Criteria for a Scholarly Research Paper

Answered

Criteria	Needs Work	Satisfactory	Exceptional
Introduction	There is not a clear introduction. Key definitions are missing; relevant stats/info on topic are missing and/or it’s not paraphrased and cited from the scholarly articles.	There is a clear introduction with citations from scholarly sources but its missing key definitions and/or relevant statistics/info related to the research question.	The writer provides a clear introduction with background information for the research question. It has relevant definitions/stats and all information is cited and paraphrased.
Main Argument and Recommendations/Solutions Sections	There is often more than one theme per section; a connection to the research question is missing.	Generally one theme per section but some supporting claims seem to wander from the research question	One theme per section & there is a clear & convincing connection between all claims & research question
Reflective Analysis	Personal reflection is missing, incomplete or vague – i.e., doesn’t address direct relevance of article to research question	Personal reflection addresses both the issue and the recommendations; indicates relevance to research question	Personal reflection addresses both the issue and the recommendations; fully explains your lived experience in relation to the research question
Conclusion	Conclusion is not clear and connections to the research question are incorrect OR just a repetition of the findings without explanation.	Conclusion is clearly stated and connections to the research question are mostly clear: some points may not be logically connected.	Conclusion is clearly stated and connections to the research question, main issue and solutions scholarly research are clear, relevant, and convincing.
Thesis Statement	Thesis is missing or isn’t presented in argument format	Thesis is clearly stated but isn’t in argument format OR does not reflect the pro or con view	Thesis is clearly stated, in argument format, and clearly reflects the pro or con view
Organization/Logic/Clarity	Outline is poorly organized and difficult to read; does not flow logically from one part to the next. Technical terms may not be defined or are poorly defined.	Outline is generally well organized and sections are easy to follow.	Outline is coherently organized and the logic is easy to follow. Terms are clearly defined.
Use of scholarly sources	The writer doesn’t use source material well or the material used does not match the issues.	The writer uses source material that supports each view and is scholarly	The writer uses several different sources effectively; most or all sources are scholarly
APA in-text citations	There is little evidence that the student is aware of APA style for in-text citations.	In-text citations generally follow APA, but there are a few errors in citations.	The in-text citations are accurate.
APA Reference page	The reference page does not include scholarly sources and/or does not follow APA style.	The reference page has scholarly sources but it is not in APA style.	The reference page is in APA style and the source list is scholarly and credible.