Rubric for Term Paper

Homework assignments generally involve writing and do not have unambiguous right-or-wrong answers. The purpose of this term paper is to review previous research on a topic. This rubric establishes criteria for evaluating the term paper.

Criteria and Qualities	1	2	3	4	5	
Relevant actors, whether actually participating in criminal market or merely affecting its functioning (25 percent)	Precisely identifies the actors who affect the criminal market; discusses relevant typologies of actors	Mostly accurately identifies the actors who affect the criminal market; discusses relevant typologies of actors	Identifies with overall accuracy the actors who affect the criminal market; discusses relevant typologies of actors	Vaguely identifies the actors who affect the criminal market; discusses relevant typologies of actors	Very poorly identifies the actors who affect the criminal market; discusses relevant typologies of actors	
Roles performed by relevant actors (25 percent)	Discusses excellently how relevant actors affect the functioning of the criminal market	Discusses well how relevant actors affect the functioning of the criminal market	Discusses adequately how relevant actors affect the functioning of the criminal market	Discusses poorly how relevant actors affect the functioning of the criminal market	Discusses very poorly how relevant actors affect the functioning of the criminal market	
Emergence of and critically important changes to criminal market (20 percent)	Precisely identifies when the criminal market emerged and/or changed; if appropriate, discusses theories of such criminal markets	Mostly accurately identifies when the criminal market emerged and/or changed; if appropriate, discusses theories of such criminal markets	Identifies with overall accuracy when the criminal market emerged and/or changed; if appropriate, discusses theories of such criminal markets	Vaguely identifies when the criminal market emerged and/or changed; if appropriate, discusses theories of such criminal markets	Very poorly identifies when the criminal market emerged and/or changed; if appropriate, discusses theories of such criminal markets	
Location of criminal market (20 percent)	Very thoroughly discusses where the criminal market is located and how its location affects its functioning	Thoroughly discusses where the criminal market is located and how its location affects its functioning	Adequately discusses where the criminal market is located and how its location affects its functioning	Poorly discusses where the criminal market is located and how its location affects its functioning	Very poorly discusses where the criminal market is located and how its location affects its functioning	
Grammar, spelling, and usage (10 percent)	Writing is clear, with excellent word choice and grammar, and correct spelling	Writing is clear, with acceptable word choice and grammar, and mostly correct spelling	Writing is clear enough to allow comprehension, with mediocre word choice, grammar, and spelling	Writing is difficult to comprehend, with major errors in word choice, grammar, and spelling	Writing is difficult to comprehend, with serious and persistent errors in word choice, grammar, and spelling	

As indicated in the syllabus, plagiarizing even a sentence, or more, will result in a grade of 0. Citing sources without using them in the text of the paper will be considered an example of falsification and will result in a grade of 0. Sources must be cited, and listed in the reference list, in accordance with the author-date system explained in the “Format for Paper Citations” document.
If the paper is shorter than the stipulated 2,200-word to 2,800-word range, the grade will be lowered proportionately. A 10-page paper is approximately 2,500 words, so a 2,000-word paper will be considered as only 80 percent of a completed assignment; a 1,750-word paper will be considered as only 70 percent of a completed assignment; and so on.
If the paper contains fewer than the required 10 acceptable sources, the grade will be lowered proportionately (e.g., 9 acceptable sources will be considered as only 90 percent of acceptable sources; 8 acceptable sources will be considered as only 80 percent of acceptable sources; and so on). The assignment specifies what counts as an “acceptable” source and what does not.