentences are varied, and grammatical errors are rare or absent.	Drop down menu: 17-16 pts. Word choice is appropriate and sentences are sometimes varied. Some errors in sentence structure, usage, and mechanics are present.	Drop-down menu: 15-14 pts. . Word choice is imprecise and sentences may be poorly constructed or confusing. Errors in sentence structure, usage, and mechanics are present.	Drop-down menu: 13-12 pts. A pattern of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics significantly interferes with meaning.	Drop-down menu: 11 – 0 pts. Errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics are pervasive and obstruct meaning.
Presentation (10% of grade)	Drop down menu: 10-9 pts Exceptional use of APA formatting (one-inch margins, double spaced, page numbers at top right, and title page).	Drop down menu: 8 pts Competent use of APA formatting. Errors are rare or absent.	Drop down menu: 7 pts. Some effort to use APA formatting. Some of the requirements are not followed, or some errors are evident.	Drop down menu: 6 pts. Marginal effort to use APA formatting. Most of the requirements are missing, or several errors are evident.	Drop down menu: 5-0 pts Little or no effort to use APA formatting.