Rubric for Senior Capstone Final Paper

Area Criteria Description

Final Bound copy due on Monday, March 26, 2012 - NO EXCEPTIONS! Max Points Example High Score Example Middle Score Example Low Score Points Earned

Paper is a Research Thesis not a Report

This is, perhaps, the single most important standard on the rubric. In essence, this paper must be a thesis that shows that researched materials support one or two well-articulated hypothesis(es). This is not a report where students write research (find information about) a topic and then report back what they have found. It is a research/thesis paper where they were to first develop questions to be answered, then construct hypothesis(es), followed by researching evidences, data, or by running experiments, and culminating in a welldefended thesis. The differences between a simple report (a restatement of uncovered information) and a thesis (a convincing written example of higher-order thinking and analysis as it is applied to a question, problem, or discovery) is one of the most important concepts emphasized in Capstone. It is not easy to articulate the differences between a thesis and a report in a short rubric description, but advisors should be confident that this topic was covered, discussed, and demonstrated throughout the Capstone course.

30 available
30 30 = The research paper There is very little room is a thesis paper. It for the middle ground; makes a claim and then well-defended thesis it substantiates the claim papers should receive a in an orderly and logical 30, why reports (no fashion. Evidences are matter how well written) given and information is should receive a 0. compared and critiqued. 0 = The research paper is a report. It may be well written, but it simply presents information about a topic without critical analysis and a logical defense.

Work Consistency and Advisor Collaboration...

Final paper turned in by the due date having already been reviewed and approved by the advisor. In other words, when the final paper was handed in, the advisor had been given adequate time to review it and complete the half-sheet evaluation. The student should have been working on the paper steadily and consistently all semester. This would be evident to the advisor by the number of student-initiated meetings and or communications. This rubric item assesses, then, students approach to writing with the aid of their selected advisor over the course of the semester. Advisors, ask yourself this: Knowing that Mr. Evans lectured on and even begged for students to write and communicate assignment standards, did your student always communicate these on a weekly basis?

30 available
10 5 = I was given the final paper just in a nick of time, and felt pressured to get it reviewed so that it could be turned in on time. 20 = The student 10 = For most weeks, initiated, scheduled and the student waited until kept 2 to 3 regular the end of the week weekly meetings during (Friday) to hand in work this past month to show giving little or no time for writing progress and adviser input. seek advice. The student was delightfully mature and selfinitiating. 10 = I was given the final paper with ample time to review it and complete the form without feeling pressured. 0 = I was not given enough time to review the paper, or I never even saw it.

20

0 = The student rarely, if ever, contacted their advisor. Any meetings that did occur, only happened when the student was desperate for a deadline or signature. The advisor/advisee relationship was excuses and blame shifting.

NOTE: This is to be graded by the advisor. Graders, leave this blank!

Paper Mechanics...
A spiral bound paper with plastic cover pages included... Title Page The Paper (an index was optional but encouraged) Sources/Resources/Bibliography Assignment Number 2: The Thesis. Appendices where necessary (optional) Citation Sampler with both in-text and source style examples so that the grader knows how to evaluate citation style. A title page including all relevant details should start the paper. Additional information is okay so long as you do not think the student is going overboard.

90 available
5 5 = Exactly as described 3 = Stapled and neat or 0 = A stack of loose missing an element or pages was handed in. an element out of place. One or more missing elements.

5 = All elements: __ Course name __ Paper Title (subtitles are fine too) Capstone is NOT a title! __ Student's name __ Advisor's name __ Capstone teacher __ Due date 10 = All elements are present.

0 = No title page

Abstract is well written. Thesis statement is bold within the abstract. The abstract provides an adequate summary of why the topic is important, what they were seeking to find and the end result. Format is consistent throughout. The student idented paragraphs and has no extra spacing after each paragraph. The paper is double-spaced throughout, in 12 point Times New Roman font with 1 inch (2.5 cm margins) and printed on A4 paper. (Footnotes may be as small as 10 point font.)

10

0 = There is no abstract.

10

10 = style is consistent throughout.

0 = Style is either a hybrid or inconsistent throughout.

Spelling

10

10 = I found no spelling mistakes.

Grammar

20

20 = I found no grammatical mistakes.

0 = The paper was full of spelling errors. The student could not possibly have even opened the spell checker function! 0 = The paper was full of grammar errors. The student could not possibly have even opened the grammar checker function!

The capstone paper is to be of sufficient length to adequately cover the chosen topic, and should be a minimum length of 3000 words (not including text in charts, graphs, citations, the source listings and such). This will put most papers in the range of 10 - 11 full length pages of prose alone if absolutely no graphics are included, and then go up from there. Count the words on an average page and multiply by the number of pages. If it is close, give the benefit of the doubt to the student. Asking the student for an electronic copy in a word processor format (not PDF) may also help with counting should you feel that it is necessary to do so. Papers also have a maximum size, they should not exceed 4000 words.

30

30 = 3000 - 4000 words. 2 point deducted for each 100 words under 3000 or for each 100 words over 4000. Do not exceed 30 points.

Data and Calculations...

Data, when needed, were arranged in tables.

0 to a max of 10
5 or NA 5 = Yes, always 0 = No, necessary data were not presented at all 0 = No, necessary equations were not presented even when needed

Calculations and derivations were clearly presented and easy to follow when necessary to support a point

5 or NA

5 = Yes, always

Illustrations, Charts and Graphs...

All illustrations, schematics, diagrams, plans, charts and graphs that were needed were present. These graphic elements were logically placed near the concept being written about. The elements were explained and understandable. A synergy exists between the textual and graphical content of the paper, one enhancing the comprehensibility of the other. The prose is aided and enhanced by necessary graphics. No superfluous pictures, illustrations, charts or graphs were added as fluff.

10 available
10 10 = Yes, always 0 = Graphics were never employed to clarify and explain, and when graphics were used, they were unnecessary

Papers structure...
Paper included a well-defined thesis statement that introduced the subject and establishes the thesis and document plan. The thesis paper follows the original plan, that is, it follows the plan and goals laid out at the beginning of the semester. Did the students research the topic that they said that they would research? Students sometimes modify their papers to follow a different topic, but this is not permitted. You will need to refer to a document that should be attached in the appendices. Do not grade this rubric item based on whether or not the original assignment is attached; that's handled later in the rubric section, "Attachments in the Appendices". The paper uses language that is professional and understandable. The paper avoids the use of I, me, you and other such personal language. Vocabulary is on par with a senior-level, academic capstone paper.

60 available
5 5 = Yes 0 = No

20

20 = The research paper follows the research plan and goals laid out earlier in the semester.

0 = The student completely dropped the original research idea and pursued another topic.

10

10 = Yes, always

The central purpose of the paper is always apparent to the reader and the paper logically follows an obvious outline. The ideas are arranged logically and the paper flows smoothly. One idea is clearly linked to the next. Relevant and legitimate (scholarly) examples clearly support the central thesis. The text provides clear and detailed evidence for all claims.

10

10 = The paper always stays on task

0 = The paper is full of personal, non-academic language and the vocabulary is either concocted from an overused thesaurus or is simple and childish 0 = The paper meanders aimlessly and it is apparent that no outline was ever used 0 = The paper is mostly opinion and unsupported assertions

10

The writing is interesting and hooks the reader. It sustains interest throughout.

10 = The thesis is supported by wellresearched and presented supporting information 5 = This paper really grabbed me

0 = Boring and completely flat. I could barely finish it.

Citations and Sources...

References are primarily peer-reviewed professional journals where possible ). Consider the resources that the Internet has to offer. Did the student choose wisely from the Internet and other available materials? Quoted text is rarely done and only when the text is quoted for historic or artistic value

60 available
10 10 = Excellent, academic or professional resources were researched and cited 5 = No quoted text was used or when it was used, the text itself was intrinsically quoteworthy 10 = The paper is full of citations 0 = The sources were highly suspect and should not have been a trusted source of information 0 = The student copied/pasted then quoted large blocks of text just to avoid writing. 0 = Citations were rarely used or were used as an afterthought to satisfy a requirement for citations. Ideas that were clearly not the students were not cited. 0 = Citations do not follow the style that we agreed upon. 0 = The Source page is not formatted as agreed upon. There is no middle ground here. A bad source is not a zero, it is academic dishonestly. Report instances of academic dishonesty to the Capstone teacher.

All ideas that are not commonly known to humanity in general and therefore represent the ideas of a source, need to be cited!!! It is plagiarism if sentences from a source are word-replaced/modified. It is plagiarism if ideas are not credited. Frankly, the paper should be CHOCK FULL OF CITATIONS!!!

10

Citations should be correctly formatted. This depends on the style chosen by the student in conjunction with his/her advisor. Advisors were to be consulted on this issue. Sources are correctly formatted. This depends on the style chosen by the student in conjunction with his/her advisor. Advisors were to be consulted on this issue. All sources are real. Do a spot check of a few of the listed web sources to make sure that they are real and that the information cited came from there.

5 = There are many styles out there, the student always used the correct style. 5 = Same as above, the style follows what the student agreed to do. 5 = All sources check out

A significant number of academic sources was employed.

20

12 or more: 20-points 9 - 11: 15-points 6 - 8: 10 points 3 - 5: 5-points 0 - 2: 0 points

Attachments in the Appendices...

Attached a copy of the original assignment describing the thesis topic (Week 10) in detail. This should be the LAST section at the BACK of the paper. It would be difficult to evaluate the paper as to whether a student did what they said they would in the absence of this attachment. If it is missing, you may want to mark the paper down AND go see the capstone teacher for advice or input. Attached a copy of the citation styles sampler that informs the advisor as to the standard (MLA, APA, or Chicago) and how the sources and citations should be formatted.

20 available
10 10 = copy attached. 0 = Copy was not attached, had to go ask for it.

10

10 = copy attached.

0 = Copy was not attached, had to go ask for it.

Total Points Available (will vary from 300 to 310):

Total Points Awarded: