Section B – Grading Rubric
Spring 2024 – MSBA 260 Individual Applied Project/Presentation
Note: Your MSBA 260 Applied Research Project is worth 10 points (10% of your grade).
Below is how I grade your research paper. Please email or ask me in class if you have ANY questions at least 4 weeks before it is due. Last minute questions/issues will get you on my radar. You don’t want that Thanks and good luck!
“A” level (A or A-) answer
· Thoroughly answers all sections of the questions as listed (note: all sections must be addressed evenly as required in the question – thanks!)
· Incorporates an abundance of pertinent and detailed information from class discussions, our textbook, and assigned readings (whenever applicable), providing needed relevant empirical evidence (this is VERY important) as requested in the question
· Maintains focus/avoids being sidetracked by tangents – sticks to the question(s) asked
· Presents all information clearly and concisely and in an organized manner
· Does much more than merely restate the question and offer a brief response
· When summarizing the articles, follows APA format precisely – uses “OWL” (see below for the link to their resources)
· https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
· Includes an easy-to-follow reference section – what articles did you use in your answer? In this case, MANY were used to help support proposed answers – relying on evidence rather than opinion
· Avoids distracting grammar/spelling/etc. problems throughout the document (PLEASE DO THIS)
Overall: Goes “above and beyond” to provide a well-researched and well-written answer that deserves an “A” level grade. Note: I am happy to give you an “A” level grade – please do what I ask you to and you can earn it
“B” level (B or B-) answer
· Answers the specific parts of questions asked, but not as thoroughly as an “A” level paper listed above – may, for example, slightly emphasize one part of the question over the other
· Incorporates some information from class discussions and assigned readings, providing some necessary evidence, but less thoroughly and/or relevantly than an “A” essay – or, for example, the evidence is not directly relevant to supporting the response. If there is AMPLE evidence available, and only some is used, this can result in this level of a grade
· Usually maintains focus, but may digress from the specific topic once or twice
· Presents information fairly clearly and concisely, and may have minor organization problems
· Does more than merely restate the question and offer a brief response
· May incorporate opinion rather than evidence in some parts of the answer
· Includes a reference section but it in either incomplete or has errors
· When summarizing the articles, follows APA format well but may have minimal amount of errors
· May not have followed OWL resources correctly in all cases
· Includes an easy-to-follow reference section – what articles did you use in your answer? In this case, SOME were used to help support proposed answers – again, relying on mostly evidence rather than opinion
· May contain a few distracting grammar/spelling/etc. problems in the document
Overall: Does a “good” job and answers the questions sufficiently, incorporates just enough relevant research to support responses, and may have one or two unintentional/minor grammatical/spelling errors along the way that do not interfere with the clarity of the response.
“C” level (C or C-) answer
· Addresses most of the specific questions asked, but does not relate all sections of the answers directly to the question or does not address all required elements of the questions as stated
· Does not adequately incorporate information from class discussions and assigned readings, textbook, etc. and may rely on only one or two sources, unsupported statements, or generalities/opinions.
· Sometimes strays from the specific topic (more often than a “B” level answer)
· Presents information in a manner that is sometimes unclear, and/or has significant organization problems
· May merely restate the question and offer a brief, undeveloped response with little or no evidence
· More opinion rather than evidence
· When summarizing the articles, may follow APA format somewhat but has errors – enough to be problematic and distracting
· OWL resource not utilized effectively
· Reference section not easy to follow – what articles did you use in your answer? In this case, very few were used to help support proposed answers – arguments mostly relying on opinion rather than evidence
· May contain a significant number of distracting grammar/spelling/etc. problems that make it difficult to assess the responses provided
Overall: Appears to simply “meet” rather than “exceed” expectations for the questions listed. Goes through the motions and presents a barely acceptable answer. Spelling and grammatical errors may be plentiful but still allow the reader to comprehend the response.
“D” level (D or D-) Answer (i.e., score of 6 out of 10)
· Does not directly answer the specific central questions asked or doesn’t understand the question(s)
· Misses the key foundation(s) of the question and the desired answer(s)
· Appears to have touched on the topic but also includes items that are not in the question (note: this typically creates a heightened sense of possible plagiarism)
· Does not incorporate information from class discussions, assigned readings, etc. or does so minimally and/or irrelevantly
· Substantially digresses from the specific topic
· Has significant problems with clarity, concision, and organization, making the information presented difficult for the reader to understand
· May merely restate the question and offer an irrelevant or undeveloped response
· When writing the sections, APA format not followed or not followed effectively
· OWL generally disregarded
· May have limited to no reference section – what articles did you use in your answer? In this case, apparently few in quantity or improper sources (low quality) were used to help support proposed answers – relying on opinion rather than evidence
· May contain substantial distracting grammar/spelling/etc. problems that substantially hinders the effectiveness of the information presented
Overall: This is a very poor showing. Appears to have put very little effort into attempting to answer the questions as listed. See above. Likely some or all of these occurred. Not organized well and may contain so many grammatical and/or spelling errors to make the reader unable to fully understand what is being provided as a response.
“F” level (Failing) answer (i.e., scores of 5 and lower out of 10 points)
· Does not turn in any answers …. Or…. (see below)
· Does not answer the specific part or parts of the question as required
· Does not incorporate information from pertinent class discussions and/or assigned readings/textbook, etc.
· Provides virtually no evidence or incorrect evidence to support assertions made in the response – may offer only opinion or information not relevant to the question
· Likely did not follow APA format properly
· Likely did not use OWL at all
· Provides information that cannot be understood fully or that is not related to the specific topic posed in the question
· May lack recognizable organization in the document
· May contain enough distracting grammar/spelling/etc. problems to make it essentially incomprehensible to the reader
Overall: Does not meet the basic requirements as listed above. Failed attempt.
Note: Remember, all Pacific Honor Code requirements are to be followed. Any violation(s) will result in failing this part of class and being reported to the Dean’s office for further action, etc. Please be sure to do your own work and avoid plagiarism in any way/shape or form. Be careful – some students are not fully informed about how plagiarism is defined – take the time to go over this as needed. You may use ChatGPT but you MUST include screenshots of what you asked and the responses provided
The best advice is to write your own work. Unsure if you are doing something incorrectly? Please see the link below before you begin writing your paper. Thanks and good luck!
https://www.pacific.edu/student-life/safety-wellness/student-conduct/tiger-lore-student-code-of-conduct-/honor-code