POLS7150 Ethics and Public Affairs Assessment Rubrics

Case Study Paper

Criteria Excellent Good Satisfactory Marginal Pass Fail
A/A- B+/B B- /C+/C C- F
Relevance The paper presents a morally The paper presents a morally The paper presents a morally The paper presents a morally
controversial public policy with controversial public policy with controversial public policy with uncontroversial public policy with
clear background information and partial background information and partial background information; the limited background information;
significance; the author significance; the author author understands the selected the author understands the selected
understands the selected case and understands the selected case and case and its moral implications case poorly.
its moral implications accurately its moral implications somewhat only partially and some important
and addresses them fully. accurately but address only some aspects are omitted.
aspects of them.

Argument The paper is driven by a clearly The paper is driven by a defensible The paper contains a defensible The paper does not have an
stated, defensible argument. The argument, but it may not be stated argument which is not sufficiently argument, and the main conclusion
author does a superb job of clearly and consistently. defended, and the main conclusion is not clearly stated.
defending her arguments against is not adequately argued for.
possible objections.
Ownership The paper contains many original The paper contains some original The paper contains little original The paper contains no original
ideas and students can claim credit ideas and students can claim credit ideas and students can claim credit ideas.
for these ideas unreservedly. for these ideas partially. for these ideas partially.
. Plagiarism or non-
Sources Evidence is used from a wide Evidence is used from many Uses only a few of the sources Relies mostly on non-scholarly submission.
range of sources, including sources, but author relies provided in class, or does not go outside sources.
lectures and course readings. heavily on a more limited set beyond what has been provided.
When required, author also of sources. If outside sources are
consults scholarly books, used, they are primarily non-
websites, journal articles, etc. scholarly (i.e., intended for a
not explicitly discussed in general audience).
class.
Organization and Paper is clearly organized and has Paper is clearly organized, but Paper is somewhat organized and Paper is poorly organized, full of
Writing few or no grammar or spelling might benefit from more careful has many grammar or spelling grammar or spelling errors.
errors. Scholarly ideas are cited attention to transitional sentences; errors. Scholarly ideas are cited Scholarly ideas are cited
correctly using a recognized style has some grammar or spelling incorrectly. incorrectly.
guide. errors. Scholarly ideas are cited
correctly using a recognized style
guide.
POLS7150 Ethics and Public Affairs Assessment Rubrics

Group Presentation
Criteria Excellent Good Satisfactory Pass Fail
A/A- B+/B B-/C+/C C- F
Research Information presented is Information presented is mostly Information presented is Information is mostly unreliable
accurate and from credible accurate with only a few minor acceptably accurate; more than and/or inaccurate; most of the
sources; resources are varied errors; resources are reasonably one resource may be resources are questionable.
and appropriate. good but not varied enough. questionable; no variation in
resources.

Organization and Coherence Presentation is coherent and Presentation is coherent Presentation is Presentation lacks coherence, Presentation is
well-organized; the audience can for the most part, but acceptably coherent, and is poorly organized. irrelevant to any
easily follow the flow of the missing some elements but missing a few
argument. important elements moral problem; or
failure to attend the
Effective Communication Presentation is polished, with Presentation is polished for the Presentation is acceptably Presentation is hardly polished; student seminar.
effective slides; and is fluent in most part, with some effective polished, with somewhat slides are largely ineffective; the
the delivery, maintains an slides; and is largely fluent in readable slides; and some delivery is hard to follow.
effective pace and eye contact; delivery; maintains a reasonable interruptions in delivery.
excellent time management. pace and eye contact; good time
management.

Individual Reflective Journal

Criteria Excellent Pass Fail
A /A- B+/B F
Personal Reflections Shows personal reflections as a student Shows personal reflections as a student
engaging in learning; relate course contents engaging in learning; expresses personal
to life experience; demonstrates strong beliefs and attitudes towards a certain topic.
evidence of adjustment in own attitudes and Plagiarism, non-submission, or
beliefs because of learning.
inappropriate use of generative AI.
Reference to Course Content Personal reflections are clearly linked to Personal reflections are somewhat linked to
specific course contents or class discussions. specific course contents or class discussions.