Course Development – Example Syllabi
Grading – Sample Rubric
| Criteria | Capstone Achievement – Professional (4.0) | Advanced Milestone – Mature (3.0) | Progress Milestone – Developing (2.0) | Benchmark Milestone – Beginner (1.0) | Benchmark Milestone (0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use Information Effectively to Accomplish a Specific Purpose | Communicates, organizes and synthesizes information from sources to fully achieve a specific purpose, with clarity and depth. | Communicates, organizes and synthesizes information from sources. Intended purpose is achieved. | Communicates and organizes information from sources. The information is not yet synthesized, so the intended purpose is not fully achieved | Communicates information from sources. The information is fragmented and/or used inappropriately (misquoted, taken out of context, or incorrectly paraphrased, etc.), so the intended purpose is not achieved. | Insufficient or incorrect information. |
| Context of and Purpose for Writing Includes considerations of audience, purpose, and the circumstances surrounding the writing task(s). | Demonstrates a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose that is responsive to the assigned task(s) and focuses all elements of the work. | Demonstrates adequate consideration of context, audience, and purpose and a clear focus on the assigned task(s) (e.g., the task aligns with audience, purpose, and context). | Demonstrates awareness of context, audience, purpose, and to the assigned tasks(s) (e.g., begins to show awareness of audience’s perceptions and assumptions). | Demonstrates minimal attention to context, audience, purpose, and to the assigned tasks(s) (e.g., expectation of instructor or self as audience). | |
| Control of Syntax and Mechanics | Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency, and is virtually error free. | Uses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The language in the portfolio has few errors. | Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity, although writing may include some errors. | Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage. | |
| Curiosity | Explores a topic in depth, yielding a rich awareness and/or little known information indicating intense interest in the subject. | Explores a topic in depth, yielding insight and/or information indicating interest in the subject. | Explores a topic with some evidence of depth, providing occasional insight and/or information indicating mild interest in the subject. | Explores a topic at a surface level, providing little insight and/or information beyond the very basic facts indicating low interest in the subject. | |
| Conclusion A synthesis of key findings drawn from research/evidence. | States a conclusion that is a logical extrapolation from the inquiry findings | States a conclusion focused solely on the inquiry findings. The conclusion arises specifically from and responds specifically to the inquiry findings. | States a conclusion focused solely on the inquiry findings. The conclusion arises specifically from and responds specifically to the inquiry findings | States an ambiguous, illogical, or unsupportable conclusion from inquiry findings. | No conclusion. |