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Grading Rubric for Research Proposal Assignment

Grade Does Not Meet Approaching Meets


Component Expectations Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations
(Weight)
Abstract (5%) 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
 An abstract is not present  An abstract is present, but  An abstract is present,  An abstract is present,
or it is unrelated to the it is missing key elements and includes most of and includes all key
topic of the proposal (e.g., an introductory the key elements that elements
statement, hypotheses, a are expected (see list in
description of the methods, previous column)
highlights of implications)
Literature review 0 - 3% 6% 9 – 12% 15%
(15%)
 The literature review lacks  The literature review is  The literature review is  The literature review is
comprehensive coverage relatively comprehensive relatively very comprehensive and
of relevant material and describes some comprehensive and describes relevant
 The purpose of the study relevant material describes most relevant material
is not clearly described  The purpose of the study is material, although  The purpose of the study
 There is no connection described, but not as significant gaps still is clearly described
between the material clearly as it might be exist  There is an excellent
reviewed and the purpose  There is some attempt to  The purpose of the connection between the
of the study connect the material study is adequately material reviewed and
reviewed with the purpose described the purpose of the study
of the study  There is a good attempt
to connect the material
reviewed with the
purpose of the study
Grade Component Does Not Meet Approaching Meets
(Weight) Expectations Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Hypotheses/ 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
research questions (5%)
 No hypotheses or  Some hypotheses or  Hypotheses or research  Specific hypotheses or
research questions are research questions are questions are included in research questions are
included in the proposal included in the proposal, the proposal, and their included in the proposal
but they are unconnected connection to the and they are directly
to the material reviewed in material reviewed in the connected to the material
the introduction introduction is good reviewed in the
introduction
Methods (15%) 0 - 3% 6% 9 – 12% 15%
 No methods section is  A methods section is  A methods section is  A methods section is
included in the proposal present, but numerous present, and only a few present, it is written
or many key elements of elements of the methods elements of the methods clearly, and the section is
the methods are absent are absent or described are absent or described missing none of the key
(e.g., participants/data insufficiently (see list in insufficiently (see list in elements of the methods
described, conditions, previous column) previous column) (see list in previous
comprehensive list of column)
material provided,
procedure clearly
described, method(s) of
analysis discussed,
ethical issues
considered)
Grade Component Does Not Meet Approaching Meets
(Weight) Expectations Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Implications (5%) 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
 No potential implications  Some implications are  Some important  A broad range of
of the proposed study discussed, but they are implications are implications are discussed
are discussed not strongly connected to discussed, which are that connect directly to the
the proposed study connected to the proposed study
 Important implications, proposed study  Both theoretical and
either theoretical or  A good attempt is made practical implications are
practical, aren’t mentioned to discuss both described
theoretical and practical
implications
References (5%) 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
 Major problems exist  An attempt has been  A good attempt has  Referencing is excellent
with references made to deal with been made to deal with  There are no issues with
 Many citations in the references in the proposal references in the citations in the body of the
body of the proposal are  Some citations are proposal proposal
missing missing in the body of the  There are very few  There are no issues with
 Reference list is either proposal problems with the the reference list
absent or seriously  Some references are citations in the body of
problematic missing in the reference the proposal
list or the reference list is  There are very few
slightly problematic problems with the
reference list
Grade Component Does Not Meet Approaching Meets
(Weight) Expectations Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Organization (15%) 0 - 3% 6% 9 – 12% 15%


 The proposal is very  The proposal is somewhat  The proposal is relatively  The organization of the
disorganized disorganized organized proposal is excellent
 Certain sections of the  All sections of the  All sections of the  All sections of the
proposal are missing or proposal are present (see proposal are present proposal are present (see
in the wrong order (e.g., list in previous column), (see list in previous list in previous column)
abstract, introduction, although there are small column) and they are  The flow of the writing is
hypotheses, methods, problems with presented in the right excellent across sections
implications, references) organization of the order and within sections
 The writing does not flow sections  The writing flows
logically either across  The writing does not flow relatively well across
sections or within logically either across sections and within
sections sections or within sections sections
Grade Component Does Not Meet Approaching Meets
(Weight) Expectations Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Accuracy, Clarity, and 0 - 4% 8% 12 – 16% 20%


Conciseness of Writing
(20%)
 Many factual errors exist  Most facts presented in the  Almost all facts  All facts presented in the
within the proposal proposal are accurate and presented in the proposal are accurate and
and/or research related research related to proposal are accurate research related to
to citations is discussed citations is discussed in a and research related to citations is also discussed
in an inaccurate fashion reasonably accurate citations is generally in an accurate fashion
 The proposal is not fashion, but some issues discussed in an  The proposal is clearly
clearly written in that it is still remain accurate fashion written and very easy to
difficult to understand  The proposal has problems  The proposal is written understand
much of it with clarity in that there are with reasonable clarity  The proposal is
 The writing is not concise portions of the proposal although there are still appropriately concise and
(overly convoluted and that are difficult to small portions of the always relevant (to the
wordy) and much of the understand proposal that are topic being covered)
proposal is irrelevant (to  The writing is reasonably difficult to understand
the topic being covered) concise and relevant (to  The writing is generally
the topic being covered), concise and relevant (to
although information could the topic being covered)
sometimes have been
presented in a less
convoluted way
Grade Component Does Not Meet Approaching Expectations Meets
(Weight) Expectations Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Importance and 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
innovation (5%)
 The proposed study does  The proposed study is  The proposed study  The proposed study is very
not tackle an important relatively important and there is important and there important and nicely builds
issue and there is no is an attempt to build on is a good attempt to on existing research
attempt to build on existing research build on existing  The proposed study is
previous research  There are only a small research extremely innovative
 There are no innovative number of innovative  There are a number
elements in the proposed elements in the proposed of innovative
study study elements in the
proposed study
0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
Grammar, punctuation,  There are a lot of grammar,  There are some grammar,  Grammar,  No grammar, punctuation,
spelling (5%) punctuation, and spelling punctuation, and spelling punctuation, and or spelling errors
errors errors spelling is mostly  Proposal was clearly
 The errors seriously  Proposal appears not to have correct proofread
interfere with the been proofread  Evidence of
readability of the proposal proofreading present
APA formatting (5%) 0 – 1% 2% 3 – 4% 5%
 Little or no attempt was  Some effort was put into  The proposal is  The proposal is perfectly
made to format the formatting the proposal formatted reasonably formatted according to APA
proposal according to APA according to APA formatting well according to APA formatting guidelines
formatting guidelines guidelines formatting guidelines
 Some of the formatting  The proposal contains
elements are present, very few formatting
although a number of errors
elements are missing or
problematic
TOTAL 0 - 20% 40% 60 – 80% 100%

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