Syllabus
CM Course 220:25 College Composition II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ctrl & Click on a link below to view that section in the syllabus.
Course Calendar
Course Description
Course Information
Course Materials
Course Outcomes
Discussion Boards
Grading Criteria/Course Evaluation
Instructors Grading Criteria/Timetable
Instructor and Seminar Information
Kaplan University Grading Scale
Netiquette
Projects
Rubrics
Seminars
Tutoring
COURSE INFORMATION
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Term:
1201C February 2012 Term
Dates:
February 1, 2012-April 10, 2012
Course Number/Section:
CM 220- 25
Course Title: College Composition II
Credit Hours: 5
Prerequisites: Any College Composition I course
It is strongly recommended that you complete the Campus Tour, available on your Student
Homepage. This essential tutorial discusses hardware and software requirements as well as
presenting an overview of learning with the eCollege platform.
INSTRUCTOR AND SEMINAR INFORMATION
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Instructor Name and Credentials:
Dr. Jeffrey Hanson
Kaplan Email Address:
[e-mail]
AIM Instant Messenger Name:
JHansonPoetryman
AIM Office Hours (EST):
By appointment
Course/Seminar Day and Time (EST): TBA
You can participate in seminar through either of the 2 options listed on the seminar page for each
Unit.
Live seminars will be held using the KHE Seminar tool. In order to participate in a KHE
seminar, you need the most recent version of Flash. The most recent version of Flash is available
as a free download from the following link: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. Click on the
Download button to start the download process.
Log in to your home page to access your current classes. You can get into the seminar one of two
ways: 1) selecting the My Studies tab at the top of the page and then My Seminars, or 2)
clicking on the My Seminars link with your course in the Current Classes section of your
home page.
The My Seminars area has both a calendar and table view that will show all previous and
upcoming seminars that have been scheduled by your instructor. Double-click on the seminar
you desire to access. Thirty minutes before the scheduled start time, the Enter option will
appear.
For additional instructions, review the KHE Seminar Student User Guide found in the classroom.
COURSE MATERIALS
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The Kaplan Guide to Successful Writing [available in PDF form on the Writing Center web
site]
Software Requirements
AOL Instant Messenger: If you are not an AIM Member you can download the free
service by visiting the following site: http://www.aim.aol.com/
Courses within the School of General Education may also require other software
programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Reader, Java, Flash Player, etc. See
Software Requirements in the classroom under Course Home for the specific
requirements for this class.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
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CM220 introduces the theme of invention and the exploration of BIG IDEAS that impact the
world, our communities, and our lives, while situating these themes within a persuasive writing
framework. Students explore and practice several persuasive forms of writing throughout the
course and examine writing as invention in various settings and situations. They will create an
appeal for change as a final project that presents an idea and a plan for implementation. One
component of the final will be a multi-modal component such as a blog, podcast, or web site that
can disseminate the students idea to a wide audience.
COURSE OUTCOMES
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Course Outcomes: By the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. CM220-1: Construct logical arguments
2. CM220-2: Develop strategies for effective problem solving
3. CM220-3: Conduct research to support assertions made in personal, academic, and
professional situations
4. CM220-4: Articulate what constitutes effective communication in personal, professional and
diverse contexts
5. CM220-5: Demonstrate effective listening strategies
COURSE CALENDAR
Unit # and Topic
Learning Activities
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Assessments
Unit 1: Changing the
World, One Idea at a
Time
Introduce Yourself
Reading
Invention Lab
Seminar
Seminar
Unit 2: Making the
Pitch: How to Win
Friends and Influence
Audiences
Reading
Invention Lab
Seminar
Project
Tech Lab
Seminar
Unit 3: Primary
Research: Listening to
Experts
Reading
Invention Lab
Seminar
Tech Lab
Seminar
Unit 4: Interpreting the Reading
Experts and Finding
Invention Lab
Your Voice
Quiz
Seminar
Project
Tech Lab
Seminar
Unit 5: Understanding Reading
Your Audience and
Invention Lab 1
Outlining Your Big Idea Invention Lab 2
Seminar
Tech Lab
Seminar
Unit 6: A Blueprint for
Progress: Putting the
Pieces Together
Seminar
Reading
Invention Lab
Seminar
Project (draft)
Tech Lab
Invention Lab
Invention Lab
Project
Invention Lab (CLA CM220-4,
CLA CM 220-5)
Invention Lab
Project
Invention Lab 1
Invention Lab 2
Invention Lab
Project
Unit 7: Presenting Your Reading
Big Idea in an
Invention Lab 1
Innovative Way
Invention Lab 2
Seminar
Tech Lab
Seminar
Unit 8: Framing Your
Reading
Argument: Introductions Invention Lab
and Conclusions
Seminar
Seminar
Unit 9: Presenting Your Reading
Big Idea to the World Invention Lab
Seminar
Final Project
Seminar
Unit 10: The Journey
Continues
Invention Lab 1
Invention Lab 2
Invention Lab
Invention Lab
Final project (CLA CM220-1,
CLA CM220-2, CLA CM220-3)
Reading
Discussion
GRADING CRITERIA/COURSE EVALUATION
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Assessments
Total Points
Number
Points each
Seminars
9
10
90
Discussions
9
40
360
Unit 2 project
1
60
60
Unit 4 project
1
100
100
Draft project (Unit 6)
1
150
150
Final Project
1
240
240
1000
1000 Points
Total Points
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY GRADING SCALE
Grade
Points
Percentage
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Grade Point
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
W
AU
EC
I
P
S
U
TC
R
No Grade
930 1000
900 929
870 899
830 869
800 829
770 799
730 769
700 729
670 699
600 669
0 599
Withdrawal in first 25% of term
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
60-66%
0-59%
Withdrawal
Audit
Experiential Credit
Incomplete
Pass
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
Transfer Credit
Repeat
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
0.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
INSTRUCTORS GRADING CRITERIA/TIMETABLE
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All assignments submitted on time will be graded within five days of their due date (the Sunday
of the following unit). Late work will be graded within five days of the submission date.
POLICIES
Students who wish to review current policies (academic appeals, attendance/tardiness,
plagiarism, etc.) should refer to the current Kaplan University Catalog and/or Addendum.
LATE POLICY
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Late Assignments:
All unit assignments (projects, quizzes, discussion, seminar, etc.) are due Tuesday by 11:59 pm
ET of the unit assigned. At the discretion of your professor:
Late assignments can be marked down one letter grade for each unit the assignment is
late. For example, if you turn in your Unit 5 project, a B paper with a grade of an 85%,
during Unit 6, one letter grade will be deducted from it, giving you a grade of C (75%).
If you turn this project in during Unit 7, two letter grades will be deducted from it, giving
you a grade of D (65%). As you can see, it is to your benefit to submit assignments on
time.
Late discussion posts to classmates may not receive credit as their purpose is to further
the discussion and the discussion cannot be furthered after it has ended.
Assignments submitted more than three units late may not be accepted.
Late Unit 9 projects will not be accepted without prior approval from the instructor or an
approved incomplete grade request.
Extenuating Circumstances: If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from
completing projects, quizzes, seminars or participating in the class, please contact the
professor to discuss alternative arrangements.
The possibility of alternative arrangements is at the discretion of the professor. Active
communication is the key to overcoming any hurdles you may encounter during the
term. It is your responsibility to inform the professor (ahead of time, whenever
possible) of extenuating circumstances that might prevent you from completing work
by the assigned deadline.
Prior notification does not automatically result in a waiver of the late penalties. Please
note that evaluation of extenuating circumstances is at the discretion of the instructor
and documentation may be required for verification of the extenuating circumstance.
Examples of extenuating circumstances may include but are not limited to:
personal/family member hospitalization, death in the family, weather/environmental
evacuation due to fire/hurricane, or active military assignment where internet
connectivity is unavailable for a limited time period.
General computer-related or internet connectivity issues are not considered extenuating
circumstances. As the 2010-2011 Kaplan University catalog notes, To be part of
Kaplan Universitys online program, students will need an Internet service provider
(ISP) (2011, p. 22). It is your responsibility to locate a reliable Internet connection and
computer. They are available at most public libraries as well as locations such as FedEx
Kinkos.
Incompletes
Incompletes provide students with limited additional time to complete coursework after the
terms end. To be considered for an incomplete, you should have completed approximately 75%
of the coursework. Please see the Kaplan University catalog for further information. Whether or
not to grant an incomplete is your instructors decision. Requests for an incomplete must be
made to the instructor by the Monday of Unit 9.
TUTORING
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Online, live tutoring and many other services are available through the Kaplan University
Writing Center (KUWC). You can find everything from using commas to conducting research.
You can learn APA citation, review grammar, see sample essays, and chat with a live tutor. Please
visit the KUWC within the Academic Support Center for a full list of services, resources and live
tutoring hours. Finally, you can submit a paper and receive comments specific to that paper
within 48-72 hours.
PROJECTS
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All projects are due by 11:59 PM ET of Tuesday of the unit for which they are assigned. For the
specifics of which projects are due for each unit consult the Course Calendar and for the
specifics of how projects will be graded consult the appropriate Project Rubrics.
SEMINARS
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A description of all seminars to be held can be found in the Flex Seminar Guide under the Course
Home in your class. For the day and time of seminar for this course, refer to the Instructor
Information and Seminar Time section of this document.
Seminar Participation (synchronous discussion): You can earn credit for seminar by
participating in 1 of the 2 options listed on the seminar page for a Unit.
Seminar Option 1: Live seminars will be held using the KHE Seminar tool. In order to
participate in a KHE seminar, you will need the most recent version of Flash, available as a free
download from the following link: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. Click on the Download
button to start the download process.
Log in to your home page to access your current classes. You can get into the seminar in one of
two ways: 1) select the My Studies tab at the top of the page and then My Seminars, or 2)
click on the My Seminars link with your course in the Current Classes section of your home
page.
The My Seminars area has both a calendar and table view that will show all previous and
upcoming seminars that have been scheduled by your instructor or other instructors in the flex
seminar cohort. Double-click on the seminar you wish to access. Thirty minutes before the
scheduled start time, the Enter option will appear.
For additional instructions, review the KHE Seminar Student User Guide found in the classroom.
Seminar Option 2: Respond to the seminar discussion questions listed. Each response will be
graded individually and posted to the grade book using the rubric found in the Rubrics section
of this document.
For information on seminar grading, please find the Seminar Rubric in the Rubrics section at
the end of this document, or click here to skip to that section.
DISCUSSION BOARDS
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A description of all discussion questions can be found under each of the units in the course.
Discussion Question Participation: Discussions provide a forum for students to ask questions
and answer important questions about the course material. The discussion questions also allow
students to receive feedback from the instructor and other students in the class. The professor
will interact with students within the discussion board each week. A discussion grade will be
posted to the grade sheet for each Unit.
Please find your Discussion Board Rubrics for all discussions in the Rubrics section at the end
of this document, or click here to skip to that section.
NETIQUETTE
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Interactions in an online classroom are in written form. Your comfort level with expressing
ideas and feelings in writing will add to your success in an online course. The ability to write is
necessary, but you also need to understand what is considered appropriate when
communicating online.
The word "netiquette" is short for "Internet etiquette." Rules of netiquette have grown
organically with the growth of the Internet to help users act responsibly when they access or
transmit information online. As a Kaplan University student, you should be aware of the
common rules of netiquette for the Web and employ a communication style that follows these
guidelines.
Wait to respond to a message that upsets you and be careful of what you say and how you
say it.
Be considerate. Rude or threatening language, inflammatory assertions (often referred to as
"flaming"), personal attacks, and other inappropriate communication will not be tolerated.
Never post a message that is in all capital letters -- it comes across to the reader as
SHOUTING! Use boldface and italics sparingly, as they can denote sarcasm.
Keep messages short and to the point.
Always practice good grammar, punctuation, and composition. This shows that youve taken
the time to craft your response and that you respect your classmates' work.
Keep in mind that threaded discussions are meant to be constructive exchanges.
Be respectful and treat everyone as you would want to be treated yourself.
Use spell check!
You should also review and refer to the Electronic Communications Policy contained in the most
recent Kaplan University Catalog.
RUBRICS
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Discussion Board Participation Rubric
Grade:
A: 36-40 points
Grading Criteria
Responses are on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of
the discussion.
Responses to questions make frequent, informed references to
unit readings and material.
Responses are clearly written in Standard American English
(SAE) and appropriate for academic discourse. (Check your posts
for spelling and grammar errors). Responses meet or exceed
individual units posted length requirements.
Responses show evidence of active engagement in the discussion
(for example, asking peers questions and answering questions
B: 32-35.99 points
C: 28-31.99 points
D: 24-27.99 points
F: 0 23.99points
posed by peers throughout the week).
Responses to classmates are thoughtful, advance the discussion,
and meet or exceed that units participation requirements.
Responses are on mostly on topic, original, and contribute to the
quality of the discussion.
Responses make some informed references to unit readings and
material.
Responses are clearly written in SAE with some minor errors and
mostly appropriate for academic discourse.
Responses meet individual units posted length requirements.
Responses to classmates are thoughtful, advance the discussion,
and meet that units minimum requirements for participation.
Responses are on topic, but lack originality or fail to make a
significant contribution to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make vague or summary references to unit readings
and material.
Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors and are not
written using SAE. While some consideration for audience
appropriateness is taken into account, the response is largely
casual and not appropriate for academic discourse.
Responses do not meet individual units posted length
requirements.
Response(s) to others does not advance the discussion or does not
meet the minimum requirements for participation in that unit.
Responses are only partially on topic, lack originality, and lack a
significant contribution to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make little or no references to unit readings and
material.
Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors and are
written mostly in non-academic, non-standard English and are not
appropriate for academic discourse.
Responses do not meet posted length requirements.
No responses to classmates.
If there are two questions, student didnt respond to one.
Responses are off topic, lack originality, and lack any contribution
to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make little or no references to unit readings and
material.
Responses are generally filled with mechanical or stylistic errors
and are not written in SAE. Discourse inappropriate for an
academic audience.
Response is abusive or inappropriate (will result in 0 points
automatically).
Response is plagiarized (will result in 0 points automatically).
No response to the question(s).
No responses to classmates.
Seminar Participation Rubrics
Option 1: Attendance at Live Seminar
Grade:
Grading Criteria
A: 9-10 points
Frequent interaction on concepts being discussed by students and
instructor. These could include questions, on-topic comments to
instructor and classmates, and relevant observations and
examples. While difficult to quantify, students who fall in this
range will fall within the class average of interactions, usually 1525 during the hour.
Posts are on topic and contribute to the quality of the seminar.
Student arrives on time and stays the entire seminar.
B: 8-8.99 points Good interaction on concepts being discussed by students and
instructor. Student interaction falls slightly below the average
response rate.
Posts are generally on topic and contribute to the quality of the
seminar.
Student may have been tardy or have left early.
C: 7-7.99 points Some interactions on concepts being discussed by students and
instructor. Student interaction is probably about half of the
average response rate.
Several posts are off-topic.
Student is tardy or leaves early.
D: 6-6.99 points Few interactions on concepts being discussed by students and
instructor. Student interaction is less than half of the average
response rate.
Frequent Off-topic conversations.
Student attends less than half of the seminar, or is tardy and
leaves early.
F: 0-5.99 points
Off-topic conversations.
Abusive or inappropriate behavior.
Minimal or no interactions with students and instructor (logs on
but has 0-3 interactions).
Student attends a fraction of the seminar.
Option 2: No Attendance at Live Seminar, Alternate Assignment Completed
Grade:
Grading Criteria
A: 9-10 points
Response is on topic and original.
Response makes frequent, informed references to unit material
and the seminar archive.
B: 8-8.99 points
C: 7-7.99 points
D: 6-6.99 points
F: 0-5.99 points
Response is clearly written, in Standard American English (SAE)
and appropriate for academic discourse.
Response meets posted length requirements, generally in the 250
word range.
Response is on topic and original, but not as thoughtful as the A
response.
Response makes some informed references to unit material and
the seminar archive.
Response is generally clearly written (has some minor errors), in
SAE, and appropriate for academic discourse.
Response almost meets posted length requirements, generally in
the 200-250 word range.
Response is on topic but lacks originality.
Response makes vague or summary references to unit material
and seminar archive.
Response has several mechanical or stylistic errors, may not be in
SAE, and somewhat inappropriate for academic discourse.
Response does not meet posted length requirements; length is
fewer than 200 words.
Response is only on partially topic and lacks originality.
Response makes little or no references to unit material or seminar
archive.
Response has several mechanical or stylistic errors, is not in SAE,
and is inappropriate for academic discourse.
Response does not meet posted length requirements; length is
fewer than 150 words.
Response is off topic and lacks originality
Response makes little or no references to lesson material.
Response has numerous mechanical or stylistic errors, is not in
SAE, and is inappropriate for academic discourse.
Response is abusive, inappropriate, or plagiarized.
Response is significantly shorter than the posted length
requirements; may be fewer than 100 words.
Project Rubrics
Project Rubrics:
UNIT 2 PROJECT RUBRIC (60 points)
Meets Expectations The project includes a single persuasive thesis statement of 1-2
(52-60 points)
sentences, describes a practical and credible research strategy, and
articulates a pitch for the students big idea that appeals to a
specific audience. Student identifies a topic appropriate for an
academic, persuasive research assignment. Responses are written
in 2 to 3 well-developed paragraphs. The discussion is logical and
clearly written.
Meets Some
Expectations
(42-50 points)
Does Not Meet
Expectations
(41 points-below)
The project may be missing one or more components or the pitch
is not articulated clearly. May only be one paragraph. Project may
have significant editing, grammar, and/or punctuation errors. Topic
selection may not be appropriate or researchable.
Project meets few or none of the assignment criteria or has so
many errors that understanding meaning is difficult. Topic
selection is inappropriate or not researchable.
It may be plagiarized.
Comments:
UNIT 4 PROJECT RUBRIC: (100 points)
A
90-100 points
B
80-89 points
Content and Organization:
Part I: Responses to all pre-interview questions are written in
complete sentences. Includes both open and closed questions
which are original and appropriate for the interview subject and
topic.
Part II: Paragraphs for part 2 are well-developed, coherent, and
logically organized. Summarizes, assesses, and reflects upon 3
secondary sources, one of which presents challenges to the
students big idea. Sources are appropriate for an academic
audience.
Part III: Creates a References page with citations for each of the
sources in Part II. Follows APA guidelines.
Style and Mechanics:
The style is appropriate to the assignment, and sentences are
engaging to read as well as clear, concise, and precise.
Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation, and
spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted
conventions of Standard American English.
Content and Organization:
Part I: Responses to all pre-interview questions are answered, and
most are in complete sentences. Includes both open and closed
questions which are original and mostly appropriate for the
interview subject and topic.
Part II: Paragraphs for part 2 are well-developed. Transitions and
coherence are not as strong as those in an A project.
C
70-79 points
D
60-69 points
Summarizes, assesses, and reflects upon 3 secondary sources, one
of which presents challenges to the students big idea. Sources
are mostly appropriate for an academic audience. Part III: Creates
a References page with citations for each of the sources in Part II.
Mostly follows APA guidelines, with some errors.
Style and Mechanics:
The style is mostly appropriate to the assignment. Sentences are
clear and precise, but may not be as engaging to read or as concise
as those in the A project.
Project contains some generally minor grammatical and
punctuation errors. Few misspellings. Generally follows the
accepted conventions of Standard American English.
Content and Organization:
Part I: Responds to most of the pre-interview questions and may
not use complete sentences for some answers. May not include
both open and closed questions, or some questions may be
inappropriate for the interview subject or topic.
Part II: Paragraphs for part 2 need to be more fully developed.
Paragraphs may have some problems with coherence and
transitions. Summarizes at least 2 secondary sources, one of which
presents challenges to the students big idea. May not assess and
reflect upon the value of these sources to the students project or
sources may not be appropriate for an academic audience.
Part III: Creates a References page with citations for each of the
sources in part II, but does not follow APA guidelines for citation
style.
Style and Mechanics:
The style may not always be appropriate to the assignment.
Language may be vague or sentences too wordy.
Numerous grammatical and punctuation errors. Misspellings are
more frequent, but they may not be caught by a spell checker. Does
not always follow the accepted conventions of Standard American
English.
Content and Organization:
Part I: Responds to half of the pre-interview questions and does not
use complete sentences for many of the answers. Does not include
both open and closed questions. Questions are not appropriate for
the interview subject or topic.
Part II: Paragraphs for part 2 are underdeveloped and sources are
inappropriate for an academic audience. Paragraphs lack coherence
and transitions. Does not summarize, assess, or reflect upon
selected sources.
Part III: Does not include a complete References page with
citations for all of the sources in Part II and does not follow APA
guidelines for citations.
Style and Mechanics:
The style is inappropriate to the assignment and interferes with the
development and clarity of the main points.
Many serious and minor grammar, punctuation, and spelling
errors, including those that would be flagged by a spell and
grammar checker. Often fails to meet the conventions of Standard
American English.
F
59-below points
It meets no or few of the assignment's guidelines.
The components outlined for a 'D' project are not met.
It may be plagiarized.
Comments:
UNIT 6 PROJECT RUBRIC: (150 points)
A
Content:
135-150 points
Includes an introduction with a logical persuasive thesis statement
and a conclusion that wraps up the essay. The thesis statement is
effective and needs little revision for the final project.
Supports main points effectively and clearly (no logical fallacies,
outside sources used to support arguments where appropriate) and
skillfully refutes counter-arguments without ignoring data that
contradicts the students thesis. Shows original thought.
Refers to at least 3 secondary sources in the body of the paper and
on the references page. At least one source comes from the Kaplan
University Library, and other sources are appropriate for an
academic essay.
Meets 3-5 page length requirement.
Organization and Style:
Paragraphs are well-developed, coherent, and logically organized.
The style is appropriate for an academic essay, and sentences are
engaging to read as well as clear, concise, and precise.
Mechanics and APA:
Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation, and
spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted
conventions of Standard American English.
Follows APA guidelines for the document layout and citations.
B
Content:
120-134 points
Includes an introduction with a logical thesis statement and a
conclusion that wraps up the essay; these need some revision but
form a good basis for the final project. The thesis statement may
need to be clearer or more persuasive and should be revised for the
final.
C
105-119 points
Supports most main points effectively and clearly (no logical
fallacies, outside sources usually used to support arguments where
appropriate) and refutes counter-arguments without ignoring data
that contradicts the students thesis, although the refutation needs
strengthening for the final project. Shows original thought.
Refers to 3 secondary sources in the body of the paper and on the
references page. Includes at least one source from the Kaplan
University Library, and other sources are mostly appropriate for an
academic audience.
Not quite 3 pages.
Organization and Style:
Paragraphs are developed and organized effectively, but transitions
within or between paragraphs need to be stronger.
The style is mostly appropriate for an academic essay. Sentences
are clear and precise, but may not be as engaging to read or as
concise as those in the A project.
Mechanics and APA:
Project contains some generally minor grammatical and
punctuation errors. Few misspellings. Generally follows the
accepted conventions of Standard American English.
Mostly follows APA guidelines for the document layout and
citations, with some minor errors.
Content:
Includes a thesis statement that needs revision. The introduction
and conclusion do not set up or close the paper very effectively and
need significant revision for the final.
Main points are adequately defined in some parts of the paper, but
some may be repeated and others underdeveloped. Shows too little
original thought.
Relies too heavily on personal experience or one or two sources,
but does include in-text and reference page citations for at least 2
sources. Sources may not be appropriate for an academic essay or
does not include a Kaplan University Library source. Does not
address some obvious counter-arguments or includes logical
fallacies. Paper is largely informative and lacks persuasive
qualities.
One half page short of the 3 page requirement.
Organization and Style:
Paragraphs may have problems with development, coherence,
and/or transitions.
The style may not always be appropriate for an academic essay
(frequent use of first person pronouns or use of informal or slang
language, for example). Language may be vague or sentences too
wordy.
Mechanics and APA:
Numerous grammatical and punctuation errors. Misspellings are
D
90-104 points
F
89-below points
more frequent, but they may not be caught by a spell checker. Does
not always follow the accepted conventions of Standard American
English.
An attempt at APA formatting and citations was made, but project
contains several significant errors in layout or citation style.
Content:
The paper identifies a topic but lacks a clear thesis statement with
a persuasive claim. Lacks an introduction and/or conclusion, or
they are so poorly developed that they need to be completely
rewritten for the final project.
The main points are not clearly identified, and many
counterarguments are ignored. Too little original thought.
Relies on personal experience or common knowledge to the near
exclusion of outside research and does not meet the source
requirements. Sources are not appropriate for an academic
audience. The essay is informative with no identifiably persuasive
elements.
A page or more short of the length requirement.
Organization and Style:
Paragraphs are underdeveloped and lack coherence and transitions.
The style is inappropriate for an academic essay and interferes
with the development and clarity of the main points.
Mechanics and APA:
Many serious and minor grammar, punctuation, and spelling
errors, including those that would be flagged by a spell and
grammar checker. Often fails to meet the conventions of Standard
American English.
Citation and formatting meet few APA guidelines.
It meets no or few of the assignment's guidelines.
The components outlined for a 'D' paper are not met.
It may be plagiarized.
Comments:
Final Project
Your Final Project will be due at the end of Unit 9.
Unit 9 Project Rubric (240 points: 150 for essay, 50 for presentation, 20 for letter, and 20
for reflection question responses)
A
216-240 points
B
192-215 points
Essay:
Content:
Includes a compelling introduction with a logical persuasive thesis
statement and a conclusion that effectively wraps up the essay.
Supports main points effectively and clearly (no logical fallacies,
outside sources used to support arguments where appropriate) and
skillfully refutes counter-arguments without ignoring data that
contradicts the students thesis. Shows original thought. Refers to
at least 5 secondary sources in the body of the paper and on the
references page. At least two of these sources are scholarly books
or articles from the Kaplan Library or an academic database like
Google Scholar. Other sources are appropriate for an academic
audience.
Meets 5-7 page length requirement (this does not include the title
and references page).
Significantly revises and expands the draft submitted in unit 6.
Organization, Style, Mechanics, and APA:
Paragraphs are well-developed, coherent, and logically organized.
The style is appropriate for an academic audience, and sentences
are engaging to read as well as clear, concise, and precise.
Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation, and
spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted
conventions of Standard American English.
Follows APA guidelines for the document layout and citations.
Letter to the editor:
The letter is clearly written and has a strong sense of purpose. The
style is appropriate for the audience and situation. Demonstrates
appropriate revision of the version posted in the unit 5 invention
lab.
Reflection question responses:
Responds to all reflection questions thoughtfully, providing
specific examples from the students work throughout the course.
Responses are written in at least two well-developed paragraphs.
Presentation:
Message in presentation is original, clear, and effective for the
intended audience. Includes at least 5 pieces of research-supported
information related to the students big idea. Cites research in APA
format. Demonstrates significant revision of the version posted in
the unit 7 invention lab.
Essay:
Content:
Includes an introduction with a logical thesis statement and a
conclusion that wraps up the essay; these are effective but not as
engaging as the paragraphs in the A paper.
Supports most main points effectively and clearly (no logical
fallacies, outside sources usually used to support arguments where
C
168-191 points
appropriate) and refutes counter-arguments without ignoring data
that contradicts the students thesis, although the refutation needed
strengthening. Shows original thought.
Refers to 5 secondary sources in the body of the paper and on the
references page, but one may not be appropriate for an academic
audience or only one is a scholarly book or article from the Kaplan
University Library or another academic database.
Does not meet the minimum length requirement of 5 pages
(excluding title and references page), but is at least 4 pages.
Thoughtfully revises and expands the draft submitted in unit 6, but
not to the extent of an A essay.
Organization, Style, Mechanics, and APA:
Paragraphs are developed and organized effectively, but transitions
within or between paragraphs need to be stronger.
The style is mostly appropriate for an academic audience.
Sentences are clear and precise, but may not be as engaging to read
or as concise as those in the A project.
Project contains some generally minor grammatical and
punctuation errors. Few misspellings. Generally follows the
accepted conventions of Standard American English.
Mostly follows APA guidelines for the document layout and
citations, with some minor errors.
Letter to the editor:
The letter is clearly written and has a sense of purpose. The style is
mostly appropriate for the audience and situation. Demonstrates
some revision of the version posted in the unit 5 invention lab.
Reflection question responses:
Responds to all reflection questions thoughtfully, but answers are
not as specific and well-developed as those in the A paper. The
style is mostly appropriate to the assignment.
Presentation:
Message in presentation is mostly original, clear, and effective for
intended audience. Includes 4 pieces of research-supported
information related to the students big idea. Research cited in APA
format with some errors. Demonstrates some revision of the
version posted in the unit 7 invention lab.
Essay:
Content:
The thesis statement needs revision or is not persuasive. The
introduction and conclusion do not set up or close the paper very
effectively and needed significant revision.
Main points are adequately defined in some parts of the paper, but
some may be repeated and others underdeveloped. Does not
address some obvious counter-arguments or includes logical
fallacies. Paper is largely informative and lacks persuasive
qualities. Shows too little original thought.
D
144-167 points
Relies too heavily on personal experience, common knowledge, or
two or three sources, but does include in-text and reference page
citations for at least 3-4 sources. Sources may not be appropriate
for an academic audience.
One to one and a half pages short of the length requirement,
excluding the title and references page.
Organization, Style, Mechanics, and APA:
Paragraphs may have problems with development, coherence,
and/or transitions.
The style may not always be appropriate for an academic essay
(frequent use of first person pronouns or use of informal or slang
language, for example). Language may be vague or sentences too
wordy.
Numerous grammatical and punctuation errors. Misspellings are
more frequent, but they may not be caught by a spell checker. Does
not always follow the accepted conventions of Standard American
English.
An attempt at APA formatting and citations was made, but project
contains several significant errors in layout or citation style.
Letter to the Editor:
Letter needed to be edited more thoroughly to enhance clarity and
purpose. Demonstrates little revision of the version posted in the
unit 5 invention lab.
Reflection question responses:
May not respond to all of the reflection questions, answers may not
be in paragraph form, or lacks specific examples from the students
work throughout the course.
Presentation:
Message in presentation lacks originality or may lack clarity and
purpose. Not effective enough for intended audience. Includes only
3 pieces of information about the students big idea, or the
information in the presentation is not research-supported. Research
is cited, but not in APA format. Little revision of the version
posted in the unit 7 invention lab.
Essay:
Content:
The paper identifies a topic but lacks a thesis statement with a
persuasive claim. Lacks an introduction and/or conclusion, or they
are poorly developed.
The main points are not clearly identified, and many
counterarguments are ignored. The essay is informative with no
persuasive elements. Shows little original thought.
Relies on personal experience to the near exclusion of outside
research, does not meet the source requirements, or sources are
inappropriate for an academic essay.
Two pages short of the length requirement, excluding the title and
references page.
Organization, Style, Mechanics, and APA:
Paragraphs are underdeveloped and lack coherence and transitions.
The style is inappropriate for an academic essay and interferes
with the development and clarity of the main points.
Many serious and minor grammar, punctuation, and spelling
errors, including those that would be flagged by a spell and
grammar checker. Often fails to meet the conventions of Standard
American English.
Citation and formatting meet few APA guidelines.
Letter to the editor:
The letter lacks clarity and a sense of purpose. Inappropriate for its
intended audience. Demonstrates no revision of the version posted
in the unit 5 invention lab.
Reflection question responses:
Only responds to some of the reflection questions, responses may
be in incomplete sentences or are not in paragraph form, and
responses lack any specific examples.
Presentation: Message in presentation lacks originality, clarity,
and purpose and is not effective for intended audience. Has only 1
or 2 pieces of information regarding the students big idea and
lacks research to support points. Does not demonstrate revision of
the version posted in the unit 7 invention lab.
F
143-below points
Comments:
It meets no or few of the assignment's guidelines; missing one or
more required components.
The components outlined for a 'D' paper, presentation, letter to the
editor, or reflection responses are not met.
Essay, letter to editor, and/or presentation have not been revised.
It may be plagiarized.