For individual General Discussion questions and final paper assignment
(Adapted from College of Management, Lawrence Technological University )

A Paper/Response (Exemplary):

• Responds fully to the assignment: information clearly and effectively supports a central purpose, thesis or question and displays a thoughtful, in-depth, original and creative analysis of a topic or question. The reader gains insights.

• The paper/responses flow and end effectively. The introduction, body, and conclusion of the paper are sound.

• Provides compelling supporting, evidence, examples, and details to support the assignment.

• Uses appropriate, direct language; the writing is compelling. Sentences are well phrased and varied in length and structure. Paragraphs are well-structured;, excellent use of headings, organization, and flow.

• Correctly acknowledges and documents sources in APA format style in-text citations and works cited pages.

• Free of errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format.

B Paper/Response (Proficient):

• Responds in a competent manner to the assignment: information provides firm support of a central purpose, thesis or questions, and displays a basic analysis of topic or question. Shows some originality, creativity or genuine engagement of a topic or question.

• The paper/responses flow and ends effectively. The introduction, body, and conclusion are adequate.

• Provides adequate supporting evidence, examples, and details to support the assignment.

• Uses appropriate, direct language; the writing is good. The sentences are well phrased and varied in length and structure. There are occasional violations in the writing, but they don't represent a major distraction or obscure the meaning. Use of headings, organization, and flow is good.

• Correctly acknowledges and documents sources in APA style in-text citations and works cited pages.

• There are few to minimal errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format.

C Paper/Response (Marginal):

• Responds adequately to the assignment; information, at times, supports a thesis. The purpose of paper or response is not always clear. Completes rather than engages in the assignment.

• Has partial or inadequate introduction and conclusion.

• Does not provide adequate supporting arguments, evidence, examples, and details.

• The writing is not arranged logically. Ideas fail to make sense, are not expressed clearly. Reader can figure out what writer probably intends but may not be motivated to do so.

• Some sentences are awkwardly constructed and they represent an occasional distraction for the reader. Paragraphs are unstructured; headings are missing, lacks general organization and flow.

• Incorrectly or partially acknowledges and documents sources in APA style in-text citations and works cited pages. Although occasional references are provided, the writer relies on unsubstantiated statements. The reader is confused about the source of ideas.

• The writing has numerous errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format and this distracts the reader.

D Paper/Response (Unacceptable):

• The paper/responses do not adequately respond to the assignment. Paper/responses do not successfully identify the theses. Analysis is vague or not evident.

• The paper has an inadequate introduction and conclusion.

• The paper does not provide adequate supporting arguments, evidence, examples, and details. Paragraphs may "string together" quotations without context of discussion.

• The writing is not arranged logically. Frequently, ideas fail to make sense and are not expressed clearly. Reader cannot identify a line of reasoning.

• Errors in sentence structure are frequent enough to represent a major distraction to the reader. Paragraphs are unstructured; headings are missing, lacks general organization and flow.

• Incorrectly or partially acknowledges and documents sources in APA style in-text citations and words cited pages. Although occasional references are provided, the writer relies on unsubstantiated statements. The reader is confused about source of ideas.

• Errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format are so numerous that they obscure the meaning of the passage. The reader is confused and stops reading.

Writing Guidelines

For Group Discussion assignment questions

You have been assigned to a team. Each team will be assigned a unique name; for example; "Alpha," "Beta," etc. This will allow a better management of responses to the class discussion questions at the end of each chapter. You can access this team section in the Group Discussion area of Blackboard. This is where you will also go to read summaries of each team's work rather than having to read up to 35 responses for each question. Each team will function as follows:

• The team leader for each team will rotate weekly; this means you will be team leader once during the semester.

• Each team member's individual response to the end of chapter discussion questions will be visible to only members of his/her team.

• As a team member, you are responsible for completing all your discussion questions and posting them to your designated team folde in the Group Discussion area of Blackboard by Friday evening.

• The team leader for the week will collect and, in two-four paragraphs, summarize the responses of each team member to EACH of the end of chapter discussion questions. The team leader will post his/her summary for EACH question in the Group Summary Report of the Group Discussion area in Blackboard by Monday night. This team summary will be available for viewing by all class members.

• The team leader will also send to me in an email attachment a short summary of individual member's performance. This should include:

a. Responsiveness of the team member:

 i. Did he/she meet the deadlines for responses?

 ii. Did he/she complete all questions?

iii. Did he/she provide sufficient content for your team summary?

iv. Do you feel the work was original and insightful?